Cannabis Drinks in Minnesota: What to Know Before You Sip

A lot of people who walk into Frostbite for the first time don't even notice the beverage section at first. They're focused on flower or gummies, which makes sense — those have been around longer and most people already have a mental model for how they work. But cannabis drinks have quietly become one of the most interesting product categories in the Minnesota market, and if you haven't tried one yet, it's worth understanding what they actually are and why they've picked up so much momentum.
This guide covers how cannabis beverages work, how they differ from other edibles, what to watch out for with dosing, and what you'll find on the shelves at Frostbite Dispensary in Roseville.
How Cannabis Beverages Are Different From Regular Edibles
Most cannabis edibles — gummies, chocolates, baked goods — use fat-soluble THC that has to be processed through your digestive system and metabolized by your liver before you feel anything. That's why edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to kick in, and why the effects tend to last significantly longer than inhaled cannabis. The liver converts THC into a different compound (11-hydroxy-THC) that crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily, which is also why edibles often feel stronger than the same milligram amount smoked.
Cannabis beverages are increasingly made with nano-emulsified or water-soluble THC — meaning the THC molecules have been broken into microscopic particles that disperse evenly in liquid and absorb more directly through the stomach lining. The practical difference is meaningful: onset can be as fast as 15 to 30 minutes for many water-soluble drinks, and the experience tends to feel more like a moderate drink than the prolonged, sometimes intense wave that comes from a traditional edible. That predictability is a big part of the appeal.
Not every cannabis beverage uses nano-emulsification — some are made with standard oil-based THC, especially lower-cost options. Those behave more like a traditional edible. It's worth looking at the label or asking a budtender which type you're getting if onset time matters to you.
What's Available at Frostbite Right Now
The beverage selection at Frostbite has grown considerably since we first opened. A few of the brands worth knowing:
Oliphant Brewing makes a line of cannabis-infused craft beverages that have become popular with people who appreciate the brewing tradition — these aren't just flavored water, they're thoughtfully made drinks at 10mg THC with 5mg CBD. The Ruin Lemonade and Smoked Peach Everyday are two standouts that tend to move fast. The CBD in these helps balance the THC for a smoother, less sharp experience — a good entry point for people trying cannabis drinks for the first time.
Looner produces a line of shots and smaller-format beverages that fit well into an on-the-go routine. Their 10mg THC Peach Lemonade and Pink Lemonade shots are compact, easy to dose, and made with the same attention to cannabinoid profiling they bring to their gummy line. Looner's products are Minnesota-made, which matters both for freshness and for supporting the local industry.
Crested River brings something a little different with their Homegrown Soda line — a 10mg THC, 10mg CBG Forbidden Fruit flavor that tastes like an actual soda and introduces CBG into the mix. CBG is a minor cannabinoid associated with a more clear-headed, focused quality, which pairs interestingly with THC in a daytime or social context. More on minor cannabinoids in a moment.
Dosing Cannabis Drinks: What You Need to Know
The standard dose in most Minnesota cannabis beverages is 10mg THC per serving. For context, the general guidance for newer consumers is to start at 5mg or below and wait to feel the full effect before considering more. A 10mg drink is a reasonable dose for someone with some edible experience, but if you're newer to cannabis or haven't used it in a while, splitting a 10mg drink in half and waiting an hour is a smart approach.
One thing that catches people off guard: cannabis beverages feel social in the same way a beer does, which can lead to drinking them faster than you should. The faster onset of nano-emulsified drinks helps here — you'll feel something in 15 to 30 minutes rather than waiting two hours — but it's still worth pacing yourself on your first few. Drink it, wait, assess. You can always have more; you can't have less.
Cannabis beverages don't interact with your body the same way alcohol does, but the social context is similar enough that people sometimes forget they're not drinking beer. They're not equivalent in terms of impairment — cannabis affects judgment and reaction time differently than alcohol — but neither is something to consume casually and then drive. Keep that front of mind.
Who Are Cannabis Drinks Actually For?
The honest answer is that cannabis beverages appeal to a pretty wide range of people, but a few groups in particular have gravitated toward them in the Minnesota market. People who are trying to reduce or eliminate alcohol have found them to be a useful social substitute — something to hold at a gathering that doesn't feel out of place. People who don't want to smoke or vape but find gummies unpredictable appreciate the faster, more consistent onset. And people who simply like the ritual of a cold drink at the end of the day have found that a cannabis beverage fits that moment in a way edibles don't.
They're also genuinely approachable for newer consumers, particularly at 5mg doses or when split with a partner. The format is familiar, the onset is manageable, and they tend to be less intimidating than staring down a jar of 100mg gummies and trying to figure out how many to eat.
Find Cannabis Beverages at Frostbite in Roseville
We carry a rotating selection of cannabis drinks at Frostbite Dispensary at 2218 County Rd D West Suite 200 in Roseville, including options from Oliphant Brewing, Looner, Crested River, and more. Hours are 10am to 8pm daily. If you want to know what's in stock before you make the trip, check the current menu at frostbitedispensary.com — or we offer delivery Wednesday through Saturday if you'd rather have it come to you.

Jacob Affeldt
Owner
Frostbite Dispensary
Jacob Affeldt is the owner of Frostbite Dispensary in Roseville, MN. He opened Frostbite to bring a knowledgeable, community-first cannabis experience to the Twin Cities — and made history in February 2026 as the first non-tribal dispensary in Minnesota to sell locally grown cannabis flower. Jacob writes about Minnesota cannabis law, product sourcing, and what to look for when shopping at a dispensary.
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