Six Ways to Add an Herbal Touch To Cocktails

Sitting back on the weekends with a drink is about to become even more relaxing when you add cannabis to your cocktail recipes. Although cannabis food and meals are still a popular way to infuse cannabis into a consumer’s daily life, let’s not forget that drinks are also considered an “edible.” In honor of CULTURE’s edibles issue that hit the newsstands today, we’ve put together some of the important things you might need to make that delicious, fancy cocktail at home.

As with all edibles, CULTURE recommends that you imbibe carefully and in small amounts until you know what amount is right for you. Exercise caution as cannabis and alcohol affect the body at different speeds, and alcohol can increase the effects of the cannabis. The effect from an infused drink will last several hours.

Check out these ideas below for adding a special touch to your weekend beverage of choice.

Cannabis Infused Simple Syrup

(Makes 3 cups)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups filtered water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin (helps pull properties from plant materials)

1 gram finely chopped cannabis

Instructions

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil.
2. Add cannabis and leave at a low boil for 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetable glycerin and simmer for 5 more minutes.
4. Strain out cannabis and let cool.

Cannabis Vodka, AKA “Green Dragon”

(Makes 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 cups vodka (or another spirit)

1 1/2 ounces cannabis, finely ground

Instructions

1. Bake cannabis at 220 degrees for 1 hour to and baked to
2. Cool for 5 minutes, then funnel into a one-quart mason jar.
3. Top with 2 ounces vodka and seal with lid. Shake well.
4. Store in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks, shaking a couple times a day.
5. Filter through a coffee filter twice, bottling as desired. Store in freezer.

Cannabis Sugar (for rimming glasses)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cannabis-infused vodka

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Mix sugar and infused vodka in bowl.
3. Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
4. Cool and break up sugar using a large spoon or pushing through sieve.
5. Seal and store away from the reach of children.

Margarita Salt

Ingredients

1 cup salt

1 gram kief

Instructions

1. Combine in a bowl.
2. Use lime or lemon wedge to wet rim of glass for serving.

Chili Salt with Cannabis (For use with drinks Micheladas)

Ingredients

1/2 cup salt

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 gram CBD isolate

Instructions

1. Mix ingredients in a bowl.
2. Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of the glass and dip in salt mixture.

Orange Bitters with Cannabis

Ingredients

2 cups vodka

1 orange

5 cardamom pods

1 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 gram cannabis, ground

1/2 tsp cloves

2 tsp ginger, sliced thin

1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Peel orange and dry in 250 degree oven for 20 minutes.
2. Combine orange peels and spices in glass jar along with vodka and close tightly. Store in cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
3. Strain out herbs and combine in saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Toast sugar in small pan until sugar caramelizes and turns an amber color.
5. Add to hot water and infusion mixture and cook until caramel combines with liquids. Cool thoroughly then strain into bottles for storage.