The world of alternative drinks is growing faster than ever, making it hard to keep up.
Now that 4/20 is here, plenty of consumers will be turning to their favorite flowers or preferred strains and rolling up to celebrate, but edibles and THC beverages are the perfect alternative if you want to ditch the aroma of smoke and enjoy a different experience. THC drinks, specifically, are a great choice because they come in a variety of doses and offer a bevy of ways to enjoy them, meaning you can opt for a one-and-done method for maximum enjoyment, or dial down the dosage for extended pleasure.
After trying several leading options, we put together this list to highlight our absolute favorites. They offer slightly different experiences, but each of them delivers the utmost flavor, which, of course, is the key.
Let’s dive right in!
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The Drink:
Nowadays Micro Dose is the best starting point for anyone looking to get into THC drinks, thanks to its subtle infusion of THC at only 2mg per fl oz. As such, you can definitely pour more than one serving of this one in a single sitting, making it ideal for extended sipping.
Serving Recommendation: In a cocktail or mocktail
Because Nowadays Micro Dose has very little of that earthy THC flavor, it adds a bit of body and some restrained tropical flavor to mocktails or cocktails that call for a bit of a THC kick. I’d highly recommend floating it on top of your favorite cocktail or using it as a substitute in clear-spirit classics like a Martini, a Negroni, a French 75, or a Cosmopolitan to give them a 4/20-friendly twist.
The Best Low Dose Alternative
Houseplant Pineapple
Dosage: 3MG per can
Average Price: $20 for a 4-pack
The Drink:
Houseplant is a lifestyle brand founded by Seth Rogen that first launched in the U.S. in late 2024. The Pineapple-flavored THC-infused sparkling water offers the best sipping experience of their lineup, which also includes Black Cherry, Citrus, and Blackberry flavors. At 3mg per can, it has a bit more potency, but it’s still well-dosed for newcomers to the category or anyone looking for a more easygoing experience. It’s also worth noting that this one has zero calories and zero added sugar.
Serving Recommendation: Straight from the can
The flavor of Houseplant’s Pineapple THC drink just hits. After chilling in the fridge for a few minutes, it’s perfectly delicious on its own, making it a great grab-and-go option.
The Best Medium Dose Option
Artet Strawberry Basil Spritz
Dosage: 5MG per can
Average Price: $20 for a 4-pack
The Drink:
Artet’s Strawberry Basil Fizz is one of the best cocktail alternatives on the market. While many THC-infused spritz options do a poor job of masking the underlying flavor, this one accentuates it with herbal basil notes and a sweet strawberry flavor that hits the palate well, with zero added sugars.
Serving Recommendation: On the rocks
This is truly a THC drink that feels fancy on its own and doesn’t need any added steps. The small can format, however, can be improved upon by simply pouring this one over ice in your favorite glass for full enjoyment.
The Best Medium Dose Alternative
Nowadays Limited Edition Black Cherry
Dosage: 5MG per 1.5 fl oz.
Average Price: $69
The Drink:
Though I also loved the Nowadays Limited-Edition Black Cherry Canned Cocktail, opting for the bottle will give you the flexibility to play around with dosage and substitute the carbonation for smooth sipping. After initially trying this one, it was an immediate hit in the flavor department, and it quickly became my favorite limited edition that Nowadays has released to date.
Serving Recommendation: A chilled shot
Even though this one has some incredible flavor, making it a fun candidate for mixed drinks, I’ve always found Nowadays’ unique blend of tropical flavors to work really well as a chilled shot. With this Black Cherry Limited Edition, you can dress it up a bit, but it goes down incredibly smooth on its own.
The Best High Dose Option
Earl Giles Piffton Sour Tangie Aperitivo Cannabis Cocktail
Dosage: 10MG per can
Average Price: $20 for a 4-pack
The Drink:
This potent choice from Earl Giles, the Piffton Sour Tangie Aperitivo, hits an absolute home run when it comes to high-dose, flavor-packed cannabis cocktails. With 10mg of Hemp-derived Delta 9 THC in every can, this is the best option for more experienced 4/20 celebrations. Frankly, their Ginger Bliss and Electric Lemonade flavors are awesome as well.
Serving Recommendation: Enjoy over a big cube
The balanced flavor of this one really works because it leans into the tangy aperitivo notes, which accent the earthy herbaceousness of the THC. You’ll want to enjoy this one chilled over a big cube because the last thing you want with a drink this bold is for those flavors to become watered down.
The Best High Dose Alternative
High Rise Blood Orange THC Seltzer
Dosage: 10MG per can
Average Price: $25 for a 4-pack
The Drink:
High Rise is another popular THC beverage option, and one of the things that makes it a fan favorite is that it accents its 10mg THC base with 5mg of CBD. That combination gives it a good deal of potency, with a mellowing that opens the door to a moderately intense yet still approachable sipping experience.
Serving Recommendation: Straight out of the can
While the citrusy blood-orange flavor of this one lends itself well to a highball glass with ice, the window dressing isn’t necessary. This is one of those canned cocktails that can stand alone as a grab-and-go sipper, jam-packed with a refined cocktail taste but totally unpretentious.
The Best Zero Calorie THC Drink
Wynk Black Cherry Fizz
Dosage: 5MG per can
Average Price: $35 for a 6-pack
The Drink:
For a medium-dose option, it’s hard to do better than Wynk’s canned Black Cherry Fizz. Not only is this one loaded with delicious flavor, but it also offers a nice balance of 1:1 THC and CBD, making for a mellow drinking experience that will allow you to choose your own adventure, whether you want to turn up or chill out. For those with a wellness focus, this has the added bonus of being made with 0 sugar and has 0 calories.
Serving Recommendation: Over ice in a highball glass
Because Wynk’s Black Cherry Fizz is so delicious on its own, it makes for an ideal spiritless mocktail. To give it that sophisticated mocktail feel, all you need to do is pour this one over ice in a highball glass and maybe add a lemon wheel as a garnish.
The Best Cocktail or Mocktail Garnish
Grön Lychee Limeade Sugar-Coated Pearls
Dosage: 10MG per pearl
Average Price: $20 per 10-pack
The Garnish:
What the hell is a sugar-coated pearl? These are essentially gummies that come in an assortment of flavors, making them ideal as THC-infused mocktail or cocktail garnishes. Grön’s Lychee Limeade Sugar-Coated Pearls are great because they feature a 1:1:1 sativa blend of THC, CBD, and THCV, intended to give you a jolt of energy and focus.
Serving Recommendation: Kebab-style with a cocktail pick
Eating these like you would a gummy is…a choice. But to enjoy this one alongside a delicious mocktail or cocktail just feels a bit more celebratory. That’s why you should stick one (or two, if you’re really feeling the 4/20 spirit) with a cocktail pick and use it as a garnish in lieu of some boring ass fruit for maximum enjoyment.
