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Here Is the Reason Why Democrats Failed at Marijuana Legalization and What You Can Do About It

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2023

Why a two party system is not ideal for cannabis legalization.

Social equity reform is a term that refers to a variety of policies and initiatives aimed at addressing past and present injustices and promoting equality and fairness for marginalized and disadvantaged groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities. These initiatives can take many forms, such as affirmative action programs, policies to address income and wealth disparities, and efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in various sectors.

It is possible that some larger corporations may have been able to take advantage of social equity reforms in ways that have disproportionately benefited them, rather than the marginalized groups that these reforms are intended to help. This could happen for a variety of reasons, such as if the reforms are not designed or implemented in a way that effectively addresses the needs and challenges faced by marginalized groups, or if larger corporations are better able to navigate and take advantage of the reforms due to their greater resources and influence.

It is important to note that social equity reform is a complex and multifaceted issue, and it is not possible to make blanket statements about its effectiveness or impact. It is possible that some social equity reforms may have had unintended consequences or may not have achieved their intended goals, while others may have had a positive impact on marginalized groups. Ultimately, the effectiveness of social equity reform will depend on the specific policies and initiatives that are put in place and how they are implemented.

Yet when it comes to cannabis, we can already see that there are some major instances on how “Social Equity Licensing” is actually, failing the very minorities they are “supposed” to protect.

In 2022, many of the Social Equity license holders sold off their licenses to larger corporations simply because of all the “red tape” that increase cost of operations. It doesn’t matter if you give a poor person a mansion – if they can’t pay the property tax you’ll make them poorer in the long run.

This is the major issue with the “Social Equity Angle” pushed by Democrats and is one of the major reasons why the Democrats did nothing significant in cannabis reform in over two years.

The truth of the matter is that I don’t think they actually care about cannabis reform. They are the epitome of the “latest thing that is happening now” party. When cannabis gained in popularity, they quickly saddled up and went along for the ride.

However, prior to that, people like Biden and other Democrats took a “hard stance against drugs” and other “whoo-has!” They built careers on their “tough on drugs” laws that help increase the U.S Prison Population.

Now, in a recent article in Forbes by Kris Krane the article argues that Sen Chuck Schumer is largely to blame for the “non-action in relation to cannabis reform”.

The Forbes Article in a Nutshell

In order for us to be on the same page, here’s my best attempt at summarizing the Forbes Article;

In January 2021, Democrats took control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, leading to optimism among supporters of marijuana policy reform that significant cannabis reform would be achieved in the 117th Congress. Both the MORE Act, a comprehensive reform bill, and the SAFE Banking Act, which allows banks to do business with state-licensed cannabis businesses, had already been passed by the Democratic-controlled House in the previous year. However, the SAFE Banking Act was not included in the Omnibus spending bill, nor the National Defense Authorization Act, and no other substantive marijuana reform bills were passed. Despite this, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has blamed Republicans and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for the failure to pass reform, although McConnell argued that Democrats had two years to move the bills forward and schedule votes. The executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) also stated that Democrats failed to prioritize and advance marijuana reform legislation. As Republicans are set to take control of the House of Representatives and Congress is set to adjourn for the holidays, it appears that marijuana reform will not be achieved in the current session.

The disappointment among supporters of marijuana reform is understandable, given that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had both expressed support for reform and the SAFE Banking Act had received strong bipartisan support. The SAFE Banking Act was seen as the most achievable reform, with hopes that even more significant reform could be achieved. The failure to pass any reform is a significant blow to the cannabis industry, which has been operating in a legal grey area at the federal level, with state laws on marijuana varying greatly. The industry has faced challenges such as difficulty accessing banking services, which the SAFE Banking Act aimed to address.

The lack of progress on marijuana reform is in contrast to the progress made on the issue at the state level, with 15 states and Washington D.C. having legalized recreational marijuana and 36 states allowing medical marijuana. Public opinion on the issue has also changed, with a majority of Americans now supporting legalization. Despite this, federal reform has been slow to progress, with previous attempts to pass reform having failed. The most recent attempt, the MORE Act, which aimed to legalize marijuana at the federal level and address social and racial justice issues, was passed by the House in 2020 but was not taken up by the Senate.

The reasons for the failure to pass reform at the federal level are complex and multifaceted. One factor is the lack of consensus among Democrats on the issue, with some lawmakers hesitant to support reform due to concerns about the potential negative consequences, such as increased drug use and impaired driving. Additionally, there has been opposition to reform from some Republicans and law enforcement groups, who argue that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that federal laws should not be relaxed. The influence of these groups, as well as the lobbying efforts of the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries, may also have played a role in the lack of progress on reform.

However, in discussing who is holding the majority of the blame, Schumer blames Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. However, supporters of the act argue that Democrats, and specifically Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are also to blame for the failure as they did not prioritize and advance marijuana reform legislation, including the SAFE Banking Act, on a reasonable timeline, putting the issue in a position where McConnell could block it. The failure to pass the act will have negative consequences for the cannabis industry, including difficulty accessing banking services, increased risk of violence and death for cannabis business employees, and challenges for businesses in the capital markets. There is now a low chance that the social equity and justice goals supported by Schumer and advocates will be part of any banking reform bill that could pass a GOP-controlled House.

