The Captain and I love a good drink. Correction: the Captain loves a good drink. I enjoy any drink, good or otherwise. There’s just nothing like a crisp glass of wine on a hot summer day…or a strong IPA after a tough day at work…or a dirty martini on a Saturday afternoon…I think you get the picture. While I’m not the type to do stupid things when drinking and am able to basically control myself, there’s still that niggling thought in the back of my mind that maybe…just maybe…drinking as much as I do isn’t exactly the best for my health. However, I’ve gotten into the habit of equating a drink with fun, relaxation, and basically all the good things in life. So I knew if I wanted to cut back, I’d need to find a sub for my drink rather than just trying to skip it so that I could connect to those same feelings.
Enter Cann. Cann is a cannabis infused beverage with 2 mg of THC and 4 mg of CBD, Cann is hyped as a social tonic that gives you the buzz without the hangover. Apparently, the THC is low enough that it can be shipped to states (like Nebraska, where we live) that have not legalized marijuana. I’m not sure if it can be shipped to all states, but it did arrive in NE without any problems (though there does have to be an adult present to sign for it, just as if you were shipping alcohol.)
Now, full confession here. Neither the Captain or I are marijuana connoisseurs. In fact, up until the Captain’s liver-killing bachelor party trip to the Kentucky distilleries last year, neither of us had even tried pot (and his experience in KY did not make the Captain any more likely to seek it out.) I had one disastrous encounter with Delta 8 (again, mysteriously legal in Nebraska) where I almost fell down the stairs and thought the whole family was going to die of carbon monoxide poisoning, but that’s about it. So both of us could absolutely be considered amateurs when it comes to the wacky weed.
After perusing the Cann website, I settled on a mixed pack of all three flavors: Lemon Lavender, Blood Orange Cardamom, and Grapefruit Rosemary. Note: they have introduced a fourth flavor, Ginger Lemongrass, since I made my order. The Starter Pack has a six pack of each of the three original flavors and is marked at $72 (though you get 30% off your first order). That makes Cann around $4 per drink if you don’t get the discount. Pricier than buying a six pack of beer (and the Canns are smaller than a typical beer can at 8 ounces), but you’re unlikely to drink a whole six pack at once. At least I’m unlikely to.
The ordering process was seamless and I got regular updates on when to expect my shipment. It took about a week and a half and my order was delivered without incident. I was excited to run home and try a Cann as it was a Monday and I really, really try to refrain from alcohol on Mondays. So I got home, poured a chilled Lemon Lavender Cann into one of my pretty champagne flutes, and got going on dinner.
First, the taste. Yes, you can detect a hint of the CBD in the drink, but it was very mild. The lemon and lavender flavors were tart and refreshing and I loved the bubbles. This was an easy drink to sip on. Over the course of about 45 minutes, I sipped on my Cann, finishing up just as I served dinner. Did I feel buzzed? Eh…more tired than anything. But, to be fair, it was a Monday and I’m generally tired on Mondays. I’ve read some reviews that said the buzz was equivalent to a can of beer, but I would think that would depend on what kind of beer. I like a stout 6 or 7% IPA, and I definitely didn’t feel like the Cann packed that sort of punch. But maybe the equivalent of a Heineken? If that Heineken had an Ambien dissolved in it? The jury was still a little out after this first experience.
The next time, I got the Captain on board after our weekly date night (and two very strong margaritas as well as a half hour hot tub session.) We sipped on the Blood Orange Cardamom flavor (thumbs up on the taste of this one, too!) as we watched our show before bed. I really can’t say if it made me feel any different, but the Captain mumbled, “I certainly feel something,” before he passed out for the night. So there’s that.
The third time, I decided to give the Rosemary Grapefruit a try and resolved to try two to see if I could get a buzz out of it. I pretty much chugged one while getting dinner started, then sipped on the other throughout dinner prep. Did I feel anything? Eh. I didn’t seem to be as tired as when I’d just had the one, and I certainly was relaxed, but don’t know if I can attribute that to the Cann or just the mood I was in. I also noticed that my nose felt a little weird and stuffy. Again, who knows if that was the Cann or something else.
All in all, I would say Cann is a nice thing to sip on if you don’t want alcohol, but don’t expect it to give you the same buzz that alcohol does. Considering the cost, you might be better off just sipping on some juice or a mocktail and using a CBD tincture to relax.
