Cannabis Lemonade

Brandon July 21, 2013 1

In the July of 2013, GQ Magazine published a recipe for Cannabis Lemonade. While we were not involved in the development or testing of the recipe, we did help them figure out the decarboxylation process and the proper dosage. We tried it ourselves and liked the lemonade so much, we decided to republish it for our readers. While the ingredients and quantities are the same, we added a bit of our own commentary.

8 grams of cannabis buds
1 bottle (750 ml.) high-proof or vodka
6 1/4 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 2/3 cups of simple syrup
3 liters of club soda

Serves 25

Making Cannabis Infused Alcohol

Finely chop or grind 8 grams of cannabis as if you were rolling a joint. Electric coffee grinders and food processors work great for this step but can be a pain in the butt to clean. Spread the cannabis on a Pyrex dish and bake at 225 degrees for 60 minutes. The process of heating the cannabis, known as decarboxylation, is essential to convert THCA into the psychoactive THC. Because of the low temperature, there is no need to cover the cannabis and you wonâ€™t have to worry about it stinking up the house.

Once the cannabis is decarboxylated, transfer it to a quart-sized Mason jar and add the vodka. Seal the jar with an airtight lid and give it a shake. Store in a dark, room-temperature place for 72 hours (although longer will certainly not hurt), shaking occasionally. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. At the end, don’t forget to gather the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze out that extra alcohol. Waste not, want not.

Happy Hour

Add ice cubes in a highball glass along with 1 ounce of the cannabis infused liquor. If you used cannabis that contains about 15% THC, each ounce of alcohol should contain about 50 mg of pure THC. This is about the correct amount to produce a moderate high for the better part of the afternoon, but shouldnâ€™t ruin you. Add 2 ounces of lemon juice and 1 1/2 ounces of simple syrup. Stir and top with 4 ounces of club soda. The effects of the cannabis will not be felt as quickly as when it is smoked, so wait an hour before deciding if you need a second glass.