How to Make Cannabis Cocktails

Cannabis is the most commonly used recreational substance among people who drink alcohol, besides tobacco, (1)  so it should come as no surprise that an increasing number of cannabis users are adding an extra special ingredient to their alcoholic libations, especially during the holiday season! Cannabis lovers have been familiar with weed-infused sweet and savory foods for some time now, in the form of delicious gummies, chocolates, cookies and butter, to name a few examples, but until now have seen very few cannabis-based innovations in the world of alcoholic beverages. 

Combining alcohol and cannabis products outside the home has its (ahem) difficulties at the bar, so why not consider mastering the art of mixology yourself at home and concoct some special drinks for your next social gathering? 

People who partake are growing more and more adventurous about the exciting possibilities of “medicinal” cocktails, with cannabis products increasingly being combined with bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, juice, aromatic bitters and other tantalizing tinctures to create the perfect party concoctions and dream-inducing nightcaps! 

If you’re keen to join your fellow cannabis connoisseurs at the home bar, you can look no further than Canna Culture to provide premium cannabis products for all your dinner party and celebratory needs. Whether you’re an experienced customer, or new to cannabis culture, we welcome you to spice up your social lives with some tasty, imaginative cannabis cocktails! 

For our loyal customers in San Jose, the great thing about our dispensary is that we can deliver your cannabis products to your door for free – on the same day you order! For the full range of our cannabis products, apply the filters of your choice on our menu to view the items you want to buy. Once you’re ready, you can order online, or call (408)264-7877 to place your order.

Stay Safe Out There!

Despite the growing popularity of medical cannabis, a staggering 89.5 percent of us use cannabis recreationally. (2) Even though we have learned from our mistakes, and may be well-versed in the risks of overindulging, the safe use of both cannabis and alcohol cannot be overstated. You should always buy your cannabis products from a state-licensed dispensary and drink responsibly. At Canna Culture, we want to help you make great choices so that you have the safest experience with our products, and that means making sure you and those you love are out of harm’s way. So, a toast: take care everyone, enjoy the ride, and bottoms up!

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Preparation is Key

Whichever libations you plan on rustling up for your guests, before you embark on your artisanal weed cocktail journey, you’ll have to do some preparation well ahead of time. Consider the following items in this helpful checklist.

  • Infuse your spirits
  • Infuse your simple syrup
  • Buy additional ingredients (citrus fruit, tonic water, soda water, bitters, sugar, etc.)
  • Prepare your equipment (muddler, shaker, strainer, ice pick, etc.)
  • Gather finishing touches (cherries, mint, citrus, etc.)
  • Don’t forget to prepare your ice!

Preparing to Infuse

“Decarbing” Your Cannabis

Putting your cannabis into a liquor bottle, screwing the lid shut, and hoping for the best will not make for a good weed-infused cocktail! In fact, you may just ruin both of your ingredients in the process! It’s best to put your cannabis through a process known as decarboxylation first, before mixing the two. This chemical process, which occurs naturally when you smoke cannabis, converts tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) into tetrahydrocannabinol, turning a non-psychoactive substance into a psychoactive one. If you’re not smoking, but instead choosing to infuse, decarbing is the way forward! 

There are two ways to decarb your cannabis at home: in the oven or boiling it in a saucepan on your stovetop.

Oven Decarbing

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C, or gas mark 1/2). 
  2. Grind 1 to 2 ounces (28 to 56 g) cannabis flowers in a clean metal grinder, such as a coffee grinder. 
  3. Spread the ground cannabis evenly into an ovenproof glass or cast-iron pan. This pan must also have an airtight lid. If that equipment isn’t readily available, spread the mixture evenly in an aluminum pie tin and cover tightly with several layers of aluminum foil. 
  4. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the buds are golden brown. 

You should cover the pan very tightly and use directional fans to air out your workspace, as this process can get incredibly pungent! 

