Maine brewers can make hemp drinks the right way. Congress is about to stop us. | Opinion
Maine Breweries Turn to THC‑Infused Drinks as Federal Law Threatens Market
Gorham, Maine – In February 2025, Kai Adams—co‑founder of Sebago Brewing Company and the new owner of Mystic Cove THC Drinks—introduced the first Maine‑produced THC‑infused beverage to the state’s retail shelves. The launch came amid rising demand for hemp‑based drinks, a shift that has left both breweries and retailers bracing for the federal deadline that will effectively ban such products on December 11, 2026.
Adams, who grew up near Sebago Lake, said the idea began with a simple conversation at the Sebago Brewing taproom. “A guest asked me over the bar when we were going to make a THC drink,” he recalled. “Around the same time, our sales team started seeing hemp beverages popping up in retail coolers across the state.” When cannabis companies began calling to ask whether the brewery could produce drinks for them, Adams seized the opportunity, leveraging a newly installed high‑speed canning line and a crew of brewers familiar with ingredients and quality control.
The result was Mystic Cove, a line of four 5 mg per can flavors—including a blueberry‑lemon blend “that could only come from Maine.” Each batch is full‑spectrum, lab‑tested, and potency‑verified before it leaves the facility. “We track every ingredient from the moment it arrives, so what the label says is exactly what’s in the can,” Adams explained. The company has also developed a THC service policy that limits consumption to one can for an alcoholic drink or two for a non‑alcoholic beverage, and trains distributors and customers to understand how to serve and enjoy the product responsibly.
Sebago Brewing, founded in 1998, now operates four brewpubs and a production brewery that serves more than 12,000 guests a week. The company employs 225 Mainers with a payroll of nearly $5 million annually. “Hemp beverages are not the largest part of our business, but they matter a great deal,” Adams said. “For an industry facing flat beer sales, two new products gave our distributors and customers something to be excited about.”
The response from patrons has been surprisingly diverse. Adams recalled that the first person to try a Mystic Cove at the brewpub was “almost 70 years old.” A server who no longer drinks said it was “the first time in years she felt like she was having an experience at a bar instead of just ordering an iced tea.” These anecdotes illustrate the drink’s appeal to adults seeking alternatives beyond beer, wine, and spirits.
Yet the future of hemp beverages in Maine is uncertain. Under current federal regulations, a THC‑infused drink with more than 0.4 mg of THC per container will be banned after December 11, 2026. Adams warns that “most of our customers have no idea it is coming.” The impending ban could empty shelves, push sales to other outlets, and reduce tax revenue that the state might otherwise collect.
Adams argues that a better path lies in treating hemp beverages like beer. “That means requiring age verification, labeling products clearly, taxing them fairly, and selling them through the same distributors and retailers that already handle alcohol responsibly,” he said. He is a member of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, a national trade group that calls on Congress to create a regulatory framework rather than a blanket ban. “Moving these drinks into the cannabis dispensary system would shut out the brewers who have the equipment and experience to make them safely,” Adams added.
He has addressed Maine lawmakers directly, writing to Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree: “Craft beer has been one of this state’s great economic success stories, and hemp beverages can be its next chapter. Maine brewers are ready to make these products the right way, and I urge you to regulate this category instead of banning it.”
Adams calls on consumers to voice their support for regulated THC drinks. “Tell Congress, even in a single sentence, why these drinks matter to you and that you support safe, regulated sales. Dec. 11 is getting close, and your voice matters now,” he urged.
For Maine’s brewing community and its customers, the coming months will test whether hemp‑infused beverages can survive the federal crackdown or whether the state’s vibrant craft scene will adapt to a new regulatory landscape.
