Brewed from the stalks, stem and roots of the cannabis plant, a Toronto start up, Province Brands has been developing the world’s first ever cannabis beer.

Cannabis beers are already available on the market, but traditionally it is brewed with barley and marijuana oil is added to the beverage. The idea was to create something that will provide an alternative to alcohol.

The CEO and co-founder of the Toronto Company described the taste of the cannabis beer as ‘dry, savoury’ and ‘less sweet than a typical beer flavour’. He adds that the beer hits you very quickly, which is unusual for a marijuana edible.

Apart from avoiding the hangover, the cannabis drinks might offer another benefit, which is the lack of high calories.

Dooma Wenduschuh, the co-founder of Province Brands told The Guardian that it wasn’t easy to create a delectable product, the first batch tasting like ‘rotten broccoli’. But eventually the team found the right mix of hops, yeast, cannabis and water making the resulting beer gluten as well as alcohol free.

As legalisation looms, entrepreneurs across Canada are rushing to capitalise on this market opportunity. Although the cannabis infused edible products are expected to be regulated a year later. But the companies are already racing to fulfil the future demands.

In June, legislation passed through Canada’s parliament legalizing recreational pot and planning out regulations for how the plant can be grown, sold, bought and consumed. After Uruguay, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.