Fifty West Brewing Company's Sunflower THC Seltzer is back on Greater Cincinnati store shelves after a federal judge blocked Ohio's ban on hemp-derived THC beverages, and the brewery's Wooster Pike location is already pouring again.

Founder Bobby Slattery confirmed Monday, Aug. 10, that the 5-milligram THC seltzer has returned to retail after U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick granted Fifty West and nine other Ohio brewers a two-week temporary restraining order. The ruling lets the companies sell their hemp-infused drinks in Ohio while their legal challenge to Senate Bill 56 continues.

"As soon as they found out they can have Sunflower back, they placed a pretty massive order," Slattery told LINK nky. "We reached out to our top 70 retailers off the bat, and then we'll continue to roll it out from there."

Gov. Mike DeWine signed SB 56 in December 2025. The law took effect March 20, pulling intoxicating hemp products off grocery, convenience and specialty store shelves and restricting them to licensed dispensaries. Fifty West estimates the ban cost the company $2–3 million in lost 2026 revenue. When the law kicked in, the brewery moved its Sunflower inventory across the river into Kentucky. As of Monday, about 60% of that stock has returned to Ohio.

Before the ban, Sunflower was stocked at more than 250 retailers across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, distributed through partners including Stagnaro Distributing, which serves the Beechmont corridor and Mariemont area. The seltzer was on pace to move more than 30,000 cases statewide in 2025 and ranked as Jungle Jim's top-selling THC seltzer.

Fifty West said the product is available immediately at its Burger Bar locations, including the flagship at 7605 Wooster Pike, less than two miles from Mariemont's Village Square. The company is working to reconnect with retailers and distributors statewide, according to Fox 19.

Fifty West is one of 10 brewers that filed a federal lawsuit challenging SB 56 as a violation of the U.S. Constitution's commerce clause. In a related case, Judge Helmick issued a preliminary injunction July 13 after finding the plaintiffs "adequately alleged they will suffer irreparable harm," according to the Ohio Capital Journal. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson moved to stay that ruling the next day, but Helmick rejected the appeal.

A separate federal deadline looms. New federal restrictions banning hemp products with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container are set to take effect Nov. 12. The U.S. Senate has included a 30-day delay provision in a bipartisan spending bill that would push the deadline to Dec. 11, but the House has not yet voted on the measure.

Sunflower comes in Cherry Limeade, Orange Cream Pop and Blueberry Dream flavors. Each alcohol-free, gluten-free can contains 5 mg of hemp-derived THC and 40 calories.