One increasingly popular trend in the marijuana industry is combining cannabis and coffee – weed coffee. As the common concept of mixing two drugs to get the best of both worlds is being widely practiced, coffee houses are being eyed as the premier venues to provide this powerhouse combination. The good news is that you do not need to wait for these coffee houses to open up and start serving your favorite weed coffee, you can prepare your own. In this article, we will look at the different java-ganja recipes that will complete your day.
What happens when you mix cannabis and coffee?
Before we get into the different weed coffee mixes, let us try to understand better how these two drugs get along inside our bodies and brains.
Coffee and cannabis are two of the most widely used psychotropic drugs in the world. They both have a very long history with humans, with each offering several different benefits and effects – caffeine reduces drowsiness and fatigue, while cannabis results in a range of physiological and psychological changes. Of course, everybody reacts differently to different substances. Here are some evidence-based effects of combining caffeine and weed.
Magnified euphoria
This is perhaps a given and an expected result when combining cannabis and coffee. Both chemicals are known to increase dopamine levels through different processes and mechanisms and combining these two resulted in an increased sense of euphoria. This case was documented by a research done in 2017 and published in the Journal Annals of Neuroscience.
Increased heart rate
More studies have noted the positive effects of caffeine on heart diseases when consumed in appropriate doses. When consumed heavily, however, coffee drinking has been linked to worse heart failure outcomes. Similarly, from a cardiovascular standpoint, short-term use of appropriate amounts of marijuana has been associated with enhanced cardiac output. So it comes as no surprise that combining these two substances will result in an increased heart rate or tachycardia. For people with underlying problems, this could potentially put them at risk for heart complications.
Enhanced high
Similar to an enhanced sense of euphoria, a 2011 study published in the Journal of Addiction Biology, adding a little bit of caffeine to your pot mix can go a long way, resulting in the subjects to use lesser amounts of marijuana. The same study, however, cautioned that high levels of caffeine could have the opposite effect.
Increased pot-associated memory loss
Acute cannabis use has been linked to an increased susceptibility to memory impairment. The adverse changes in the brain are thought to be caused by the THC chemical, which has shown to alter how our hippocampus processes information. And while it is understandable to think that mixing caffeine to your cannabis will likely counteract any susceptibility to memory loss since coffee is known to enhance long term memory, research shows that it causes the opposite – caffeine can worsen pot-associated memory problems.
As with anything cannabis-related, more research needs to be conducted on how weed and caffeine interact. So it is important to start small, go slow, and be mindful of how you feel.
Tasty and Easy Weed Coffee Recipe
If cannabis-infused coffee is something new to you, here are some simple and tasty weed coffee recipes that you can try. These coffee recipes make the weed get to work much faster and more effectively, and the effects to last much longer.
What You Will Need
- Favorite coffee grounds
- 3 cups of water
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- ½ gram of your preferred cannabis
What You Will Need to Do
- Start by grinding your weed into small pieces using a good quality grinder. If you do not have one, you can simply shred or chop your buds as finely as possible with a knife.
- On the side, heat three cups of water on a pan over medium heat. Once the water starts boiling, add your coconut oil. Once the oil has completely mixed in, reduce the heat to a gentle boil or simmer.
- Next, sprinkle in safe dosage of your crushed-up cannabis and let the whole thing stew for around 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to make sure that cannabis does not stick to the side of the pan. The added coconut oil will help absorb the cannabis better as the water boils.
- Strain the mixture using a small hole sieve to remove any remaining shredded plant matter.
- Pour the Take cannabis-water-oil mixture into a pot or coffee mixer and add in your favorite coffee grounds. Brew away. You can also add sugar, honey, or any other extras as desired.
- Enjoy your hard-hitting weed coffee while hot. As the coffee cools, the oil will start separating from the water.
For those who do not have the luxury of waiting 40 minutes for their cup of joe to be ready, there are several shortcuts that you can follow to cut your coffee prep time down.
Cannabutter and brewed coffee
For this recipe, you simply have to add and stir in a dollop of prepared cannabis butter or cannabutter to your freshly brewed cup of coffee.
What You Will Need (Cannabutter)
- Preferred cannabis buds
- Choice of butter
- Cheesecloth
What You Will Need to Do
- Preheat your oven to 240 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating up, spread your cannabis buds on a non-stick baking tray. Cover the tray with parchment paper before inserting it into the oven. Set the timer for 30 to 40 minutes. Be sure to mix the buds with a light shake a couple of times so that all the cannabis gets cooked. This process is called decarboxylation, which is crucial to ensure that the THC and CBD compounds are activated and we do not end up with a weak finished product.
- Once the 40 minutes timeframe has elapsed, remove the tray from the oven and grind the decarboxylated cannabis coarsely using a grinder.
- The next step is to prepare your butter. The good rule of thumb is to use four sticks of butter for every ounce of cannabis. Add the same equivalency of water to butter (1:1) into a stockpot or saucepan. Simmer on low and stir the mix until the butter has completely melted.
- As the butter starts to melt, add in your freshly ground cannabis buds and reduce the heat. Make sure to turn down the stove so that the mix is barely simmering as to avoid burning the weed.
- Maintain low heat and let the mixture simmer for two to three hours. Make sure to stir occasionally.
- Once done, strain the cannabutter using a cheesecloth over a Pyrex or metal bowl that is big enough to handle the mixture. This makes sure that any awful-tasting plant material is removed.
Now that you have your cannabis-infused butter, you can add this to your regular cup of coffee or any other recipes. To test the potency of your finished product, try spreading ¼ teaspoon on a snack and wait for the effects to kick in anywhere between 30 to 190 minutes. Decrease or increase the dosage as needed.
Weed coffee is a great way to start and complete your day. They are a great alternative to cannabis lovers who want to avoid the risks associated with smoking. It is important to remember however that while the effects of the caffeine may kick in Immediately, the effects of the weed will take a while longer since you are consuming the compounds through your stomach.
