While we’ve been taking a look at the midterm’s impact on the cannabis industry across the country recently, Colorado cannabis has also been making news. Just yesterday, two big news items came out of the Rocky Mountain State.

First, Keith Villa formerly of Coors Brewing and the inventor of Blue Moon, has announced that his THC-beverage that’s definitely not beer will be on Colorado shelves next month. Secondly, Colorado’s projecting to clear over a a billion dollars in revenue for the year. A remarkable sum for a state that legalized only five years ago. Let’s dive in on what both news bits mean.

Keith Villa’s Ceria THC Beverage Hits Shelves Next Month

We touched on this news months ago, but there’s finally a release date for Villa’s new non-beer, Ceria Grainwave. Villa’s name is legendary in craft beer circles and we are very curious to see how his Grainwave fares in the market. While the state of California is trying to figure out what to do with infused beverages (and who can make them), Villa’s move indicates that Colorado has no such reservations. From a national perspective, it’s a weird juxtaposition with Colorado companies such as Ceria and MolsonCoors moving ahead with non-beer products, while companies such as the Heineken-owned Lagunitas left in somewhat of a lurch from California lawmakers.

Intriguingly, Ceria production method may be a path forward for other companies looking to make infused drinks. Alcohol in the “beer” is essentially lowered to 0% at the brewing facility and then is trucked to a state-licensed cannabis rendering facility where the beer is infused with THC.

The first line of product will be Grainwave, which is similar to Blue Moon. An IPA and lager will follow in 2019.

Colorado Expected to Hit $1.2 Billion in Cannabis Revenue for 2018

According to MJ Biz Daily, Colorado cleared $800 million in total revenue as of August of this year, the state’s also expected, match checks out, to hit approx. $1.2 billion for this year. Analysts are waiting to determine what exactly has fueled the continued boom in cannabis sales, but some early suggestions from MJ Biz Daily include the 9% growth in retail outlets in Colorado, as well as the shift in consumer tastes towards more expensive rendered goods such as edibles and away from flower. ABV Cannabis Co., who we wrote about in September, are one such company that is offering more rendered goods and products.

With so many new states entering the plant-touching industry’s landscape, it’s easy to lose sight that Colorado is quietly carving out a proven track record for success and progressive policy that not even California has been able to catch up to … yet. 2018’s banner year for Colorado sets the table nicely for new companies such as Villa’s Ceria as we begin to think about 2019.