Between the legalization of cannabis passed by lawmakers in New York late last month and the subsequent 4/20 holiday earlier this week, weed lovers in the Empire State have had plenty to celebrate in April. But don’t fret if all the smoking, vaping, and edibles are slowing you down even though you’re still up for a party. Thanks to a new release from Blue Point Brewing on Long Island, New Yorkers now have a THC-free way to experience the essence of cannabis while enjoying a frosty ale.
With a healthy dose of alcohol and terpenes found in one of the most popular cannabis strains in history, Blue Point’s new Legalize Wheat Ale is sure to whet the taste buds of the most discerning canna-philes. Now available at Blue Point’s Long Island pub or for delivery throughout New York as part of special limited edition HopBox, Legalize Wheat Ale features the aroma and flavor profile of the infamous marijuana cultivar Pineapple Express.
“This dry-hopped wheat ale is laced with some seriously potent terpenes that will transport you to another state of mind. At 7.0% ABV, Legalize Wheat is dank and totally bodacious,” Blue Point Brewing asserts in a press release.
What Are Terpenes?
Just in case you’re not in the know, terpenes are naturally occurring organic compounds that are responsible for a multitude of fragrances created by plants. At least 20,000 different terpenes have been identified in plants, more than 100 of which can be found in cannabis.
“Terpenes are aromatic oils responsible for the distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, and pine that we perceive in many plants, herbs, and yes… you guessed it, Marijuana,” Blue Point Brewing explained.
Different cultivars of cannabis have different terpene profiles, which is largely responsible for the varying aromas and flavors exhibited by the plant. Terpenes can also have an impact on mood, health, and wellness, a fact manifested in the practice of aromatherapy. And in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect, terpenes in cannabis can accentuate or modulate the medicinal and psychoactive effects of the herb.
To impart the Legalize Wheat Ale with the essence of the strain Pineapple Express, Blue Point Brewing relied on a water-soluble terpene blend from Abstrax Tech, which has sweet, floral, and pineapple notes. The dominant terpenes in the blend include myrcene, alpha-pinene, and beta-caryophyllene.
Carrie Shafir, the general manager of Blue Point Brewing, told High Times in a virtual interview that the addition of terpenes is changing what consumers can expect from a brew.
“As plant-based lifestyles continue to gain momentum in the US, it was an inevitability that terpenes and other botanical elements begin to enter the beverage alcohol landscape,” Shafir said, teasing the possibility of future releases from the brewery. “Innovating with these ingredients has been incredibly exciting for the Blue Point team. We’re only scratching the surface with Legalize Wheat.”
Get Your Legalize Wheat Ale In A HopBox
To make the Legalize Wheat release more special, Blue Point has tapped artist Helen Kennedy, the first female artist-in-residence for the Grateful Dead, to design the graphics for the limited edition brew. Even better, the brand has created the ultimate kit to celebrate cannabis legalization in New York Blue Point style with a limited edition HopBox.
Available via direct-to-consumer shipping across New York and for pickup at the Long Island pub, the kit includes their Legalize Wheat, the LIIT Hard Tea Seltzer, and two IPAs—Hoptical Illusion and Peripheral Drift. And to make the kit complete for any sesh, the HopBox also includes rolling papers, munchies, a limited edition poster designed by Kennedy, and more.
More information on Legalize Wheat Ale and the HopBox is available on the Blue Point Brewing website.
Terpenes can also have an impact on mood, health, and wellness, a fact manifested in the practice of aromatherapy.