We tried it: Cann Social Tonic Review

Between the billboards of drag superstars and endorsements from the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Cann is hard to miss. Since the cannabis drink brand launched in 2019, it has taken the beverage market by storm, selling over two million cans in just two years.

By the time the 2.5 milligram doses of Cann hit the market, the vast majority of beverages on pharmacy shelves had THC levels of 10 to 100 milligrams per bottle. For a low-dose consumer like me, this makes most cannabis drinks out of reach – despite serving up one tablespoon of cannabis drink at a time, which was not an ideal user experience to say the least. And don’t let me start with the taste of first generation weed drinks. Let’s just say it was tough.

Cann, on the other hand, promises to go head-to-toe with your favorite cocktails, ideally completely replacing the role of alcohol in your life. Cann’s ability to make that promise is due in part to its use of SōRSE technology, the leading supplier of water-soluble THC and CBD.

Between the celebrity recommendations, water-soluble cannabinoids, and the craft cocktail mentality, Cann should be one of the best cannabis drinks out there today. But do the drinks really live up to the hype? I tried Cann’s Grapefruit Rosemary and Lemon Lavender Social Tonics to find out.

First impression

You’ll immediately find that Cann’s packaging is way ahead of most cannabis brands – drinkable or not. Not only are the cans beautiful with monochrome pastel colors and modern line drawings; it’s also extremely informative. The dose of 2 milligrams of THC and 4 milligrams of CBD per can is clearly marked on the front of each drink. On the back you will find beautifully displayed nutritional information, a sweet dosage tip and catchphrases that we all know and love, such as “non-GMO” and “no stevia”.

In terms of size, each can of Cann holds 8 fluid ounces and is roughly the same size and shape as a mini can of Coke. The small drink size might seem like a scheme to add even more to the lovable factor (they are really adorable), but it also makes sense from a practical point of view. How much bubbly water did you start to give up only halfway because it got warm and lost its bubbly? The small can size avoids this problem.

Can you say I love the design of these drinks? Because I love the design of these drinks.

taste

I tried the grapefruit rosemary cann first. First of all, I have to say that I have high standards for beverages with a grapefruit flavor. While it looks like it should be a simple taste, I’ve gone through countless citrus-like sodas that are too hot, too sweet, or leave a disappointing chemical aftertaste. The grapefruit flavor in this drink is perfectly light and fresh, while the rosemary offers just enough earthiness to make up for it. It’s not nearly as sweet as a traditional lemonade, but just sweet enough to differentiate itself from flavored sparkling water. I might be happy to have more sparkling water in my cann, but extra sparkling water is just my personal preference.

As for the Lemon Lavender Cann, I can only describe the taste with a fancy adult lemonade. It’s plant-based, without tasting like soap and lemon, without being overly acidic. I’m always so disappointed when I order a fancy, fruity cocktail, only the sickly sweetness overwhelms all other flavors. Cann is able to strike the perfect balance of being cute enough to suckle but refined enough to enjoy.

effectiveness

With 2 milligrams of THC and 4 milligrams of CBD per can, you might not expect much from these small beverages. However, I am a low-dose stoner. My guess is 5 milligram gummies and I can hardly smoke a mini joint on my own without spending hours poetic about aliens. So 2 milligrams of THC is my happy place.

I started by casually sipping a can for half an hour. I could immediately feel a nice, subtle hum that lasted on itself and lasted a little over an hour. I could easily have had another cann without feeling too high to hang out in a large group of people, but it was also nice to know that I could still get a significant vibe from just one.

I attribute the surprising effectiveness of a can to the presence of CBD in the mix. The entourage effect may still be up for debate, but I personally feel a more complex high when there is more than one cannabinoid, which it certainly was here.

experience

Overall the experience was nice. After trying both cann flavors in a few different scenarios – with people, without, at home, and in a lively environment – it occurred to me that when it comes to edible weed, self-titration is changing the rules of the game. You can sip a little at a time, dose yourself slowly, and slack off into a high. As much as I love gummy bears, you can just eat the whole thing and wait for the high to hit you all at once. It’s the difference between a shot of vodka and a vodka cocktail in an hour – no choice is necessarily bad, but they run at very different speeds.

I can easily imagine that instead of a bottle of wine I would take a six-pack with the flavors grapefruit rosemary and lemon lavender to a picnic, a house party or a game night. I can also imagine bringing both. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to reduce my alcohol consumption without sacrificing the social and ritual aspects that I enjoy.

Bottom line

If you need at least 10 milligrams of THC to feel a bit of noise, this is not the cannabis drink for you. I literally recommend Cann Drinks to anyone else (21 and older and in a legal state of course) because they are perfect in every way. I’m pissed off that I didn’t invent these drinks myself because they’re awesome, but then I’m glad I didn’t have to put all the work into creating a new product from scratch. Instead, I can sip the fruits of the labor of other geniuses and be happy to live in an era of legal cannabis drinks.

Selected image courtesy of Cann / Weedmaps

Post a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *