A group of Birmingham craft brewing heavyweights are joining forces on a new venture this month into THC drinks.

Altitude Beverage is the brainchild of industry veterans Harris Stewart, Hunter Lake and Brad Reed.

The company makes and distributes low-dosage THC beverages derived from cannabis and hemp. The zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calorie drinks will come in two product lines.

Altitude Beverage Co. will produce medical cannabis beverages to be sold exclusively in medical dispensaries and states where recreational cannabis is permitted.

The first cultivation partner will be with Meridian, Miss.-based Southern Crop, and sold throughout the state of Mississippi. Expansion into four other state markets is being considered.

There is also a separate product line of hemp-derived THC and cannabinoid-infused beverages named Sunbird. Altitude will be able to distribute and sell Sunbird in all major retail outlets in all states throughout the country, based on a provision in the federal 2018 Farm Bill, Stewart said.

Lake said the company hopes to “redefine expectations in the cannabis and hemp-derived THC beverage sector.”

Altitude CEO Stewart founded TrimTab Brewing Co. while Lake, the COO, was one of the founding members of Avondale Brewing Co. Reed, award-winning marketing director for TrimTab, will serve as Altitude’s CMO.

Stewart said he and Lake have been lifelong friends.

“For me personally, and us as a whole, having worked in the beer business for the last 12 years, I was looking for a different path to apply the creativity and skills and experiences of consumer packaged goods into a product that could be more health conscious, while still having creativity and fun,” Stewart said.

“There’s a big shift going on in the market in terms of demographics with Gen Z, and I wanted to be on the forefront of medical and recreational consumption of THC to apply that to beverage.”

Sunbird will launch with two flavors: Pineapple and Lemon/Lime, in four-packs of 12 oz cans. It will also include a low dosage of CBG, the non-psychotropic cannabinoid.

The beverage line has “aggressive” expansion plans, but will be offered initially at Hop City, both in Georgia and Alabama, as well as Piggly Wiggly locations throughout central Alabama.

Altitude will be available initially in dispensaries throughout the state of Mississippi.

Samples of Sunbird will make a debut at the Sipp & Savor festival in Meridian Saturday.

It will begin to hit shelves at select Birmingham Piggly Wiggly outlets starting on April 15, while the official launch will take place at Hop City on April 20th, starting at 4:20 p.m.

“You shouldn’t have to choose between fun and health,” Stewart said.