Grab your bike helmet and cycle your way into a delicious euphoria, thanks to the Wild Cherry THC Seltzer by Cycling Frog! THC-infused beverages are just starting to hit the market and are a huge hit in the THC community. This artisan beverage features a blend of THC and CBD that has been expertly crafted into a tart cherry juice and bubbly seltzer beverage. I’ll be reviewing several THC-infused beverages from a variety of brands, ranging from lemonade to soda, all ready to tickle your taste buds with their delicious flavors. Since this THC seltzer contains both THC and CBD, I’ll start off by going over what these cannabinoids are and then briefly touch on how THC-infused beverages work. If you’re new to the world of cannabis and are curious to see how these unique products work, you’ve come to the right place!
Quick Recap of the CBD & THC Cannabinoids
The Wild Cherry THC Seltzer by Cycling Frog is unique in that it contains not one, but two cannabinoids: THC and CBD. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds found naturally in the hemp plant that cause your body to experience either psychoactive or non-psychoactive cannabinoids. CBD does not cause any psychoactive effects, but is known for its beneficial properties when used over an extended period of time. THC, on the other hand, is a THC is a powerful psychoactive cannabinoid that offers a rich relaxation and euphoria.
When combined, the consumer may experience what is affectionately referred to as the “entourage effect.” The entourage effect is the belief that the consumer will experience greater health benefits than if just one cannabinoid was consumed. The entourage effect is more of a theory than an actual scientifically recognized fact, but many users swear it exists and brands will purposely combine multiple cannabinoids to cater to those who do.
When the THC and CBD cannabinoids are derived from federally legal hemp, they are also classified as federally legal in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill. Some states have set forth their own legislation on the legality of hemp and THC within that state, so you’ll need to confirm it’s legal for you to consume any THC-infused product before attempting to purchase it. Now that you have a better idea of what cannabinoids are and how they work, it’s time to take a closer look at how drinkable THC products work.
Drinkable THC: What Is It?
Cannabinoid-infused products have traditionally been available in two categories: edibles and inhalables. Edibles are great for beginners and often have a better flavor, but take much longer for the effects to kick in since the product must be digested first. Inhalables are the preferred product for vapers and smokers due to the inhalation required for products like vape cartridges, flower, and pre-rolls. Inhalables bypass the digestion system completely and often kick in after a few minutes, but the high itself is usually short-lived. For a while, sublinguals (products consumed under the tongue) served as the middle ground between edibles and inhalables, but often tend to take just as long as edibles to kick in.
That’s where drinkables come in. While technically an edible (since the beverage must pass through the digestive system), the effects tend to kick in much quicker than edibles or sublinguals. The flavor of the hemp is more easily masked due to the flavor of the beverage and can be a substitute for beverages normally consumed with a meal or as a way to relax after a long day. Just as with any cannabinoid-infused product, you’ll need to be careful with how much you consume and make sure to wait the allotted time before consuming a second dose. Now that you’re more familiar with how drinkable THC works, let’s check out this fascinating brand that brings us the product of today’s review: Cycling Frog!
The Cycling Frog Brand
A quick web browser query brought me right to the Cycling Frog site and I was delighted with the bold graphics and bright colors. The homepage has a very comedy-club vibe with the string lights and the brick wall background. Cycling Frog’s star products are featured right on the homepage: two flavored THC-seltzers called Black Currant and Wild Cherry, the latter flavor being what I’ll review shortly. The site has a Shop drop down menu in the right-hand corner that I curiously clicked on. I was surprised to see that Cycling Frog carries a broad selection of products that include seltzers, gummies, mints, tinctures, isolates, and softgels. This section is further categorized by Potency (Low or Medium) and also features a section for their most popular products.
I clicked on the THC & CBD Seltzer tab and was redirected to the section for Cycling Frog’s flavored beverages. Three flavors were displayed: the Black Currant and Wild Cherry from the homepage, but there was also a Ruby Grapefruit option as well. Each flavor comes in a six-pack of 12oz cans and are priced at a very reasonable $19.99. The product page includes a brief mention of their mislabeled cans (2mg instead of 5mg) as well as customer reviews, frequently asked questions, product specs, and legal disclaimers. The site had a lovely aesthetic appeal and I felt as if I could spend quite a bit of time browsing all their products and pages. I’ll leave that up to check out in more detail, but right now it’s time for the long-anticipated product review of the Wild Cherry THC Seltzer!
