Blogs

Breaking Bud – Are We Messing with Cannabis Too Much?

Published

2 years ago

October 19, 2022

ghsGFsre564

How much manipulating is too much when it comes to cannabis?

Are we messing with cannabis too much?

I recently ran into a post on Reddit where a User asked the question whether we’re “messing” with cannabis too much. At first, I thought the user was going to talk about blending the different genetics together, creating hybrids, and reducing the instances of pure land races – however, this was not the case.

Instead of me trying to explain it, here’s the User’s comment.

Alright so we as humans have kind of a problem with fucking with nature….

In sooooo many ways….

When it comes to natural plants that produce pleasant effects though we always take that shit too far via manipulation.

For instance with Coca you have a plant that native farmers realize has stimulant properties and they chew it to help them work the land and do their tasks.

Then we do some study and find out exact compounds producing that stimulant effect and we do some crazy ass chemistry and isolate cocaine as a salt.

Time goes by and we realize.. Well wait we can make this even stronger.

So we study the mechanisms of action and then realize well if we make it smokable it will increase the intensity even more and baam no we have crack. And then an epidemic kicks in.

Same goes with the poppy to morphine to quicker blood brain barrier to heroin then to synesthetic opiates and again another epidemic.

This is just the path we do over and over and over lol

Now with cannabis we started with a plant that usually has around 2-4% thc.

We did select breeding got that all the way up to around 20-30% now-a-days.

Then we started doing extraction techniques and got that to the point of using butane hash oil and other techniques that are producing extremely isolated and intense amounts of those particular compounds.

Now I do believe this is the same level as some of those more intense realities but it goes to show maybe we are just fucking with a great thing and end up with not such a great thing.

What do you all think about this?
Via: Reddit

While I think that the conclusion the Redditor reached was erroneous, I do think there is merit in the question, Are We Messing With Cannabis Too Much?

It’s not about potency…

Selective breeding is something that humans have been doing for thousands of years. This isn’t the problem. People have always wanted to maximize desirable traits from their crops/animals, and in a way, it’s our birthright as humans – the apex of nature.

We enjoy the understanding of being able to take naturally occurring things, splice them together to create new and interesting variations. However, it’s as another Redditor in the same thread pointed out;

I don’t think we’re “messing” with it per say, there are still ways to get weed comparable to 70’s weed, as long as people are conscious of preservation. As long as we’re only diversifying choices and not limiting them I think every person is capable of choosing what kind of weed suits them best.

I think this is far more of a noteworthy discussion than trying to compare cannabis cultivation with what happened with the heroin or crack epidemic. The major issue with hybrids is that it’s taking up the entire market and unless we embark on an active effort to preserve certain strains, we might actually “science away” our choice.

Therefore, in the hopes of helping educate people in this matter, we’re going to be taking a deeper look at cannabis breeding terminology, and how we should go about preserving genetics, lest we breed out characteristics that might come in handy at some point in the future.

A break down about cannabis vocabulary:

Before we get into the technical aspects of this article, let’s start by clarifying a few terms:

Gene: This refers to a section of DNA that is responsible for generating a specific trait or characteristic in a cannabis plant.

Phenotype: This refers to the external appearance of a plant which can include things like color, size, shape, etc.

Genotype: This refers to a specific gene that produces the particular phenotype.

Cultivar: This is what you call a plant that has been bred for specific traits & characteristics

Cannabinoids: These are the chemical compounds located within the cannabis plant. Most people are aware of the existence of THC and CBD, but there are hundreds of minor cannabinoids as well.

Terpenes: These are the chemical compounds that give cannabis the taste, flavor, and also impact the feeling of the cannabis when ingested.

How to sound like a cannabis snob – and be right about it!

Before we continue, let’s talk about the word “Strain”. Most people talk about different cannabis varieties by utilizing the word “strain” however, strains are mostly applied in virology. During the C19 pandemic, we saw several “strains” of the virus develop due to its evolutionary programming. Yet, when we’re talking about cannabis strains – they didn’t “naturally evolve”. They were selectively bred for their particular characteristics.

This means that the word, “Cultivar” is a more accurate depiction. In fact, in the world of Breeders, the word “strain” is a bit outdated. Just like the words “indica and sativa”. Instead, they use the word “cultivar” to describe their selectively bred cannabis plants.

Therefore, the next time you go into a dispensary you can snobbishly point out that their usage of the word “strain” is actually a bit outdated and you can ask them about the latest “cultivar” they have.

In the end, it doesn’t matter, but I guess if you want to be accurate – cultivar is the way to go.

Preserving Heirloom Cultivars

Now let’s move into the world of preservation. Over the past twenty years the rush to the highest THC levels created a market of inbreeding. Breeders discovered that people were willing to pay more for higher THC levels, and as a result the race began.

Now, we have cultivars that top 30% and while this isn’t a “bad thing”, it does get rid of certain characteristics that might become more valuable over time. We might think that high THC is the trick and breed out some of the minor characteristics, yet you never know when you might need those characteristics at some later stage in life.

“We don’t know what the future brings, and as new research and technologies are developed there could be huge medicinal and scientific benefits lost if we do not preserve the original genetic source,” said Jason Martin, president of Tree of Life Seeds, a hemp cultivator in Boulder County, Colorado.

Dan Heims, a breeder and consultant for Potpots in Aurora, Oregon, echoed that point.