Why are they playing politics when people are suffering?

You’d think that if Democrats were so “hardliner” when it comes to cannabis reform, that they would have implemented “incremental reform” as was suggested by McConnell himself. In fact, Schumer had all the power yet wanted to have a “specific way” of passing reform.

Instead of protecting businesses and consumers, they wanted to push “Equity licensing”.

However, while they Democrats want to paint the Republicans as the “Opposition” of reform, the truth of the matter is that Social Equity could be a way for large corporations to gobble up all the market share of cannabis in a new market.

The state of Arizona’s “Social Equity Licenses” were designed to benefit people and communities disproportionately affected by past marijuana criminal laws in the state. Proposition 207, which legalized the sale and use of recreational marijuana in Arizona in November 2020, required the state to promote the ownership and operation of marijuana establishments and testing facilities by individuals from these disproportionately impacted communities.

The Social Equity Licenses program was the state’s solution, a system in which 26 licenses were given to individuals from these communities.

However, there are concerns that large marijuana companies are using predatory tactics to exploit loopholes in the program. Instead of opening their own dispensaries, individuals who received the licenses are being offered large sums of money by these companies to sell their licenses and give up control of the businesses, although they are required to maintain 51% ownership.

These actions may undermine the intended purpose of the program, but they are not illegal according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, which operates the program. In addition, some investors have submitted hundreds of applications for the licenses, increasing their chances of receiving one, and in one case, an investor received five licenses through this method. These investors are registered as shell companies in Wyoming and their identities are unknown.

This is also not an isolated occurrence. The trends of “equity holders” selling their licenses to big corporations will only grow in 2023 because the majority of these “equity holders” don’t have the capital to run the operations.

Therefore, they are being bought out – placed as “name holder” of the dispensary when the Mega Corporation runs the business and makes most of the profit.

Yet, despite this – The Democrats continue to push this agenda and the Republicans continue to oppose it. Who’s stuck in the middle?

Businesses, consumers, and the rest of us who just want cannabis legal and safe for adults and medical patients.

The Government doesn’t serve you!

It is important to note that the actions of individual politicians and political parties should not be generalized or assumed to represent the views and interests of all members. Political parties and politicians may pursue policies and initiatives that align with the views and interests of certain groups or individuals, but it is not accurate to say that they do not serve the people as a whole.

That being said, it is common for political parties and politicians to be influenced by special interests, such as lobbying groups, corporations, and other organizations that seek to advance their own agendas or agendas that align with their values or goals. These interests may use a variety of tactics, such as campaign donations, lobbying efforts, and public relations campaigns, to influence policy decisions and shape public opinion.

Political parties and politicians may also be influenced by their own ideology, values, and beliefs, as well as the views and interests of their constituents and supporters. This can lead to disagreement and conflict with other parties and politicians with different views and interests, resulting in a lack of progress on certain issues.

It is ultimately the role of the voters to hold their elected representatives accountable and ensure that their interests and concerns are represented in the legislative process. This can be done through participating in elections, engaging in the political process, and advocating for policies that align with one’s views and values.

Cannabis has long shown me that the politicians have sold us out. I’m not saying “all of them”, but certainly the most influential of the bunch have their fingers deep in the pockets of “Special Interests”.

You can just check out the “Twitter Files” to see this collusion in action. Of course, as a stoner – I’ve known this for decades. But it’s good that the general public is waking up to the fact.

What can be done?

I think it’s important to not just talk about how these things impact us, but also what we can do to make some significant change in our society.

There isn’t a lot you can do. However, the following will give you some actions to take.

Vote in LOCAL elections: One of the most fundamental ways for individuals to have a say in their government is by participating in elections and casting their ballots for candidates who align with their values and goals. If there aren’t any that align with your goals, then potentially run for office or find someone who will.

The reason why “LOCAL” elections is more important than national elections is because local councils are the ones that set the rules where you live, are typically “less competitive” and can help you affect most of the change. Once you have filled up lower positions, begin going after bigger ones such as Mayor, Governor, Senator, etc
Get involved in community organizing: Participating in community organizing efforts can be an effective way to make a difference at the local level and bring about change in specific issues or policies. This is for those who simply don’t want to get involved in politics. You can also create enough change by simply “doing” whatever it is you want.

Unfortunately, when it comes to cannabis reform – you need politicians to vote on it on your behalf. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t create organizations taking care of the needs of those negatively affected by the War on Drugs.
Spend your Money Wisely – At the end of the day, you only have your money to vote. Find out which companies are lobbying with candidates that are opposing the legislations you want to see passed – and remove your money from those organizations.

In other words, if you find out that a brand you use regularly is funding someone who is staunchly opposed to cannabis reform – stop buying from them. More over, send them a message or a tweet letting them know why.

Social Media gives you the ability to amplify your voice. The truth of the matter is that politicians aren’t here to serve you – but the people spending money on their campaigns.

Therefore, if you want change – you’ll need to make it!

Source: https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/here-is-the-reason-why-democrats-failed-at-marijuana-legalization-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

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Border sales a boost for most marijuana retailers across US

Published

1 year 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

1 year 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

1 year 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

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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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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?