When it comes to the attack of new cannabis drinks on the market, I was a little hesitant to embrace the revolution. It’s the same reason I’m still a little skittish when it comes to edibles: I can’t help but be a little skeptical about the idea of unscrewing a cap, sucking the liquid in and waiting to eat. see what happens next.
With the advent of microdosing, some of my concerns have been allayed. Thanks to the score markers, breaking a large hunk of chocolate or granola bar into equally portioned pieces has never been easier. For anyone who finds 7.5mg of THC their real sweet spot, with a convenient way to take 1.5mg (considering the industry standard often feels like 5mg each), this product is a huge upgrade.
If edibles are developing well, do we really need infused drinks?
That was my take before trying two of the three formulas currently offered by cannabis drink makers K-Zen as part of their S-Shot line. Each S-Shots is packaged in small glass bottles and is a dose of fruit flavored THC. I now believe there are several reasons why a beverage option is beneficial when it comes to cannabis.
First, it wasn’t until I broke the cap on an S-Shot that I really considered the medicinal value of a drinkable dose of cannabis. More and more edibles are now being produced with the patient in mind, moving from a munchies era of brownies and candies to today’s diverse offerings of gluten-free options, gourmet treats and more. But what do the people who can’t swallow solids do? Yes, there are tinctures, but for those in a health condition where taste still matters but consuming solid foods is no longer possible, something like an S-Shot makes a lot of sense.
The other thing that struck me about the purpose of cannabis drinks is how discreetly they can be dosed. I really don’t know if anyone with no knowledge of the product could even tell this jar has in it just by tasting one. Even if they could, that would be about the only way to truly link cannabis to the activity of container sipping that is nearly identical to the bountiful variety of energy shots that crowd the counters at gas stations.
Okay, how do they taste then? The first type I tried was Soar, which packs 25mg of THC in each bottle. The taste, wild berry, was a bit artificial for me. As noted earlier, there is virtually no hint of cannabis in the drink, which may appeal to some. However, the undeniable link between wild berry and its cough syrup equivalents was hard to ignore. Given its potential, I tested this S-Shot shortly before going to sleep. I drank about a third of a bottle, or about 8.3 mg, and quickly fell into a pleasant, sustained sleep.
The other S-Shot I tasted was Smile, which contains a more modest 10mg of THC per bottle. The Pink Lemonade flavor is equally sugary, but given the ingredients found in real pink lemonade, it’s hard to imagine consumers expecting anything healthy. Despite clocking in at 8 grams of sugar (for comparison, Soar has 3.8 grams), the flavor has its charm in a nostalgic, Country Time Lemonade-esque way.
I drank half a Smile one afternoon and found the accompanying sensations relatively powerful. Billed as promoting stimulation and focus, I felt quite lazy after my dose was set about twenty minutes later.
Overall, S-Shots would do well to tone down the sugar a bit, but represent a real – and discreet – new avenue for consumers to explore.
Potency: Soar is 25mg THC per bottle; Smile is 10 mg THC per bottle.
Odor: The flavor palette for S-Shots is similar to the Jelly Belly offering for wild berries and pink lemonade, respectively. Soar (wild berry) definitely has some cough syrup vibes to its taste, too.
Effect: Soar did the trick before bed, but it’s important to remember that 25mg is a lot of THC. Consume accordingly. Smile provided a pretty strong effect that was enjoyable, but may not be perfectly suited to those hoping to stay productive after dosing.
3/5
Available to through the Eaze delivery platform. Learn more at s-shots.com.
