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Indigenous cannabis entrepreneurs underrepresented in Canada, data suggests
Entrepreneurs in Indigenous communities are significantly underrepresented within Canada’s cultivation and retail marijuana industry, new data compiled by MJBizDaily suggests.
MJBizDaily research also found that the country’s largest provinces by population – Ontario and Quebec – have not reached any government-to-government deals regarding cannabis regulation with First Nations since 2018, a potential factor for their general absence from the federally legal industry.
Among the 755 unique cannabis corporations licensed by Canada’s federal government as of last year – mostly cultivators and processors – only six were located in an Indigenous community, or 0.8% of all licensees.
And among more than 3,300 provincially authorized recreational marijuana stores across the country, approximately 24 were situated on First Nations reserves at that time, or 0.7% of the retailers in Canada.
The new data gives credence to claims by some Indigenous leaders that First Nations communities in Canada have been excluded from the economic opportunities and public health benefits stemming from the legalization and regulation of recreational marijuana spelled out under Canada’s 2018 federal cannabis law.
“We talk about reconciliation, but it hasn’t happened yet. There was an opportunity with the cannabis legislation,” Darwin Douglas, CEO of All Nations told MJBizDaily.
All Nations is one of the six federally licensed producers operating on a reserve.
Douglas said Indigenous participation is so low in the cannabis industry because meaningful consultation did not take place when the legislation was rolled out.
“The opportunity was to engage Indigenous people and nations, and consult with them on the legalization process, and understand how legalization and the building of this emerging cannabis industry was going to apply to Indigenous people,” he said.
“How the legislation would apply to Indigenous people on their title lands and territories was the opportunity to develop a system that works for everybody – the people of Canada, the federal and provincial governments, and the Indigenous nations and their jurisdictions.”
Delay denied
Before Canada legalized adult-use cannabis in 2018, the Senate’s Committee on Aboriginal Peoples requested the then-proposed bill be amended to address a lack of meaningful consultation with First Nations communities.
That committee’s report ultimately foretold many of the issues stalling First Nations participation in the industry today.
A request was made for a preferential licensing system for Indigenous-owned or -controlled entities, for instance, “to ensure that interested Indigenous communities have the appropriate tools to seize economic opportunities as they arise.”
The committee’s proposals were ultimately not accepted by the federal government.
Isadore Day, regional chief of Ontario for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), previously told MJBizDaily that the federal government, provinces and territories “have not done anywhere near an effective job in engaging and considering us within the process.”
The AFN has said First Nations have inherent jurisdiction over economic development initiatives, both federally and provincially, and possess the authority to manage production, licensing and distribution of legalized cannabis.
“As it currently stands, (the federal Cannabis Act) makes no room for the inclusion of First Nations governments,” AFN noted before cannabis was legalized.
“The federal and provincial governments must recognize and respect First Nations sovereignty and jurisdiction over their reserves and traditional territories.”
At the time, AFN also called out the federal government for not including First Nations in its deal with provinces to share excise duty collected on the sale of cannabis.
“The lack of First Nations inclusion in the cannabis tax framework is a missed opportunity for the federal government to demonstrate its commitment to a nation-to-nation relationship that incorporates First Nations governments into the federation,” the organization said.
More recently, the Assembly called on the federal government to “recognize First Nations jurisdiction over cannabis and remove regulatory barriers that exclude First Nations from the marketplace.”
Jason Childs, associate professor of economics at the University of Regina, told MJBizDaily that First Nations were excluded from the law, noting that the text of the law mentions “Indigenous” only once – and that’s regarding the four-year review process, which itself started a year late.
“The fact is, they were excluded. They were not mentioned in any meaningful way,” he said.
“It shines a light on the larger issue of Indigenous-federal government relations.”
Huge interest
Douglas, the CEO of All Nations, said there remains a huge amount of interest among other First Nations communities in regulating their own cannabis industries.
He said First Nations should have had a carve-out to regulate their own businesses.
“Any (First Nations communities) we’ve interacted with do want regulation, whether that’s done by their own laws and regulations, or whether they want to harmonize some of their jurisdiction with the federal and provincial governments,” he said.
Some Indigenous communities choose to go down a licensing path with stores on reserves, outside of provincial laws and regulations.
