As VP of sales for Pacific Stone, Ted Whitney oversees a lot of cannabis, most of which is grown in the brand’s 1.1 million square foot greenhouse in Carpinteria. But before he entered the weed business, Whitney studied molecular biology at the University of Colorado, worked briefly in wholesale wine, and then spent 15 years building up the craft beer industry.
He finds a lot of parallels between beer and cannabis, from farming protocols to the dank terpene flavors of both to the passion shown by aficionados of either, who crave their favorite strains of hops or herb. No wonder he’s a bit of an expert when it comes to pairing bud with beer, and he offers a few of his suggestions for popular Pacific Stone strains below.
Fruit Bubblegum Pre-Roll x Island Brewing Beach Day Session IPA: “The crisp hop profile and light, clean body of this lovely session IPA pairs brilliantly with this lemony, uplifting fruit bubblegum. The effect is just right, too. I get a very relaxing and head-clearing high from this beautiful cannabis strain, and the lower ABV and crisp finish of this session IPA is just what I need to relax while still being ready to get stuff done for the rest of the day!”