How to Make Infused Weed Drinks at Home Without Ruining the Taste
Learning how to make infused weed drinks can be tricky if you’re not experienced, but not impossible. While more and more people turn to CBD drinks available in all shops these days, some others still prefer making their own in their kitchens.
The difference? Professional brands have the technology to infuse CBD in a professional manner, not to mention masking the taste with all kinds of flavors (some of them, natural). Making your own drink gives you more control over the ingredients, but you lack the quality and dosage control that comes with lab-tested products.
With this thought in mind, here’s how to make your own weed drink if you want a more natural approach without sacrificing the flavor profile.
Choose the Base
Buying weed drinks from shops is usually a better idea, but you can also try to make your own. Start by choosing a base. It could be a lemonade you’ve just made yourself or perhaps tea and coffee. Either way, never drop raw flowers in your beverage as they won’t dissolve or activate.
You can use syrups, vegetable glycerin tincture or water-soluble drops. The last option is probably the best one, as it clears out most of the weed flavor while still offering the full range of benefits. These drops can dissolve almost instantly in any liquid.
Some people add THC oil into normal drinks. This option works as well, yet the dose isn’t controlled because the oil doesn’t dissolve. However, it’s an effective method if you’re having the whole drink within the next hour or so.
Don’t Squeeze It Out
When learning how to make infused weed drinks, you can also pick the difficult way and use the actual plant. In this case, there’s literally no control whatsoever. Whether you’re preparing a syrup or another liquid, the extract must come out naturally.
Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine sieve, but let it drip naturally into your collection bowl. If you try to squeeze the extract out, you risk damaging the active substances and ruining the clarity.
On the same note, don’t wring out the cloth either.
All this pressure will release more than just active ingredients, but also plant lipids, chlorophyll or other compounds, which are normally bitter. If you let the extract drip naturally, you’ll manage to keep the taste clean and enjoyable.
- Bold Flavors Against Bitterness
When learning how to make infused weed drinks, you could do a bit of research and observe the market too. You’ll notice that you’re less likely to find cucumber or vanilla CBD or THC drinks, mainly because their flavors are too mild to cover the herbal notes.
Cannabis has a strong earthy flavor that can quickly overwhelm a recipe. This means that you’ll need something bold to overcome it. Something aggressive and acidic, even a little spicy and punchy. Here are some good options:
- Citrus. Whether you go for lemon, lime or grapefruit, these flavors are intense and can annihilate the bitter flavor of cannabis. Orange juice is also a good idea, yet it’s milder in flavor. You can also mix them up.
- Spices. Spicy drinks or actual spices can also help against bitterness. For example, fresh ginger or ginger beer are great to neutralize the taste instantly. You can use cloves or cinnamon as well. They bring in a nice spicy kick too which complements the hemp.
- Herbs. Since you’re preparing a herbal beverage, you might as well add some more herbs for flavor and aroma. Mint is a good choice. It’s intense and overcomes cannabis beautifully. While milder, rosemary and basil work well with the natural terpenes in cannabis to create a gourmet profile.
- Sweeteners. Opt for natural sweeteners because they’re more intense. Besides, they’re also useful if you watch your calorie intake. Good options include agave syrup and honey. Plain sugar should be avoided.
- Dealing With the Separation
Learning how to make infused weed drinks also implies learning how to deal with the separation problem. Again, throw some classic oil into any drink, but it won’t dissolve because cannabinoids are naturally hydrophobic. You can still get the benefits if you have the beverage in one go, rather than over multiple days.
Now, to make it more professional, you should know that cannabinoids are soluble in fat but repel water. Homemade oils will float at the top of your drink. The first sip isn’t just oily, but it also brings in a bad mouthfeel and an uneven dose.
An emulsifier is a good option here. You can add a bit of sunflower lecithin, yet vegetable glycerin is also useful for binding the liquids. Follow the instructions and don’t add too much. Normally, you’ll need a tiny pinch only.
Then, you’ll have to ensure that everything is mixed correctly. Get all the ingredients into a blender and force everything to bind tightly. Do it just before serving to ensure a smooth texture. And just so you know, the more you let it settle, the more likely the ingredients are to separate again over time.
In the end, learning how to make infused weed drinks can go in more directions. You can buy CBD or THC drinks from commerce, but you can also add a bit of oil into your favorite homemade drinks with the right masking techniques. The more professional approach involves using some extra ingredients, but it’s totally doable and highly rewarding.
