Luce Farm Partners with Brewer to Make CBD Beer

By Chloé Harper Gold
Source: hightimes.com

The organic family farm, Luce Farm, has officially partnered with Long Trail Brewing Company. While business partnerships are commonplace, this particular one has us interested. In fact, the goal of this alliance has us downright excited. Luce Farm and Long Trail Brewing Company have co-created a CBD beer.

Luce Farm

Vermont’s Luce Farm is a gorgeous sight unto itself. (Facebook/Chris Lillie for Luce Farms)

For the past decade, Rebecca and Joe Pimentel have cultivated the land of Luce Farm. Located in Stockbridge, Vermont, the farm was founded in 1820. There, the Pimentels and their friend-turned-business-partner Tyler Wakstein grow organic herbs and produce and raise farm animals.

In 2016, the Pimentel’s decided to add another crop to their roster.

Their choice? Hemp.

But not just any kind of hemp. High-CBD hemp. Their first crop of 100 hemp plants proved successful. The Pimentels were thrilled! Here was a crop that not only had myriad health benefits but also fared well in New England’s soil.

This year, they started making and selling hemp CBD-infused honey, bolstered by a Vermont-based apiary.

“We do have our own bees, but more for the health of the farm and for the planet in general,” Joe Pimentel told High Times, taking the time to talk to us about Luce Farm and their latest business venture.

He explained that to get a consistent supply of honey, they’ve formed a partnership with Champlain Valley Apiaries. The honey is where this story truly takes off.

The Beer

Long Trail Brewing had their CBD-infused Hemp Honey Ginger IPA tested by PhytoScience Institute to determine the dosage rate of a 12-ounce serving. (Facebook/Long Trail Brewing)

A friend of the Pimentel’s, a bartender at Long Trail restaurant, Matt Kopicki, started using the CBD honey to alleviate pain. Since it worked for him, he began to recommend the remedy to his customers.

Eventually, word of Luce Farm’s miracle honey reached the manager of Long Trail Brewing Company, Brian Sherwood.

“We originally partnered with them to get our honey on their cheese plates and on the shelves in their gift shop,” Pimentel said. “We got a call three days later saying ‘hey, why don’t we try brewing a beer with it?’ It sounded like a great idea.”

And it was.

The team brewed a batch of 15 gallons of Long Trail’s Honey-Ginger IPA. It was an existing recipe, but this time, they used Luce Farm’s hemp honey.

The result? A CBD beer.

They launched the product this past Labor Day Weekend at the Brewery. Pimentel describes the immediate response as “outrageous.”

They sold over a hundred jars of honey. But the real victory? Their supply of CBD beer was tapped out in two hours.

Final Hit: Luce Farm Partners with Brewing Company to Make CBD Beer

Joe and Rebecca from Luce Farm sample their CBD-infused beer. (Facebook/Long Trail Brewing)

The next time the team sold their CBD beer was on Columbus Day Weekend.

To prepare for the sales, they brewed twice the amount. Pimentel also disclosed to us that they’re really close to brewing another big batch and are also looking to make it available outside the confines of the brewery.

“Right now, we’re definitely keeping it in Vermont,” he said.

Still, that doesn’t mean that other states will never get to experience Luce Farm and Long Trail Brewing Company’s CBD beer. Anything is possible, so we’re fantasizing about the day we can get a six pack at any corner store. Especially since it has had so much immediate success.

“It’s been totally wild!” Pimentel laughed.