Potentially hundreds of stores have been established in this way, which may be compliant with the laws of their respective First Nations communities, but still fall outside the scope of Canada’s Cannabis Act and provincial control.
Douglas said cannabis producers outside the scope of the Cannabis Act miss out on advantages of being part of a fully regulated and nationally legal market.
Those advantages include access to:
- Trade opportunities with other First Nations.
- More traditional banking resources.
- Sources of financing, including capital markets.
- Larger markets outside the province and internationally.
“I think it comes down to being able to participate in a larger industry, here within our country and internationally,” the All Nations CEO said.
“Having a federal license allows the business and nation to participate in the greater economics of Canada and the world, so we can export product, we can get a bank account at some of the major banks, and insurance.
“(Being licensed) also allows Indigenous communities to uphold the health and safety standards for the production and distribution of safe (cannabis) products,” he said.
Support needed
Douglas said the federal government offers helpful support to entrepreneurs interested in participating in the fully regulated industry.
One such service is Health Canada’s Navigator program, which provides assistance to “Indigenous affiliated” prospective licensed producers.
“It has given Indigenous businesses some support with the application process to enter the industry,” Douglas said of Navigator.
“I think the Navigator program helped, because it was a definite point of contact that helped navigate the system. It was useful.”
He said government could be doing more.
“I think there’s a lot of room to provide more support for Indigenous entrepreneurs and nations who want to enter this industry,” he said.
In Canada, the federal government regulates cannabis production while provinces manage retail distribution.
MJBizDaily reached out to the provincial governments to find out what they’re doing to include First Nations in the public health benefits and economic opportunities of cannabis regulation.
British Columbia
British Columbia’s cannabis law gives the province legal footing to enter into agreements with Indigenous nations with respect to cannabis regulation.
The province has entered into six government-to-government cannabis agreements, including with Shxwhá:y Village near the city of Chilliwack – where Douglas’ All Nations company is located – and Williams Lake First Nation, 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Prince George.
Among almost 500 provincially approved legal cannabis stores in British Columbia, only about a dozen are on reserve land.
However, the fact that the province has Section 119 in its law and has entered into agreements with First Nations puts B.C. near the forefront in facilitating Indigenous economic participation in the burgeoning industry.
“B.C. is actively working with the First Nations Leadership Council and First Nation governments to address their cannabis interests and support the development of a strong, diverse and safe legal cannabis sector that is inclusive of Indigenous peoples,” a provincial spokesperson told MJBizDaily.
“These (government-to-government) agreements reflect B.C.’s commitment to reconciliation, economic self-determination for Indigenous peoples and their full participation in the cannabis sector.”
B.C. also amended licensing regulations to allow licensed retail stores to ship products across the province, which could “increase access to regulated cannabis in remote communities, including First Nations communities.”
The province also operates the Indigenous Shelf Space Program, which highlights products in stores from Indigenous producers.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan has also made efforts to include First Nations in the public health benefits and economic opportunities of cannabis legalization.
In December, the province proposed amendments to the Cannabis Control Act to allow First Nations to enter into an agreement with the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority to establish their own marijuana regulatory authority that could grant retail permits on reserve.
Once established, businesses would be able to apply for a cannabis permit directly from the First Nation regulatory authority, rather than the authority run by the province.
Currently, there are no fully legal cannabis stores on any reserves in Saskatchewan, as the amendment is not yet in effect,
“The government of Saskatchewan shares with First Nations the goals of ensuring that cannabis is supplied safely and legally and of protecting minors and other vulnerable individuals in our communities,” a provincial spokesperson told MJBizDaily.
The province says the regulatory change will:
- Serve to further undermine the illicit market.
- Ensure that all Saskatchewan residents will have access to safe and legal cannabis products “by giving businesses operating under recognized First Nations regulatory frameworks access to federally regulated cannabis products.”
Quebec
Quebec operates a government monopoly on regulated cannabis stores, meaning only the province has the ability to open a “legal” store.
Quebec has opened no stores in Indigenous communities.
“As with any type of retail business, members of First Nations communities always have the option of shopping (online) at the SQDC (Société québécoise du cannabis) if they so desire,” a spokesperson for the province told MJBizDaily via email.
