Warren Bobrow- WB: Please tell me about Trailblazers. How did it start? What is your overarching mission?
Trailblazers=T: Trailblazers is a curated community of cannabis business and cultural leaders who work to advance the industry, unified by a shared ethos and vision of the future. We believe cannabis is on the precipice of transforming the human experience. Whether it’s disrupting the $50 billion pain management industry, addressing the injustices faced by millions of people who have been wrongly incarcerated, or bringing hope to those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and other ailments, the federal legalization of cannabis has the ability to touch everyone’s life in a meaningful way. It’s not a question of if this impact will occur but how, and whether the cannabis industry will put profit before purpose and blaze a new trail with conscious capitalism in mind.
Krysti Rede, VP of Product: Flowhub PHOTO CREDIT: 5280 PRODUCTIONS
Warren Bobrow=WB: Why Cannabis? Would you please tell me why you found this path? What had you been doing?
Krysti Rede=KR: The decision for me was less about cannabis. At the forefront I was excited about an opportunity to work in a nascent rapidly growing industry, within a young startup that has an opportunity to positively influence the market, and significantly elevate product and consumer experiences. Many of the opportunities in cannabis are patterns that have played out in other commerce and retail verticals. As more experienced professionals from established verticals move into cannabis, this will elevate the standard of excellence for all involved.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Where are you from originally, reason why I ask is because hardly anyone is actually from Los Angeles, right? What do you do now? Tell me a little bit about your path to where you are now?
Warren Bobrow=WB: Tell me about yourself? What does the plant offer you? What are you working on right now?
Cal Marshall=CM: My name is Cal Marshall, on social media @CalCaliente, and I am a proud military veteran based in Las Vegas. I’m a patent-holding entrepreneur who started a social media content agency called Burger Media. We create culturally relevant narrative content that enables brands across different industries to connect with modern consumers. Right now I’m balancing multiple niche clients while working on a documentary series that takes a deep dive into the cannabis industry and sheds light on various aspects of the business and culture. Legal cannabis is an emerging industry with endless opportunity to identify stories that educate and entertain, and I’m positioning myself at the forefront.
Dave Belisle standing in front of The Medicine Box in Kanehsatake Quebec PHOTO CREDIT- SAMANTHA WENNISERIIOSTHA PEPIN
Warren Bobrow=WB: Where did you grow up? Was cannabis vilified like where I grew up in 1960’s/70’s NJ? What brought you forward into the cannabis industry? Outdoor or indoor grown?
Warren Bobrow: Where are you from? Did you go to business school? Who is your mentor? Why cannabis? What is your passion?
Rick Batenburg III, Cannabis Venture Capitalist Credit: Clear Cannabis, Inc. CREDIT: CLEAR CANNABIS, INC.
Rick Batenburg III=RB: I am from Loveland, Colorado. The short answer on B-school is, yes, I graduated second in my class at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. However, my business education began decades earlier while going to the office with my father and learning negotiation and investment prowess through osmosis. I have two mentors: First and foremost, my father, Rich Batenburg Jr., and professionally I am mentored by Jim Jungjohann, a hedge fund manager.
Proper’s rated products for Relief PHOTO COURTESY: PROPER
Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourself. Why cannabis products? Tell me about your business?
Mike France=MF: Timing, opportunity, and a new lifestyle. I was frustrated by private equity and venture capital in different ways and thinking more and more about taking a shot at something myself – but I didn’t have any good ideas. Turns out a friend of mine started running a cannabis company and he called me up and told me I had to see what was happening in the industry – this was 2014, before most of the legalization. What I saw was really exciting.
More and more states are moving toward legalization, strains have evolved, and now you can learn about the best drinks to accommodate your preferred cannabis strains.
Today we are reviewing “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations” by Warren Bobrow and doing a deep dive on the best matches between beverages and marijuana.
-Topic Focus-
As the name suggests, this book focuses on the best combinations of cannabis and alcoholic beverages and boasts over 75 unique recipes to enjoy throughout this interesting book.
Familiarize yourself with a solid decarboxylation process in order to maximize the psychoactive effect that cannabis can produce.
You will find more than just alcoholic beverage recipes here. The range of recipes found here is quite interesting. You can find detailed steps to create your own infused milk-based drinks, various teas, concentrated oils, compound butters, and more. Pretty cool, huh?
There is also a degree of information focusing on the social perception of cannabis and how it has evolved in recent years. This recent evolution in understanding cannabis is what allows breathing room to our innovators and creators to experiment with topics such as infusions, concentrates, beverages and more.
-About the Author-
Warren Bobrow’s expertise on these topics becomes clear very quickly in this book. Warren has experience writing content focused on cocktails and drinks for publications such as Eater, Foodista, Total Food Service, Saveur and Whole Foods, Distiller and Beverage Media, Serious Eats, and many more. Warren also has experience teaching his craft at Stonewall Kitchen in Maine.
In 2010 Warren was asked to participate as a Ministry of Rum judge in the Fête de la Gastronomie in Burgundy. You can explore more of his content at “The Cocktail Whisperer”, his popular blog and through his variety of books. Some of the books written by Bobrow include “Shrub Syrup Cocktails”, “Apothecary Cocktails”, and “Whiskey Cocktail and Bitters”.
-Reading Experience-
Infusions, extractions, and mixing your own beverages can be challenging but “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations” by Warren Bobrow shed some excellent light on the topic. Online guides can be confusing or outright incorrect so having guidance from a seasoned veteran like this author makes a powerful difference in the quality of your own extractions/infusions.
You can tell that the author has experience teaching as each recipe and process is broken down in a way that even a rookie to cannabis and mixing can keep up with.
-Summary-
So much reliable information condensed into 160 pages here in this book, it’s great!
The detailed processes do not skip steps and make sure to be very clear all the way to completion. Some of these recipes seem downright exciting to try out and would make for fun social gatherings to experiment with friends.
This book is fun, insightful, and has a ton of value to offer without an overt amount of fluff or ranting.
If you would like to start getting your mix on and see what “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations” then get your copy here and get started:
