You may have seen beer cans out there with marijuana leaves on. Brands such as HaZe Cannabis Beer and Two Roots may claim to have cannabis in them, but these alcoholic beverages do not contain THC, which is the compound that makes you feel ‘high’. You will not find a marijuana beer in any liquor store or dispensary because, as per the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the two are not allowed to be sold together. Any sort of commercialized beer containing cannabinoids is supposed to be non-alcoholic.

Cannabis and beer can be a great combination of flavors and aromas.

But don’t panic! There are many methods you can try to brew your own beer with infused marijuana. The fact that cannabis is a close cousin of hops is not the only reason to try this mixture. Cannabis-infused beers can be a fun and different way for non-smokers to consume it. Also, homebrewing is a great way to try something new and escape from your comfort zone. Playing with the rich flavors and aromas present in hops, malts, and cannabis will undoubtedly surprise both the most skeptical and experienced homebrewers and beer enthusiasts.

How To Make Cannabis Beer – The Simple Way

To make marijuana-infused beer you need to decarboxylate your cannabis. Any infused drink with high cannabinoid content must undergo this process. Decarboxylation extracts the cannabinoids – THC or CBD – in a similar way to when you smoke it. Decarboxylation, which consists of pre-heating your buds to activate the psychoactive effects, will reduce your buds’ volume by half.

First, choose your buds wisely. For a perfect alcoholic combination, you should pick a strain that has citrusy or fruity flavors, as well as uplifting effects. Strains like Fruity Pebbles, Mimosa, Strawberry Banana OG, or Sunset Sherbet can be an excellent match for wonderful aromas. For each bottle of beer, one ounce (28 grams) of weed should be more than enough, especially if it’s your first time trying it. You’ll end up with about half an ounce or 14 grams of decarboxylated marijuana.

Grind the buds finely, place them over a cooking tray with parchment paper. The paper is crucial to prevent the buds from sticking into the tray. Put the tray into the oven pre-heated between 225 to 245ºF (107 to 118ºC) for about 45 to 55 minutes. Your ground buds should look evenly toasted. You’ll know they’re done when the fantastic smell starts oozing from your kitchen.

You can’t buy alcoholic marijuana beer, but you can make your own.

Choose Your Favorite Beer

It’s also crucial to choose your beer wisely. Of course, you can select your favorite beer, but IPAs, imperial IPAs, and pale ales are a perfect match to complement the musty cannabis flavors. Then, wait for the cooked marijuana to cool off, and gently place it into a cheesecloth or any piece of clean cloth closed very tightly; you can use a rubber band. Next, place your cheesecloth into the beer, and close the bottle tight for 48 hours.

Keep your enclosed beer bottle with the dipped cannabis at room temperature and shake it every 12 hours. To ensure that the cannabinoids will infuse with the liquid and the beer won’t get stale, do not remove it until 48 hours have passed. As soon as the time is up, remove the marijuana, put the beer in the fridge to cool if you wish, and it’s ready for appreciation! Take it easy and don’t drink too much as the combined effects of alcohol and THC can be a little overwhelming if you’re not used to it.

How To Make Cannabis Beer – The Homebrewing Way

There are numerous methods for brewing beer with cannabis. Some of these processes also involve decarboxylation to extract cannabinoids, and others include activating the THC before the fermentation process. For homebrewing experts, the process is pretty straightforward. Because cannabis is closely related to hops, it can be used similarly during the brewing, but carefully because the flavors can be very pungent and dank. Marijuana should be used along with leafed hops to combine flavors, but at a smaller ratio.

There is a way to ensure you’ll get high THC content as well as flavors and other cannabinoids. You should add a part of the cannabis buds and the hops to the brewing boil, which will activate the THC. Later you should add the rest of your buds after the fermentation to get flavors, aromas, and other cannabinoids.

The Best Cannabis Beer Recipes for Homebrewing

With a multitude of options at your disposal, there are different styles of beers and various aromas, flavors, and effects that you can make. Here are a few of our favorite homebrewed cannabis beer recipes for you to check out:

1. Bella Belma Marijuana Pale Ale, by Brad on Thrillist.

2. Bruhaha THC Belgian Tripel, by BeeRos on Brewer’s Friend.

3. Cannabis Double IPA, by Nate Bourgault on Craft Beer and Brewing.

Final Thoughts: Enjoy with Moderation

These recipes will take some time and require lots of patience, but we hope that the wait is worth it. Undoubtedly, beer and cannabis, when combined in the right amounts, can make for a winning combination. However, anyone trying this should be conscious of how their bodies might react and enjoy in moderation to avoid overwhelming effects.

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