This is our crack at a dank tasting, hemp and CBD infused beer. We also added some blueberries, because it sounded good. We're calling it Blueberry Kush.

This beer didn't turn out exactly how we had hoped but it is absolutely stellar. It's a light lager with a hint of blueberry and a lot of body. Considering the amount of hops we added, it's not at all as bitter as we expected. 

The addition of hemp gives the beer a very slightly nutty flavor and the CBD works with the alcohol to provide a one, two knockout punch that is sure to make you mellow. Note, CBD is a byproduct of hemp plants which generally contains little to no THC. If you need to pass a drug test, make sure you get 100% pure CBD.

How to Brew Hemp & CBD Beer

This beer is brewed using standard brew-day procedures. However, hemp and CBD are added at the end of the boil. Also, because it's a lager the beer needs to be fermented at a lower temperature and then lagered at 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7C) for a few weeks.

Ingredients

• 7.65 gallons (29 liters) water
• 9lbs 10.4oz (4kg 377.2g) Pilsner Malt
• 2.00 oz (56.7g) Acidulated malt (2-row)
• 1.85 ounces (52.45g) Columbus Hops
• 1 ounce (28.35g) hemp powder
• 6 ounces (170.1g) freeze dried blueberries
• 1 gram CBD powder

Procedure

1. Heat water to 154F (67.8C) and mash for 60 minutes.

Mashing in

We went ahead and weighed out all of our hop additions while waiting on our mash to finish

2. Pull grains and heat to a boil (for 60 minutes total).

Pulling the grain basket

Boiling wort

3. Add 0.45 oz. (12.76g) Columbus hops with 60 minutes left in the boil.
4. Add 0.15 oz. (4.3g) Columbus hops with 45 minutes left in the boil.
5. Add 0.25 oz. (7.1g) Columbus hops with 15 minutes left in the boil.
6. Add 1.00 oz. (28.35g) Columbus hops with 0 minutes left in the boil. 

We added all of our hops to our hop basket

7. Add 1.00 oz. (28.35g) hemp powder with 0 minutes left in the boil.

1 ounce (28.35g) was just an estimate, feel free to add more if you want more of a hemp flavor

8. Cool to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3C) and transfer to a fermenter

Connecting our plate chiller - this is what we use to chill our wort to pitching temp

9. Add Yeast - White Labs WLP800 Pilsner Lager Yeast.

Pitching the yeast starter we made for this beer - if you're not sure what this is or how to make one, read this article or watch this video

10. Add 6 ounces (170.1g) of freeze-dried blueberries to the fermenter. 

We used freeze-dried blueberries from Trader Joes

Make sure to remove the gel packets in your packs of blueberries before dumping them into the fermenter

We put all of our berries into a mesh bag so they can be easily removed from the fermenter

11. Ferment for 3 weeks at 55F (12.8C).

12. Remove blueberries from the fermenter.

13. Add 1 gram of CBD to the fermenter.

14. Lager at 35F (1.7C) for 3-4 weeks.
15. Keg or bottle, carbonate, and drink!

Results

This beer turned out great. It was less hoppy than we expected, but it's delicious. This is an excellent summer beer. The CBD didn't dissolve as we excepted, but its effects can still be felt. Beware, after a few of these you'll be ready for a nap.

"It's really smooth, really easy to drink, and really bitter"