Fifty West Brewing Company's THC-infused Sunflower Seltzer is back on shelves at its Wooster Pike taproom after a federal judge temporarily blocked Ohio's ban on intoxicating hemp products.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick of the Northern District of Ohio issued a temporary restraining order on Aug. 7 allowing 14 hemp companies, including Fifty West, to resume selling THC beverages for at least 14 days while complying with federal law. The court order allows for an extension beyond that window, according to Local 12.

Fifty West founder Bobby Slattery confirmed Aug. 10, that the brewery had begun selling its 5mg Sunflower THC Seltzer again and was ramping up production and distribution. The product is available immediately at Fifty West Burger Bars, and the company is working to reconnect with retailers and distributors statewide, according to WLWT.

Slattery called the ruling "one worth celebrating" and said the brewery is ready to scale back up.

"Our sales team can get back out there growing Sunflower, our production team can ramp up, and our retail partners have the opportunity to put it back on their shelves," he said.

The legal battle traces back to Senate Bill 56, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Dec. 19, 2025. The law banned the manufacture and sale of intoxicating hemp products and moved them into Ohio's regulated dispensary system. SB 56 originally included a grace period that would have let breweries, bars and retailers sell THC beverages through 2026, but DeWine vetoed that provision. Sales became illegal after March 20.

Fifty West and 13 other companies sued the state, the superintendent of the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, the executive director of the Ohio Investigative Unit, the superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and 96 county and municipal prosecutors' offices. Judge Helmick had already granted a preliminary injunction in July 2026 allowing a smaller group of 10 companies to keep selling; the Aug. 7 order expanded that protection to 14 firms, FOX 19 reported.

Fifty West's taproom at 7605 Wooster Pike is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The legal challenge to SB 56 remains ongoing. Fifty West noted that separate changes to federal hemp law are slated to take effect in December 2026, which could further affect the industry. The 14-day TRO window expires Aug. 21, and the court could extend or dissolve the order at that point.