Like British Columbia’s cannabis law, Quebec’s law grants it the ability to enter into an agreement with First Nations communities whereby different regulatory provisions would apply to the community’s territory.
Quebec has entered into no such agreements.
Ontario
Ontario regulators have authorized only seven cannabis stores on First Nations reserves out of more than 1,700 stores in the province.
About 15 more are in the licensing pipeline.
The low level of access to a regulated supply of cannabis might be, in part, because the province has achieved no government-to-government deals with First Nations regarding marijuana regulation.
Nonetheless, a spokesperson for the province’s Ministry of the Attorney General said that “the provincial government remains committed to continued engagement with First Nations interested in developing their own approaches to cannabis to identify how the government can best support efforts to promote public safety and legal access to cannabis on First Nation reserves.”
The spokesperson added that Ontario has waived and, in some cases, reimbursed on-reserve cannabis licensing fees charged by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) “to support collaboration between the province and First Nations governments with respect to the regulation of cannabis on reserve.”
“Ontario has and will continue to engage with First Nations communities and organizations to discuss interests, perspectives and concerns, and to consider opportunities for collaboration with respect to cannabis regulation.”
In 2019, Ontario amended Ontario Regulation 468/18 to allow for the authorization of up to 26 stores on First Nations reserves.
It’s unclear why only seven stores have been opened.
Eastern Canada
In the Eastern Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, there are only two fully “legal” cannabis stores in First Nations communities.
Nova Scotia has 45 stores across the province, and one of those in the First Nations community of Eskasoni.
A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia government said the “expansion of our (store) network supports improved access to legal cannabis in all communities across Nova Scotia, including First Nations communities due to the proximity of our stores.
“We also provide home delivery of cannabis across the entire province, including First Nations communities.”
Nova Scotia doesn’t appear to have entered into any government-to-government deals with Indigenous communities regarding cannabis.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only other province east of Ontario that has any fully “legal” cannabis stores on a reserve.
The province would not say what it’s doing to facilitate access to safe, legal recreational cannabis in Indigenous communities.
The provinces of PEI and Manitoba did not reply to MJBizDaily queries regarding the regulation of cannabis on First Nations lands and any economic opportunities and public health benefits afforded to their respective communities.
A spokesperson for the Alberta government said that, among the province’s 750 stores, just three are in First Nations communities.
The province would not answer questions about expanding legal access to a regulated supply of recreational cannabis products in Indigenous communities, nor were questions answered about economic opportunities.
Alberta directed MJBizDaily’s queries to the federal government, even though the federal government does not oversee cannabis retail regulation.
Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/indigenous-cannabis-entrepreneurs-underrepresented-in-canada/
Marijuana sales along state lines are key revenue generators for retail operators in the United States, and new insights suggest a similar business bump along international borders, particularly Mexico.
Data compiled by New York-based wholesale technology platform LeafLink – as well as information gathered from state agencies, quarterly reports and interviews with several cannabis companies – bear that out.
LeafLink analyzed hundreds of ZIP codes at the request of MJBizDaily and found strong links that when new recreational markets open, retailers near borders stock up on inventory significantly more than operators located elsewhere in a state.
Data from the past three years revealed wholesale marijuana products purchased by border stores jumped 140% after the launch of adult-use sales, while retailers located in more interior areas increased purchases by about 80%.
“The growth when a state launches adult-use sales at a border store in terms of purchasing activity is around double the growth of the remainder of the state,” LeafLink Strategy Analyst Ben Burstein told MJBizDaily.
Of course, numerous factors are at play – perhaps none more impactful than the marijuana policies of neighboring states.
That’s why Illinois retailers near Wisconsin, where marijuana possession is illegal, are still attracting Wisconsinites nearly four years after the launch of recreational sales.
There also are retail sales-tax implications, a big reason why St. Louis-areas operators are seeing an influx of shoppers from southern Illinois, where cannabis taxes are at least three times higher than in Missouri.
Meanwhile, border retail in New Mexico is boosting depressed economies along hundreds of miles of its shared borders, drawing stampedes of consumers from neighboring Texas and, more recently, cross-border buyers from Mexico.
