Cannabis beverages have exploded in the market, not coincidentally just as consumer preferences seem to be shifting away from alcohol. In today's episode we're joined by Lehua Brands CEO Sierra Elaina, herself a veteran of the alcohol industry having formerly held key leadership roles in sales and marketing for Diageo. In our conversation we talk about what's driving the category, how the cannabis industry is recovering from prior setbacks, parallels that exist to growth in the NA sector, and lastly, what the future of these beverages may look like.

Mentioned in this episode:
Lehua Brands

If you've enjoyed an American craft beer over the last few decades, you've benefited from the efforts of our guest today. Keith Villa founded Blue Moon Brewing Company for Miller Coors back in 1995, which would of course become an iconic brand that helped usher in a new era of craft beer that we know today. His trailblazing efforts in craft beer didn't stop there, though, as he would start Ceria Brewing in 2018. Ceria is known for two things. One, launching a very early-stage, cannabis-infused beer. When they had to pivot due to being so early to market, they currently brew one of, if not the only, completely zero-proof beers made in the U.S. In our conversation we talk about what microbrewing looked like in the mid 90s, before fast-forwarding to the last decade in brewing.

Mentioned in this episode:
Ceria Brewing
Blue Moon Brewing
Brewing With Cannabis (book)

The state of the (NA category) is strong, and getting stronger. Today's episode has a bit of a "state of the industry" feel to it, as I'm joined by Laura Silverman, founder of Zero Proof Nation, one of the most authentic voices in the non-alcoholic beverage movement.

In our conversation we first talk about her advocacy in the space, and how much has changed in the time she's been involved. She made a decision to go alcohol-free in 2007, well before the modern movement even existed. We then talk about the growth that's happening right now, and how that's both exciting and maybe a bit concerning with so many new brands competing in the same space, as well as the hemp-derived market that has really come on strong these past couple of years. We end by talking about some of Laura's favorites, and we ask her to weigh in on some of the language the media uses to describe the category.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bright Barrel
Go Brewing
The Open Road
Spirited Away
Sans Bar
Seedlip
CaliSoberMom
Dry Atlas
All The Bitter
Zeronimo
Partake Brewing
Uncool
Lyre's