The Cicada's Dank Drinks
Courtesy Facebook
As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol but co-owns a bar, Tyler Anne Stevens understands that neighborhood pubs offer more than booze. Tyler and her husband John Stevens (co-owners of The Cicada) took over their South Main Street space just over a year ago with the vision of owning a bar that serves the community and welcomes all.
Tyler said the growing retail market for hemp-derived seltzers and non-alcoholic THC spirits appears to be growing even as fewer patrons come looking strictly for alcohol. Based on the data from the Pew Research Center, alcohol consumption among young adults has dropped in recent decades. In 2001, 72% of adults ages 18 to 34 said they sometimes drink beer and wine. Twenty years later, that figure dropped to 62%.
Tyler said visitors who order canned Delta-9 seltzers (derived from legally grown hemp) and cannabis-infused cocktails generally fit into two camps: the hemp-curious and folks who no longer consume alcohol and have been waiting for a decent non-alcoholic cocktail. To meet the growing demand for hemp beverages, The Cicada serves cocktails made with Pamos cannabis-infused spirits and Howdy Low Dose THC Seltzers.
“There are enough bitters in there that you feel like this is a drink,” Tyler said, referring to the cocktails she mixes using one shot of Pamos. “It’s not just some soda and lime mocktail. It really does feel like you are having something substantial.”
Tyler calls her cannabis cocktails “dank drinks.” With a nod to stoner culture, the three featured mixed drinks are White Widow, OJ Cush, and Northern Lights. Patrons can order either as an alcoholic cocktail, non-alcoholic mocktail, or non-alcoholic Delta-9 beverage.
“The hemp-curious crowd has been fun,” Tyler said. “I’ve had way more of them than I thought. I love getting their feedback after. They are usually pleasantly surprised. They think they will be tired or that it will give them a stronger feeling. They are pleasantly surprised when it’s tame. It’s not like the movies.”
Casual drinkers are finding an advantage to alternating between an alcoholic mixed drink, mocktail, and dank drink, she added. The combination allows for a pleasant buzz without all the alcohol.
“I’d like to expand the menu and look into kava and any of the alternatives to alcohol,” Tyler said. “We need to look at what will keep the scene alive. This might be the beginning of what the new music scene is. It’s not just going out to have beers.”
Look for The Cicada in our upcoming Mindful Cocktail Guide.