Retail shakeup in the heartland
The February launch of adult-use sales in Missouri has caused ripple effects throughout the Midwest.
Missouri holds the rare distinction of bordering eight states, with only Illinois offering recreational marijuana sales.
Missouri’s 6% retail tax on recreational marijuana purchases is also among the lowest in the nation, drawing Illinois consumers across the Mississippi River in droves to buy much cheaper weed.
All in, cannabis sales taxes in neighboring Illinois eclipse 30%, second only to Washington state. And in Chicago, sales taxes can easily top 40%.
Demand is booming in western Missouri, too.
In April, Missouri retailers near the border of Kansas, where marijuana possession is also illegal, told MJBizDaily they were seeing foot traffic increase ninefold after expanding into recreational sales.
The rush of new customers, coupled with cultivation-capacity lags, has led to big spikes in wholesale flower prices and inventory shortages throughout the supply chain.
Retailers, for their part, are trying to keep pace.
To meet consumer demand, wholesale purchases per store in the Kansas City, Missouri, market increased from $97,000 in the quarter before the launch of recreational sales to $491,000 in the quarter after, a whopping 406% jump, according to LeafLink data.
In the St. Louis market, which borders southwestern Illinois, wholesale purchases per store increased nearly 57%, to $610,000, after adult-use sales began.
“The demand’s been bigger than anyone expected,” Burstein said.
A zero-sum game
In marijuana retail, particularly near state borders, it’s a zero-sum game.
The sales boom in the St. Louis market, which has more than 70 stores, has deflated business on the Illinois side of the border, where retailers have lost millions of dollars in sales since Missouri’s adult-use launch, according to quarterly reports and earnings calls.
Top executives at New York-based multistate operator Ascend Wellness Holdings, which has two shops near the Missouri border, cited revenue declines at its southern Illinois stores in recent earnings, saying it has led to suppressed margins that are expected to linger for much of the year.
Florida-based MSO Jushi Holdings, which also operates two Illinois stores near the Missouri border, reported an 8.8% year-over-year revenue decline to $66.4 million in its second quarter, partially attributing the slide to adult-use sales in Missouri.
In an Aug. 11 second-quarter earnings call, Jushi CEO James Cacioppo said total Illinois sales declined 20% from the first quarter and 40% year-over-year.
“I think we under-anticipated the pricing power initially out of the gate that retailers were going to have in Missouri,” Jushi Chief Strategy Director Trent Woloveck told MJBizDaily in an interview.
“The impact was a little bit greater than then we had thought due to that pricing for flower, vapes and infused products.”
In response, Jushi has implemented several initiatives, including adding new promotions and diversifying product SKUs (stock-keeping units) to ease the impact of declines sales in Illinois.
Northern exposure
Market dynamics in northern Illinois, particularly along the Wisconsin border, are a different story.
Wisconsin is among 10 states without a medical or recreational marijuana program.
Illinois counties bordering Wisconsin – including Lake, McHenry, Jo Daviess and Winnebago – accounted for 15.4%, or $239.7 million, of the nearly $1.6 billion in cannabis sales last year in the state, according to a fiscal analysis requested by pro marijuana-legalization lawmakers in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau report, which was released in March, cited annual statistics from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Moreover, the report estimated about 7.8% of marijuana sales in Illinois in 2022, roughly $36.1 million, were generated by out-of-state residents traveling from Wisconsin.
Under Illinois law, out-of-state residents can only purchase recreational cannabis.
Two of Chicago-based multistate operator Cresco Labs’ 10 stores in Illinois are located near the Wisconsin border: a Sunnyside outlet in South Beloit at the border and one in Rockford, about a 30-minute drive away.
The South Beloit store often draws up to 1,000 daily visitors, according to Cresco’s national retail president, Cory Rothschild – traffic on par with the nation’s busiest marijuana retailers in highly populated areas.
It’s all the more impressive, considering that South Beloit has a population of roughly 8,000 and is more than 40 miles from Madison, the nearest city and Wisconsin’s state capital.
“It’s an extremely high-volume retail location,” Rothschild told MJBizDaily.
“South Beloit and Rockford as well are probably (among the) top dispensaries in the country.”
