Cannabis-Infused Alcohol and How To Make It
If you have been looking for the solution to having to juggle both a drink and a joint at a party, then we have found it for you. Cannabis-infused alcohol is a way to enjoy the effects of both intoxicants creatively. Remember to always dose with caution and be careful about mixing substances! Get started on your cannabis cocktails now!
Cannabis-infused alcohol is not tincture, although tincture is a way of extracting the components of cannabis into alcohol. Cannabis-infused alcohol is more like a cannabis vodka, for example. Cannabis-infused alcohol is finally a way to end having to juggle your joint in one hand and your drink in the other. So, then, cannabis-infused alcohol is in fact a way to get high and drunk at the same time — safely!
Consuming cannabis and alcohol at the same time doesn’t come without its risks, so it’s recommended you attempt this with caution. At just the right amounts, cannabis and alcohol can create quite a pleasant sensation together. However, it’s important not to overdo either one when mixing the two. So this is a guide on how you can enjoy alcohol and cannabis together in one very potent drink.
The risks associated with mixing cannabis and alcohol
Mixing weed and alcohol is usually known as cross fading, although this is usually describing the act of using alcohol and marijuana separately, rather than infused into one drink. This does not come without its risks, so before you go making your own cannabis-infused vodka, consider a way to consume this safely so that you can have a good experience.
The scientific effects of mixing alcohol and cannabis are generally unknown, and most of the information we have comes from observation. Drinking and consuming marijuana in large amounts can cause greening out, which almost everyone who has used marijuana is familiar with. In any case, it’s not a nice experience to be white, sweaty, and vomiting.
It is also observed that using the two together can actually amplify the effects of the other. That means you can get much higher and drunker much faster by using the two at the same time. This is especially true because of the effect alcohol has on the blood. This can mean the body absorbs THC much faster, and this can also cause an anxious reaction.
It is also important to point out that cannabis is often used as a means of combating nausea. That is because it contains agents that make it difficult for the body to vomit. However, the body’s natural reaction towards alcohol poisoning is vomiting it out, and so having the two in conflict could potentially be dangerous in a situation where the person has consumed too much alcohol.
With all of this considered, this can be a very pleasant experience. The trick is in taking it slowly. It can be very easy to get carried away with wanting to have a drink in your hand the whole night, but if every single one is infused with weed it could end in disaster. So take it one glass at a time, and beware because it can take a little bit of time for both the alcohol and the THC to take effect in the body.
How to make your own cannabis-infused alcohol
Making your own weed-infused alcohol is easy and requires very little effort. The great thing about cannabis-infused alcohol is that it can be used on its own or as a replacement for another alcohol in any cocktail. It is better to use more distilled alcohols such as vodka, but this works in rum and brandy too.
There are two ways to make your own cannabis-infused alcohol. The two ways differ in the way that heat is applied. It is extremely important that heat is applied at some point during the process to decarboxylate the marijuana. This means turning THC acid into THC, which is what is going to activate your cannabis.
- The first way is to chop your buds finely and then put them on a baking tray and put them in the oven. You can put them on 160 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. When you remove them, they should be slightly darker. Then immerse the buds in your alcohol. Store it in a cool dark place and shake it every day. The longer you commit to this, the stronger it will be. After 7 days there should be enough cannabis infused in the alcohol for it to be powerful. Strain out the plant material using a coffee filter and now you have cannabis-infused alcohol.
- The second way of making cannabis-infused alcohol is to chop your buds finely and put them straight into the alcohol. Again, store it somewhere cool and dark for as long as you can commit to it. Shake it every day. On the day you decide to strain it, put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn the water off and put the closed bottle of alcohol in the hot water. The heat will activate the THC in your cannabis. This method is probably not as effective as the first one. Strain it the same way.
The amount of cannabis you choose to use is completely at your discretion. Naturally, quantity matters, and the more you use, the more powerful the effect of the cannabis will be. However, quality also matters, so choose your strain carefully to match an experience you would like to have with alcohol. It is also important to note that too much can be a bad thing, and it is important to keep it moderate when mixing cannabis and alcohol.
Use your cannabis-infused alcohol to make anything
So, you can drink your cannabis-infused alcohol straight, although it will probably not taste the best. Your other option is to replace any other alcohol in a cocktail with your cannabis-infused cocktail. For example, you could replace the vodka in your favourite vodka cocktail with your cannabis-infused kind and voila!
A wonderful idea is to make some cannabis-infused brandy and make a warm tea out of it with cinnamon to have before bed! Don’t forget that the effect of cannabis-infused in alcohol is very strong, and it’s very different from smoking it. But as long as you keep that in mind: Enjoy your cannabis-infused alcohol!