“The inbreeding in the industry right now is severe,” he said. “One of the most important parts of landrace strains is that you’re returning to original genetics.”

But preserving landrace strains is not easy and requires skill and patience. Plus it’s a tricky business proposition that requires balancing the preservation of these strains with the demands of consumers who want more modern hybrid varieties.
SOURCE: MJBizMagazine

Preserving Landrace Strains

There are some landrace strains, cannabis plants that won the evolutionary race – that have become the base for most modern strains. For example, Afghan Kush falls under this category as well as Durban Poison.

These are OG genetics that weren’t tainted by other “strains”. In Mexico, Acapulco Gold in its original form can no longer be cultivated because we lost the genetics sometime in the past. Perhaps even the government eradicated them with their atrocious war on drugs.

Fortunately, there are breeders in Mexico that are currently on the lookout for landrace strains and preserving them and stabilizing them. This is a key when it comes to breeding. You don’t simply want the cultivar, you also want to be able to make them stable to consistently produce the same characteristics.

Now, with Mexico on the verge of legalizing it for commercial purposes, there have been several breeders down there “strain hunting”, going into the mountains, getting seeds from the Narco-plantations and making sure to preserve the heritage.

Perhaps, someone might rediscover the lost genetics of Acapulco Gold and once more it can become a stable ingredient in creating new cultivars.

In fact, you can see these Landraces as “primary colors” for creating new and interesting hybrids. Therefore, even if a landrace isn’t the most potent, prioritizing its preservation can become incredibly important in the creation of new cultivars.

“I value every one of our landraces and heirloom strains as part of our toolbox,” Epstein said. “Just like a famous tomato variety, the ‘Celebrity’ tomato seeds you buy right now are not the same as the seeds you bought 10 years ago. Though they’re still called ‘Celebrity’ tomatoes, they’re always being worked on and tweaked.”

Epstein sees the importance in landrace strains, yet the market dictates his growing decisions.

“For the consumer, I think it’s extremely important to keep these old genetics around,” Epstein said. “But you’d have to dedicate yourself to preserving those genetics. The market seems to not want to reward you for doing that right now. It’s a bit of a quandary.

“For me to sell a product that the current market wants, I better take it and cross it with something that’s going to increase the potency, make it grow normal in a commercial growing environment and make it yield appropriately.”
Source: MJBizMagazine

This is why it’s important to preserve these heirloom strains, because once they are lost – we loose variety as we know it. It’s not easy, but fortunately there are plenty of people around the world working on preservation.

Sticky Bottom Line

To answer the question, “Are we messing too much with cannabis”, I think that it depends on who you ask. Personally, I’m all for experimentation, however, we should not have economy and prices dictate the experimentations.

We have learned that THC alone isn’t what makes a cannabis cultivar great. Understanding the nuances of the different terpene profiles, minor cannabinoids, flavonoids, etc – is what makes a great cultivar…well GREAT!

As our understanding of cannabis evolves, we will praise those who maintained their heirloom strains because it will only become more valuable over time. As we discover new technology and understand human/cannabis interactions, this might even lead to the development of new medicines and could potentially even cure diseases we haven’t heard of yet.

The point is, that we need to be careful going forward. Then again, as humans “are nature”, perhaps we are playing an evolutionary role in fueling selective breeding and creating new strains. But then again, if we look at companies like Monsanto, it limits our diversity and this could be bad for us in the future.

It’s important to maintain biodiversity and this is where we might be “messing with cannabis” a bit too much!

Source: https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/breaking-bud-are-we-messing-with-cannabis-too-much

Up Next

Canada’s Yukon territory cedes cannabis retail sales to private sector

Don't Miss

Attorney Shimmy Posen Discusses Legalization, the Global Marketplace

Click to comment

Blogs

Border sales a boost for most marijuana retailers across US

Published

10 months ago

September 8, 2023

ghsGFsre564

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/

Blogs

Cannabis Art Is Flourishing On Etsy

Published

10 months ago

September 4, 2023

ghsGFsre564

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/

Blogs

Beer Lingo, A Guide To Becoming A Better Patron

Published

11 months ago

August 24, 2023

ghsGFsre564

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

https://giphy.com/embed/3oEduIpVOVcupPXcFG
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/3orieWw0snNJFCNxNC
via GIPHY

The sugars used to sweeten beer.

Malty

https://giphy.com/embed/2yxsvbwxQ4TUk
via GIPHY

That syrupy, sweet flavor in beer drunk by amateurs.

Perry

https://giphy.com/embed/d4bm8acp2cuHpLFK
via GIPHY

A cider-like drink made exclusively with pears.

Imperial

https://giphy.com/embed/3o7TKGVVeQK1j0fbe8
via GIPHY

A word out in front of certain beer styles (Stout, IPA) meaning they’re much stronger.

Mead

https://giphy.com/embed/yIXVnzpoNiE0w
via GIPHY

Beer produced from honey, water and yeast.

Ale

https://giphy.com/embed/lAayRqqtfuqju
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/dM34XK49ulmDu
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/dg3i5NvtNCr8A
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/3oEdv8lx4icZfRYEPS
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/qgqaIJrAgqawE
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/l0MYtSjYO26kguz1C
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/DGWAx8d3IkICs
via GIPHY

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

https://giphy.com/embed/EU1obAC38GuWI
via GIPHY

The thing you should never say because it never works.

Tip

https://giphy.com/embed/kfGijLoNvBQ08
via GIPHY

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?