Maryland
Maryland is the newest recreational cannabis market, with nearly 100 medical marijuana dispensaries having converted to adult-use retail in late June.
While LeafLink wholesale data suggests about a 10% increase in wholesale product purchases statewide after the launch of adult-use sales, some retailers along Maryland’s south and eastern borders are doubling orders to meet demand.
In Elkton, near the Delaware border, stores are ordering about $41,000 in wholesale products per month, up 115% since the launch of recreational sales on July 1.
In the Rockville/Germantown area – outside of Washington DC and near the Virginia and West Virginia borders – monthly wholesale purchases have increased about 42%, to $54,000 per store, since recreational sales began.
Though MMJ dispensaries opened in West Virginia in 2021, the state still has some of the harshest marijuana laws in the country, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.
Meanwhile, Virginia’s adult-use rollout has been put on ice by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
MSO MariMed’s wholesale business serving retailers in Maryland has benefited from increased demand from neighboring states, according to Jeff Jones, director of operations.
“We have retail customers that are very close to Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and I’m sure that’s driving a significant amount of their business,” he said.
The Massachusetts-based company supplies every retailer in the state with its product brands.
MariMed is planning to double its cultivation and canopy space in Maryland, with product from that expansion expected to hit the wholesale and retail markets in the first quarter of 2024, Jones said.
Its retail operation in Annapolis – the state capital is about a 45-minute drive from Pennsylvania or West Virginia – hasn’t experienced the same type of uptick from border business but is still performing well, according to Jones.
A tale of two borders
The small town of Sunland Park, New Mexico, has racked up outsized sales since the state launched recreational retail in April 2022.
The sparsely populated bedroom community is situated across the border from El Paso, Texas, and Jaurez, Mexico, which have a combined population of more than 2.2 million.
That purchasing power has helped Sunland Park’s 88063 ZIP code top the state for per-capita adult-use spending, a sales metric that divides dollars spent for cannabis by population.
Per-person recreational marijuana spending in Sunland Park was $1,044, according to an MJBizDaily analysis of data from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department.
Its 88063 ZIP code also houses two of New Mexico’s leading cannabis stores.
Ultra Health and Everest Cannabis Co. generated nearly $6.1 million in combined sales from August 2022 to February 2023, according to MJBizDaily research.
Because business has been so strong at that Sunland Park store, Ultra Health last summer opened an adjacent location that handles only online orders for pickups.
The majority of its 42 stores were strategically aligned to capture business along New Mexico’s more than 600-mile border with Texas, the second-most-populated state.
“I would say half our business is Texas-related,” Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez told MJBizDaily.
As part of that strategy, the company is planning to open an outlet in Lordsburg with hopes of drawing customers from Mexico, Texas and Arizona.
Mexico border towns share more than commerce, including family, culture and language.
Some residents own commercial properties and homes on either side of the border.
And residents tend to travel freely between Juarez, El Paso and Sunland Park to shop, dine and visit friends and family, according to Rodriguez.
Many also buy regulated marijuana, which might come as a surprise to some industry watchers, especially those unfamiliar with border business in the Southwest.
Though transporting licensed cannabis across the U.S.-Mexico border is barred under federal law, it’s fairly common, industry insiders tell MJBizDaily.
“The product is intended to be consumed within the state of New Mexico and should not cross state or international boundaries,” Ultra Health’s Rodriguez advised.
“The reality is some consumers cross these boundaries intentionally or by not being fully aware of the risk and prohibition.”
Sales in other border communities, such as Clovis and Hobbs – where Ultra Health also has stores – are also outpacing the field, another sign that Texans, and some Mexicans, are crossing the border to purchase marijuana from New Mexico marijuana retailers.
Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/border-sales-a-boost-for-most-cannabis-retailers-across-us/
Although there is an available and thriving market for cannabis art, most e-commerce websites and platforms prohibit artists from selling art that depicts cannabis.
Is there any section or industry without cannabis influence? It’s starting to look like there isn’t any, as, throughout history, cannabis users have displayed their creative capabilities in various ways. And now cannabis art is flourishing on Etsy
Cannabis users and enthusiasts are some of the most innovative people you’ll ever meet, and their inspiring works of art have been admired for decades. Most of the works created by cannabis enthusiasts have also sparked debate for centuries, dating William Shakespeare’s times.
