Costas Hadjipateras
Welcome to our CBD Brothers brand review! If you’d like to take a look at some individual CBD Brothers product reviews then visit the CBD Brothers product review page. Alternatively, click the orange button below to head to the CBD Brothers online store, or carry on for the full CBD Scanner review!
An Introduction To CBD Brothers
Quick Summary
- Known originally as CBD Brothers, then The Orignal Alternative but now uses both brand names.
- Enormous product range featuring everything a CBD connoisseur could need.
- CBD products are categorised by hemp extract and whether the strain is a Sativa, Indica, or a Hybrid.
- Probably the most well-known CBD brand in the UK.
- Taste comes second to CBD.
CBD Brothers is a UK-based company that prides itself on providing products using an organic growing process, without the use of pesticides or artificial fertilizers.
These guys are the bee’s knees of UK CBD and are now famous beyond the company’s word-of-mouth roots.
Its colour-coded range of 9 (as of May 2020) CBD Oils are some of the most popular products out there. The assortment of whole-plant extract oils includes single-strain, hybrid, and water-soluble varieties and offers a rich spectrum of flavours, quantities, potencies, and prices to suit different budgets.
They sell a variety of products from CBD oils to lotions and bath products (some sold under the old CBD Brothers brand), and even products for pets. They strive to provide the finest natural remedies based on their continued study and the endless search for a better understanding of using plants for therapy.
Quality Control
The company prides itself on providing products of the highest quality. This is backed up by their production process where they take great care from plant cultivation to oil extraction.
All their plants are handpicked and then the oil is extracted using the CO2 extraction process in order to provide a pure end product.
They extract the oils using the CO2 extraction process, under low heat and low-pressure conditions. This process is used as it is a safe and efficient way to provide a pure end product.
All their cannabis products are Cannabis Whole Plant Extract and CBD Brothers is one of the few, if not the only, CBD distributor which has Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid options.
They have been described by The Telegraph as ‘the champagne of CBD oils.’
Pride In Plant Sourcing
CBD Brothers prides itself on being the only CBD company in the UK to be presented with a license to grow full-spectrum hemp on the isle of Guernsey. The plants are handpicked at the optimum time and individually hung at natural temperatures until completely dry.
They pride themselves on being ‘friends’ with The National Institute of Medical Herbalists (the U.K.’s leading professional body and voluntary regulator of herbal practitioners) and can back their strong reputation in the industry with recommendations made by the Evening Standard, the Times, and the Telegraph for their quality and consistency.
The reputation of the company is that of one which is knowledgeable and helpful to any customers who have any questions or concerns with any of their products, providing genuine and honest support.
Product Offering
CBD Brothers simply has an enormous selection of products to choose from, with everything from herbal remedies to bath products.
However, not all of the company’s offering is infused with CBD, and so we will only be focusing on those such products.
CBD Brothers Oils: Sativa / Hybrid / Indica
This collection of CBD Oils are premium grade, developed using a unique recipe combining CO2-extracted whole plant extract (as opposed to isolate, which is the default used by many of their industry peers), naturally enhancing terpenes, flavonoids, useful micro-nutrients and essential oils.
So while the distinctive plant taste that comes from CBD Brothers’ whole plant extract may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the masterful potency and purity of the oils leave most consumers feeling like they certainly got their money’s worth.
They have different editions for each strain of Sativa, Indica and Hybrid which is very unique as few CBD distributors shed light on what strains their products are derived from.
They are all full plant extracts and each strain offers a different cannabinoid and terpenoid profile which will, of course, affect people in different ways depending on a multitude of factors.
The varying editions of CBD Brother’s oils differ from each other in that they have 4 different extracts grown by their licensed growers, each in different conditions to provide them with their wide range of products.
All can be easily administered sublingually with a dropper.
Dosage and Usage for the CBD Oils
Due to the diverse ways people interact with the extracts it is difficult to offer specific dosing suggestions – starting slow and building up can be a good philosophy.
To take a dose, drop the liquid (1-3 drops for the 5 days, adding if necessary) under your tongue with the dropper, hold it there for 30 seconds and swallow; repeat 1-3 times a day or as needed.
This dosing method should allow the cannabinoids to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream and can be practised at any time of day (including before or after eating).
CBD Brothers recommends allowing 2 hours between taking pharmaceutical medication and any of their products.
Cautions and storage:
- If you have a medical condition, take pharmaceutical drugs, or are pregnant or lactating, it’s suggested to consult your physician before use
- Allergens: since some of CBD Brothers’ products contain nut oil, the absence of cross-contamination of nut oil with other products cannot be guaranteed
- Ensure that the oil is kept upright at all times, in a cool dark place when not in use. The oils have a shelf life of approx. 1 year if kept in these conditions
- Not to be vaped
Whole Plant Extract Paste
CBD Brothers is one of the few CBD companies to sell whole plant extract in an unrefined form, which is a highly-concentrated CBD paste administered under the tongue.
This is pretty much turbo-powered CBD oil and is not for the faint of heart.
CBD Vegan Capsules
They provide a wide range of options in capsule form so as to provide a variety of health benefits for various health complaints. They provide up to 15 varieties of capsules.
Lotions
They also have various creams and salves to help treat matters such as sore skin and inflammation among many other things. They have up to 7 different creams and salves, once again showing their range in products.
Overall Impressions
Flavour
The flavour has been described as “potent”, which is another way of saying “like hemp.” This makes for earthier, organic tones with the company focusing predominantly on the quality and purity of the product rather than the flavour itself.
CBD Brothers does not provide options on flavour for their products.
CBD Delivery
All the range of oils are to be taken sublingually for faster effects however they provide capsules for a more slow release.
