Recipes get all the attention. And don't get us wrong — we love a good THC cocktail or mocktail as much as anyone. But the truth is that most of the moments where a THC drink actually shines aren't about the recipe at all. They're about the occasion: the parking lot two hours before kickoff, the back nine on a warm Saturday, the dock at the lake cabin, the first crackle of a campfire after a long day outside.
In Minnesota, our calendar runs on these moments. We measure the year less by months than by seasons of doing things outdoors with the people we like. And as more Minnesotans trade the standard beer-or-cocktail default for something lighter, low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages have quietly become the social sipper of choice for a whole new set of occasions.
This isn't a recipe roundup. It's a field guide to where and when a THC drink fits your life — built for the way we actually spend our time up here. We'll walk through tailgating, golf, lake season, and camping, with honest guidance on dose, pacing, and the safety lines that matter (especially on the water). Let's get into it.
The short version: THC drinks are at their best in the relaxed, social, low-stakes parts of an occasion — the tailgate, the 19th hole, the dock, the campfire. They are never a fit for anyone driving a car, operating a boat, or paddling a canoe. More on that below, because in Minnesota it genuinely matters.
Why THC Drinks Became Minnesota's Go-To Social Sipper
A few years ago, "what are you drinking?" had one obvious set of answers. That's changed fast. The sober-curious movement and the rise of Cali sober lifestyles pushed a lot of people to ask a simple question: is there a way to keep the ritual and the social warmth of a drink without the hangover, the calories, and the rough next morning?
Hemp-derived THC seltzers and infused beverages turned out to be a compelling answer. They're easy to hold at a party, easy to pace, and — when they're dosed responsibly — predictable in a way that makes them genuinely social.
The data backs up just how mainstream this shift has become. 23rd State is a sponsor brand in the MoreBetter Real-World Infused Beverage Study, an observational study run with the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy that tracked more than 5,000 participants across 20 brands — the largest real-world dataset in the cannabis beverage category to date. One of the most useful things it documented wasn't a lab result at all. It was settings of use: where, when, and how real people fold these drinks into their lives, and the substitution patterns of consumers reaching for an infused beverage instead of alcohol. (As an observational study, it reflects what participants reported about their own experiences; it isn't a clinical trial, and individual results vary.)
That "settings of use" piece is exactly why occasion content matters. People aren't sipping THC drinks in a vacuum. They're doing it at the lake, on the course, around the fire — the same places Minnesotans have always gathered.
A quick word on what's actually in the can. Every 23rd State beverage is built around a 1:1 ratio of hemp-derived THC and CBG, with 10mg of each per serving (our SHAKE drink enhancer runs at a higher concentration — more on that later). That low, consistent dose is the whole point: it's designed to be sociable and manageable, not overwhelming. All of our products are for adults 21 and older, and like any product containing THC, they can cause impairment and shouldn't be used by anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.
First, Learn to Read the Occasion
Before we get to the specific settings, here's the single most useful skill for enjoying THC drinks well: learning to read the moment.
Every occasion has a different rhythm, and the right approach changes with it. A four-hour tailgate is a slow burn; a relaxed evening on the dock is a wind-down; a campfire is a settle-in. Match your pace to the day.
A few principles carry across every occasion:
Start low and go slow. With a 10mg beverage, give yourself time to feel where one drink lands before reaching for the next. Onset for beverages can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to over an hour depending on your body and whether you've eaten. New to infused drinks? Our THC seltzer guide walks through onset and pacing in more detail.
Set and setting matter. THC tends to amplify the mood you bring to it. A relaxed, social, low-pressure environment — exactly the kind these occasions create — is the sweet spot.
Hydrate and eat. Sun, heat, and a long day outside are a lot to ask of your body. Alternate with water, and don't sip on a completely empty stomach.
Know your exit. Before anything else, settle the question of who's driving, who's running the boat, and how everyone gets home. We'll keep coming back to this, because it's the part that keeps a great day great.
Tailgating: The Parking-Lot Pregame, Reimagined
There's a specific magic to a Minnesota tailgate — the grill smoke, the cornhole, the layers of clothing that come off and go back on as the afternoon turns. Whether you're outside U.S. Bank Stadium before the Vikings, in the lots around Target Field for a Twins day game, on campus for the Gophers, or huddled up for the Wild, the pregame is the event for a lot of us.
And the pregame isn't only a football thing — and it isn't only a men's-team thing, either. Some of the most loyal game-day crowds in the Twin Cities now turn out for women's teams, several of which play right through the summer. The Minnesota Lynx, one of the most decorated franchises in the WNBA, run their season from May through September at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis; the Minnesota Frost, two-time PWHL Walter Cup champions, pack Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul through the winter; and the community-owned, women-led Minnesota Aurora FC — a pre-professional club building toward the pro ranks — regularly draws 5,000-plus to TCO Stadium in Eagan on summer evenings. Whether it's a downtown patio before tip-off or the lot in Eagan before kickoff, the pregame carries the same easy, social rhythm — and a low-dose can fits right in.
