Canadian brewer hoping to bring cannabis beer to Ireland
A Canadian brewer is planning to bring cannabis beer to Ireland.
Toronto based 'Province Brands' is hoping to raise funds to launch its non-alcoholic CBD (cannabidiol)-infused beer here early next year.
The company hopes to raise around €70m to fund its launch and is also considering setting up its European Headquarters in Ireland.
Chief Operating Officer Niall Phelan says there are legal issues regarding the presence of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol - the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis) in the products.
"Even if you just put CBD in a product, it will form very small trace amounts over time," he said.
"It is almost impossible to have a CBD product on the shelf. We can make it with just CBD in it but over time, trace amounts will form of THC in it.
"We're meeting with various government officials over the next few weeks to hopefully start those conversations."
Explaining the process of making the beer, Mr Phelan said: "We brew directly from the cannabis plant with no grain in it.
"We're the only company in the world who can do that. We've effectively reinvented the brewing process.
"We effectively extract the sugars and the cannabinoids out of the plant through quite a natural process, and then we brew.
"So you're getting a product that just has effectively plant in it with hops and yeast and water. The yeast gets removed before its served."
