Stephen Montoya
John Laughman, also known as "BEEF," is the brewmaster and head of production at Martin House Brewing Company.
For nearly a year now, the crew at Fort Worth’s very own Martin House Brewing Company has been riding the wave of a new frontier—one that fizzes, lifts, and has nothing to do with alcohol. What started as an uncertain leap into the world of THC-infused seltzers has transformed into something much bigger: a movement.
Nestled just east of I-35W, Martin House has long been known for its off-the-wall creations. From pickle beers to Best Maid collaborations, this is a brewery that thrives on curiosity and, let’s be honest, a little chaos. So when the idea of a THC-based drink emerged, there was hesitation — but also an unshakable gut feeling that they had to go for it.
One of the main people at the center of this bold experiment includes John Laughman, better known as “Beef” to those in the know, brewmaster, and head of production at Martin House. And if you’re confused by the nickname, don’t worry — so was he at first.
“I was actually Johnny B growing up,” he recalls. “But then one day, playing "Super Smash Bros.," I put my name as Beef. Later, I got a high score on "Tetris," put ‘Beef’ real big, and someone asked, ‘Who’s Beef?’ I said, ‘That’s me.’ And it just stuck.”
Beef (John? Beef? We’re going with Beef) has been instrumental in turning Martin House’s THC experiment from an intriguing one-off into a full-fledged brand: Power House. With flavors like lemon-lime and strawberry — and more in the works (root beer, anyone?) — demand is soaring.
Helping bring this idea to life was none other than Colt Power, founder of Power Biopharms in Euless, hence the product’s namesake. Power and his team have been at the forefront of the THC movement in North Texas, popping up at various events across the state since 2020 to showcase the “power” of their products — hemp flower and THC edibles.
It was at one of these pop-ups that Colt crossed paths with the Martin House team, sparking an unexpected collaboration.
“We had Biopharms prickly pear watermelon sour gummies, and they made a beer based on that flavor,” Power said in an interview with Fort Worth Magazine last year. “There was no THC in it, but it had terpenes, and it was a matching flavor that went really well with our product.”
A few months later, as the trend of infused beverages started to gain traction, Power reached out to Martin House to see if they’d be interested in exploring the concept further. As history shows, they were more than game.
Stephen Montoya
Of course, launching a THC product in North Texas — a place not exactly known for cannabis enthusiasm — came with its challenges. But the Martin House team took a cautious approach, testing the waters and gradually finding a welcoming audience. In fact, Power House is now their No. 1 taproom seller.
“We were a little worried at first,” Beef admits. “We were like, ‘Do we really want customers pounding these with beers?’ But honestly, we haven’t seen a single person get out of hand.”
Another key player in Martin House’s THC venture is Wyatt Purp out of Lewisville, who has been working with them on THC powder formulations.
“Big shouts to Purp,” Beef adds. “I mean, it's a team effort. It was really just a Martin House thing at first, but now, it’s kind of everybody.”
Currently, 24 states have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Texas, however, is not among them. Instead, House Bill 1325, which went into effect in 2019, allows the sale of products with up to 0.3% THC — the legal threshold for hemp. Anything above that is classified as a controlled substance. Within these strict guidelines, businesses like Power Biopharms have carved out a foothold in the growing hemp industry.
This legal framework has also opened the door for a new audience — one that goes beyond the stereotypical “stoner” demographic.
“We’re seeing soccer moms picking these up at Roy Pope, people who’ve never tried THC before giving it a go,” Beef says. “There’s a lot of education happening.”
As for the can’s eye-catching design, credit goes to an artist known simply as Donny Four Fingers, a longtime friend of Martin House owner Cody Martin. Legend has it that Donny lost a finger at a young age, hence the nickname. His work — featuring a T-Rex wielding a laser gun and a chainsaw arm — feels oddly fitting for a product that has become one of the brewery’s best-sellers.
“I don’t think we were really sure this was going to get as big as it has,” Beef admits. “We’re starting to see beer slow down. I think beer will get cool again in a couple of years, but as fewer people are drinking alcohol, these seltzers feel like the future.”
