How Do You Make Cannabis Drinks?

Over the last few years, flavored alcohol has become quite popular. I'm sure you have seen the crazy flavors available: green apple, mango, banana, peach, and more.  This is good news for Medical Marijuana patients because cannabinoids dissolve well in alcohol.  Generally, the stronger the alcohol content the better.  Grain alcohol (like Everclear) is pure alcohol---odorless, tasteless, and very, very strong. Grain alcohol is about 190 proof, and makes such a strong brew that it's a good idea to use in extreme moderation.  I was with OldSkoolGuy when he bought some cinnamon tincture from the Emerald Cross dispensary and it was wonderful!   It smelled like Big Red cinnamon gum and the cinnamon alcohol covered up the taste of the Cannabis so it was enjoyable to use. This is a wonderful use for those who need to medicate at work but cannot smoke.

Most people making cocktails or tinctures use vodka.  Most mid-level vodkas are now 'triple-filtered' , which my girlfriend says just helps to make them 'purer'.  When there are fewer impurities in the vodka, it means less of a hangover. Wow! Who knew?  Never, ever use that nasty rubbing alcohol they sell at the liquor store called "Popov" vodka. It has so many impurities, even a desperate Russian will not drink it!

Basic Marijuana Alcohol using Vodka
Simply take one bottle of vodka and drain approximately a quarter of the liquid. (You can start this project on a Friday evening and make yourself a cocktail while you are preparing your leaf). You can use your favorite liqueur instead of vodka but please remember not to drink too much.  At the most, drink two of these cocktails, but one is quite sufficient.
Trim leaves of all stems and add the leaves to the bottle. I would recommend checking for animal hairs at this point. If your Cannabis was grown around pets, there will be hairs on your leaf and you don't want this to be floating in your Cannacocktail brew!
Store this mixture in a cool dark place, allowing at least one week for the cannabinoids to dissolve.  I recommend waiting two full weeks to ensure the maximum effect.  

Basic Marijuana Tinctures
Tinctures are very concentrated, so a dose may only be a few drops, or a teaspoon or two.  For the best results it is important to use pure alcohol, or an alcohol that is quite strong.  Everclear is a good choice for tinctures because it is 95% alcohol. Vodka and other alcohols are okay, but when the bottle says "40 percent" it means that 60 % of it is just water. For flavored tinctures, all you have to do is buy your favorite flavor. Emerald Cross puts out some wonderful tinctures in beautiful blue bottles. You can buy the plain brown bottles or the fancy blue ones at the co-op in Mount Vernon or any health food store in your area.  If you want to get creative, you can use your PC to make your own tincture labels to give to your friends or patients.
Chop up your Cannabis leaf.  Roughly 1 inch is a good size.
Fill a large Mason jar with the choppped leaf.
Cover with pure alcohol and close lid tightly.
Store in a cool dark place for four weeks.
Shake the container for a minute or two each week to ensure optimum distribution.
At the end of four weeks, strain the tincture through cheesecloth or a coffee filter.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks Using Cannabis
Milk is an excellent medium for extracting THC from your Cannabis greens.  You can even use Soy milk!
You can flavor the milk with a little bit of honey for a sweeter taste.  If you make large amounts of CannaMilk, you can always freeze it for up to three months. Make sure you leave a little room in the container for the milk to expand as it freezes. When you are ready to use it, place it on a towel on your countertop so that the milk can thaw. It won't thaw completely if put in the fridge.
Add 4 cups of milk and one desert spoon of honey to a pan and heat on a low heat until almost boiling, stirring constantly.
Add 2 grams of finely chopped marijuana leaf and lower heat.
Simmer at the low heat for at least a half an hour while stirring regularly. You won't like the standing and stirring which is why it's a good idea to make a big batch all at once. It's just as easy to stir a whole gallon as it is 4 cups.
Make sure the milk does not boil!
Strain the milk through cheesecloth or a coffee filter and leave to cool. You can use the milk as the base for other warm drinks. This is a great remedy for insomniacs and people who can't fall asleep easily because of pain.
ENJOY!

Hey everyone! I am getting ready to try Cannabis Cocktails! Doesn't that sound exciting? I have made many tinctures, and many variations on the oil, and of course, the butter and flour. Now I am ready to delve into the other side with drinks!
I have a neighbor downstairs who cannot walk up to visit me or have a cocktail with me. She is oldskool (real oldskool) and doesn't believe that Cannabis or Marijuana is for 'ladies'. She grew up locally in the supper club scene of the forties and fifties. I know that she would just love the effects of Cannabis for her chronic pain if I could just find a way for her to try it! So, I am reaching out to all of you in the community to see what we can come up with.  This lady's favorite drink is Rum and Tonic, so I was thinking about trying to come up with a drink that would taste similar. She is set in her ways, you know. I just feel so bad, hearing her stumble around night after night and I am able to get some relief from my pain but she is not. She drinks a cocktail (or two) every night just to deal with her pain because she doesn't like how pain pills make her feel. I don't blame her. I don't like how they make me feel either, especially when it's time to quit taking them.

If you have any recipes or prep tips, they would be appreciated. Thank you!

CannaPrincess

Chewy Oatmeal CannaCookies

"Off Your Noodle Soup" (Just what the Ghanja doc ordered)...

• Servings-Makes 6, 1 1/4 cup servings
• Recommended Dosage-1 1/2 teaspoons of marijuana butter
• Preparation Time:  20 Minutes
• Cooking Time:  20-25 Minutes
• Ingredients:  6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, 1 1/4 cups sliced white mushrooms, 6 cups chicken broth, 1 cup cooked chicken cubes, 2 cups cooked wide egg noodles, 2 to 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
• Directions:  1.  In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. 2.  Add carrots, celery, onions, and pepper.3.  Cook and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes.  4.  Add mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until carrots are tender. 5.  Add  broth and heat until simmering. 6.  Add chicken and noodles. 7.  Simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer. 8.  Garmish with chopped dill and serve.

Decadent Chocolate Bud Cake

Makes 4 servings.
Recommended Dosage: 3 teaspoons of marijuana flour or

1 1/2 teaspoons of marijuana butter

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time:  25-30 minutes

Ingredients: 2/3 cup boiling water, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup white sugar. 1 1/3 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F/175C. 2.  Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. 3.  In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. 4. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.5.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 6.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. 7.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the three greased pans. 8.  Bake for 25 minutes, then check to see if done. If not, continue baking for up to another five minutes. Remove from oven. Cool.