Tasty as mocktails might be, however, they won’t take the edge off after a long week at work like the real thing does. The phrase "California sober" has been used to describe the practice of cutting out alcohol and hard drugs but continuing to use marijuana, another common way to unwind after a long day.
That definition of "California sober" doesn’t technically cut it here in Texas since the recreational use of marijuana is still prohibited, but we have our workarounds. Delta-8 is one arguably legal alternative, and restaurants like Ida Claire (5001 Belt Line Road) are using it to bridge the gap between mocktails and cocktails.
Delta-8 is a form of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and it’s considerably milder than its more embattled counterparts. It’s often referred to as “diet weed.” Ida Claire initially introduced its new Watermelon Sugar Hi cocktail, which utilizes delta-8-infused Hi Seltzers, as a special for 4/20.
“4/20 is very on brand for us," says Ida Claire’s training and development manager Keena Hanson. “I was initially just going to do CBD, but then I came across the seltzer and thought it would be really cool to incorporate that.”
Hanson’s right about 4/20 being “on brand” for Ida Claire. The restaurant has a warm, inviting and laidback vibe and serves Southern comfort food that can appease any and all munchies. Our cocktail paired perfectly with a basket of biscuits and a Monte Cristo sandwich.
We also found it funny that Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘n’ Night,” a favorite among millennial stoners, was playing while we were there. This is a business that’s in tune with its clientele.
The Watermelon Sugar Hi was intended to be a one-off menu item just for the holiday, but Hanson was surprised to find that it resonated with those looking for alternatives to alcohol.
“They were really into it,” she says. “They were looking for something like that so we just put it on the menu.”
In order to sell Delta 8, Ida Claire needed to apply for a license with Texas Health and Human Services. Since the restaurant is registered, Hanson thought they might as well continue to sell the cocktail.
Though it's currently offering only the watermelon seltzer (a berry flavor was available for the 4/20 special, but not now), Hanson is open to creating more delta-8 cocktails if there’s enough demand for it.
“We really want our guests to enjoy themselves when they’re here,” she says. “We want to provide all of the options for all of our guests so that everybody can enjoy whatever they want with their dinner.”
But What Does It Do?
When we tried the drink, the first thing that struck us was the fact that it actually tasted like watermelon. Food and drinks that purport to be watermelon-flavored often taste more like some sort of nondescript candy, a little too tangy and sweet. This cocktail tasted authentic and refreshing, almost more like juice than a seltzer.The effects of the delta-8 kicked in after just a couple of sips. Hanson told us this would happen, since the drink is water-based and more soluble than fat-based drinks. We were feeling the buzz much faster than we would with a traditional cocktail.
As for the sensation, "diet weed" is definitely an apt way to put it.
We immediately felt more relaxed, and parts of our bodies that had tensed up after a long day at work began to loosen up a bit. The term “taking off the edge” is thrown around a lot in relation to drinking, but there’s no traditional cocktail that will leave you feeling both calm and completely lucid.
We didn’t feel “high,” though. There was no fogginess or inebriation of any sort. The most we experienced was a chill, elevated mood followed by the best sleep of our lives when we got home and, of course, no hangover the next day. In our opinion, the only downside to this drink is that it didn't exist when we were in college.
(It’s worth mentioning that this is just one person’s experience and that different people react in different ways to psychoactive substances. Take everything we're saying with a grain of salt.)
It’s easy to see why delta-8 drinks are increasingly viewed as a happy medium between true cocktails and mocktails. There’s a lot to appreciate about the world of alcoholic beverages, but there’s no denying that drinking too much takes its toll on the mind and body.
Luckily, those who are “sober curious,” as the Ida Claire menus put it, have plenty of other options.
