RICKETT BREWING

When it comes to blending weed and wine, Scott Rickett and his network of experienced industry collaborators are as artistic as they are meticulous throughout the process. Rickett Brewing is on a mission to create an alternative to alcohol without sacrificing taste nor experience, and they invite us all to be a part of the revolution. This feat takes the combined efforts of multiple companies and dozens of passionate individuals to ferment high quality California grapes, remove the alcohol, infuse the wine with sun-grown Cannabis, and finally convince the state’s retailers and consumers that the world is ready for this.

ENDOCANNABINOID EFFERVESCENCE

Origin Story

Rickett’s no rookie in the newly popular infused beverage game. He began crafting alcohol-free beer and infusing it with Cannabis in 1998, becoming a master beer brewer by 2000. At the time, he owned a recording studio in LA – and is a lifelong musician himself (his soulful collaboration with Ricky Fante is a fitting background to this writing sesh).

Rickett was accustomed to hosting and entertaining his artists, some of whom did so to cope with alcoholism and opioid addiction.

He personally self-medicated with the plant to treat ADD and hypertension. Rickett’s non-alcoholic weed beer spread like wildfire in the local LA music scene, where the homemade brew was in demand by the barrel, and corporate beer soon began partnering up to get their piece of the pie. Since de-alcoholizing beer is simpler than wine, Rickett chose the path less traveled where he could stand out and have a greater impact. Thus the vision was born, and the journey to Jolie Fleur Cannabis Infused Champagne commenced.

Alcohol Alternatives

From the beginning it was a labor of love and an ambitious pursuit for all involved. The evolution of alcohol extraction technology alongside innovation in Cannabis infusions encouraged Rickett to keep pushing the envelope, as he worked alongside scientists to influence some of these advancements.

After two years of fermentation – and since no traditional wine bottler can touch a Cannabis product – Rickett’s carefully curated wine gets transported to BevZero in Santa Rosa, as they specialize in de-alcoholization.

Kayla Winter, Director of Product Services and Winemaking at BevZero, ensures that the quality of the wine (beer or cider) is maintained to a strict standard that is “chemically viable” – meaning it can be successfully de-alcoholized, as not all wines respond to the process equally. A Sonoma County local who has been in the wine business since she was 16, Winter works alongside Cannabis emulsion experts to fully understand the end product they are creating. It’s a delicate combination of chemistry and artistry to find the best wines for the task.

“On the artistic/sensory side,” Winter shares, “there are many levers we can play with to meet the client’s artistic visions, as well as fine tune the consumer’s experience. With any consumable food or beverage, the flavors and the smells can transport the consumer to a different place or

Harold Han, Founder and CSO of Vertosa

The evolution of alcohol extraction technology alongside innovation in Cannabis infusions encouraged Rickett to keep pushing the envelope.

Did you know? Rickett Brewing creates hand sanitizer out of the alcohol removed from their wines, which they share with their dispensary partners!

state of mind. Depending on the final goal, we pick and choose what flavor components come out to match the direction each product label is going towards.”

Rickett’s Jolie Fleur champagne was one of BevZero’s first Cannabis wines to hit the market. The product was designed to provide an equally premium and elegant alternative to alcohol. BevZero worked under Rickett’s direction to develop products that can hold their own in a high end social setting, and they continue to learn and evolve in this new category.

The Science and Healing of Bioavailability

Once the wine is de-alcoholized and the team satisfied with the final formula, a sample is sent to Oakland to be evaluated by the scientists at Vertosa – a science, technology and ingredient company whose main role is to infuse Cannabis essence into consumables. The first step is to conduct a stability study to test that their Cannabis emulsion is compatible with the wine base. The formula gets tweaked or approved, and the emulsion is shipped to a co-packing facility where it meets the wine and the magic happens.

It’s not that simple, as both wine and emulsions have complex chemistry. Nanoemulsion technology is about bioavailability, which is a more efficient method of delivering cannabinoids into our system. Cannabinoids and terpenes absorb directly into the bloodstream through the tongue, esophagus and stomach lining, providing an almost immediate onset. Furthermore, the body absorbs three to five times the amount of beneficial plant compounds compared to typical distillate oil used in edibles. Distillate oil droplets have larger molecular structures that must pass through the liver in order to absorb, which is why edibles take one to two hours to feel, and have lingering effects. Vertosa guarantees their Cannabis emulsions will be equally dispersed through the bottle for precise dosing, while taking oxidation, degradation and flavor into account. Harold Han, Founder and CSO of Vertosa spoke candidly, “Me and Scott know each other personally. He’s picky about flavor, so we went through many rounds of testing until Scott felt comfortable. Scott looks for perfection, he doesn’t say it’s good unless it’s good.” “Scott is an interesting person from the music industry,” Han continued, “You can see how alcohol damages people and how a true alcohol replacement has power to heal society. His mission aligns with ours: to heal. We need to unlock the healing power of the Cannabis plant and make it accessible to all. We need more partners like Scott for us to achieve this, and we need consumers to accept these beverages.” From Seed to Sip

The vision begins with one artist, is cultivated by small batch wine makers, perfected by the minds of scientists, then finally lands at Greenstone Distribution for its grand reveal. Interestingly, even with all the complexities involved in managing a heavy, temperature sensitive product with delicate chemistry, all parties acknowledge that the biggest hurdles throughout this process are not physical ones. Ryan Rivera of Greenstone Distribution took a gamble on Rickett’s “crazy” weed champagne idea, and brought it on board as the first beverage in their impressive brand suite. “We didn’t want to work with beverages,” Rivera explained. “They are a pain to store, heavy, and a small portion of market sales, 3-5% at the time. We didn’t have an interest, but it was Scott’s infectious nature that convinced us. His past was interesting and unique, he’s cool as hell, and the project was in a class of its own.”

The biggest challenge of all? Consumer education. This product was made for the conscious consumer who enjoys a classy drink and a light buzz, and that’s not the typical dispensary shopper. Although Greenstone undertook the physical challenges to accommodate Rickett’s champagne, their main task is to educate their salespeople, to in turn convince buyers that there is a market for this 10mg, 25 calorie, premium beverage.

Rickett agrees that consumers don’t necessarily get it yet, but he’s still not giving up. Despite grueling regulations (in Rickett’s words, “You can move nuclear waste easier than you can our products”), he is busy developing a wide array of both Cannabis and hemp infused wines, including updated packaging, white labeled brands, and a true Napa red. The team is even working on strain specific wines with flower from partner Honey Dew Farms. It’s time to cancel milligram per dollar culture, and to instead value clean ingredients, and support products and people that give a damn. Cheers to that.

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