Pro Tip: Don’t open your oven while the cannabis is cooking, if you can help it as this may interrupt the decarbing process. After leaving it to rest for around 15 minutes, your cannabis will be ready to use in preparations such as butters, oils, syrups, and tinctures.(3)

Stovetop Decarbing

  1. Bring a large pan of water to a simmer at approximately 200°F, or 93°C. 
  2. Place whole cannabis flowers into a boilable cooking pouch. Seal the packet well so that it’s airtight. 
  3. Add the pouch to the water, and simmer it for 90 minutes, checking the water level to ensure your pan water doesn’t run low. Add boiling water if/when necessary to ensure the bag is fully submerged. 
  4. Remove the bag from the water, and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before opening and using in your preparations. (3)

The Infusion Process

Before you infuse your alcohol, think about the liquor you will be using and the flavor profiles of the cocktails you enjoy. It’s best to choose a familiar spirit so there are no surprises! To make a cannabis infusion, you’ll need to prepare 7 grams of ground, decarbed cannabis and add it to 250 ml (about 1 cup) of a liquor of your choice in a heat-proof mason jar.  It is imperative you do not seal this jar, as it could burst! 

Safety Tip: Never, ever use a gas stove or an open flame when infusing! 

  1. Put the mason jar in the top of a double boiler on a hot plate or electric stove top.
  2. Fill the top of the double boiler with enough water to cover the mason jar halfway. Simmer lightly at around 160ºF (71°C) for 30 to 60 minutes. 
  3. Use a digital thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. Alcohol burns at just over 170ºF (77°C), so pay close attention at this point.
  4. Let the mixture cool, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, then funnel it back into the empty liquor bottle. Top up the bottle with the remaining un-infused liquor until it’s back to a volume of 750 ml so the THC will disperse throughout the mixture. (3)

Your infusion is now ready to use in your handcrafted cannabis cocktails, so get that shaker out and be ready to impress your friends with your creative concoctions!

Ready-Made Cannabis Drinks & Shots

If making artisanal cannabis cocktails sounds a little too much like hard work after a long day at work, don’t worry! We have a variety of weed-infused non-alcoholic drinks available for free same-day delivery in a 20 mile radius! To find out more, click on the product links below.

Lighter Liquids

Orange Kush – Keef (10mg)

Lemon-Lime – Hybrid (10mg)

Pack a Punch

Kwik Ease – Sativa (100mg)

Kwik Zzz’s – Indica (100mg)

Cannabis Delivery in San Jose, CA

We offer free delivery within a 20 mile radius of our dispensary to the following areas.

Ensuring our clients get the finest quality cannabis products at the best prices is our number one priority! That’s why our knowledgeable budtenders are here to provide you with their insight and advice to match our inventory of flower, pre-rolls, vapes, extract, tinctures, topicals, edibles, and more with your specific needs in mind. Contact us on (408)264-7877 now for same-day cannabis delivery in Santa Clara County!

Dispensary Hours

We are open 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm so call us now to place your order.

See what our clients think about our premium cannabis products! Find out what our loyal clients think by reading our reviews!

If you liked reading this post, be sure to check out the latest cannabis culture articles here.

FAQ

Can I put cannabis oil into an alcoholic beverage?

Yes, but be prepared for a very bitter taste! There are many effective ways to infuse cannabis into beverages so the earthy intensity is well hidden, so it’s best to read into it before you accidentally spoil your favorite tipple!

Which type of cannabis strain is best for making cocktails?

That depends on how you want to feel! For more of a lively buzz, try a sativa strain. To stay mellow and calm, try indica. If you want to feel energized but still remain relaxed and at ease, perhaps a hybrid would be the best fit. Talk to a knowledgeable budtender at a licensed dispensary you trust to find out which strain would suit your needs best.

References

  1. Subbaraman, M. S., & Kerr, W. C. (2015). Simultaneous Versus Concurrent Use of Alcohol and Cannabis in the National Alcohol Survey. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 39(5), 872–879. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.12698 
  2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, & Evidence, A. (2017, January 12). Cannabis: Prevalence of Use, Regulation, and Current Policy Landscape. Retrieved from Nih.gov website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425763/ 
  3. Bobrow, W. (2016, June 1). Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails: The Art of Spirited Drinks & Buzz-Worthy Libations. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://jdnotes.net website: https://www.jdnotes.net/pdf/cooking/cannabiscocktailsmocktailsandtonics.pdf 
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