Today brings us to the third and final review of Mirth Provisions’ beverages, and while parting is such sweet sorrow, sometimes the best are saved for last! In this review, I’ll be sharing my experiences with the Sparkling Pomegranate beverage, yet another from the Legal sub-brand. But there’s a slight twist in this particular beverage that threw me for a loop: this is a virgin tonic. I’ve been reviewing quite a few THC drinkables in the past few reviews and this THC-free beverage is something I’ve not yet had the pleasure of trying. If you’re unfamiliar with what cannabis is and are curious how drinkable THC works, I’ll briefly overview these topics before getting to the actual product review. If you’re looking for a smooth and refreshing flavor to kick back and relax after a long day, the Sparkling Pomegranate Virgin Beverage from Mirth Provisions might be just the thing to quench your thirst and delight your taste buds!
Cannabis: A Brief Overview
The cannabis plant, scientifically known as cannabis genus, is actually the mother plant of both marijuana and hemp. The only way to distinguish the two is that hemp contains 0.3% THC while marijuana contains significantly more. The number 0.3% doesn’t have any special significance but was randomly decided as a way to differentiate between the two. The compounds found in the cannabis plant are called cannabinoids. When cannabinoids are derived from federally legal hemp, they are considered federally legal in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill. It might sound ridiculous, but if those same cannabinoids are derived from marijuana, they are deemed as illegal and may land you in legal trouble if you are caught possessing or consuming them. Many states have legalized the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana while others are still staunchly resisting the use of the seven-tipped plant. Others have legalized the use of hemp but have banned certain cannabinoids like Delta-8 THC, HHC, and others, citing that the chemical extraction required to make them viable is enough to be classified as controlled substances.
When it comes to marijuana, there are three strains: indica, sativa, and hybrid. Indica is a deeply sedating strain that can leave you feeling “locked in da couch” whereas sativa is a more uplifting and clairvoyant strain that is commonly used during the day. Hybrid strains are a combination of the two but can lean towards either sativa- or indica-dominant. Depending on how you prefer the effects of your high, you should pay close attention to the strain used in the cannabinoid-infused product you select. There are many types of products available, the most common being edibles like gummies, soft-baked goods, and capsules or inhalables like pre-rolls, flower, and vape cartridges. Yet there’s a new product that’s starting to gain traction in the industry: drinkable THC!
Drinkable THC: What Is It?
Simply put, drinkable THC is a beverage that has been enhanced with THC. Since THC is an age restricted compound, you’ll have to be 21+ in order to purchase and consume any cannabis-infused product. Here at CBD Origin, I’ve reviewed lemonades, sodas, seltzers, and other beverages that all have various flavors and dosages of THC. Some of these products have recommended dosages based on their THC content while others leave the dosage amount solely up to the consumer. You’ll want to start off slowly with your dosages until you have had a chance to see how your body reacts to that specific amount of THC. First time users may enjoy a mere 5mg whereas intermediate and more advanced users may prefer 10mg or more. Remember that you can always start off slowly and increase your dosage over time, but there’s no way to reverse the effects of consuming too much THC in a single sitting.
If THC isn’t your thing but you’d still like to harness the healing properties of the cannabis plant, don’t despair… you still have options! As mentioned earlier, hemp is the derivative of cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC. The cannabinoid found in greatest abundance is CBD, which will not cause any psychoactive effects and comes in a variety of forms. There are many options when it comes to CBD-infused beverages and many come with other non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, and more. Yet there’s another option that isn’t widely available but hopefully that will change in the very near future: virgin THC beverages. Virgin THC beverages are similar to CBD but differ in that while marijuana was used, the THC content has been completely removed. You’ll still be able to enjoy all the health benefits of the marijuana plant without any fear of getting the psychoactive effects. Which brings us to our product review of the day. I give you…the Pomegranate Sparkling Beverage from Mirth Provisions!
Mirth Provisions: The Story Behind The Brand
Based on their catch phrase “pursue happiness”, Mirth Provisions emerged to help people find joy in the little things. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “mirth” means “amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.” The name is rather fitting when you consider that one of the main side effects of marijuana is an enhanced sense of humor. Mirth Provisions seeks to give you an uplifted mood and calming relaxation with each and every one of their products. In fact, the brand actually branched off into four unique sub-brands: Giant, Swift, Medicinal, and Legal. Feel free to check out the first three brands at your leisure, but today I’ll be focusing on the Legal brand.
The Legal sub-brand by Mirth Provisions features five exquisite flavors: Rainier Cherry, Lemon Ginger, Cranberry, Espresso Mocha, and the star of today’s review, Pomegranate. Since all of these flavors are crafted with cannabis, you’ll only be able to purchase them in-store. The Mirth Provisions website has a store locator tool called “Find Mirth” that lets you enter your zip code to find the store nearest you. The majority of these stores are located on the West Coast, so you might have a bit of a drive depending on where you live. I’ll be reviewing the Pomegranate sparkling beverage but with one slight twist: it’s a virgin cannabis beverage. I wasn’t able to find a direct link for this specific variation, but it’s possible that Mirth Provisions hasn’t had a chance to officially list this product on their company site. Until then, keep reading to learn about my first-ever experience with Mirth Provision’s Virgin Pomegranate Sparkling beverage!
