Making Cannabis-Infused Kombucha with Your AVB

By Scott Green
Last Updated on

Making Cannabis-Infused Kombucha with Your AVB

Cannabis and Kombucha: 2018’s hottest trend-setting beverage! Got a funny ring to it, doesn’t it? Believe it or not though, the evergrowing acceptance of adult cannabis use is bringing forth some truly amazing concoctions!

When I first moved to Denver back in 2014, the legal cannabis scene was only really kicking off. These days there is every ‘infused’ product type under the sun available for purchase.

Whether it be a bottle of ice tea, pizza sauce, or even hot wings, edible cannabis is everywhere, so why not learn how to make your own?

If you’re a herb vaper like me that still enjoys the taste and feel of consuming straight flower, then this is an article for you! Consuming AVB in food is a common practice, but with the help of this article, you’ll soon be able to do it one step better!

By the time you’re at the end of your fifth dime bag, you should have just enough cannabis to make a 3L infused kombucha like this recipe calls for. That Storz & Bickel Crafty above got a good workout.

Now, in terms of your AVB (already vaped bud), it’s best if you don’t char the herb so that the maximum amount of THC can be present for this extraction.

Infused Kombucha

To begin with, you’re going to want to take between three and seven grams of AVB and place it in a container. If you’ve got jewelry scales this process is super easy, if not, a rule of thumb for five grams of AVB is two and a half level tablespoons.

How much AVB you use depends upon how strong you want your infused kombucha to be. I like a really strong blend, but my partner prefers a weaker mix so she can consume more, so I generally end up making two batches.

A good practice to get into is separating strains or keeping a different AVB jar for Indica or Sativa! That way you can create infused kombucha for both the day and night.

Infused Kombucha

What you’re going to need for this recipe to work is:

  • A vessel that can fit approx 3.5L (0.9 gallons) of liquid, preferably with a tap
  • A ‘Scoby’ (the yeasty bacteria that kicks off the fermentation process, available both online and at most good health food shops)
  • 3L (0.8 gallons) of filtered water 
  • 4 organic black tea bags
  • 4 organic green tea bags
  • 3 to 7 grams (1/8-1/4 oz) decarboxylated or vaped cannabis bud, ground
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • a large saucepan
  • a tea diffuser or DIY tea bag kit

Infused Kombucha

First, you’re going to want to add 3L (0.8 gallons) of filtered tap water to a large pot and put it over the stove on high. This is how you brew your large tea and is the first step to getting your cannabis to infuse!

Depending on what flavor you’re going for, you can switch up the ratio of green to black. Six black and two green make for a sweeter blend, while the reverse will bring forth a more intense ‘tea’ flavor.

Infused Kombucha

For this part, you’re going to want to remove the indicator tags on the tea bag to make sure they don’t get a little singed like mine did. Hey, we’re all learning here!

By the time the water is almost boiling, add your tea bags and reduce the burner to a simmer for about ten to fifteen minutes. At this stage, the water should be super dark and a rich tea aroma should be filling your kitchen.

If not, maybe check the hot plate is turned on and don’t toke so much before getting in the kitchen!

Infused Kombucha

When your tea has reached the required color, add it to your storage vessel and measure out a cup of sugar. Once you’ve emptied this into the tea-filled vessel, give it a vigorous stir for around thirty seconds or until the sugar has dissolved.

Now your blend is ready to be infused. Just like with brewing beer, you can’t add the yeast (or Scoby in this case) to the mix until it has cooled down to roughly 25°C (75°F) or it will die.

Infused Kombucha

At this stage, you’re going to want to firmly pack your AVB into the diffuser to begin the process of infusing the remaining cannabinoids into your kombucha.

I’ve fit 6 grams of cannabis into one of these things before, but there is a bit of a process involved. Crunch up your cannabis so that it’s a little finer, and make packed layers of bud.

Infused Kombucha

Lay a spoon or something similar over the top of your vessel and position it so that it acts as an above-ground anchor for the tea diffuser.

If the water is sitting at around 80°C (175°F), it should take around 90 minutes to cool down to the required temp for fermentation to commence. This should be ample time for your cannabis to be infused.

Another method could be to use a DIY tea bag and keep the cannabis in the container for the entire fermentation process, similar to a slow-release glycerin tincture.

When the temperature has dropped back to 25°C (75°F), add your Scoby (pictured above left) and seal the vessel with some paper towel and a rubber band for up to seven days.

Infused Kombucha

After a week, your infused blend should be ready to consume! Save the Scoby and ten percent of the mixture for your next infused blend and store it in a cool, dry place!

Enjoy it refrigerated and experiment with adding some different varieties of fruit for a zingy kick! I hope this recipe has gotten you a couple of steps closer to making your own cannabis-infused Kombucha!

Infused Kombucha

Scott Green

Scott Green

Who's Scott Green? An author, an eccentric, a lover of 90s Hip Hop, and of course, a cannabis enthusiast! Originally from Australia, I have spent the last couple of years living in Denver, CO, where I write articles on cannabis and vaping.

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