Sugar Maple Offers a THC Cocktail Menu

While on a trip to Colorado Springs, Harrison Browning was shocked by the contrast between its liquor stores and a marijuana dispensary. He drove past about three liquor stores, each with a vacant parking lot devoid of customers. But then he noticed a line of cars, about a block long, outside a marijuana dispensary.

“I thought that was insane — what’s stopping liquor stores from being a part of that?” Browning says. “There are (THC) brownies, gummies, lotions — but I hadn’t seen cocktails or spirits anywhere.”

Browning is a bartender who co-runs the cocktail program for Sugar Maple, the Bay View bar at 441 E. Lincoln Ave. long known for its huge selection of beers. His Colorado Springs revelation was the start of his idea for a THC-inspired cocktail menu — a challenging task given that recreational marijuana consumption is still illegal in Wisconsin. His fellow bartender and cocktail-program partner, Xay Matabele, had similar feelings about bringing a THC-friendly experience to Milwaukee. She had spent time living in Illinois and Michigan — Wisconsin’s neighbors that have both legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

“I’ve had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the legal marijuana scene,” Matable says. “Although this isn’t that, I think it’s about time Wisconsin got on board. These cocktails are hopefully just the beginning.”

The duo put their minds together to create Sugar Maple’s new THC cocktail menu — the first of its kind in Wisconsin. The menu features four non-alcoholic concoctions that utilize Delta-8 as its shared ingredient. Delta-8 THC is a natural cannabinoid compound found in small traces in hemp and cannabis plants. Consuming Delta-8 THC produces a mild, euphoric sensation — inspiring Delta-8’s nickname as “diet marijuana.”

“Because Delta-8 is still relatively unfamiliar to a lot of people, we really wanted to make drinks that didn’t feel overwhelming or pretentious,” Browning says. “They’re relatively simple builds.”

Take, for example, the “Spicy Doinks.” It’s essentially a spicy Moscow Mule, with jalapeno shrub, lime and ginger beer. The capsaicin from the jalapeno and the gingerol in the ginger beer simulate the burn of alcohol, while a 5mg dose of Delta-8 — a quarter of the recommended dosage — provides the buzz.

“Our Delta-8 cocktails provide people who don’t drink alcohol or simply want to take a (break) the opportunity to enjoy a delicious craft cocktail without the side effects of alcohol,” Matable says. “These cocktails provide me with the perfect buzz without the side effects of alcohol to bog you down.”

The menu also includes two refreshing, fruity cocktails just in time for summer — both of which are Browning and Matable’s personal favorites. The “Pineapple Express” is made of a pineapple and mint syrup, coconut water and Untitled Art Lemon Lime CDB Seltzer. The “Fresa Flora” features strawberry shrub and Untitled Art Grapefruit CBD Seltzer.

And then there’s the “Bong Water” — proof that Sugar Maple intends for these drinks to not only be a new experience for many, but a fun one. Browning describes it as a “Michelada with hop water and Delta-8.”

The new menu is a result of the Sugar Maple’s post-pandemic effort to diversify its offerings to the public. The expansive craft beer list is still there — but there’s now an expanded spirits program, wines and non-alcoholic beverages. Browning and Matable, with their complementary backgrounds — his spirits knowledge and research and her background as a chef — have played a large role in the Sugar Maple’s stride towards its goal. Owner Adrienne Pierluissi attributes that success to the duo’s creative minds.

“I’d like to point out the freshness of the ingredients Harrison and Xay use, and the unique shrubs, tinctures and bitters they incorporate,” Pierluissi says. “Their creativity and elevation of the cocktail aspect at Sugar Maple has undoubtedly kept me current and relevant in a rapidly changing market.”

For those interested in trying a Delta-8 THC cocktail, the Sugar Maple assures that its dosage encourages a mellow, relaxed and at-east feeling. The cocktails are served daily, during the bar’s regular business hours Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.