It's also a setting where THC drinks make a lot of sense. A tailgate is long, social, and built around standing around with a drink in your hand — which is exactly where a low-dose, easy-to-pace beverage outperforms a heavy beer-and-shots routine. You get the ritual and the buzz of the day without arriving at your seat already worn out, and without the slow fade that catches up with a lot of people by the third quarter.
A few tailgate-specific tips:
- Pack for the long haul. A tailgate can stretch across hours. A single 10mg can early on, paced with food and water, lets you enjoy the whole window rather than peaking too soon. CITRA STASH and our crisp Fresh Press are easy, refreshing pours for a sunny lot.
- Keep it cold and keep it discreet. Cans travel well, fit a cooler, and don't require a setup. They're built for exactly this.
- Mind the venue rules. Cannabis and hemp-derived THC product policies vary by venue and event, and many stadiums prohibit them on the premises even where they're legal to possess. The tailgate lot and the seats inside are two different jurisdictions — check before you go.
And the non-negotiable: somebody is driving home. A tailgate ends with everyone getting in a vehicle, and THC impairs your ability to drive just like alcohol does. Designate a sober driver before the cooler opens, or build your plan around rideshare or transit. The pregame is the fun part; getting everyone home safely is the whole job.
Golf: The Easy-Walking, Slow-Sipping Round
Golf is practically built for a low-dose beverage. It's slow, it's social, it's outdoors, and the entire culture of the sport already revolves around a relaxed drink and good company. The "19th hole" is a tradition for a reason.
For golfers exploring an alcohol alternative, a THC seltzer fits the round beautifully. Beer at the turn has a way of sneaking up across eighteen holes in the sun; a single low-dose can, sipped slowly and paced with water, keeps the mood loose without dulling your back nine. A lot of players find it complements the meditative, walk-and-talk quality of a good round rather than working against it.
Some on-course guidance:
- One drink, eighteen holes. Golf rewards patience, and so does pacing a THC beverage. There's no need to keep up with anyone else's count. A single 10mg can across a full round, with plenty of water in between, is plenty for most people.
- Heat is the hidden variable. A July round can mean hours of direct sun. Heat and dehydration intensify how a drink lands, so hydrate aggressively and don't skip the snack at the turn.
- Read the course's policy. Plenty of courses have rules about outside beverages, and hemp-THC products may or may not be welcome. When in doubt, ask the pro shop.
A word on the cart. A golf cart is a vehicle, and impaired operation is no joke — on or off the road. If you're going to enjoy a drink, keep your dose low, know how it's affecting you, and don't get behind the wheel of a cart (or your car in the lot) if you're feeling it. Walking the course is the safest, and arguably the best, way to play anyway.
Lake Season: Minnesota's Sacred Summer
Ask a Minnesotan what summer means and you'll hear some version of the same answer: the lake. With more than 10,000 of them, lake season is less a hobby than a birthright — the cabin, the dock, the long golden evenings, the slow afternoons that don't really need a plan.
It's the most natural occasion in the world for a refreshing, low-dose drink. Picture the end of the day: feet in the water off the dock, the boat tied up, the grill going, no agenda but to be there. A crisp Fresh Press perry or a celebratory sparkling Blush Crush is right at home in that moment. This is the unwind, the part of lake season that's all about presence and good company.
But lake season is also where we have to be the most clear-eyed, because the water demands it.
The dock-versus-boat line is the most important rule in this whole guide
Here's the bright line: THC drinks are for the dock, the deck, the shore, and the cabin — never for anyone operating a boat, and never while swimming in deep or open water.
In Minnesota, boating while impaired (BWI) is treated as seriously as drunk driving, and it explicitly covers controlled substances — including THC — not just alcohol. A conviction carries the same kind of penalties as a DWI, including the loss of your driving and boating privileges. The Minnesota DNR runs dedicated enforcement efforts like Operation Dry Water around summer holidays for exactly this reason, because impaired operation is the leading factor in boating accidents and fatalities on our lakes.
So if there's a boat in the day's plan, designate a completely sober operator — the same way you'd designate a driver. Let the captain stay clear, and save the drink for when the boat is docked and the day shifts into rest mode. Swimming impaired carries its own real risks, too; open water is unforgiving, and a buzz and deep water are a bad combination.
Get that part right, and lake season is genuinely the best occasion on this list. Keep a few extras in mind: the sun and the water amplify everything, so hydrate constantly, and always — buzz or no buzz — wear a life jacket. Most fatal boating accidents involve someone in the water without one.
Camping and the Backcountry: Campfire Rituals Done Right
There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over a campsite once the tents are up, the fire's going, and the day's miles are behind you. For a lot of Minnesotans, that wind-down moment — under a big northern sky, far from the noise — is the whole reason to go.
A low-dose THC drink can be a fitting companion to that settle-in. The key word, again, is settle-in. The right moment is around the fire at the end of the day, once camp is made and there's nowhere left to be — not while you're setting up, handling tools, tending a fire actively, or doing anything that asks for sharp coordination. Camping rewards being present, and that's exactly the headspace these drinks are designed to complement.
