Omar Ansari watches thousands of THC beverages roll through Surly Brewing’s production facility each hour, wondering if he’ll have to shut down operations in a matter of months.
Around him, machines fill, label and package cans while conveyor belts carry finished products into a warehouse stacked with beverages waiting to be delivered to liquor stores in Minnesota and beyond. Up to 134,000 drinks are made at the Brooklyn Center brewery each day.
But a federal ban on hemp-derived THC products scheduled to take effect Nov. 12 could jeopardize Ansari’s operation and the brewery’s future…