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CANNABIS DRINKS
Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home
JAMIE EVANS
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION Welcome to the future of beverages.
Infused drinks are one of the fastest growing cannabis categories, quickly becoming the new star of cannabis legalization. From CBD lattes to THC sparkling tonics, consumers cant get enough. There are a number of professionally made products available to experiment with, but crafting cannabis drinks at home has never been easier.
As a Certified Specialist of Wine and a cannabis drink expert, crafting well-made beverages has always been a passion of mine. I fell in love with the gourmet world early on, including all the fanciful drinks that have made their way onto our favorite menus. With my growing interest in food, beverages, flavors, and aromas, it was a natural fit to pursue a career in the wine industry, which I called home for over a decade. Eventually, my love for wine and beverages carried over to cannabis, largely driven by the many similarities between the two. This rings true especially when it comes to infused drinks.
Theres something satisfying about creating the perfect melody of aromas and flavors to entice the nose and palate. With the addition of cannabis, we can experience our favorite beverages in an entirely new way. Infused beverages taste great and, by integrating CBD, THC, and an array of other important compounds produced by the cannabis plant, they can also offer many therapeutic benefits.
CBD 101
If youre just beginning your cannabis journey, its important to familiarize yourself with some basics. Before diving into CBD, lets begin with something called hemp. To clarify, cannabis and hemp are the same plant. When you hear the term hemp, its used to classify varieties of cannabis that contain no more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight, delivering no intoxicating effects when consumed.
However, not all hemp plants are grown the same way. There are different levels of quality within the category. To receive the most therapeutic value from hemp, choose full-spectrum items that are sourced from hemp farms using regenerative farming practices, not big industrial hemp farms. Most often industrial hemp is grown for hemp seed oil or for fiber, not for phytocannabinoid and terpene production, which are the critical components that contribute to the plants special healing benefits, including CBD.
So, what is CBD, anyway? As one of the most popular phytocannabinoidsmeaning a cannabinoid that is derived from a plantCBD is a nonintoxicating and nonaddicting organic compound thats created by the cannabis plant. Produced in trichomes (the special glands that create the wonderful components that make cannabis unique), CBD works with hundreds of other important compounds to deliver beneficial effects.
While research on CBD and its healing benefits are still in the early stages, there are a few things we do have a reasonable understanding of. For example, while CBD does not deliver the same high effects as THC, it can help relieve anxiety and stress by interacting with serotonin receptors found in the brain. CBD is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, inhibiting the release of signaling molecules that come from immune cells that promote inflammation in the body. This is one reason cannabidiol is popular among athletes!
Unlike THC, CBD will not make you feel stoned. In fact, you might not perceive any noticeable effects at first because CBD is very subtle. As you will learn throughout this book, to achieve the best results with CBD, you must stick with a daily regimen based on your particular needs. Cannabidiol is a personalized medicine that is most impactful when taken consistently over time.
Its also important to remember that CBD is not a cure-all. Dont let marketing schemes fool you! While CBD can be a beneficial phytocannabinoid and is showing potential to help aid several ailments, CBD will not fix everything and its not for everyone.