Wild Cherry THC Seltzer Product Review
I was very eager to try this unique beverage but I forced myself to read the label and become more familiar with it before chugging it. I noted that the serving size was one can, but the total THC content was only 5mg. I thankfully had two cans to try, so I decided to start off with half a can at first and see how it affected me, then try a full can. I decided to use ice with the first can and chill the second one.
When I first cracked open the can of seltzer, I was expecting a dark red liquid that smelled like the artificial cherry flavors most of us are familiar with. Boy, was I in for a surprise! As soon as I began to pour the liquid into my glass, I was stunned to see that the color was a dark reddish-brown. There was a lovely foam head after I had finished pouring and the scent was warm and earthy. I tentatively brought the glass to my lips and took my first sip. Once again, my expectations could not have been more wrong. The taste was identical to all-natural sour cherry juice, not the artificial nonsense found in popular juices and sodas. This type of cherry juice is usually found in natural/organic food stores and is somewhat of an acquired taste. I will caution you that if you don’t like real cherry juice or seltzer, you may be overly critical of the flavor. But if you’re a fan of one or both these flavors, you’re in for a treat!
The ingredients list mentions pear juice in the flavoring, but the cherry flavor completely dominated the taste. I’d venture to guess that there’s a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of juice to seltzer, as the flavor was quite tart and not overly sweet. The carbonation was smooth and light enough to sip constantly without feeling an overwhelming need to burp. It was what I imagine the carbonation from a homemade soda/seltzer would be like: not too strong and not too weak. It took me about 15 minutes to sip the beverage comfortably, but I like to nurse my drinks while doing other things. I may have finished the beverage quicker with a meal, but I wanted to see how long it would take the effects to start on an empty stomach. Once my glass was empty, I made a mental note of the time and waited for the THC to kick in.
The Effects!
I’ll start off by reviewing the half-can portion I drank and then go on to the full-can experience. With the half-can dosage, I began to feel a very light buzz after about an hour. Yet it was more of a haziness than a full-blown high. My eyelids started to feel extremely heavy and I found it difficult to keep them open. I felt a warm tingling sensation in my face, chest, hands, and feet and felt wonderfully relaxed. After about 90 minutes, I felt somewhat high but not the complete couch-lock and weighted blanket feel that normally accompanies a THC-dominant high. The effects seemed to taper off, which is expected due to the very low THC content I’d consumed (2.5mg). I figured that I hadn’t consumed enough initially and decided to try my luck again the next night with the full can. I placed the second unopened can in the fridge and allowed it to chill overnight.
Upon consuming a full can, I experienced the same effects as with only half a can, but much more intense. I experienced the same weighted eyelid feeling, but this time it was accompanied with a drowsiness I hadn’t previously experienced. I once again felt the same warm tingling sensation in my face, hands, chest, and feet, also called a body high. I felt wonderfully relaxed and somewhat lethargic, so definitely some couch-lock there. It seemed as though time had slowed down and I experienced a bump in my creativity as well as my ability to recall things. My vision became slightly blurred, either due to my eyelids being heavy and having trouble keeping them open or the warm drowsiness that crept upon me. After about 90 minutes, it felt like the high had peaked and I was incredibly comfortable in the moderate high. I was a bit surprised to feel a moderate cottonmouth sensation, which I didn’t expect from a beverage. I took several swigs from water and marveled at how refreshing it was on my parched palate. I strongly recommend you keep a bottle of water handy in case you feel yourself getting more thirsty than usual.
I didn’t feel overwhelmingly high or dizzy, but I did experience a mild bout of uneasiness with slight sounds. Thankfully, I was able to easily quell them with rational thinking and was able to drift off to sleep without any further issues. I woke up easily the next morning feeling refreshed, with no lingering effects or disorientation. I was able to start my day without battling any “hangover high” or telltale red eyes from the previous evening. All in all, this was a delightful product to try and I enjoyed it immensely. If you enjoy sour cherry juice blended with just the right amount of bubbles, you might be surprised with how much you enjoy this THC and CBD-infused beverage!
