Buying a bag of weed comes with a lot of goodness in it, more than you know. Sure, the sticky marijuana buds are the most precious of them all, but did you know that you don’t have to throw out all the stems you’re left with once you smoke all the buds? You see, all the parts of the marijuana plant can be put to many good uses, and one of them is making marijuana tea with stems, or marijuana stem tea.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to marijuana stem tea and guide you through the recipe.
What Is Marijuana Tea?
Marijuana tea is exactly what the name implies – it’s a brewed hot beverage infused with marijuana. It can be made with all parts of the marijuana plant, including the leftover stems and other trimmings that often get thrown away.
Its potency depends on which part of the plant was used for the brew. Cannabis flowers are the most abundant in cannabinoids and therefore will make for a more potent brew, while stems and other trimmings will make a milder concoction.
Marijuana tea made with stems is a great way to use up those parts of the cannabis plant which aren’t smokable and can’t be used in any other way.
The Benefits of Cannabis-Infused Tea
Making cannabis tea with stems is an environmentally friendly way to use up those cannabis plant byproducts without being wasteful. And on top of that, stems are still full of cannabinoids, albeit not in big concentrations, but enough to give you a mild buzz. This is why cannabis-infused tea has become a good enough substitute for smoking weed for those who wish to avoid smoke irritation.
But there’s more. Weed tea made with stems supposedly has the same health benefits you get from other parts of the plant. Users have reported that some of their milder symptoms related to anxiety and chronic pain have been alleviated when they drank marijuana tea.
Will Weed Tea Made With Stems Get Me High?
Weed tea made with stems will hardly get you soaring high, but you will definitely feel something. As with any other type of marijuana consumption, it depends on what weed strain the stems are from and the THC content of the original plant, as well as your tolerance to THC. Weed tea made with stems should be a lot milder than weed tea made with cannabis flowers, so that’s why it’s preferred by users who are looking for lighter effects.
How to Make Cannabis Tea With Stems
Making cannabis tea with stems, commonly called cannabis stem tea, is a fairly easy process. But it’s not just pouring hot water over the stems as with other types of tea, and it’s all due to the solubility of the active ingredients in weed, namely, the cannabinoids.
But First, The Science Behind Weed Tea
The most important ingredients in weed are cannabinoids. Weed contains over a hundred different cannabinoids of which the most important ones are THC and CBD which have been extensively studied and are found in the largest concentrations. THC is the ingredient that causes euphoric feelings and CBD is the therapeutic molecule. Together, they make the perfect team.
However, when it comes to using them in food and beverages, they need a binding agent so that they can be absorbed by the body. Otherwise, nothing will happen.
That said, cannabinoids aren’t water-soluble, so that’s why pouring boiling water over weed stems won’t produce a psychoactive tea. The cannabinoids won’t be properly extracted in the water and therefore won’t be absorbed by the body.
Therefore, you will need either alcohol or a fatty substance to serve as a binding agent so that THC and CBD can bind to it. For the alcohol, you can use any liquor you prefer, and for the fatty substance, popular choices are liquid substances like dairy milk, coconut milk, and half-and-half, but also more viscous substances such as coconut oil and even cannabutter for an extra kick.
Now that you know how this magic beverage works, let’s see the recipe.
The Recipe for Cannabis Stem Tea
To make cannabis stem tea, you’ll need:
- ½ – ¼ cup leftover stems from your favorite weed strain (or whatever you have on hand);
- 3 cups of water (purified is the best);
- 1-2 tea bags of regular tea for added flavor (whichever you prefer);
- Coffee filter or cheesecloth for straining;
- Binding agent – if you use alcohol, you’ll need 2-3 tsp of your favorite liquor. For fatty substances, you’ll need ½ cup of milk (dairy or non-dairy) or ½ tbsp of coconut oil or butter;
- Shake, kief, a couple of tincture or oil drops for enhanced potency (optional);
The Process
- You can use a grinder to grind the stems if you want, but it would be enough to just break them apart with your hands;
- Fill up a kettle or a saucepan with water and boil it. If you’re using a fatty substance as a binding agent, it’s best to add this ingredient now so that it can be incorporated in the water before you add the marijuana stems. If you’re using alcohol, wait until after the boiling process when you remove the infused tea from the heat, or else, the alcohol will evaporate due to the high temperature which will defeat the purpose;
- Once the water has boiled, stir in the weed stems and keep stirring for about 10-12 minutes. You should also add the teabag at this point. If you’ve decided to add some shake or kief, it’s best to put them in a reusable tea bag and add them in this step. Keep stirring while it simmers;
- When the tea is done, remove it from the heat and add the alcohol. Stir for a couple of minutes and then strain the tea through the coffee filter or the cheesecloth. Now is the time to add some tincture or oil drops, if you want to;
- Stir in a sweetener if desired and enjoy your cup of tea!
Bottom Line – Why Not Warm Yourself Up With a Cup of Weed Stem Tea for a Mild Buzz
Having a teapot full of cannabis stem tea sounds like a dream, right? It will give you a mellower buzz compared to other methods of weed consumption (and it will warm your soul). Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make and it’s a great way to not be wasteful (by using the leftovers that most people simply throw away). So go ahead and pour yourself a cup of marijuana tea and enjoy!
