Hemp Terpenes in Beer

For the last two years, we’ve been playing around with hemp terpenes in our brews, specifically in Pineapple Super Diesel released in 2021 and Mango Waui, much more recently released in April 2022.  What exactly are terpenes? Terpenes are oils naturally found in cannabis, hops, and in the rind of citrus fruits. Terpenes are the oils that define the distinctive aromatic bouquet of each weed strain and are the force that drive the experience when using cannabis products. Once the terpenes enter your system, they effect how you respond to the cannabinoids ingested. In our beers Pineapple Super Diesel and Mango Waui, we use extracted terpinenes and hemp seeds in our brew to create the intense, dank, aromatic qualities you experience upon cracking the can. By using the extracted terpene oils, there are no THC or CBD present when drinking these beers, only aromatic qualities.

Pineapple Super Diesel was named after its hemp strain, Super Sour Diesel. Super Sour Diesel has a peppery, earthy and herbal taste that goes very well with food. We matched up this profile with pineapple as it also complimented the aromatic profile of the hops. Typical effects of this hemp strain include soothing focus, and happiness, making it one of the most popular hemp strains on the market.

Mango Waui was also named after its hemp strain, Maui Waui which boasts aromas of heavy pineapple and mango with slight notes of pine and pepper. Just like our vision of the ideal beer experience, this strain promotes unwinding and is great for focus.  Though there are no effects from the terpenes in our brews, it’s a nice connection. Don’t you think?

It’s estimated that 27 million years ago, hops and cannabis were the same plant. Now two very distinct species with very different uses, they are for the first time in a long time coming together again – through beer. In 2015, a Colorado brewery released the first commercial beer brewed with CBD. In 2016, Wiz Khalifa filed a patent for cannabis beer, though not yet released – the trademark lives on!  In 2017, several more breweries released CBD beers, all small batch and quick sellers but in 2018, the first cannabis beer was announced that was using strains containing THC.  For years breweries across the world have been experimenting with different strains and how to use them in their products, including us! The connection is undeniable, these plants go hand in hand.

With the popularity of cannabis products spiking due to it’s legalization, the experimentation will continue! Terpenes have time after time shown a beautiful balance with an intense dankness that shocks us every time. In short, it is just too cool.