ABOUT US
ABOUT US
COFFEES & TEAS-
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Where are Therapy's Coffees & Teas Made?
Therapy was born in California in 2014. From 2014 - 2019 we had four different manufacturing locations in the San Diego Area. More recently, we just finished our new drink manufacturing line in Berkeley.
What kinds of ingredients are used in our drinks?
ALL OF OUR DRINKS ARE 100% VEGAN, GLUTEN & SOY FREE, AND LOW SUGAR. We believe that the best flavors start with the best ingredients. Consequently, our specialty coffee and tea beverages are 100% non-GMO. Not only that but, almost all of those ingredients are certified organic.
Because of California's current laws and the fact that the 'organic' certification is a federally managed program, we are unable to reference the organic ingredients on our packaging. The concern is that since the product contains a Schedule I Narcotic, making any reference to a Federally overseen certification program could open the door for some kind of federal enforcement.
What about preservatives?
Our goal is to make a 100% natural beverage with no preservatives.
Currently, the amount of trace preservatives in our products is far less than 1% of total volume, mostly a result of trace preservatives present in the raw ingredients. The FDA considers some salts and emulsifiers as preservatives if they are present as more than 1% of total volume. Nothing in any of our products will ever cross that threshold.
So with no preservatives, how should this be stored?
THESE DRINKS SHOULD BE REFRIGERATED FOR LONGEST SHELF LIFE.
Our goal is to make a 100% natural beverage with no preservatives that is also SHELF STABLE. Currently, when you hold a Therapy Coffee or Tea in your hand, you are holding the only beverage of its kind in the entire North American cannabis market. This is a heat-pasteurized beverage with a non-dairy coconut milk base. These drinks are challenging to make because they require a real hands-on culinary approach at a very large scale with extreme temperature variations and very sensitive ingredients.
That said, even though we have achieved over double the pasteurization units required by the FDA for a traditional dairy product, these drinks are still perishable. If stored refrigerated, they will long outlive their 12-month shelf life, but if not refrigerated a few months may be a best-case scenario.
The reason is simple: Oxidation. When Therapy drinks go bad, it is typically a result of oxidative breakdown rather then microbial action.
As you can imagine, our high-heat pasteurization process kills 99.999% of all yeast, mold and bacteria. We would like to believe it is 'aseptic' - or devoid of any life. We also know that mold spores can survive in extreme conditions - like under high pressure and even in the vacuum of space. So, although aseptic may be a reach, we have never had a drink returned for microbial problems.
Our problems are from oxidation. In a nutshell, oxygen, light, temperature, and time come together and break down coconut milk fats and proteins. When these fats are broken into shorter segments, they can shift the flavor to a little soapy or sour.
Sometimes the drinks have little clumps of coconut, is that normal?
SEPARATION IS NATURAL. Because we don't use any unnatural or chemical emulsifiers, our drinks separate based on fat content and density.
Additionally, the evaporated coconut milk is a natural emulsifier itself and will tend to clump in not disturbed for an extended period of time.
SHAKE WELL. Four or Five hard shakes and you will have a homogenized beverage.
UPDATE: Our new drink line is capable of a much higher shear when mixing. The result of higher shear is smaller particle size. We anticipate a fine-tuned mouthfeel, a better emulsification, and even more consistency and bioavailability.
How long are your drinks good after opening them?
THESE DRINKS ARE GOOD FOR AT LEAST 20 DAYS AFTER OPENING IF
STORED CORRECTLY.
Because our Specialty Coffees & Teas were originally made for the medical market, they are extremely potent. Most people cannot drink them in a single sitting. In fact, may treat them as a coffee creamer. Again, this just is another way we put the power of dosing in the hands of the consumer.
What About the Sugar?
We add NONE. With the exception of Raw Brown Sugar in our flagship products, all of ourother products are sweetened with 100% Birch-derived Organic Xylitol. Xylitol is endorsed by the American Dental Association because it actually kills bacteria in your mouth that can cause tooth decay!
It also is low calorie and, with a low glycemic index of '1' it is the most suggested sweetner replacement for those with diabetes.