October 30, 2017

"Corona brewer to invest nearly $200 million in Canadian marijuana grower, with plans to develop cannabis-infused drinks."

The Wall Street Journal reports (and I got in without a subscription).
The C$245 million (US$191 million) deal gives Constellation a toehold in an industry that the brewer expects to be legalized nationwide in the U.S. in the coming years.

“We think that it’s highly likely, given what’s happened at the state level,” Rob Sands, chief executive of the Victor, N.Y.-based beer, wine and spirits company, said in an interview. “We’re obviously trying to get first-mover advantage.”

Constellation—flush with cash after posting a 13% increase in beer sales in its latest quarter—is interested in developing drinkable cannabis products that don’t contain alcohol, he said. Products currently on the market in U.S. states where they are legal include buzz-inducing sodas, coffees and fruit elixirs.

16 comments:

tim in vermont said...

Haven't they done studies that show that small amounts of cannabis mixed with alcohol makes you a far more dangerous driver than either alone?

Biff said...

Food or drug? The FDA wants to know.

Michael The Magnificent said...

A fellow home Brewery was kind enough to share a beer her brewed that he had "dry hopped" with some of Colorado's finest.

And while effective, the green vegetal flavor imparted wasn't all that good.

tim in vermont said...

Yeah, nobody cooks with pot for the flavor. You could get the same flavors cheaper just by cleaning off your mower deck and using that.

Ann Althouse said...

"Haven't they done studies that show that small amounts of cannabis mixed with alcohol makes you a far more dangerous driver than either alone?"

It won't be an alcoholic beverage, according to the quoted text.

I think a driver on marijuana is going to be better than a driver on alcohol. Right?

I'm not recommending it.

Kyzer SoSay said...

Stoned drivers tend to make really dumb mistakes, like missing exits and waiting for stop signs to turn green. On the other hand, they also tend to speed less and use their signals obsessively, even to the point of activating a turn signal when going around a particularly tight turn in the road (as opposed to actually making a turn onto a different road). They also tend to be forgetful and become overwhelmed by lots of activity, for example, city driving with crosswalks and bike lanes and impatient taxicabs.

All in all, marijuana does nothing to improve anyone's driving, but it is probably less dangerous than alcohol. By how much depends heavily on the person and their reactions.

Bad Lieutenant said...

tim in vermont said...
Haven't they done studies that show that small amounts of cannabis mixed with alcohol makes you a far more dangerous driver than either alone?


What are you looking at?! (hic)

MadisonMan said...

Talk to me when the flavor is effectively infused into gin.

David S said...

No one is suggesting that driving while high is ok.

MacMacConnell said...

Corona, never drink a beer for with the the name of the head of your dick. Also, can I see the hands of the three people in American shocked that Kevin Spacey is gay.

ndspinelli said...

This is about market share. The biggest business against legalized cannabis is the liquor industry, followed by Big Pharma. Beer sales in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado have fallen 3-5%. So, Corona is seeing the writing on the wall and making a smart move. Maybe.

Yes, cannabis smokers are slightly safer than alcohol drivers. However, prior use is also a factor. A person who has been a drinker for a long time and has a tolerance, is a better driver than an occasional cannabis user.

David said...

Highly unfortunate and a path to nothing
good.

There's money in it for the politicians so eventually most of them will come around.

'TreHammer said...

...just drink the bong water...

Kirk Parker said...

MadMan,

Who would want their gin to taste like marijuana, any more than they would want it to taste like cucumber!???

RonF said...

It would be nice if they invested that kind of money into brewing a beer worth drinking. Corona is the only beer I have ordered in a bar and sent back after having a swallow out of it as unfit to drink. And I am a pretty adventurous beer drinker.

Anthony said...

I might try a beverage before I leave Seattle. Otherwise I’m mostly uninterested.