How is it made: Cannabis Beverages
There are so many exciting new products hitting the shelves of regulated cannabis dispensaries throughout Ontario and Canada that it can sometimes be overwhelming. As technology previously reserved for other purposes are being applied to cannabis, more and more new ways to imbibe are becoming available to people who don’t want to inhale their cannabis.
Some of the most exciting products on the market right now are the plethora of beverages that come in a variety of different flavors and doses. We get a ton of questions regarding what goes into making these highly bio-available liquid delights, so this week, I’m going try to answer some of the questions you might have (and some you might not have thought of) about cannabis beverages.
First up…
There are a few steps in the process of taking a nug of weed and turning it into an ice-cold confection. First and foremost, one must first have the facilities and equipment. Cannabis beverages are one of the few items in a cannabis retail store that don’t really have a DIY method to produce your own at home (Technically steeping your cannabis in a cup of warm water tea style produces a cannabis-based beverage but let’s be honest it’s usually better if someone makes it for you.). The reason for this is one must first extract the ‘essence’ of the flower ie. All the cannabinoids and terpenes. The most common method for this purpose is C02 extraction, which we’ve discussed in a previous post about edibles. To summarize, you are essentially using pressure and chemical reactions to use the gas to extract the concentrated THC/CBD etc. The concentrated extract is then distilled to further purify it and make it fit to be added to a beverage and consumed.
Next…
Now that the distillate is refined there is a new hurdle to overcome; one which has plagued humanity so much that there’s an entire adage designed around it to explain incompatibilities: Oil and water don’t mix. Well friends, I’m happy to let you know that we got over that hurdle a while ago and you can relegate that saying to idiom status and pretty much retire it. Using emulsification (a process by which a substance is broken down, usually through use of chemicals) they break down the cannabis concentrate into nano particles until it can completely mix with water, thus preventing any kind of unpleasant, oily texture.
Not only is the above process cool as heck, but it also has the nifty side affect of making the beverages more ‘bio-available’, which is just fancy speak for saying that it will pierce the blood brain barrier more efficiently. That’s why we always advise low and slow for first time cannabis beverage users, cause a little can go a long way depending on your tolerance.
Cool!
Right? Isn’t science freaking awesome. Now that cannabis is legalized and regulated, we’re going to see a whole slew of new and existing technologies come into play to make the cannabis industry more exciting than it’s ever been!
Want to try out some of these delicious beverages? Come on in to Circa 1818 and check out our fully stocked cooler full of ready to drink beverages! If you need a little extra help keeping cool, ask us about the new cannabis infused RADsicles!
