This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Two well known Longmont business names have teamed up to produce a new product that exemplifies and combines their areas of expertise. Left Hand Brewing and WAAYB Organics have launched, Present, a brand of sparkling water that they believe will appeal to the health-conscious and diverse drinkers not only in Longmont and Colorado but across the nation.
Present sparkling water is CBD (cannabidiol) infused and it contains no calories, artificial ingredients or additives. It is available in natural, lemon-lime and orange flavors. Left Hand’s COO, Chris Lennert, believes that the combination of Rocky Mountain Spring water and USDA approved organic ingredients will prove to be a winning healthy combination in the competitive sparkling, non-alcoholic beverage market.
So what exactly is CBD and what is its connection with WAAYB Organics?
Scott Cusack, WAAYB’s Chief Operating Officer, took over the 90 acre farmland north of Longmong that has been owned by his family sinc the 1980s. He changed the crop from hay to hemp and began the task with co-founder Anson Mitchell of producing full spectrum CBD for use in oils and topical products. The company now offers a full range of CBD products, for both humans and animals.
There are two varieties of the cannabis plant, one is generally known as hemp and contains a high amount of CBD, which is an anti-psychoactive ingredient and believed to have therapeutic advantages. Hemp also has many industrial uses. The other variety of the cannabis plant is commonly known as marijuana and contains high levels of THC, which is the ingredient that makes users high. In order to be legal, CBD products must contain less than .03% levels of THC.
Casual discussions with the folks at Left Hand Brewery, which has been a leading Colorado craft beer producer since 1984 were the genesis of today’s Present sparkling water product.
WAAYB’s Mitchell is proud of the fact that the products the farm produces are USDA approved and considered pure, unadulterated and properly organic.
The production of and care for hemp plants is an intensive and expensive business. No industrial or artificial fertilizers or feeds are used, weeds are picked by hand and a sophisticated watering system soaks the plants to exactly the level of moisture required. Even the harvesting is done manually.
USDA representatives are in constant watch of the operation, and the harvest must be carried out exactly when scheduled by WAAYB so that no extra crop can be kept away from the USDA inspection.
Left Hand has grown from a homebrew kit in 1984 to one of the top 50 craft breweries in the US, and is a pioneer of creating nitro beer in the US. The company has a presence in most of the US, and their beers are also sold internationally.
Left Hand was attracted to the technical competence of WAAYB , exemplified by chemist Taylor Coomer, who brought extensive experience in the cannabidiol industry from Israel, the global leader in cannabis research and development. He works with the chemists in WAAYB’s facility in Berthoud on the extraction and distillation process.
WAAYB uses supercritical CO2 extraction as it is the only solvent-free method of extraction currently available to ensure the purity of the CBD products. They continue to develop new uses, such as Present, which contains 20mg of full-spectrum CBD.
CEO Cusack believes that the reason for WAAYB’s success is the control that they have over the complete product – from seeds to the cultivation, and from harvesting to distillations – and this continues with Present. Left Hand appreciates this and believes that both companies' commitment to the community as well as product excellence will prove a winning combination.
And why the name WAAYB? It's a reminder that to continue growing and succeeding, you must keep the Wind Always At Your Back.
