craft cannabis beverages

 
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Infused beverage recipes from top canna-ssuers 

By: Sarah Francey
Photos: Ambedo Agency

Featuring the recipes
of Colin HoLOBOFF and Andrew Freedman,
The Cannabis Sommelier

We love a good mocktail, and we love a good cannabis-infused beverage, so we would love to bring the two together in holy flavour matrimony. We’re seeing beverages flood the market and while they’re great for grab-and-go options, why not up the ante and enhance those bold flavours – have a little fun and let your inner craft bartender come out! 

Now let us be clear, we will not be mixing cannabis with any form of alcohol, nor do we condone it. That is firstly, not safe, and secondly, asking for a bad day-after. One of the benefits of cannabis mocktails is waking up the next day feeling like a spring daisy.

As wellness trends takeover, you’ll notice the shift away from traditional “social beverages”, and we firmly believe there is a solid and expansive market for cannabis beverages. They’re versatile, you can customize the taste profiles and your personal dosing – and they’re also delicious and refreshing. 

It poses the question though – will we see cannabis beverages enter the restaurant and bar scene? Will they have the same prominence as traditional cocktails? Or will cannabis beverages remain your backyard buddy, picnic pal and house party homeboys?

 
 

While it might be a while before we see cannabis beverages in restaurants and bars, that means you have plenty of time to master the game and craft your own.

 

 
 

We caught up with some of Calgary’s top bartenders and cannabis enthusiasts to chat cannabis cocktails, how they might affect restaurant culture and alcohol consumption – and you know we had to ask them to whip up some amazing concoctions in the process.

 
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Andrew Freedman has been making a name for himself as “The Cannabis Sommelier”. He’s bringing cannabis tasting to an elevated level, having hosted private dinners with cannabis, food and wine pairings in partnership with celebrity chefs across Canada, highlighting the inherently unique flavours native to the cannabis plant. Andrew is a passionate cannabis enthusiast and has been involved in the industry for more than a decade, transitioning to the legal space as Director of Retail Development with our fellow cannabis retailer, Original Goods Cannabis. His combined love for wine and cannabis inspired him to take the sommelier path and apply those tasting principles to cannabis. This knowledge prominently shines through in his popular Youtube product reviews and we will get to learn even more from the Cannabis Sommelier when his book, ‘The Definitive Guide to Terpenes - a guide to self care & wellness’ is released in April 2021. 

Colin Alexander Holoboff has been a part of the hospitality industry for over 20 years. In 2013, the renaissance of cocktails made its way to Calgary and Colin shifted his career to focus on cocktail bartending and in the past seven years has created cocktail menus for many of the independently owned cocktail bars and restaurants you frequent today. Colin has competed in many cocktail competitions over the years and loves using his culinary skills to create original one-of-a-kind recipes. Five years ago, Colin started Prohibition Pop-Up to offer the cocktail experience of the restaurant in your home and today hopes to help you make your special event safe and exciting. His knowledge for craft cocktails and flavour pairings made the transition to adapting cannabis beverages a perfect match.

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Cannabis cocktails in the scene:

is there a place for cannabis beverages in our current restaurant and bar scene?

 

Colin HolOBoff:

“If AGLC were to allow it, I think there is definitely a place for cannabis mocktails or craft cannabis beverages, we see patrons shifting their preferences to flavours versus intoxicants and a prominent shift to more “health-conscious” beverages. But the dilemma comes in managing cannabis consumption in the presence of traditional alcoholic beverages, how do you ensure safe service? Especially if there is the chance of mixing. It really comes down to awareness of the product and the social conscience of the restaurant – how well do you know your customer base, understanding dosage and effect and being able to adapt recipes for all levels or users to ensure an enjoyable experience. There’s a market for it in cool neighbourhood spots and one-off mom and pop shops, absolutely. Large chains will be the late adopters.”

 

Andrew freedman:

Absolutely. There is a beautiful pairing of cannabis and food that brings about a Michelin star experience. It’s the future of fine dining, and as people gravitate towards more of a “California sober” option, that’s a space cannabis can fill. That being said, there needs to be a regulatory standard akin to Sellsafe or Proserve to ensure this can be done in a safe way. 

I think the future of cannabis infusions is really leveraging it as a flavour versus purely just an intoxicant, and for foodies and craft cocktail lovers, there is a space for that. It’ll be more of a niche consumer, but cannabis could definitely be the catalyst for a perfect fine dining experience – from the beverages to the food.” 

