Minnesotans can now order THC drinks on tap
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Minnesota bars, restaurants, and breweries can now offer THC beverages on tap.
The big picture: The new law is the latest boost for the state's burgeoning hemp-derived beverage industry and those who enjoy the buzz-inducing drinks.
- Bob Galligan, government relations director for the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, says Minnesota is the first state to explicitly legalize serving the drinks this way.
Zoom in: Proponents argue offering the beverages on draft saves producers money on distribution and packaging — potentially lowering costs for customers.
- It could also allow seltzer makers to try new flavors without committing to canning.
Plus: Galligan told Axios that the change is also an effort to reduce stigma around THC drinks by treating them like beer.
- "The ability to actually, you know, walk into a bar and sit down, have a pint of THC, and having that be completely normal ... is ultimately kind of the broader goal," he said.
What we're hearing: Adoption is slow so far, Galligan told Axios, but Headflyer in Northeast is among those already letting the hemp-derived beverages flow.
Headflyer's head of beer Neil Miller told Axios that he hopes the "trial run" will lead to an opportunity to "expand our product lineup."
- "We have some fun ideas for limited-release flavors that we haven't produced," he wrote in an email.
The catch: The switch isn't seamless. Galligan advises producers to take it slow and test everything from tap line cleaning processes to whether a batch's potency remains consistent throughout the keg.
Between the lines: The THC on tap provision, first passed in 2023, was originally supposed to take effect in 2025. But this spring, lawmakers opted to move it up to July 1 of this year.
Zoom out: The change was one of several the state Legislature approved this year related to intoxicating beverages.
The fine print: It only applies to establishments that already serve alcohol, so don't expect kegs of THC drinks to start showing up at frat parties.
- Everything that's ordinarily on a can label, including the amount of THC per serving, must be posted publicly.
The bottom line: Recent tax data suggests that annual sales of lower dose hemp-derived THC products, including drinks, gummies, and other edibles, exceeds $130 million, MinnPost reported last week.