How to Make Marijuana Tea

By: Shelby Cokeley

Marijuana Tea:

Don’t let the simple name fool you, marijuana tea involves a bit more than your kettle and cannabis leaves. Unlike your favorites from STASH, this infused tea brings with it the same effects many other THC edibles might.

Relaxation, stress and anxiety reduction, sleep aid and pain relief — with a splash of patience and a few drops of scientific research, these benefits can soon be found at the bottom of your favorite mug.

So, what is this ‘weed tea’?

Marijuana tea is a cannabis-infused hug in the form of a warm beverage. Essentially, it’s your classic steeped tea, with a kick of THC. As a note, this soothing drink can surely be made in a multitude of different ways: strong, weak, even non-psychoactive if CBD tea is more your thing.

However, the process we’ll be outlining today is what could be considered more traditional and better mirrors the effects of your average THC beverage or edible.

How to make marijuana tea

Gather ingredients:

Though it can provide lovely calming effects, cannabis teas shouldn’t be made in a panic. To best execute the tea-making process, provide yourself with ample time to gather the right grocery list — or dispensary list of sorts — and create your concoction.

*Disclaimer:

It’s important to understand these ingredient measurements are an estimation for what may create a positive cannabis tea experience for beginners.

These measurements do not reflect an exact science, nor could they — every body is different and reacts differently to marijuana in its many forms. Allow this recipe to be a jumping off point into your own individual exploration of cannabis tea and embrace the freedom you have in altering it to your desired taste and effect.

You will need – The Basics:

-½ Gram – Marijuana buds

-½ Tablespoon – Coconut oil / butter / alternative fat

-1 ½ Cups – Water for boiling

–Tea infuser / ball / bag to hold the marijuana

-Sweeteners for taste like honey / sugar – Optional

-Spices for taste like cinnamon / cardamom – Optional

Let’s get started:

1. Grind your flower with a grinder.

Cannabis tea’s potency, like other edibles, is up to the discretion of its creator. If you’re unsure of your tolerance, a good rule of thumb is to start with under a gram in your first batch, like a half.

With that being said, the amount of flower you use to make your tea should be indicative of how large a batch you’re looking to make and how strong.

Be sure to pick out any stems or seeds as well, leaving you with only small flower shreds, not powder. Ultimately, more surfaces = more cannabinoid activation.

2. Get your water boiling.

It may be instinctual to grab your classic tea kettle, but for marijuana tea you’ll actually want to use a pot. Unlike your average tea bag of herbs and spices, you’ll want your cannabis to heat and soak for a bit longer.

3. Think of bioavailability.

If you’re looking to create a nice cup of cannabis tea without producing a high or any psychoactive effects, skip this step. But, if you’re hoping to feel any of your flower’s powers, you’ll need to introduce a fat of some kind to make it bioavailable.

Mix your ground bud with this fat — like coconut oil or butter — until it’s well covered but not soaked and oversaturated, a ½ to 1 tablespoon will usually do the trick. Scrape these goods into your infuser of choice, whether that be an empty tea bag or metal tea ball, and place it into your pot of water.

4. Get boiling and steeping.

After placing your tea bag/ball into the water, bring it to a soft boil and leave it to steep for around a half-hour. Some argue 15 minutes is sufficient in a pinch, but it’s best to make absolutely certain those cannabinoids are getting enough time to activate.

In fact, if you’re really hoping to get that cannabis flavor, it should be noted you can actually place your cannabis/fat mix into the boiling water without any filter. This does result in a very herbaceous tea, isn’t for everyone and not recommended for beginners.

5. Spice it up & take a sip.

Now that your tea has steeped for around 15-30 minutes, it’s time for tasty add-ins like milk, honey, sugar, or even other flavored tea. This method of adding extra flavors can tone down a more intense marijuana taste, but it’s ready to drink as is if that’s your preference.

Just remember, this concoction is an edible of sorts and will take around an hour to bring on any effects. It’s at this time you’ll know whether or not the bud in your tea was truly activated. So, sit down, drink up and enjoy!

What if my tea wasn’t activated?

A common complaint of first-time cannabis tea drinkers is, “But, this didn’t get me high at all!” So, if your tolerance is known to be high, or if you don’t seem to be having much luck with steeping, you may want to try adding an extra step to your tea-making process: decarboxylation. This will surely guarantee a nice, strong cup of tea.

What is decarboxylation?

Decarboxylation is the chemical reaction that makes cannabis a potent additive to food, and even tea in this case. This process is achieved through heating raw cannabis to a temperature at which it releases a carboxyl group and becomes psychoactive.

THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid) is the active component in raw cannabis, and it’s not a psychoactive compound by default. But, through the decarbing process this THCA gets converted to THC — what gets us high.

How to decarboxylate:

-Heat your oven to around 225-250° fahrenheit.

-Grind your weed, just as you would’ve for your tea above. Think small bits, not powder.

-Spread your cannabis across a baking sheet, lined with baking paper.

-Bake the cannabis for 25-30 minutes. This should turn your weed a light brown from its signature green color.

-Take out your cannabis after this time and check to make sure the flower has dried significantly. If it hasn’t, pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

-Remove your cannabis and let it cool for a bit before beginning your tea-making process.

Alternative Cannabis Teas:

Just like regular tea, marijuana tea presents a variety of drinking options. Camomile? Chai? Iced? Whatever your favorite flavor combination is, there’s probably a wonderful weed-community member who’s already perfected a recipe.

Below are a few examples of different marijuana tea spin-offs that differ from the basic flowery recipe we’ve provided above. Get those creative juices flowing and steep your perfect cup.

Canna-butter Tea

Herb’s guide provides both a simple ground cannabis tea recipe — like our own above — as well as a one using cannabis butter / oil. This recipe is perfect for those looking to use up the last dregs of their infused fats after possibly making batches of other edible goods.