5 Amazing CBD Cocktails Recipes You Must Try

Whether it’s an updated version of an old favorite or a newly concocted surprise, there’s bound to be something to satiate everyone’s taste buds. Depending on where you live and the legalities in your region, the number of people experimenting with CBD cocktails recipes is on the rise. But why?

Creating cocktails is a fun way to experiment with this non-intoxicating substance, and it allows you to play around with non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. 

While CBD won’t get you high, it can put your mind, body, and spirit at ease, relieving you of the day’s stress and worries. It’s also an anti-inflammatory agent, helps with insomnia, and induces a sense of anxiety-curing calm.

Read on as we delve deeper into the details of CBD mixed with alcohol and provide you with five delicious recipes to help you get started.

Cannabis Cocktails – Relaxtini by Homegrown Cannabis Co. from Homegrown Cannabis Co. on Vimeo.

What are CBD cocktails?

CBD cocktails are alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that get infused with cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive chemical found in cannabis and hemp.

While it enhances the relaxation effect of sipping cocktails, CBD, in contrast to THC, doesn’t get you high. 

You can make cocktail recipes with either CBD oil or CBD tinctures (bitters). The difference is that the latter gets extracted using alcohol, while the former uses oils or fats during the extraction process.

While mixologists and bartenders can make CBD-infused drinks with just about any type of alcohol, they prefer low-ABV products.

Can you take CBD with alcohol?

CBD can’t get you high, but using it in conjunction with alcohol can get you cross-faded.

Several studies found that mixing CBD with alcohol may reduce the side effects of booze. However, there’s currently insufficient research to determine the full effects of using these two substances together. 

Using CBD and alcohol together may intensify each other’s effects. Used in conjunction, high doses may result in sedation and sleepiness. 

Research shows that cannabidiol can:

• Protect against alcohol-induced cell damage
• Lower blood alcohol concentration
• Minimize addiction
• Reduce withdrawal symptoms

On the other hand, research on mice found that CBD may escalate the risk of liver toxicity.

Researchers based most of the current evidence on animals administered with high amounts of CBD and alcohol. Very little research focuses on the effects of moderate usage in humans.

Whether it’s safe to use CBD and alcohol together remains unclear. Should you decide to combine these two substances, it’s wise to stick to moderate amounts of both. 

Is CBD-infused alcohol legal?

The legalities surrounding CBD-infused alcoholic drinks are somewhat confusing.

Although legal, state, and federal laws regulate the use and retail of alcoholic beverages.

Cannabis is still illegal in most states and under federal law. However, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, no longer defining it as marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. 

Consequently, it’s permitted to produce hemp-derived CBD-infused alcoholic drinks in legal states, although local and federal regulatory bodies impose strict criteria.

Due to CBD’s approval in the treatment of epilepsy, the FDA stipulates that the substance is only useful as a drug. For this reason, according to the FDA, using hemp infused alcoholic drinks and foods is illegal.

Up to date, the FDA refuses to acknowledge CBD as a safe food additive. Therefore, only TTB-approved hemp-infused alcoholic beverages made from parts of the plant that don’t contain CBD are legal.

Why take CBD with alcohol? 

It’s widely believed that CBD oil holds various health benefits. For instance, many users report that consuming cannabidiol soothes their mood and calms them down.

Consuming a special cocktail delivers a double effect—while the CBD oil induces a sedative-like effect, the cocktail delivers a feeling of relaxation.

Both alcohol and CBD oil have a tranquilizing effect while simultaneously lowering your inhibitions. Using these two substances together may result in a compounded effect, making the experience especially intense and long-lasting.

The result depends on the individual, of course. If drinking makes you happy, then CBD could intensify those feelings. Alternatively, if alcohol makes you violent, the mix may counteract your anger.

Besides the potential health benefits, using cocktails can result in various texture and flavor enhancements.

The natural flavor of CBD is earthy and plant-like, making it an excellent addition to many cocktails, especially amaro and gin-based drinks.

Cocktail effects: Do CBD drinks work?

While more research is required, CBD developed a reputation worldwide as a cure-all, making cocktails exceptionally popular. 

Consuming CBD is reported to alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and pain perception. It has a strong analgesic effect when it binds with our bodies’ TRPV1 receptor, especially after prolonged use.

Using CBD in cocktails induces feelings of relaxation and euphoria. Simultaneously it alleviates anxiety, nausea, and other physical discomforts, making it a welcome addition to any cocktail.

You can enjoy a couple of non-alcoholic or low ABV cocktails with CBD infusion and still make it to the gym the following day.

CBD cocktail recipes

There are various ways to incorporate CBD infusion into your drinks. You can make your own cannabidiol simple syrup, float the substance on top of the cocktail, or even use pre-manufactured CDB tonics. The choice is yours.

1. Apple wine CBD spritzer

After tasting this CBD-infused wine spritzer, you’ll never settle for the ordinary again. Combining sweet apple wine, fizzy club soda, and premium quality apple Kiwi CBD oil results in a deliciously refreshing drink that’s both familiar and daring.

If you’re looking for a CBD cocktail that’s ideal for spending a night with friends or a relaxing evening, this drink should be at the top of your list.

