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Canna-Cocktails: Booze-Free, Cannabis-Infused Drink Ideas for Summer 2021

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The anticipation for the upcoming season is palpable, as we collectively emerge from our winter quarantines, eager to embrace our friends and the summer sun. 

And admittedly, there is something divine about sipping on a summer cocktail by the pool, or just soaking in the rays. For those of us who don’t drink, or maybe just want to embrace a buzz from cannabis instead of booze, it’s easy to emulate that same essence of a summer cocktail.

By now, most folks are aware that the edible counter of the dispensary is far more than cookies and gummies. Off the bat, a simple and easy way to infuse any summer drink is finding a dissolvable, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-infused powder at your local pot shop. They are made to put into food or drinks, essentially a “create-your-own” edible option, typically available in 5mg or 10mg packets.

However, we recommend getting a little more creative, or using the above as a supplement to your grand concoction. If you have yet to try a drink edible, this might be the summer to do it. For starters, a variety of brands offer drinks, ranging from sodas to juices to coffees and teas.

Many dispensaries will carry drink edibles starting at 10mg for a whole soda, though we recommend going with the 100mg bottles, if you need a heftier dose or if you’re inclined to share canna-cocktails with your crew. Usually, the 100mg bottles are more cost-effective. 

Liquid edibles and tinctures metabolize differently, and faster, than edibles you eat, so your buzz will hit quicker, usually in 30-40 minutes over the sometimes two-plus hours it can take to feel effects from an ingested edible.

Let’s start with a few classics. For these recipes, we are going off a standard, 10mg dose from a 100mg, 16oz drink per person, so roughly 1.6 oz of liquid. The dosing for drink products you choose will vary based on brand, so we recommend making up the difference with either a heftier dose of infused liquid (know your tolerance!), or a heftier dose of the liquid ingredients in the recipes. Start small with your dose; you can always go back for seconds!

(As mentioned, you can also make any of these drinks with a THC-infused powder and forego the infused drink edibles entirely.)

Mary-Jane Mojito

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Lime, 1, halved, sliced into small wedges

Sugar, 1 tsp

Mint leaves, 6, extra to garnish (optional)

Apple Juice, 2 tbsp

Cannabis-infused beverage, 10mg serving

(We recommend an infused drink with citrus tones, and anything carbonated will be a perfect fit here, too!)

Top up with sparkling water, flavor optional.

Stoney, Strawberry Daiquiri

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Strawberries, 1 3/4 cups, hulled and halved, includes additional to decorate glasses (optional)

Cannabis-infused beverage, 40mg/four servings

(We recommend an infused drink with citrus or berry tones, or any infused juice options.)

Lime juice, 4 tbsp

Ice cubes, 2 1/2 cups

Put all the ingredients in a blender able to process ice and blend the mixture until the mixture is consistent. Pour into a glass, and garnish with strawberry slices.

Piña Colada

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Sugar, 1/2 cup

Cannabis-infused beverage, 40mg/four servings

(We recommend an infused drink with pineapple, citrus or mango tones, or any infused juice options.)

Pineapple juice, 1/3 cup

Pineapple wedge to garnish

Ice, slightly less than a cup

Put the sugar and just over 1/3 cup in a pan; heat gently until sugar dissolves, then let cool. You will likely have leftovers, which will save in the fridge for future cocktails! Put the rest of the ingredients plus 2 tsp of the syrup and ice into a blender, go until smooth. Pour into a glass, add ice if you like, and garnish with a pineapple wedge.

These are just some summer staples and a few jumping-off points to enjoy the seasonal cocktail vibe with cannabis. We recommend using these recipes with your favorite drink edibles and getting creative with your own summer concoctions!