Time to chill out with Present

There is no doubt – at least based on what I’m seeing here in Chicagoland – that CBD is definitely a popular compound to be added into a variety of things (even cold brew coffee, which seems like an odd combination). Proponents of CBD believe it’s able to help with all manner of ailments, without any of the negative (social) connotations that surround it’s psychoactive cousin, cannabis. Recently, I got to try out a new addition to the CBD product cornucopia with Present.

Now, you might be wondering how it is that we got some samples of this. Well, as it turns out, the folks behind Present are also running things over at Left Hand Brewing. Colorado has been at the forefront of legal marijuana, so it’s not surprising that they’re figuring out how to extract CBD (though, talking to a chemist friend, having consistent extractions and strengths is problematic). So, now that we’ve got the background, well, let’s jump into this.

Unlike some of the other spiked seltzers out there (watch out for those Claws, friends), the Present fizzy waters are not alcoholic in any form, nor do they have any caffeine in them. Instead, it’s a zero calorie flavored carbonated water that has a dose of CBD included – in this case, 20 mg.

I tried out the Blood Orange Present which, as you might expect, has a citrusy nose to it. I found that the blood orange flavor was pretty mild, and it came across more like a mild Squirt (the soda) flavor. This is further reinforced by the cloudy pour you get into a glass. I like fizzy water, so in that regard, I felt it had a nice bubbly feel on tongue, and the flavor – though mild – wasn’t so weak that it felt like an afterthought. So, on those merits, it’s a carbonated water I liked

The big question, though, is “How did that CBD hit?” And there, well, I can’t really say. In theory, it could relax you, calm you down, and the like. For me, I did not notice any appreciable difference at all. Now, if you’re one who swears by the effectiveness of CBD, this could be something to try out. For me, though, I think I’d probably just opt for the standard sort of carbonated waters (currently, I’m a big fan of the store-brand stuff that WF sells), and skip the premium that CBD puts onto the can. As far as where to find it, they do have a store locator, or you can order it directly from them. drinkpresent.com