Practical notes for packing them in:
- Cans are camp-friendly. They're durable, packable, and don't need a setup. Just plan to pack out every empty — which brings us to the rule that governs all of this.
- Leave No Trace, always. Whether you're car-camping at a state park or deep in the woods, Leave No Trace principles apply: pack out everything you pack in, cans included. Treat the place the way you'd want to find it.
- Heat, cold, and elevation change things. A long day of physical effort, plus sun and dehydration, can make a single drink land harder than it would at home. Go conservative.
A specific note on the Boundary Waters
For many of us, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) is the crown jewel — over a million acres of lakes and portages in the Superior National Forest, and one of the most extraordinary wilderness experiences in the country. If you're planning a trip, the practical homework comes first: permits are required year-round, with quota permits for the busy May–September season, and they go fast.
Two honest caveats before you pack anything THC-related for the backcountry. First, the BWCA is federally managed wilderness, and cannabis and hemp-derived THC products sit in a very different legal status under federal law than they do under Minnesota state law — and that federal picture is actively shifting. Check the current federal and Forest Service rules before you go, because what's legal at your lake cabin is not automatically legal on federal land.
Second, and this one isn't negotiable anywhere: never paddle, portage, or swim impaired. The Boundary Waters is remote, the water is cold and deep, and help is a long way off. A canoe in open water demands the same clear head a boat does on any lake. Save any wind-down for a settled campsite, with sober judgment intact and someone always able to respond. The wilderness is best experienced sharp.
Matching the Drink to the Moment
Different occasions call for different pours. Here's a quick guide to the 23rd State lineup, mapped to where each one fits best:
Fresh Press — the everyday all-rounder. Our sparkling pear cider–style perry is crisp, refreshing, and easy-drinking, which makes it the versatile pick for almost any daytime occasion: the tailgate, the golf course, the dock at golden hour.
Blush Crush — the celebratory bubbly. This sparkling bubbly, available in 750mL and cans, is the move when the moment calls for a little ceremony — a cabin toast, a milestone weekend, the kind of evening that deserves a glass and not just a can.
CITRA STASH — the bright, refreshing sipper. Citrus-forward and easy in the heat, it's a natural for sunny, active settings where you want something light and lively in hand.
SHAKE — the drink enhancer. Our edible glitter enhancer (in 24k Gold, Emerald Green, and Cosmo Pink) turns any drink into a moment, with a shimmer that's made for a celebration. Worth noting: SHAKE runs at a higher concentration than our cans, so it deserves extra care with dosing — read the label and start small, especially in social settings where it's easy to lose track.
Every one of these is built on that same evidence-forward foundation: a low, consistent 1:1 THC-to-CBG dose, designed to be social and manageable. You can dig into the formulation and the research behind it on our science and research hub.
Enjoy Responsibly: The Minnesota Rules of the Game
We've threaded this through every section because it genuinely matters, but it's worth gathering in one place. Enjoying THC drinks well comes down to a handful of clear rules:
21 and up, every time. Hemp-derived THC products are for adults 21 and older, full stop. Under Minnesota's framework, THC beverages are capped at 10mg per container and overseen by the Office of Cannabis Management, with age verification required at the point of sale.
Never drive, boat, or paddle impaired. This is the one that protects everyone. In Minnesota, operating a vehicle, a boat, or any motorized watercraft under the influence of THC is illegal and carries DWI-equivalent penalties. Designate a sober driver and a sober boat operator before the day starts.
Start low, go slow, and hydrate. A 10mg serving is plenty for most people. Give it time, pace it with water, and don't sip on an empty stomach — especially in the sun.
Know the place's rules. Stadiums, golf courses, state parks, and federal land each have their own policies. Federal land in particular treats these products differently than Minnesota does, and the rules are changing — check before you pack.
Some people should skip it. THC products can cause impairment and should not be used by anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have health questions, talk to a medical professional.
None of this is meant to dampen the fun. It's the opposite — getting these basics right is exactly what lets a tailgate, a round of golf, a lake day, or a night under the stars stay a great memory instead of a regret.
The Bottom Line
Recipes are great, but the best THC drink moments were never really about the recipe. They're about the occasion — the long, golden, low-stakes stretches of a Minnesota year that we spend outside with the people we love. A tailgate. The back nine. Feet off the dock. A fire under a big sky.
Low-dose, hemp-derived THC beverages slot into those moments beautifully, offering a lighter, more social way to mark the day — as long as you respect the few lines that keep everyone safe, especially on the water and on the road. Read the occasion, pace yourself, designate your driver, and enjoy the moment for what it is.
Find the pour that fits your next occasion across our full lineup, and here's to a great season.
23rd State products are for adults 21+. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products containing THC may cause impairment and should not be used by anyone operating a vehicle or machinery, or by anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. References to the MoreBetter Real-World Infused Beverage Study reflect a real-world observational study of participant-reported experiences and are not health claims; individual results vary.
