How to Make THC-Infused Drinks?

Herbs are usually processed either into tincture or decoction. A decoction is what you get when you boil plant matter in water to absorb the soluble materials into the water. This process allows extracting as many properties and flavors from the soluble material as possible. Preparing a tincture is similar, but herbs are soaked in alcohol instead of water. 

Companies that create marijuana drinkables have mastered their processes with the help of innovative technologies. They develop oil-based ingestible products of all kinds and CO2-extracted CBD. When it comes to drinkable products, cannabis plants can be processed in similar ways to barley when making beer. After creating a flavor, the concoction is chemically treated and reinforced with cannabinoids. 

Since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed, various canna-infused drinks have appeared on the market. THC drinkables are available as herbal tea, coffee, cocktail, energy drinks, sports drinks and powders, and even kombucha. Some brands also blend THC and CBD into full-spectrum flavorful products, and people seem to enjoy it. And while you can always grab a THC drink on the go, you can also always prepare it yourself. 

Easy Ways to Prepare THC Drinks at Home 

The simplest way to prepare drinkable weed items is to supplement liquid with THC tincture. Tinctures are weed-infused alcohol-based liquids that have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Tinctures are a safe and effective way to consume cannabis. They are also an excellent option for someone who's for instance suffering from asthma and cannot quite tolerate smoking. 

So, to prepare a THC drink with tincture, all you have to do is pick a tincture you like at the nearest dispensary. You will want to look for what strain was used for the tincture. If you prefer Sativa over Indica strains, you probably want to purchase a Sativa-dominant tincture. If you are unsure what kind of tincture is best for you, you can always ask for recommendations from the budtender. 

You can also create a tincture on your own. For this, you need to know how to decarboxylate weed. Once you properly "cook" your weed to unleash its THCA, add the decarboxylated buds in a jar filled with alcohol and keep it in a dark place for a few weeks. The tincture is ready when the jar turns deep green color. After you strain out all plant material, what's left is a potent homemade tincture that you can use to enrich your afternoon tea or prepare other beverages and cocktails with it.

Another option to use for cannabis drinkables is THC syrups. Infused syrups can contain vegetable glycerine, sugar, coconut oil, agave. They can taste like watermelon, ginger, grape, blueberry, orange, lemon, etc. So, syrups are excellent to mix with coffee, hot chocolate, alcoholic cocktails, etc. 

Dosing THC Drinkables

Newbies are advised to start with 5mg of THC. Increase that to 10mg for someone who occasionally smokes, vapes, or uses other cannabis products. More experienced users can go with up to 30 mg, however, these are just rough guidelines and it's totally up to you to decide on the right amount for you.

It would be smart to dispense whatever dosage you set aside for drinkables into several different drinks. Avoid consuming all at once. If you use a homemade tincture, it will probably be more difficult to tell how much THC you are pouring into your drink. However, if you microdose initially, you will quickly get an idea of how potent the concoction is and figure out how much you add on the next round. 

What's the Taste of Cannabis Drinks?

Cannabis has its unique flavor, so you are already familiar with it if you've smoked or used other pot products. Regardless of the cannabis ingredient, it always adds an herbal undertone to any drink. The exact flavor will depend on the specific cannabis strain. 

One of the most beautiful things about cannabis actually is its versatility in taste and flavor. It will combine uniquely with alcohol, tea, lemon, chocolate, cream, or anything you decide to add to your drink.

Useful Tips for THC Drinks

Like cannabis edibles, drinks too can generate unexpected effects on the body. Therefore, the best way to go with THC-infused drinks is low and slow and increase the doses gradually.

• To assess how your body reacts to THC when ingested in liquid, it's best to start with nonalcohol drinks such as coffee or tea. You can sip a little bit of the tincture or syrup and observe how you react to it. 
• When you level up with cannabis cocktails, have your first drink in a safe environment, such as at your house. This is to make sure you are comfortable if it hits suddenly and all too strong. Needless to say, don't drive when you are under the influence. 
• Give some time for the THC to work its way into the body. Drinks will follow the same route as edibles, so wait before taking more. You will know the full effect of the first drink in 30-60 minutes, so don't rush to down a second drink just right after you finish the first one. 

Refreshing Recipes

The beauty of THC drinks is that you can always experiment and try out various combinations of how you use tincture or syrup with other liquids. If you want to cut on alcohol or caffeine, you can still use tincture to prepare healthy drinks such as lemonade or mocktails. Below are two quick recipes that will lift your spirits.

Lemonade 

1. Juice 2 lemons by hand or with a juicer
2. Mix sugar and 1 cup of warm water until sugar dissolves
3. Mix the lemon juice and sugary water with 3 cups of cold water and add THC tincture at the end 
4. Add sliced lemons for garnish and ice cubes to complement your lemonade

Mojito mocktail 

1. Muddle 3 mint leaves and lime juice in the bottom of your glass
2. Add 2 tbsp of canna lemon syrup, and pour in some sparkling water with a few more mint leaves 
3. Stir the mixture thoroughly and add ice

Enjoy your drinks!