Cannabis and the creative arts
Research has shown a fantastic connection between cannabis and creativity, an intriguing relationship that is attributed to the plant’s remarkable properties. Cannabis interacts with the human brain through the endocannabinoid system and receptors in the brain.
Extensive works of research show that creative prowess and imagination heighten when users consume cannabis, thus enabling divergent and distinct thought patterns. Hence the reason great men and women like Maya Angelou and Louis Armstrong celebrated the impact of cannabis on their creative careers.A more significant percentage of the creative industry is also full of trailblazers who have affirmed that cannabis is a significant influence on their success. For such artists, marijuana inspires the way they hone their crafts and showcase their ideas.
Despite such a show of artistic brilliance, some artists struggle with finding a place to showcase their works. Why is this the case? Why can’t artist showcase their cannabis-inspired art?
The problem with finding a market showcase
Although there is an available and thriving market for cannabis art, most e-commerce websites and platforms prohibit artists from selling art that depicts cannabis. Some of these merchant shops also flag items such as CBD paraphernalia and insist that such things cannot be sold.
With such restrictions, creative artists fail to get an adequate space to share their creations with the world. Artists feel shut out of the market space, and then COVID-19 happened.
The Coronavirus Pandemic made everything worse for cannabis artists and businesses to maintain operations, which created a disturbing gap in the market.
The Solution: A cannabis-themed marketplace
As the challenge became increasingly worse, two outspoken cannabis advocates co-founded an online marketplace called The Artsy Leaf. Space was set-up as a multi-vendor marketplace to make it possible for artists to display their works.
The co-founders Abbey Weintraub Sklar and Rebecca Goldberg discovered that there were many international craftsmen, women, and artists with products that weren’t shared on any platform. The artists’ products are unique cannabis-friendly items that were mostly scattered on censored tech platforms that limited their exposure to the world.
Goldberg and Skylar understood the importance of an online vendor marketplace created for creators and buyers in the cannabis industry. COVID-19 and its resultant impact was also the inspiration behind an online space.
Initially, it was supposed to be an in-person CBD marketplace, but the pandemic made physical meetings impossible for buying and selling purposes. Hence the reason the co-founders made it an online space with a highly functional website.
The Artsy Leaf
The Artsy Leaf marketplace replaces other online platforms that were too restrictive for those in the cannabis industry. Some of those unfriendly sites didn’t provide room for tagging, describing, and listing CBD products, making it difficult for artists to advertise their products.
But with the Artsy Leaf marketplace, vendors and small business owners have maximum freedom to advertise their cannabis items. The platform also incorporates advertising with SEO consulting and doesn’t hide its processing fees.
The co-founders maintain that their desire to help all cannabis vendors succeed drives the marketplace. The website launched with an initial 14 vendors, and with its viable operational approach, more vendors are expected to join this revolutionary idea.
A virtual cannabis marketplace is what the world needs right now to bridge the gap between artists and buyers. Cannabis-inspired pieces will always remain relevant globally because of how unique and disruptive they can be. The Artsy Leaf is the right incubation place for ideas, purchases, and value exchange.
The future of the online marketplace
The future of the online cannabis marketplace for artists looks promising, and why is this so important? Well, cannabis is gaining a lot of momentum in America, with more states legalizing marijuana more people will gain access to weed, and when they do, they may be inspired to create unique art pieces or be looking to purchase unique cannabis inspired works.
Either way, the cannabis world needs an outlet for artists to share their works, and this is where platforms like the Artsy Leaf become crucial. Other online platforms may start to look into adjusting their policies regarding this issue because this sector is about to explode.
It is time to change the current status quo on the other E-commerce sites not allowing cannabis artists to showcase their genius.
Bottom line
The world is awakening to the ever-increasing potentials of cannabis. Through marketplaces like the Artsy Leaf, cannabis artists and art lovers can meet, interact and sustain the cannabis industry.
Without platforms like these, cannabis-inspired art will gradually decline, and that isn’t good for the cannabis industry at all. We must all continue to encourage the establishments of platforms (online and offline) where artists can thrive. Budding cannabis artists need more places to express themselves, and the Artsy Leaf is a suitable platform.