Pricing
The pricing of their products has been described on the same level as the quality of the products themselves. To quote The Times, ‘A representative from the Center of Medicinal Cannabis commented – “This is one of the best value, best quality and accurately labelled products tested.”’
CBD Brothers’ CBD
CBD Brothers is big on natural ingredients and production methods.
Every plant they use is handpicked once it has reached maturity and hung out until it’s fully dry.
The different strains of plants themselves are grown at its own facility in Guernsey, generally organically and outdoors (while a few editions are produced via more technology-intensive methods in indoor environments).
Among the advantages of basing its CBD products around whole cannabis plant extracts is the enhanced effects from a given quantity of product because of the extra cannabinoids, terpenes, and essential micronutrients it contains.
Their CO2 extraction process uses low heat and low pressure, resulting in a high-quality full-spectrum CBD Oil.
The solvent-free CO2 extraction process they use is commonly regarded as being the safest and most effective way of deriving CBD oil from a raw plant. This method avoids the loss of naturally enhancing terpenes, which have other potential benefits and form the basis of the natural flavour and odour profiles.
These are the main reasons why even with the oils that have a lower quantity of CBD on paper, potency remains high, especially compared to CBD Isolate-based alternatives.
Each CBD Oil in the range contains one of three main types of extract, each sourced from a different category of plant – Sativa, Indica and Hybrids (the latter being a cross-breed of Sativa & Indica).
Each of the two primary varieties has different ratios of cannabinoids & terpenes, but generally, Indica strains are believed to provide a sense of deep body relaxation, while Sativa strains may provide a more energising experience.
Because each full-plant extract offers a unique cannabinoid and terpene profile, each edition promotes wellbeing through different beneficial effects, the experience of which again varies from person to person.
Are CBD Brother’s products legal?
The THC content of their CBD Oils is monitored to ensure trace amounts are low, and the exact results can be found in lab reports for each batch. In the US, ‘Farm Bill’ compliant, legal CBD products must contain 0.3% or less THC, as this small quantity is deemed negligible in terms of its ability to produce psychoactive effects.
So basically all of CBD Brothers’ CBD Oils won’t get you high.
Nonetheless, they note on their website that trace levels of THC may still show as positive on drug tests, which is something for anyone considering using CBD products to keep in mind.
The significance of this quality control was made very clear in a prominent 2019 investigation by The Times into a cross-section of CBD products on the market, which found among other things that more than half of the most popular oils do not contain the level of CBD promised on the label.
The exposé on 30 different CBD companies involved independent testing of CBD content levels, presence of THC, and other ingredients.
The CBD Brothers team is rightly proud to distinguish itself from substandard and misleading alternatives (pardon the pun). Remember the 16 companies that were shown to contain less than the advertised CBD content including one that contained no CBD at all?
What Do CBD Brothers’ Test Results Show?
CBD Brothers manages its entire production pipeline from start to finish – including making their CBD Oils by hand and having each batch independently tested.
This ensures they consistently deliver the quality – in terms of purity, potency, flavour, colour, and smell – that they’re world-renowned for.
This technical rigour stands on top of a strong foundational philosophy imbued in all their products: to “have a positive impact on people and raise the standard and quality of life they can live.”
The company understands that each individual will respond differently to different extracts, and this is partly why they offer such a broad range of CBD Oils – in the hope that people may be able to find what suits them personally.
The company is incredibly transparent with its testing and openly displays Certificates of Analysis for each of its products on its website.
What’s more, the company has also published multiple certificates for individual batches, so you can see the variation in cannabinoid make-up over time.
CBD Brothers vs The Original Alternative – What’s the difference?
We often get asked why CBD Brothers seem to have 2 names. Are they The Original Alternative or are they CBD Brothers? On the internet, there is an Original Alternative website AND a CBD Brothers website. We decided to ring them up to seek clarification. We spoke to a very, friendly member of staff in the UK office who explained that: CBD Brothers and The Original Alternative are the same company. The Guernsey store has its own website which is called The Original Alternative. The UK store operates under cbdbrothers.com. Both are run by the same company and provide the same products. You wouldn’t be able to place an order from the Guernsey site to the UK, they only serve Guernsey. We hope that clears it up for you… a bit!
What’s our Verdict? Are CBD Brothers legit?
It is clear that CBD Brothers is extremely reputable in the industry, having been recommended by various news outlets as well as holding a strong rating on the reviews website TrustPilot. They are certainly a legitimate brand that has a fast responding customer service team and a great reputation.
This great reputation is also backed up by their relationship with The National Institute of Medical Herbalists, as well as a glowing review by the Center of Medicinal Cannabis. Their main USP is the fact that they sell their oils in a way that is strain-specific (Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid), which is still yet to be popularised among other vendors.
On top of this their organic growth methods and extraction process providing Whole Plant Extract oils provide products with high purity and quality. Their pricing of the products is competitive and when compared to the quality of the product as well as accurate labelling, it can be considered one of the best-valued products on the market.
Key Information
- Brand – CBD Brothers / The Original Alternative
- Spectrum Types – Broad and Full Spectrum
- Carrier Oil – Cold Pressed Hemp Seed Oil
- Product Range – Oils, Capsules, Cream and Salves, Syrup and Tonics, Bath Products, Pet Products, Essential Oils
- 3rd Party Testing – The oils have been tested and certified by PHYTOVISTA Laboratories
- Manufacture – The cannabis is grown in its own fully licensed facility in Guernsey. The extraction process is CO2.
- Returns Policy – Offer refunds on unopened items within 3 months of purchase.
- Shipping – International.
