Green Monké started with a problem most parents will recognize. At the end of a long day, you want something that feels like a drink — cold, a little sweet, worth looking forward to — and you'd rather not pay for it the next morning.
That was the wish, according to the company's own account, when Pat Gleeson and Jen Lockwood, longtime friends and self-described middle-aged parents, came across a CBD drink made by the Green Monkey team in the UK in 2019. Over there it had been built as a calmer alternative to energy drinks like Red Bull. Pat and Jen saw something else in it: the starting point for a THC soda that tasted good enough to earn a place next to a beer or a glass of wine.
Green Monké is now on HempBeverages.com, and this is the story of how the brand got here.
From a UK CBD can to a North American soda
The North American version kept the name, added an accent, and changed the formula. Pat and Jen worked with a beverage mentor and held to two rules: it had to taste great, and it had to be lighter than the overly sugary seltzers already on shelves.
The first Happy Sodas went on sale in California in May 2021 in three flavors — Tropical Citrus, Orange Passionfruit and Mango Guava — at a gentle 3mg of THC and 6mg of CBD per can, as BevNET reported at the time. Later that year the brand launched in Ontario, Canada. The flavors from that first run are still in the lineup today. The dose has changed.
The 1:1 idea
Every Happy Soda on our shelf now pairs Delta-9 THC with an equal amount of CBD. The brand calls it a 1:1 ratio and describes the effect as "a mellow, social buzz that feels more like a vibe than a high." That is Green Monké's description, not a finding, and we'll leave it there — research on whether CBD changes how THC feels is still mixed.
What we can say for certain is what's in the cans:
- 10mg THC + 10mg CBD: Blue Raspberry, Tropical Citrus, Orange Cream and Lychee
- 5mg THC + 5mg CBD: Mango Guava and Orange Passionfruit
- 5mg THC + 5mg THCV: the Skinny Amalfi Spritz, a bitter-orange aperitivo-style drink with no CBD
The sugared sodas come in at 25 calories and 5g of sugar per 12 oz can. Lychee and the Spritz are sugar-free, sweetened with erythritol and stevia.
Built for the places people already gather
Green Monké chose to partner with beer and liquor distributors, which puts it in liquor stores, restaurants and music venues. In July 2024 it launched in Tennessee through Empire Distributors, the state's largest alcohol distributor. In February 2025 it became the exclusive hemp-infused beverage of Pabst Theater Group, across five Milwaukee venues including the Pabst Theater and the Riverside Theater.
That choice says a lot about who the drink is for. It's meant to be what you order at a concert when you'd rather skip the beer.
Six flavors, and the one people reach for first
In August 2025 the company expanded the Happy Soda line to six flavors, adding Orange Cream — a creamsicle in a can — and Lychee, its first sugar-free soda.
Of the six, Blue Raspberry is Green Monké's most popular flavor: classic blue raspberry with a squeeze of tart lemonade, at 10mg THC and 10mg CBD. If you're choosing one can to try, it's the obvious place to start. We've put together a full Blue Raspberry product guide with the complete ingredient list and lab numbers.
What we checked before listing it
Green Monké publishes a certificate of analysis for every production lot, tested by Anresco Laboratories in San Francisco, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab. We downloaded the most recent report for each flavor, read it, and host a copy on each product page.
The results were close to the label. The Blue Raspberry lot we reviewed measured 10.71mg of Delta-9 THC and 9.99mg of CBD per can. Mango Guava measured 5.46mg THC and 5.14mg CBD. The Skinny Amalfi Spritz measured 5.03mg THC and 4.74mg THCV. Every lot passed its microbial screening.
How to drink it
Green Monké uses a fast-acting emulsion, and the brand says most people feel it within 15–30 minutes. Our house guidance is the same for every THC drink we sell: effects often begin within 15–20 minutes, though it varies by product and person, so wait a full hour before having more. If you're new to THC drinks, start with a 5mg can, or have half of a 10mg can and see how it sits. Don't mix it with alcohol, and don't drive.
One more thing worth knowing
Green Monké says it donates 1% of gross profits to organizations working against isolation and loneliness, and it packages everything in aluminum cans, which it chose for their recyclability. For a brand built around getting people together, it's a fitting place to put the money.
Shop all seven Green Monké drinks →
Frequently asked
How strong are Green Monké drinks? The Happy Sodas come in two strengths: 5mg THC with 5mg CBD, or 10mg THC with 10mg CBD. The Skinny Amalfi Spritz has 5mg THC with 5mg THCV.
Which Green Monké flavor is most popular? Blue Raspberry is the brand's most popular flavor. It carries 10mg THC and 10mg CBD per can.
Are there sugar-free options? Yes. Lychee and the Skinny Amalfi Spritz both have 0g of sugar. The other sodas have 5g per can.
Is Green Monké lab tested? Yes. Every flavor has a current certificate of analysis from Anresco Laboratories, linked on its product page.
Sources: Green Monké, "Our Story"; BevNET, "Briana King and Green Monké Launch High-Dose THC Beverage in California" (July 1, 2022); Business Wire, Green Monké Canada launch release (Oct. 26, 2021); NewMediaWire, Tennessee launch (July 9, 2024) and six-flavor expansion (Aug. 21, 2025); Urban Milwaukee, Pabst Theater Group partnership (Feb. 13, 2025). Lab figures are from Anresco Laboratories certificates published by Green Monké.
Hemp-derived THC products are for adults 21 and over. Do not drive or operate machinery after use, do not combine with alcohol, and do not use if pregnant or nursing. Availability varies by state; checkout only offers shipping where we can deliver. Nothing here is medical advice.
