The spread of cannabis legalization has led to an ever-increasing variety of products and innovations that continue to push the market forward and spawn new ideas.
It’s a well-understood concept that edibles can take some time before they take effect, and their effects last longer than those experienced after inhaling cannabis.
The notion of a cannabis edible with a quick onset time had been a pipe dream for a long time, until the discovery of nanoencapsulation.
Nano Science
Nanoencapsulation involves packaging a core of tiny particles (nanoparticles) of a solid, liquid, or gas inside a secondary material called a matrix or shell.
The resulting form is a nanocapsule.
The nanocapsule’s shell isolates the core from the surrounding environment until broken down by a trigger, like an enzyme, enabling controlled and timed delivery.
In the age of legal cannabis, nanoencapsulation has found a use in edibles, particularly those of the liquid variety, because it essentially makes THC oil water-soluble.
Stepping Up the Pour-Up
Sizzurp-inspired (lean) cannabis syrup drinks have been around for several years, but nanoencapsulation has changed the game.
In March Curaleaf’s Select brand unveiled Squeeze, a line of nano-THC beverage enhancers in a variety of flavors; Watermelon, Strawberry Lemonade, Lemon Lime, and Hint of Sweet.
The new product offered cannabis consumers an easy way to quickly and discreetly give their beverages a THC content.
Metering out doses is easy with Squeeze.
Each squeeze of the bottle fills the reservoir with a 5mg dose, which the consumer can pour directly into their beverage.
Stirring is not required as Squeeze easily blends itself into the drink.
Once the Squeeze is in, it doesn’t take more than 5-15 minutes before the cannabinoid effects can be felt.
Pour It In, Drink It Up
I recently received samples of Squeeze Watermelon, Strawberry Lemonade, and Lemon Lime flavors, which I’ve tried in a variety of beverages.
My first inclination with the flavors was to try them with similarly-flavored beverages, so I brought home bottles of Arizona Watermelon Cowboy Cocktail and Brisk Pink Lemonade from a local 7-11.
I also got some 7-Up to go with the Squeeze Lemon Lime flavor.
Squeeze puts some giddyap in the Cowboy Cocktail.
The first flavor I tried was the Watermelon in the Cowboy Cocktail, adding 50mg (10 squeezes) into the drink.
Individual dosage preference will vary, but I wanted to get a good idea of how hard the nano-THC would hit with a hefty dose.
My experience was not a disappointment.
You may want to start with a small dose if you’ve never tried nano-THC, as your body will absorb it more efficiently, and the effects may feel more intense than what you are used to.
Within approximately 15 minutes, I began to feel the effects, which were in full swing at 45 minutes.
By comparison, traditional edibles can take up to an hour or more before the consumer begins to feel the effects, the duration of which can be several hours.
With a quicker onset time, the effects of Squeeze also seemed to be a bit shorter than those of traditional edibles, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
The Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade Squeeze flavors blended perfectly with the Cowboy Cocktail and the Brisk Pink Lemonade, respectively, adding a bit of tartness to each.
The Squeeze Effect
Squeeze has become my new favorite cannabis edible product.
Squeeze’s potent cannabinoid effects feel very clean, some of the cleanest I’ve experienced in the two-and-a-half decades I’ve spent as a cannabis consumer.
Gin-less Boysenberry Tonic, sans garnishes (recipe below)
In addition to the clean, anxiety-free high Squeeze provided, perhaps what I enjoyed most about the product is how quickly and smoothly the effects set in.
The onset time and feel of Squeeze are similar to that of alcohol, which finally achieves something that cannabis consumers have been searching for for years.
But while Squeeze’s cannabinoid effects are similar to alcoholic drinks in terms of onset time and duration, they lack the potential for a head-splitting hangover.
A quicker onset time also means less guesswork when it comes to dosing.
Because you can always drink more, but you can never drink less.
Squeeze the Love
If you haven’t tried any of Select’s affordably-priced Squeeze flavors, I would recommend sampling at least one or more of them and experimenting with various beverages to find combinations that you like.
I’ve done some experimenting of my own with various beverages and provided a few of my favorite mocktail recipes below, which you are welcome to recreate and hack as you please.
Select Squeeze is currently available from various online retailers and dispensaries in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado.
Squeeze-able Mocktail Recipes
Gin-less Boysenberry Tonic
20oz tumbler
· Ice
· Lemon-Lime soda *
· Boysenberry punch concentrate
· Select Squeeze Lemon Lime flavor
· Fresh boysenberries
· Lime slice
-Fill tumbler halfway with ice, fill with lemon-lime soda to ½ inch from the rim
-Add 1.5 – 2.0 ounces boysenberry punch concentrate
-Add 2-4 squeezes (10-20mg) Select Squeeze Lemon Lime flavor
-Shake gently
-Garnish with fresh boysenberries, and lime slice on tumbler rim
* Substitute tonic water for lemon lime soda for added tartness
Berry Melon Soother
· 20oz tumbler
· Ice
· Cranberry-raspberry juice
· Aloe vera juice
· Select Squeeze Watermelon flavor
· Fresh raspberries
-Fill tumbler halfway with ice, fill with cranberry-raspberry juice to ½ inch from the rim
-Add splash of aloe vera juice
-Add 2-4 squeezes (10-20mg) Select Squeeze Watermelon flavor
-Shake gently
-Garnish with fresh raspberries
Straw-Cherry Lemonade
· 20oz tumbler
· Ice
· Pink lemonade
· Maraschino cherries
· Select Strawberry Lemonade flavor
· Lemon slice
-Fill tumbler halfway with ice, fill with strawberry lemonade to ½ inch from the rim
-Add splash of maraschino cherry juice
-Add 2-4 squeezes (10-20mg) Select Squeeze Strawberry Lemonade flavor
-Garnish with maraschino cherries, and lemon slice on tumbler rim