Virgin Pomegranate Sparkling Beverage by Legal (from Mirth Provisions) Product Review
I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing two incredible THC-enhanced beverages from the Mirth Provisions Brand: the Lemon Ginger and Blackberry Lemonade, both equally intriguing in their flavors and effects. Yet there’s a third beverage I’ll be reviewing today from this brand: the virgin Pomegranate sparkling beverage. That’s right, there is absolutely no THC in this particular flavor. You might be asking yourself, “What’s the point of a cannabis-infused beverage if you can’t get high?” It’s true, there doesn’t seem to be much of a point of a THC drinkable that lacks, well, THC. But consider this…there’s alcohol-free beer, isn’t there? And what about sugar-free soda? Both of these beverages have a key ingredient removed in order to satisfy a niche group of people. Virgin THC beverages work exactly the same way; you’ll still be gleaning all the benefits of the cannabis plant and other ingredients used in this beverage but won’t be subjected to any intoxicating effects.
Just like Mirth Provisions’ Lemon Ginger beverage, the THC-free Pomegranate Sparkling beverage came in a darkly stained glass bottle with a gold cap that had to be removed with a bottle opener. Since there wasn’t any THC in this beverage, I took the liberty of pouring the contents of the entire bottle into my glass. The liquid was a deep reddish brown and had a very light carbonation that fizzed while pouring. The scent carried a rich fruity sweetness that surprised me and I was eager to see what this virgin THC beverage tasted like. I tentatively brought the beverage to my lips and took my first sip.
The Initial Consumption
As many consumers know, there are several words that attempt to describe the carbonation levels. The carbonation levels in seltzers and sodas are usually quite aggressive whereas sparkling water and drinks are significantly softer. The latter is how the carbonation of the Pomegranate beverage felt. The bubbles were very faint and it was more of a light tickling in the back of my throat. I’m not a huge fan of carbonated beverages so the light bubbles were perfect for me.
As far as the pomegranate flavor itself, it was quite smooth and flavorful. I was reminded of a popular pomegranate beverage sold in oddly shaped bottles, but the flavor wasn’t quite as tart. Interestingly enough, I also detected a bit of an apple flavor and immediately consulted the ingredients list. Sure enough, apple is listed as the fourth ingredient! I’ll be going over the details of the product packaging in the next section but I was delighted to be able to taste two delicious fruit flavors in the same sip and just had to share.
I prefer to pre-chill my beverages and the cold sensation was wonderfully refreshing on my palate. I could easily see myself downing an entire bottle of this with an evening meal or all on its own. I finished the entire glass easily within five minutes and did not feel any psychoactive effects. I was very pleased that there was no cannabis flavor while drinking the beverage nor any harsh bitterness as an aftertaste. I also did not notice any coating on my tongue and teeth; had it not been for the bold mention of “cannabis-infused beverage” on the label, I would have thought it was a regular carbonated fruit juice! While I would have loved to sample the full THC version, the virgin variation was flavorful and satisfying. 10/10 would try again!
Product Packaging
The Virgin Pomegranate Sparkling beverage would have looked identical to the one depicted on the Mirth Provisions website, save for a large white label on the back that boldly proclaimed “Virgin Tonic. Contains NO THC.” The front of the label had the word “Legal” in fancy script and was accented by the brand logo and was marked as a “Sativa” blend. Two icons on the front warned that this is an age-restrictive product and is not suitable for kids to drink. The right side showed a brief blurb about the flavor and confirmed that real pomegranate juice and cannabis extract were used in its creation. The left side showed the full ingredients list as well as customary warnings about the intoxicating effects of their full THC variety. If you care to leave a review about how you enjoyed the product, there’s a special website that you can visit to share your thoughts, as well as the company’s official name and product’s batch number.
There are two things that I would change about the product packaging: first of all, having to use a bottle opener to open the bottle was quite frustrating. Not only do you have to own a bottle opener (or some other tool to open it) but the bottle cannot be resealed. Unless you plan on drinking the entire contents in one sitting, this seems to be problematic for first-time consumers who only want a small amount. Which brings me to my second issue: there is no recommended consumption amount. Since this is a virgin THC beverage, this wasn’t an issue, but I’ve noticed this theme with other Legal beverages from the Mirth Provisions brand. Perhaps it’s intentional to let the user figure out how much to consume, but it would have been nice to see how many servings are in a bottle and how many servings to consume in a single session. Aside from that, the product packaging was crisp, professionally designed, and contained all the necessary information for curious users who like to know what they’re consuming.
Conclusion
Mirth Provisions may have missed the mark when it came to the other two flavors I reviewed, but I was blown away by the crisp and refreshing flavor found in the Pomegranate Virgin beverage. The pomegranate flavor was smooth and sweet with the perfect balance of tartness. The apple flavor really came through at the end and gave a lovely sweetness to mellow out the tartness of the pomegranate. The carbonation was perfect for me, as I’m not a huge fan of the harsh bubbles from sodas and seltzers, and the gentle tickling in the back of my throat was wonderfully pleasant. While I didn’t experience any effects due to this being a virgin beverage, I am extremely curious to see how the flavor would differ had this been infused with the full 100mg THC content. I heartily enjoyed this premium flavor and can easily recommend it for consumption by itself or enjoyed with a meal. If you’re looking to experience the benefits of the cannabis plant but aren’t quite ready to commit to the hard-hitting high, the Virgin Sparkling Pomegranate Beverage from Mirth Provisions might just be for you!
If you’ve had the opportunity to sample any of the products from the Mirth Provisions’ lineup, whether it be the Legal beverages or one of their many other goods, I invite you to share your experiences in the comments below! Cannabis is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in terms of medicinal and recreational use. Rather than selecting a product blindly and hoping for the best, you have the option to read in-depth product reviews that offer a chance to know the product before you buy it. If you have any suggestions on what brands or product to try next, feel free to reach out to us! Here at CBD Origin, we’re always looking for reputable brands to brag about and products that consumers of all levels can enjoy. Be sure to check back soon for more reviews on products found throughout the country. Until we meet again!
