Weed Infused Rum - How To Make Your Own

Across the US, the cannabis industry continues to grow steadily. One of the factors pushing this growth is that more and more states are legalizing marijuana in one form or another. One product that has recently gained popularity is weed infused rum. 

New ideas and trends on cannabis-infused alcohol are popping up everywhere. Companies are brewing beer with marijuana, infusing liquors with hemp, and fusing weed and wine. 

Many people aren't sure if mixing cannabis and alcohol is safe. Questions are asked on how weed infused rum affects the body. Is it possible to accurately control the dose of marijuana when mixed with alcohol? What are the dangers of consuming weed rum? 

We explore these questions and take you through making your own infused alcohol at home. 

What is weed-infused rum?

Rum is available in various colors: white, golden brown, or deep molasses. You can find standard rum available in a large variety of flavors ranging from the all-time favorite vanilla to exotic ones such as Dragonberry, coconut, and lime. 

Weed infused rum is an awesome alcoholic beverage infused or mixed with cannabis. Usually, this follows a process whereby the alcohol is forcibly infused using high-tech techniques or allowed to stand for some time to take on the properties of the cannabis strain.

Mixing the rum and the cannabis gives users a different way of experiencing the effects of marijuana. The high is more likely to be intense when mixed with alcohol; the experience mellows the mind. 

What are the effects of cannabis-infused rum?

The inclusion of alcohol will heighten any effects that you may experience from cannabis. There isn't much data on how this combination affects people yet. 

Most research is based on what happens when you smoke marijuana and then consume alcohol, not when you drink cannabis infused rum. A study conducted in 2015 looked at the effects of alcohol and cannabis when used one after the other. 

Researchers found that people who ingested alcohol before using cannabis experienced a much higher level of THC in their bloodstream than those who didn’t drink. The conclusion was that any dose of alcohol combined with marijuana significantly increases levels of THC in the blood. 

The effects of drinking weed infused rum are twofold. You’d experience the alternating effects of alcohol and cannabis. Common side effects include slurred speech, slower reaction times, lower inhibitions, and confusion if ingested in high quantities. 

If you overindulge, it could lead to blackouts. Having weed rum would deliver a boosted high from the THC levels. 

Some of the effects you could experience include:

• Pleasant euphoria
• Sense of relaxation
• Heightened sensory perception
• Episodes of the giggles 
• Altered perception of time
• Increased appetite

You may be in for a bumpy ride if you don't use the potent beverage with caution. Consider not only your tolerance for alcohol but also your body's reaction to cannabis. 

Why try weed rum?

There are several reasons to try weed infused rum. Rum is a delicious beverage and goes well with several other liquids that provide a taste pleasure experience. 

The reason people mix alcohol with cannabis is to get a more intense high. You might prefer to sip your marijuana strain rather than smoking or eating the plant. 

It can be considered a more social way of sharing weed amongst friends. Decreasing your inhibitions and providing you with an awesome trip are excellent reasons to try weed-infused booze. Do you need any more than that?

What is crossfading?

Crossfading is the feeling of being drunk and high at the same time. It's not likely to cause any major health issues, but there are some variables to consider when using weed and alcohol together. 

Consider which one you should use first and how to consume them. Be careful as the pairing could cause you to have a crossfaded green out or give you the spins. If you've never tried using both substances together, it's best to experiment with weed infused rum at home before trying it in public.  

Drinking alcohol before consuming weed increases the plant’s effectiveness because the liquor increases the plant's main psychoactive ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This boost gives a stronger high, but while it's pleasant for some, others might experience green out. 

Spins and green outs have some unpleasant symptoms such as: 

• Dizziness 
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting

How to infuse weed into rum: 3 recipes to try

There are a few different techniques used to infuse rum with weed. Some are simpler than others, but the more complex ones tend to give better results. The easiest is placing baked cannabis into alcohol and letting it steep, but this takes time. 

