A Clean, Bubbly Bevi with Bimble

We (virtually) met up with Jay + Jan, the co-founders of Bimble—the CBD sparkling drink with a cult following, for a CBD mocktail hour. Learn how to mix up your own clean CBD bevi in your upcycled Soapply bottle below!

CLEAN SPARKLING CBD MOCKTAIL
Prep time: 5 minutes | Serves: 1 person

Ingredients
2 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
4 oz of grapefruit basil mint Bimble
1 drop of raw honey
Ice
Sprig of mint and/or slice of grapefruit for garnish
Hibiscus tea or syrup (optional)

How to make it
1. Wash your hands.
2. Fill an upcycled Soapply bottle with crushed ice or top your Soapply bottle turned tumbler with regular ice.
3. Add fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, then add Bimble.
4. Add 1-3 drops of raw honey to taste and stir in.
5. Top off with hibiscus tea or syrup + a sprig of fresh mint!

Get a crash course on CBD in the Q&A below with Jay + Jan, the co-founders of Bimble.

1. For those new to the world of cannabinoids, like us, can you explain what they are?
Cannabinoids are active compounds found in the cannabis plant. Individual cannabinoids were first identified by Dr. Meshoulam in Israel.

2. How many cannabinoids are there total?
There are at least 113 different cannabinoids isolated from cannabis. The most familiar of the cannabinoids is CBD, an abbreviation that’s short for cannabidiol. CBD, in its FDA approved form as an isolate called Epidiolex, it is most commonly used for seizure disorder (epilepsy).

3. How is CBD different from THC?
Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have psychoactive effects. It doesn’t make you “high” and typically doesn’t cause any negative effects. It’s safe to utilize even when you’re planning to work or drive.

4. What are the different ways CBD is used?
Studies show that CBD can be used as a potential treatment for an array of things including: daily aches and pains (sports injuries, bumps, and bruises, etc.), chronic pain, inflammatory conditions including arthritis, anxiety and panic disorders, nausea and vomiting, seizures and convulsive disorders, skin conditions including acne, rashes, and eczema.

5. What is the best way to take CBD?
CBD can be taken a number of ways. The most popular method of CBD use is in the form of tinctures. People are instructed to take a dropper full, place it under your tongue for a minute and swallow. Gummies are also a popular form of taking CBD. At Bimble, we focus primarily on the stress reducing benefits of CBD. Relieving stress in a healthy non-impairing way can help you perform better and live a more productive life. While cannabinoids don’t make you drowsy, the relaxation they provide can help you fall asleep easier, and stay sleeping longer. (We like to drink our Bimble after a workout to recover and in the evening while binge watching TV as an alcohol alternative. Who doesn't want to enjoy a great tasting functional drink?)

6. How many cannabinoids are there in Bimble?
We currently feature at least three cannabinoids in Bimble: CBD, CBN and CBG. We are in the process of adding CBC to our formulation as well.

7. How are CBN and CBG different from CBD?
CBN has been studied extensively as a helpful compound to improve sleep quality and health. In studies on mice, CBN has been shown to prolong sleep time. There is a difference between sleep inducing (which CBN is not) and sleep improvement. CBG (short for cannabigerol) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid with a variety of promising medical applications. CBG is actually the precursor to its more famous cousins, CBD and THC. It’s thought to naturally increase dopamine levels, which help to regulate sleep, mood, and appetite. CBG is also thought to obstruct GABA uptake in the brain and block serotonin receptors—both positive implications for the treatment of anxiety and depression.

8. How can someone ensure quality and purity in their CBD purchase?
Since CBD products aren’t currently regulated by the FDA, it’s important to ensure whatever you’re buying has been lab-tested by a third party. This will allow you to see exactly what you’re putting into your body, and verify that the product contains what the packaging says it does.

9. How did you come to start Bimble?
In 2013, I decided I didn’t want to be staring at screens for the rest of my life, and decided to leave bond trading. That’s when I got serious about beekeeping. It’s a fascinating hobby, provides me with an incredible dose of zen, and helps me feel like I’m doing something to help solve the honey bee crisis we’re facing. Eventually we discovered CBD, and the idea of providing a healthy alternative to the after work cocktail, while also helping the beekeeping community struck me as something I could really be dedicated to. And thus Bimble was born!

10. Ingredients are something we obsess over at Soapply, so we always notice when other brands clearly are intentional about their ingredients. What ingredients are most important to Bimble? Why was it important for you to include raw honey?
We are in the garden and our bee hives daily during the growing season. Sustainability is a basic rule around here, so using all natural, pesticide-free ingredients are at the foundation of Bimble. We source local raw honey from friends in the beekeeping community as an alternative to processed cane sugar, both for the health benefits and most importantly to support beekeeping and the future of our world’s food sources.

11. How do you ensure quality and transparency when it comes to CBD sourcing?
As far as I know, we were the first CBD drink to post our lab results on our website. We were among the first to add a QR code to our label to allow the consumer to instantly view our testing on their phone.

Among the other challenges of being in a clear glass bottle, there’s no place to hide. If anything untoward is going on in the bottle, you see it! In an industry in its infancy, this is a refreshing amount of transparency that just isn’t available in cans.

12. Like Soapply, Bimble is bottled in glass. Why did you choose to bottle in glass?
There is an ongoing debate about what is more sustainable, glass or aluminum. Both are better than plastic and each have their pros and cons. But, to date, most aluminum beverage cans come with a liner, which prevents corrosive chemicals in carbonated and other drinks from interacting with aluminum. Unfortunately, these liners can have a negative effect on cannabis drinks, as they leach cannabinoids out of the beverages they contain due to the liners’ chemical composition.

Although all cannabis products can expect to experience a loss in potency over time, the rate at which cannabinoid-infused beverages in aluminum cans lose their strength is troubling. In some cases, liners can cause these drinks to lose up to 70% of their potency just five days after being canned. So, though pricier, we have chosen to go the route of a glass bottle which reflects our attitude toward transparency at large until new innovations are made in sustainable packaging. Aside from that we love the premium feel of a glass bottle and the comfort that holding it can give in anxiety-provoking social situations.