The jury is still out and public safety remains top of mind for adoption of cannabis beverages in restaurants and bars, but there’s no reason why you can’t craft your own amazing cannabis mocktails and enjoy them in your own oasis. Though we will be patiently waiting for our Michelin star cannabis experience…

 

Colin Alexander HoLOBOff

elevated grapefruit soda

 

elevated grapefruit soda

made with Houseplant Grapefruit 

 

Ingredients

  • Houseplant Grapefruit

  • Fresh Grapefruit Juice

  • Rosemary 

  • Ground Cardamom

  • Ice

Directions

  1. Fill Collins glass with ice

  2. Pour 1oz of fresh grapefruit juice over ice

  3. Top with Houseplant Grapefruit Soda

  4. Sprinkle 3 dashes of Cardamom on top 

  5. Torch rosemary and add to drink

Glass: Collins

Garnish

  • Torched Rosemary

  • 1/4 Grapefruit Wheel

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Andrew Freedman

linalool sour

 

Linalool Sour

Sip, savour and relax with this thirst quenching aromatherapy bomb.
Cannabis infused or un-infused this is a great non-alcoholic cocktail to impress your friends with any time of year! 

 

Ingredients

  • 1 egg white vigorously shaken 

  • 1.5 oz lavender syrup  

  • .5 oz lemon juice 

  • 1 oz lime juice

  • 1 packet TGOD dissolvable THC powder

Glass: Coupe

Directions

  1. Crack egg into shaker tin and shake vigourously for at least 30 seconds.

  2. Combine lavender syrup, lemon juice, lime juice and dissolvable THC powder with shaken egg white.

  3. Ice and Shake, Shake, Shake for 12 seconds.

  4. Double strain into a coupe glass 

  5. Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender or dried lavender flowers add 3 dashes of linalool terpenes on foam.

Notes

  • Lavender syrup is made by adding dried lavender to warm simple syrup and steeping for 1 hour to infuse the flavour.

  • True Terpenes are the recommended terpene company.

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Colin Alexander HoLOBOff

plant life

 

plant life

made with Exhale drops

 

Ingredients

  • 1 Exhale Drops : 2 drops = 1mg 

  • Mint

  • Fresh Lime Juice

  • Green Yerba Mate Syrup*

  • Mint & Chlorophyll Kombucha
    (Rise Brand) and/or Soda

  • Edible Flower

  • Large Ice Cube 

Glass: Rocks

Directions

  1. Muddle Mint with 1/2 oz Mate Syrup* and Exhale Drops in a shaker tin

  2. Add 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice

  3. Shake all ingredients with lots of ice for 12- 20 seconds

  4. Strain into rocks glass over large ice cube.

  5. Top with Mint & Chlorophyll Kombucha (and or Soda to desired constancy)

Garnish

  • Edible Flower

  • Large Ice Cube

How to make Mate Syrup

  1. Steep 2 tablespoons of Mate in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes

  2. Strain tea leaves

  3. Add 3/4 cup white sugar

  4. Let cool

*Mate is a caffeine rich tea leaf originally from South America

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Andrew Freedman

Ghost Train Haze

 

Ghost Train Haze

Acid! But not LSD! Ghost train haze is a citrus bomb! Perfect for hot summer nights, late afternoon smoke sessions or anytime you are thirsty! Terpinolene and limonene dominate this fruit forward cocktail.

 

Ingredients

  • .5 oz Lime Juice

  • .5 oz Lemon Juice

  • 1 oz Grapefruit Juice

  • 1 oz Orange Juice

  • Orange bitters

  • Serrano Sour Diesel Hot Sauce (or Cholula)

  • Tajin Spice

  • Salt

  • Riff THC Spray

Directions

  1. Combine lime juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice in mixing glass. Add a small dash of Serrano Sour Diesel Hot Sauce or Cholula hot sauce and a tiny pinch of salt.

  2. Ice and Shake, Shake, Shake for 12 seconds

  3. Using your THC spray mist a rocks glass 2-4 times coating the inside of the glass and the rim.

  4. Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of the rocks glass and roll half of the rim in the Tajin Spice.

  5. Ice glass and strain drink over top of fresh ice.

  6. Mist the glass with 2 more sprays of THC spray and 2 sprays of orange bitters slightly diluted with water. (The Haze)

Notes

  •  The recipe for Serrano Sour Diesel hot sauce can be found on my Youtube channel.

  •  To mist orange bitters you will need a misting bottle.

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