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NORTH CHARLESTON — A Park Circle brewery is dipping its toes in a beverage market that’s expected to reach $3.8 billion by 2030.
Commonhouse Aleworks in February debuted Cavu, a hemp-derived beverage brand that’s produced and sold at the 4831 O’Hear Ave. taproom. The line of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) drinks are part of the brewery’s new company, Commongreen.
Cavu launched with a blood orange and tangerine seltzer with 2.5 milligrams of THC and 12 milligrams of CBD. Three additional flavors — Fruits of the Forest, Half & Half and Margarita — will be released in the coming weeks. They will be sold exclusively at Commonhouse Aleworks before being rolled out in retail stores in February or March.
The seltzers are a carbonated water-based drink infused with natural fruit and an emulsification of Delta-9 and CBD, owner Pearce Fleming said. The hemp is currently sourced from California, but as Commongreen grows, the company could turn to South Carolina’s hemp farming industry.
Delta-9 THC is legal when it’s derived from hemp plants, rather than marijuana. In South Carolina, Commonhouse Aleworks isn’t the first to utilize the increasingly popular product — Charleston’s High Rise Beverage Co., Columbia’s Peak Drift Brewing Co. and Greenville’s Rebel Rabbit sell Delta-9 seltzers.
Commonhouse Aleworks’ introduction of the new beverages comes as the craft beer industry struggles nationally. For the first time in two decades, the number of breweries declined in 2024, with about 400 closing, according to the Brewers Association.
Despite this shift, Commonhouse Aleworks has continued to grow, Fleming said. But the former hospital administrator recognized the need to diversify their offering and satisfy customer thirst for cannabis beverages.
“There’s tremendous demand for them in the market,” Fleming said.
Legal and legislative challenges have hampered South Carolina’s hemp-derived beverage industry in recent years, leading one company to temporarily halt distribution. The Department of Public Health now requires THC-infused beverage manufacturers to follow federal labeling regulations, which include listing a product’s active ingredients. These rules come after previous guidance that companies could not list THC, CBD or Delta-9 as ingredients in their hemp-derived products, even though these compounds are legal derivatives of hemp.
One year after regulators pulled back their hardline stance against THC hemp seltzers, Fleming said he feels like the local industry is primed for growth and believes regulators will continue to work with businesses developing these products. Commongreen is prepared to adapt to changes as they arise, Fleming said.
Commonhouse Aleworks is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. For more information, visit commonhousealeworks.com.
”}]] North Charleston brewery Commonhouse Aleworks has launched a hemp-derived beverage brand named Cavu. Its Delta-9 seltzer will be sold in retail stores soon. Read More
