The beer space is nothing if not overcrowded, creating a competitive landscape with plenty of pressure on brewers, including homebrewers, to innovate while meeting consumer demand. As such, this highly dynamic market is quick to adopt new and exciting trends. Two notable examples include the craft beer revolution of the 80s following the legalization of homebrewing in 1978 and the so-called ABV arms race among brewers in the 2010s.
One of the most notable trends gaining traction in recent years is terpene infusion. This technique allows brewers, from homebrewers to large-scale professionals, to create novel beers with complex flavors and aromas. It’s a welcomed innovation for an industry that’s long needed new and exciting products to excite both homebrewers experimenting with small batches and breweries looking to push the envelope.
What Exactly Are Terpenes?
Terpenes are natural compounds that give distinct tastes and smells to practically all plant life. While they aren’t found exclusively in weed, cannabis research has played a significant role in our understanding of their potential therapeutic benefits. The cosmetic and recreational beverage industries primarily source their terpenes from fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
When Are Terpenes Added During The Brewing Process?
In order to avoid degrading them at high temperatures, brewers usually add terpenes immediately following the fermentation step of the brewing process. They select their terps depending on the flavor and aroma profile they’d like to create, sometimes combining multiple terpenes to create depth drinkers can enjoy.
Terpene infusion can create layered flavor experiences that allow IPAs to stand out on shelves. Some of the terps most commonly used by brewers include:
- Myrcene, commonly extracted from thyme or black pepper, is any brewmaster’s best bet for adding spicy and musky notes to their suds.
- Pinene is typically sourced from rosemary and turpentine, a concentrated derivative of pine trees. This terp is a great option for adding woody or earthy tones to a cold one.
- Limonene, as you might guess, can be found in abundance in the pulp and skins of citrus fruits. If you’re looking for a novel infusion for a fun take on the traditional brewski, limonene’s the terp for you.
The Beer & Cannabis Connection
Both cannabis and hops — the central ingredient in the flavor character of common beers — are dioecious plants from the Cannabaceae family. Both contain impressive concentrations of myrcene and feature glandular trichomes that produce secondary terpenes. Commonly occurring secondary terpenes between the two plants include alpha-pinene, humulene, and beta-caryophyllene.
Given the similarities between the two, the utilization of cannabis terpenes in beer is hardly a stretch for enterprising brewers. There’s certainly no shortage of scientific research suggesting there are potential therapeutic benefits in key cannabis compounds like cannabidiol (CBD), and the plant is arguably the most dynamic source of diverse terpene profiles by iteration.
As an example, the marijuana strain known as Super Lemon Haze contains terps limonene, ocimene, and terpinolene. These can not only introduce zesty and herbaceous notes to a summer ale but also the uplifting, focus-enhancing effects associated with Super Lemon Haze’s dominant terpenes.
A New Frontier for Adventurous Brewers & Consumers
The use of terpenes to enhance beer has been an intriguing concept within the industry for nearly a decade. It has spurred the experimental efforts of breweries large and small, from renowned craft pioneers like Lagunitas to microbreweries like Wolf of The Willows in Australia, known for their seasonal batch releases. However, this practice is not without its challenges.
While adding cannabis terpenes to beer could theoretically enhance flavor, aroma, and effects, brewers—whether professional or homebrewing enthusiasts—must approach such claims with caution when marketing their products. Though scientific literature is abundant on the potential benefits of terps in aromatherapy and plant sciences, there’s still a lack of comprehensive studies on their efficacy when consumed with beer or mixed with alcohol.
Terpenes are already widely used in food and beverage products, but terps sourced from cannabis could face regulatory hurdles in states where weed is not yet legal for recreational use. This can present significant challenges for brewers looking to scale their cannabis-infused products, with implications for costs, compliance, and distribution across state lines. While there’s plenty of potential for standout infused beers, whether homebrewed or commercially brewed, brewers must carefully consider the legal and logistical hurdles involved.
Cashing In on Consumer Appeal
Replacing brews’ standard compounds with terps derived from cannabis fits the beer domain as it continues to seek novelty and appeals to the cannabis user niche. This would be a big opportunity. The market is expected to grow even more in the coming years because the cannabis market is estimated at $38.5 billion up to the end of 2024. However, no matter whether you are a homebrewer looking for a change in taste or a professional brewer studying a new product, one has to choose product development projects and export destinations narrowly. This will help avoid the complexities of a shifting legal landscape while still capitalizing on the growing consumer interest in cannabis-infused brews.
