Weed Tea: DIY Cannabis Tea

As mainstream consumption of medical cannabis is expanding, it is becoming increasingly popular as the go to pick for a good time during social gatherings.  And rightfully so, as having an experience with cannabis is without a doubt an adventure worth embarking on – especially with friends, and there is perhaps nothing easier to prepare for a social gathering than weed tea.

Smoking is just one of the many ways you could consume cannabis.  Thanks to your trusty cannabis enthusiasts, THC, the active ingredient in cannabis can be consumed in multiple different ways.  One of the most common being in the form of an edible THC infused product.  Believe it or not, these options include something known as “weed tea.”

Imagine a tea made of cannabis – not quite, but close.  It turns out that you can actually infuse your cannabis with your tea. The best part is, it can all be made within minutes and is far more discreet than taking an old school smoke. 

What is Weed Tea?

Cannabis tea combines the best qualities of the THC experience with the sensation of enjoying your favorite tea.  Essentially, it is a hot or cold water-based beverage that is steeped and infused with various parts of the cannabis plant as well as other spices or ingredients of your preference.  One of the great benefits of cannabis tea is that it removes the harshness associated with smoking or vaping and replaces it with a more soothing experience wrapped up in a nice simple beverage.

The beauty of infusing cannabis into your tea is that it can provide a therapeutic soothing effect on both a physical and mental level.  With that being said, the consumption of cannabis tea is also seen as an effective alternative form of marijuana use as opposed to smoking wax or bud.  What’s great about it is that you can basically get the same effects as you would from smoking, without actually smoking or inhaling anything into your lungs. 

 Although this is a great addition to your cannabis arsenal, the only caveat is that oral consumption of weed tea may take up to 2 hours to “kick in.” This comes as no surprise, as the same rules apply when consuming any other type of marijuana edibles like gummies or brownies.  Suffice to say, weed tea stands out as one of the most innovative ways to consume your cannabis with an added touch of finesse and style.

How do you Make Cannabis Tea?

Making weed tea is a quick and easy option that can be done in just a few minutes.  Weed tea could also prove to be an even more fun method of consumption if you like to get creative and are looking to experiment with different forms of edible cannabis. There are a few different ways to make weed tea and some of those include:

1. Infusing coconut oil, butter, or other oils with THC and then stirring it into the tea.

OR

2. Using ground-up decarboxylated weed in a tea steeper to infuse with the tea.

How to Make Weed Tea with Infused Butter

This uses a ratio of 4 sticks of butter to every ounce of cannabis – if you’re using ½ an ounce use 2 sticks of butter or comparable oil. 

You’ll need

• Butter or coconut oil
• Ground cannabis
• Cheesecloth or coffee filter
• Mixing Bowl
• Mixing Spoon
• Saucepan or pot 
• Storage container
• Tea of your choice 
• Baking sheet
• Knife

Step 1: Decarboxylate your weed

Begin by preheating your oven to 116°C or 240°F. Grab your coarsely ground weed and spread evenly over the surface of a baking sheet.  Bake for 30 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned.

Baking your cannabis “activates” it, making the THC more accessible to our bodies to be consumed.

Step 2: Prepare your butter/coconut oil

Bringing 1 cup of water to a boil, add in your butter/coconut oil until its completely melted

Step 3: Add weed and simmer for 3 hours 

Add your decarboxylated weed to your mixture and turn down the heat until its just barely simmering. Regularly stir this mixture for 3 hours and ensure that your weed is not sticking to the bottom and burning. 

Step 4: Strain and Cool Mixture

As you cook down the mixture, the surface should appear glossy and visibly greener. Let cool before straining through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. 

Refrigerate your strained mixture until the remaining excess water has separated itself from the fat.

Step 5: Infuse your tea

Make sure your cannabutter is room temperature. Brew your hot tea beverage of choice and add in a teaspoon or more (depending on your tolerance) of cannabutter and stir to infuse. 

How to Make Weed Tea with Decarboxylated Weed 

You’ll need

• Coarsely ground weed
• Butter or coconut oil
• Water
• Tea
• Tea infuser or tea ball

Step 1: Boil your water 

Grab a pot instead of a kettle and begin heating up your water. You’ll need to boil your weed tea for longer than regular tea so it’s easier to use a pot instead of a kettle. 

Step 3: Incorporate your fats

THC needs a fat to bind to in order to be effective. Mix your butter/coconut oil with your cannabis and thoroughly mix. A teaspoon or 2 of butter will be more than enough. How much weed you decide to add is up to you!

Step 3: Steep your tea

Take your weed and fat mixture and prepare to steep it inside of a tea ball or tea bag in boiling water. You’ll want to steep for at least 30 minutes to activate your cannabis and actually get high off of it. At this stage, you can incorporate your own tea leaves, spices and other accoutrements.

Step 5: Enjoy!

Voila – you’ll have made weed tea! Feel free to add some more water to the kettle as some may have boiled off during the decarboxylation process.

Does Weed Tea Get You High?

Ingesting products containing THC (whether bought or DIY) will cause a high, but in comparison to eating weed brownies or other sweet treats, the effects of weed tea may not be as potent.  Of course, this depends on the actual amount of THC infused in the tea as well as your personal tolerance level. 

When it comes to consuming cannabis in the form of edibles, it’s important to understand that the high you experience will most likely lean on the stronger end of the spectrum compared to your typical high.  

With that being said, the high from edibles can be one of the best cannabis experiences if done with diligence and care.  The typical effects include enhancements to all sensory stimuli including sight, sound, taste, and touch.  But please take note of the potency and proper dosage of your edible cannabis product before consuming

Dosages and personal tolerances are different for each individual, so it is important that you remain diligent and careful when experimenting or trying something new for the first time. To determine how long it will take to feel high depends on how much oil you used in your tea or how much cannabis is steeped into the tea.

Final Thoughts

With cannabis becoming a mainstream sensation, smoking can be a barrier to entry for most people.  With that being said, that is no reason to miss out on the fun.

So is cannabis and tea right for the everyday toker?

If you’re an enthusiast of tea, a cannabis lover or an adventurous individual with a few extra minutes in the day and curious about trying new methods of cannabis intake, then cannabis tea sounds like it could be a perfect match for