Let's take a look at a few options to try in your kitchen:

1. The simple method

This method is the easiest and cheapest, you don’t need any special tools, and it’s simple to understand. Discover how to infuse rum with marijuana the easy way.

Ingredients:

• ⅓ oz. Cannabis
• 750ml Rum (At least 80 proof or 40% alcohol)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200℉
2. Place your weed on a baking tray and bake for 15 mins.
3. Remove the weed from the oven and leave it to cool down for a few minutes.
4. Add all of the weed to the rum bottle.
5. Seal and store in a dark place for a minimum of 4 days. 
6. Shake the weed rum bottle once or twice a day.
7. On day four, boil a large pot of water. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Once it’s cooled a little, place the sealed bottle into the water for 30 mins.
8. Make sure that the water level doesn't cover the top of the bottle. Heating the mixture releases more of the properties into the rum. 
9. Strain the rum by pouring it through a coffee filter or cheesecloth.
10. Throw away the plant matter that is filtered out.
11. Your rum is now ready to enjoy. 

2. The high tech method

This method is a bit more complicated but well worth it. Read on to discover how to infuse rum with weed in a high-tech way.

Ingredients:

• ⅛ oz. Cannabis
• High alcohol content rum

Tools:

• 1 liter, heat-tolerant whipped-cream whipper
• Two nitrous oxide chargers (N2O)
• Double boiler large enough to house the whipper

Directions:

1. Break the buds apart and spread them on a baking tray. Use aluminum foil or parchment paper underneath to prevent sticking.
2. Bake at 220℉ for 40-50 mins. 
3. Place the decarboxylated bud into the whipper with the rum. Follow the instructions for the N2O to charge the whipper.
4. Let stand for 5 mins.
5. IMPORTANT! Before going further, you must vent off all the remaining gas to bubbles. Stir the mixture for a few minutes to achieve that.
6. Seal the whipper with the weed rum mixture.
7. Place the whipper inside the double boiler and simmer on low heat for one hour. Don't leave the pot unattended. 
8. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth and discard any organic matter.
9. Your rum is now ready. Cool it to room temperature, and then place it in the fridge before enjoying. 

3. Green Grinch Cocktail

Once you've made your weed rum concoction, have some fun with it. Try this grinchy green cocktail to celebrate the Xmas season or just for the heck of it.

Tools:

• Cocktail glasses
• Different color candy canes
• Stirring wand or spoon
• Pitcher
• Plate for the sugar

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Fizzy Lemonade 
• 3 oz Blue Curacao Liqueur
• 12 oz Orange juice
• 3 oz Peach or Cranberry Schnapps
• 3 oz Cannabis-Infused Rum
• 4 Candy canes to place inside and stir!
• Ice Cubes
• 10 tbsp green or red colored sugar for rimming
• One lime cut into wedges with a small slit on top

Instructions:

1. Mix everything in a pitcher, except for the candy canes and lemonade.
2. Pour the sugar onto a plate.
3. Slide a lime wedge along the edge of your cocktail glass.
4. Place the glass upside on the sugar plate, so the granules stick to the rim.
5. Pour your mixture into the glass and top up with lemonade.
6. Place the candy cane inside, and you're ready to be green and grinchy.

Wow your friends with your brand of weed-infused rum

Weed infused rum is gaining popularity amongst cannabis lovers. It's a fragrant THC drink that can deliver a mellow high. 

Research on the safety of mixing the two isn't conclusive, so it's prudent to be careful when making and consuming an infusion. Be sure to stick to the recipes and dosage recommendations to avoid green out or other horrible side effects. 

Check out our other recipes similar to cannabis infused rum. After you’ve created your potent potion, invite some friends over and enjoy on the rocks or shake it up with mixers.

About the author: Derek LaRose

Also known as Kronic from The Cannabis Kronicles, Derek LaRose is a young ambitious cultivator and a staple educator for indoor cultivation.