EXCLUSIVE: Hectare's cannabis-infused beverages make their way into Louisville bars

Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal
·7 min read

Cannabis infused beverages are coming to a bar near you.

As alcohol consumption rates continue to drop across the country, mocktails and alcohol alternatives are having a moment. Hectare’s Cannabis Innovations, a Louisville based company, which has been selling delta-9 beverages in bars in Texas and Tennessee is bringing the cannabis beverage trend to restaurants and bars locally.

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Jeff Stum, co-founder of Hectare’s Cannabis Innovations, has been tinkering with the idea of turning cannabis-infused beverages into a business for years. The former Brown-Forman employee and co-founder of Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey is no stranger to the beverage industry.

Stum, who grew up in Hopkins County, has spent his entire professional career involved in the beverage industry in one form or another. His first job was working at the Pepsi factory in his hometown.

"That's [beverages are] what consumers like, it's been proven time and time again with the craft beer movement and the boom in bourbon," Stum said.

Nationwide, 60% of U.S. adults self-identify as consuming alcohol, down from 65% in 2019, according to a Gallup survey. Following the pandemic, the 'sober curious' and 'California sober' movements have taken off with 34% of consumers saying they have cut back from alcohol consumption in an effort to be healthier, according to a Nielsen study.

"People would rather use cannabis than alcohol, rather wake up without an alcohol type hangover, and even though we're in Kentucky, we're finding that there's a great audience for folks with Cali sober," Stum said.

Luke Wilson, the Vice President of Sales at Hectare's Cannabis Innovations, said it is a pivotal moment for beverage companies to provide consumers with alcohol alternatives. Consumers, especially young adults, are still looking for a buzz, but without the damage beer and cocktails can do to your body.

"I think there's a big growing market and especially with younger generations for non-alcohol solutions," Wilson said.

In 2020, the U.S. saw $100 million in sales of cannabis beverages, a relatively recent non-alcoholic beverage substitute. By 2021, the sales of cannabis beverages in the U.S. increased by 45% to $145 million.

“We're very eager to provide our products to all consumers,” said Bart Miller, CEO of Hectare's Cannabis Innovations. “Those consumers include individuals that might be new to cannabis, who we call 'cannacurious,' or the more seasoned consumers, who we call 'cannaisseurs.'"

Here’s what we know about the cannabis-infused drinks heading to Louisville area restaurants and bars.

Where can I get a delta-9 beverage in Louisville?

There are several locations around Louisville who have already started carrying delta-9 beverages:

Hectare's made its formal move into the Louisville bar and restaurant scene at Waldo’s Chicken and Beer in Norton Commons in June. Susie Gullett, who previously used Hectare’s products, was out walking her niece’s dog when she noticed the Hectare’s launch event on Meeting Street.

"I think it's progressive and … it's great and more restaurants should have Hectare’s served,” Gullett said. “To me, it’s the same as alcohol, some people don't like alcohol and they like cannabis and they should have options.”

Hectare's success in Nashville fully exceeded Stum's expectations. After landing 15 bar and restaurant accounts, including M.L. Rose a small chain with one of Nashville's largest beer selections, he turned his attention to Louisville.

Hectare's started working its products into bars around the Louisville metro with 11,520 units of drinks and in less than one month sold out of inventory, Stum said.

The drinks will range from $5.99 to about $10 depending on where a consumer purchases it and if the drink has been crafted into a mocktail.

Businesses interested in selling cannabis beverages don't need any specific licenses, they just need to contact a supplier like Hectare's. Just like alcohol, customers must be 21 to buy hemp derived products.

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What is a delta-9 beverage?

Hectare's, founded in 2019, uses Kentucky-grown cannabis and is considered a "premium" product. Hectare's brand also has two dispensaries called Bourbon Country Cannabis, located in NuLu and New Albany. Across Louisville, almost 80 businesses sell Hectare's products in some capacity. By mid-July, Stum anticipates having at least 20 accounts in Louisville specifically for bars and restaurants.

"For now, we've kind of got a nice little area, just in the delta-9 beverage area where we're standing alone regionally," Stum said. "We don't anticipate us being alone for very long."

Delta-9 beverages, which have been legal in Kentucky since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, are derived from hemp and contain the federal legal limit of 0.3% delta-9 THC. In March, Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 544 into law, providing regulations and age restrictions for hemp-derived products following a Courier Journal series of reporting.

“When the law started … showing a clear path forward with hemp derived delta-9, we really wanted to hold our ground and become the delta-9 beverage provider,” Stum said. "[House Bill 544] gave me the courage and the faith that we're operating within the law to take this expanse."

Hectare’s beverages, like their delta-9 drink shots and delta-9 craft soda, come in a variety of fruity and floral flavors like dragon fruit, goji blackberry, watermelon berry and blood orange, which help to cover up the bitterness of delta-9 extract. Flavor extensions are coming soon across all products, Stum said, and the company is launching a delta-9 seltzer this fall.

The shots come in a range of dosages from three milligrams to 20 milligrams. Most of Hectare's bar clients will be stocked with the five milligrams goji blackberry flavored shot and the five milligrams stone fruit craft soda.

"We want for these to be 'sessionable' so much in the way you would think about drinking a beer or splitting a bottle of wine or having a beautiful single barrel at the end of the evening," Stum said.

Are delta-9 beverages safe to drink?

More: Delta-8 is legal here, but do you know what's in it? 5 things to know to try it safely

Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana; however, it is not considered a controlled substance under federal law when the dry weight of delta-9 THC does not exceed a concentration of 0.3%. Similarly, to delta-8 THC products, delta-9 products are not FDA approved or regulated, despite being legal for consumption.

Stum considers himself and his brand, Hectare's, to be a "responsible player" in the emerging knock-off marijuana space.

Stum encourages consumers of Hectare's products to treat it in a similar way to alcohol and not drive even if they are just buzzed. Currently, there are no testing devices to indicate whether a driver is impaired by substances other than alcohol, Stum said.

"Officers are astute to judging different types of impairment when they pull someone over," Stum said. "The best insurance policy comes down to the consumer behaving responsibly and making good decisions."

Stum said Hectare's beverages will always be positioned as a stand-alone drink and not to be mixed with alcohol.

"A drink is a drink is a drink, if done responsibly, and if carded," Stum said.

Contact reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_

What to know about drinking cannabis safely

  • Try to purchase products from an established hemp dispensary or health-related business

  • Make sure package labeling meets the state requirements, including a statement of identity or common product name; the total quantity of units in the package; the ingredients of hemp-derived products; the manufacturer name; the total amount of cannabinoids per serving; suggested use instructions; expiration date; and a statement saying the product is within the federal legal limit of 0.3% delta-9 THC

  • Ask for lab testing results, products are not required to be tested by a laboratory for toxins, pesticides or other hazardous materials at any stage of production before products end up on shelves, however, companies like Hectare's voluntarily submit samples to labs to have products tested for quality and purity

  • Check the dosage amount, it's important to be aware of how much delta-9, CBD and other hemp-derived products you are consuming

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Hectare's delta-9 cannabis beverages are coming to a bar near you