Ingredients

• Chilled apple wine
• Apple kiwi CBD oil
• Club Soda
• Kiwi or green apple slices for garnish

Preparation

• Fill a large wine glass with ice.
• Add apple wine until the glass is half full, then top it off with club soda.
• Drizzle the apple kiwi CBD oil onto the drink so that it floats on top. As a result, you’ll smell, taste, and see the sweet, earthy substance every time you take a sip.
• Using kiwi or green apple slices, garnish the cocktail by placing it on top of the liquid or hanging it on the rim of the glass. 

2. CBD infused whiskey: Pot Manhattan

As a reinvention of the classic, the Pot Manhattan is a sign of exquisite taste and luxury.

To create this CBD-infused whiskey cocktail, though, you first have to make the cannabis-infused whiskey. To produce this CBD infusion, you have to:

• Grind or cut eight 0.3 oz. of your favorite weed and place it on a baking tray.
• Bake the cannabis for 45 minutes at 240 °F.
• Place the baked cannabis in a one-liter sealable container and add a bottle of rye whiskey (⅕ gal).
• Stir the concoction slightly, place it in an area that doesn’t get direct sunlight, and allow it to rest for two days.
• Pour the concoction into another ¼ gallon container through a strainer and cheesecloth. Be sure to squeeze the remaining liquid out of the cloth.
• If you prefer a more potent end product, increase the amount of cannabis and infusion time.

After making the CBD-infused whiskey, it’s finally time to prepare your first Pot Manhattan.

Ingredients

• Two oz. of cannabis-infused whiskey
• One oz. of Sweet Vermouth
• Three dashes of Angostura Bitters

Preparation

• Pour the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice.
• Stir, then strain the liquid into a chilled coupe glass and enjoy.

3. CBD infused gin: CBD Dirty Martini

As far as gin-based cocktails go, the Dirty Martini has been on the scene for a very long time. Now, thanks to innovative thinking and CBD infusion, the CBD Dirty Martini breathes new life into a classic cocktail.

Ingredients 

• Two oz. of dry gin
• ½ oz. of extra dry vermouth
• ½ oz. of green olive cocktail brine
• One dash of freshly ground black pepper
• CBD oil
• One green olive and freshly ground pepper as garnish

Preparation

• Pour the gin, vermouth, olive cocktail brine, and the dash of cracked black pepper into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until the liquid is well-chilled.
• Strain the concoction into a coupe or Martini glass.
• Add three drops of CBD oil on top.
• Garnish with a dash of the cracked pepper and a skewered green olive.

4. CBD infused vodka: Hemp Highball

Created by Humboldt Distillery, the Hemp Highball features Humboldt’s Finest, the company’s unique hemp-infused vodka.

With a distinct floral character and strong citrus flavor, it’s ideal for those warm summer days. Also, since it’s legal in all 50 states, this CBD-infused drink is the perfect alternative for celebrating 4/20. 

Ingredients

1½ oz. of Humboldt’s Finest hemp-infused vodka

One oz. of jasmine simple syrup

Soda water

½ oz. of fresh lemon juice

Two cucumber slices

Preparation

Firstly, you’ll need to prepare some jasmine simple syrup. To make this ingredient:

• Brew a pot of strong jasmine green tea.
• Dissolve one part sugar in one part hot jasmine tea, and allow the concoction to cool down.

When you’re jasmine simple syrup is cold; it’s time to start making your first cocktail:

• Pour the vodka, lemon juice, and syrup into a cocktail shaker and add one cucumber slice. Fill it with ice and shake it until well-chilled.
• Strain the content into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
• Using the soda water, top up the drink.
• Garnish the cocktail with the remaining cucumber slice and serve.

5. CBD shot drink: Strawberry Lemonade CBD Jell-O shots

What is summer without some lemonade?

If you’re under the impression that Jell-O shots are exclusive for use by college kids, this shot drink is sure to change your mind.

Even though Strawberry Lemonade CBD Jell-O shots contain no alcohol, they’re spiked with CBD, making it an easy and delicious way to ingest your daily dose of cannabidiol. It’s also the ideal mid-meal palate cleanser and a fun way to end the day.

Ingredients

• One cup of lemonade
• One six oz. package of instant strawberry Jell-O
• Six lemons halved lengthwise
• One cup of water
• 120 mg of water-soluble CBD

Preparation

• Pour the water into a small pot and heat it until it boils.
• Add the Jell-O powder and CBD into the boiling water and whisk it until it’s completely dissolved.
• Mix the lemonade into the contents of the small pot.
• Cut the six lemons in half, then, using a spoon, scoop out the fruit. Be sure not to break the peel.
• Place the lemon peels on a cupcake pan, then fill them with the Jell-O mixture. 
• Place the cupcake pan in your refrigerator and allow it to set.
• After about six hours, remove the Jell-O-filled lemon peels from the refrigerator, cut them into quarters, and serve.

CBD infused drinks: Innovation at its finest

The meteoric rise of cannabis opened many new doors for innovation. Amongst the finest of these are CBD-infused drinks.

Over the past decade, mixologists worldwide started experimenting with CBD infusion in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Their claim to fame is that these drinks are a safe and pleasurable way to get your daily dose of cannabidiol.

From reinvented classics to brand new concoctions, your choices for experimenting with cocktails are near endless. 

While making your own CBD cocktails is fun and easy, it’s important to source your cannabidiol oil from a trustworthy supplier. Better yet, infuse your favorite drink with your own homegrown weed.

At Homegrown Cannabis Co., we pride ourselves in stocking a huge variety of the highest quality marijuana seeds. To grow your own weed, simply log on to our website and choose your favorite seeds from our broad selection of premium cultivars.

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.