If you are a cannabis-themed artist, an aspiring one, or a small business owner and you struggle with promoting your work, you can visit The Artsy Leaf.
Source: https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabusiness/cannabis-art-is-flourishing-on-etsy/
Bars are wondrous places full of beer, chatter, celebration, ways to get drunk and opportunities to meet friends. But they are also tricky. As with most niche scenes, there is lingo you need to know, terms you should memorize and slang with which you should show facility. What’s Imperial mean? How do you pronounce “weisse?” And how much should I tip my bartender? Hang on, because you’re about to find out the answers to all of these. Here is your beer lingo, a guide to becoming a better patron. BTW, the Slavic word ‘beer’ came from the verb ‘to drink’. Initially, beer was any kind of drink.
Hops
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Small green pine cone-like buds that grow on vines. Their oils and acids preserve and flavor beer.
Hoppy
The thing snobby people refer to about beer, and what people who hardly ever drink beer say they don’t like. Hoppy is often used as a synonym for the word ‘bitter,’ but there are plenty of beers that use loads of hops and don’t taste the least bit bitter.
Malt
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The sugars used to sweeten beer.
Malty
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That syrupy, sweet flavor in beer drunk by amateurs.
Perry
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A cider-like drink made exclusively with pears.
Imperial
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A word out in front of certain beer styles (Stout, IPA) meaning they’re much stronger.
Mead
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Beer produced from honey, water and yeast.
Ale
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Ale is brewed using a warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. It is a maltier, top-fermented beer.
Lager
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A beer that is effervescent and light in color and body. it is a dry, bottom-fermented drink.
IPA
Stands for India Pale Ale because it was originally brewed in the United Kingdom and shipped to British soldiers in India during colonization (which is still basically happening). It is made with more hops, to give it a stronger flavor. There’s no standardised threshold at which a pale ale becomes an IPA, though.
Cask-Conditioned
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The process in which a draught beer retains yeast to enable a secondary fermentation to take place in a cask in the pub cellar. Cask conditioned beer is the traditional drink of the British pub, and served properly, it can be among the most subtle and beguiling of beer types.
Fresh Hop
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Beer made with recently picked hops that haven’t been dried. It provides distinctively grassy, plant-like, and “green” flavor profiles without the bitterness associated with IPAs and other beers featuring copious dried hops.
Weisse
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Pronounced ‘Vice’ is the counterpart in German for “white,” most commonly used in reference to the sour Berliner type of beer, but also sometimes to the Bavarian type, as in weissbier. Weizen is the German word for “wheat,” most often applied to the Bavarian wheat beer style.
Microbrew
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Compared to macrobreweries, which produce millions of barrels per year, microbreweries produce a relatively small amount of beer—between 1,000 to no more than 15,000 barrels annually. But aside from their size, what makes microbreweries special is that they’re known for brewing specialty beers.
The type of beer you do not use for beer pong unless you make more money than your bartender.
Pint
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The size of glass most beers are served in, and also the thing you dropped and smashed when you were trying to text your Uber driver.
Dive Bar
The kind of bar you actually really like going to, unless you’re trying to impress a date or a friend. It is typically a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style drinking establishment with inexpensive yet strong drinks; it may feature dim lighting, shabby or dated decor, neon beer signs, packaged beer sales, cash-only service, and local clientele
BTW, the strongest beer in the world has a strength of 67.5%. It was created in 2017 by the Scottish brewery Brewmeister. The beer is called Snake Venom
Pickup Line
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The thing you should never say because it never works.
Tip
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The amount of money you give a bartender after a transaction, which should be more than you initially think to give because A) most bartenders are relatively poor and deserve dough, and B) if you tip a lot you’ll be remembered C) if you tip too little you’ll be remembered D )
How do you want to be remembered?
Patron
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Someone who loves the bar they go to, not just someone who is there a lot. If you’re unclear on the distinction, you’ve never loved before.
Bar Napkin
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Where much great poetry started.
The Bar
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Don’t touch anything behind it.
Hope you enjoyed our beer lingo, a guide to becoming a better patron.
Source: https://thefreshtoast.com/drink/beer-vocab-101-guide-becoming-better-patron/
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