Cycling Frog General Information
Lab Testing
Even though Cycling Frog utilizes several cannabinoids (THC, CBD, and Delta-8 THC) in the creation of their products, they adhere to the 2018 Farm Bill’s ruling that products must not contain more than 0.3% THC. To ensure federal compliance, Cycling Frog subjects their products to rigorous testing via independent third-party labs. It took only a few seconds to find their lab results, located at the bottom of the site in a tab labeled Testing. The results are categorized according to product type and batch number. Simply click on the link labeled Certificate of Analysis and you’ll be redirected to that particular test where you can view relevant information to the product tested.
While it’s always a good sign to see that a brand offers test results, it’s always recommended to confirm the validity of these tests. The FDA currently doesn’t require lab testing on cannabinoid-infused products, but this extra step is important to build consumer confidence and trust. These tests are time-consuming, free of bias, and often expensive. Because of this, some unethical brands will pirate the results of actual lab testing and doctor them to seem legit for the pirated brand. If you suspect a brand of offering fake/altered results, you should contact the lab directly to verify the results are indeed for the brand shown.
Hemp Information
In the About Us section, Cycling Frog offers a wealth of information about the hemp used in the production of their products. Their premium hemp is sustainably sourced from Oregon and is nourished with the filtered mountain water of several of the state’s famous lakes. Cycling Frog takes great care to keep their products free of heavy metals, pesticides, harmful microbes, and residual solvents. In addition to their high-quality hemp, Cycling Frog utilizes ingredients that are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO and all natural. Their fruit juices and essences are exclusively natural to ensure a high quality taste that you can enjoy in all of their products. I encourage you to check this section of the site out at your leisure; I promise it’s well worth the read!
Product Packaging
The Wild Cherry THC Seltzer from Cycling Frog had a unique approach in their packaging. Instead of using shiny graphics and playful font to draw the user in, Cycling Frog uses a simple yet professional design on their cans. I didn’t receive the full six-pack box, but rather two identical cans. The cans had a very natural design, much like what you’d find in an organic retail store or natural food market. The can utilized a brick red color with black lettering on one half and a black base with the same brick red lettering and the flavor “Wild Cherry” in an off-white color. There was indeed a picture of a frog riding an old-fashioned bicycle, which was both amusing and effective in remembering the name. The top of the can listed the cannabinoid content, caloric value, and confirmed the use of 100% hemp extract. The bottom of the can listed the type of hemp (full spectrum), a second mention of the cannabinoid content (5mg THC, 10mg CBD), and bottle size (12oz/355mL).
The right section of the can listed the purpose of such a beverage, consumption warnings, and the official website. The left side of the can displayed the supplemental facts, the serving size, and a full ingredients list. This was also where I noted the aforementioned flaw in the labeling: the supplemental facts listed the total Delta-9 THC as 2mg, while the top section of the can near the lip listed the total Delta-9 THC content as 5mg. The company is aware of this mislabeling and has made their users aware by posting a disclaimer on the product page. Lastly, there was distribution information and several badges that stated the beverage contained no added sugar, was gluten free, vegan, and non-GMO. A small QR code and barcode completed this section of the can, and thus my review of this unique product’s packaging!
CONCLUSION
The Whild Cherry THC Seltzer by Cycling Frog was a intriguing product to review for several reasons. This was the first alternative to “hard seltzer” that I have tried and it was a mostly positive review. While my initial dosage was only half a can, I felt the effects more strongly upon consuming the entire can. The flavor too a bit of getting used to, as it wasn’t the sweet artificial cherry flavor I had anticipated. However, the tart sour cherry flavor was spot-on and the carbonation was expertly balanced to deliver a smooth and refreshing experience with every sip. The product packaging definitely gave off an all-natural and artisan vibe but in a wholesome and beneficial way. Aside from the mislabeling of the Delta-9 THC content, the packaging was perfectly designed. I loved the company’s website, thanks to its warm and inviting layout. I definitely recommend this beverage to any curious to test the waters of THC without consuming too much the first time. This refreshing beverage promises to delight your taste buds with an authentic fruit flavor paired with just the right amount of bubbly goodness.
Have you tried the Wild Cherry Seltzer or any other flavors from the Cycling Frog’s THC-infused beverage lineup? If so, I encourage you to share your experiences with the rest of us! THC-infused beverages are growing quickly in popularity and I’m excited to see what new products join the market in the near future. In my next review, I will be trying the Orange Creamsicle Soda by Blaze, another unique cannabis-infused soda that carries a powerful punch in both flavor and effects. Check back soon for this and other in-depth product reviews from cannabinoids-infused brands from brands throughout the country. I look forward to seeing you again soon!