As the budding legal marijuana business embeds its roots in society, we are finding the necessity and knowledge of the bud-tender, and the bartender beginning to intermix in the job descriptions. Things are moving forward, and we are now looking at combining the two. Mixing marijuana and alcohol is not a new found idea; people enjoy the occasional drink of alcohol while indulging in smoking or vaping of marijuana. Now with the legalization of the inspiring plant, there is a growing trend to infuse the alcohol with cannabis.
Cannabis vodka is a method of enjoying the effects of cannabis without smoking. One could think about cannabis vodka as an addition to the many edibles that by the end of 2019 will be for legal sale in Canada. However, this edible will be a DIY project. Legally in Canada, the infusing of cannabis into vodka is not for sale.
Let’s look at how to make weed vodka at home
A straightforward form of cannabis vodka is steeping cannabis in the vodka for a few hours, bearing in mind to monitor the temperature as the alcohol evaporates at about 80C. This process involves heat, so be diligent in maintaining a low temperature.
Equipment needed:
• Double boiler
• Thermometer
• Cheesecloth
Ingredients needed:
• 250ml Ciroc Vodka
• Three grams of Bruce Banner or your best Sativa decarboxylated ground herb. The cannabis should be prepared in this manner to provide the strong psychoactive effects of the THC. However, if you choose to use fresh herb, the flavor and color will be the attraction, not the psychoactive effects of the non-active weed.
Instructions:
- Place your double boiler on the lowest heat setting on your stove top.
- Wrap your grounded decarboxylated cannabis in the cheesecloth, forming a small package
- Add the Ciroc Vodka to the double boiler and place the cannabis packet into the Ciroc Vodka. Let the combined ingredients infuse for 3-4 hours. Check with your thermometer that the temperature remains below 60C
- Take the package out of the Ciroc Vodka and pour into a glass container. Let the liquid cool completely before sealing the jar. Now store your liquid in a dark, cool place
- Enjoy!
If you enjoy a cannabis-infused honey taste, this following method will delight your taste-buds.
Cannabis infused honey recipe
First, you will need to make the cannabis-infused honey. This is accomplished by extracting the cannabinoids and the terpenes from the weed using coconut oil.
Ingredients
- 3 grams of decarboxylated bud
- 175g organic honey
- ¼ cup organic virgin coconut oil
- 500ml Ciroc Vodka
Equipment
- Glass mason jar
- Medium size saucepan ¾ filled with simmering water
- Thermometer
- Cheesecloth
Instructions
- First, we make cannabis honey. Place the medium ground cannabis into the mason jar with the coconut oil.
- Seal the jar and place in the saucepan with the water on low heat for two to three hours. This is the method used to extract the cannabis into the oil.
- Now you are ready to strain the oil with the aid of the cheesecloth. Lightly squeeze out the remaining liquid left in the cheesecloth
- You are now going to add the oil to the organic honey and stir well
- Vodka is now added and make sure all is mixed together well
- Pour your cannabis-infused vodka into a glass bottle and enjoy!
Remember that mixing alcohol and cannabis heightens the effects of both substances. The cannabis vodka effects can be strong if overindulged, they can leave you with feelings of being high, combined with drunkenness. The combination can lead to nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.
Be responsible when mixing alcohol and cannabis. When using the combination as in a vodka infused with cannabis, take extra precaution to go slow and monitor the effects that will be presented.
The old-school way of infusing cannabis into vodka is to leave it in a dark closet for weeks, the sous vide method will shave the time down to just 2 hours. This process is great for making infusions and tinctures. Imagine multiple jars in the water bath with different spirits, strains, flavors… the possibilities are endless!
Sous Vide Cannabis Infused Vodka Tincture
Makes 250ml
Ingredients
• 250ml vodka (or your spirit of choice! Gin & Chronic, anyone?)
• 1-3g cannabis flower (more or less depending on your tolerance)
Directions
1. Roughly crush your flower and decarb for maximum THC.
2. Set your sous vide water bath to 60ºC.
3. Pour your decarboxylated buds and spirit into a mason jar (finger tight) or a zip seal bag. Seal and sous vide for 2 hours.
4. After two hours, remove from water bath and let the infused alcohol cool to room temperature before you strain the flower from the alcohol tincture.
5. A teaspoon is all you need to punch up a mocktail!
*Note: The amount of cannabis specified in this tincture recipe is a very loose suggestion; the actual amount you use should be modified based on the potency you desire. Dosing homemade edibles can be tricky, so the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, in this case, one teaspoon, and wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body, and never drive under the influence of cannabis or alcohol.
Is heading up the weed in the oven necessary? Would letting it sit for a lot longer than two week counter at that? Lastly, would adding oil, like coconut oil in the vodka help with the absorption?
I am trying to infuse RSO into alcohol: tequila, rum, etc. I already have the RSO that I made. Just looking for ratio and what the process is. Thanks for the great read.
The water is for double boiler not the vodka mix. I love this so easy didn’t realize only 2 grams will do the trick with a 26 oz of vodka. I’m a scotch drinker but that’s expensive but the vodka gin rum be awesome.