Weed stems aren't the first things we think about when choosing material for edible cannabis. After all, these pointy, crackly tidbits are total write-offs with no real use, right?
Well, hold on.
Before you drop those weed stems in the nearest trash can, consider using them to make cannabis stem tea.
How Do You Make Good Stem Tea?
You don't have to be an expert to make cannabis tea. It's actually one of the simplest cannabis products. Best of all, you use leftover material that would otherwise get thrown out.
Ultimately, brewing good cannabis stem tea is about following a few easy steps and - more importantly - having fun while you're at it.
What You Need to Easily Brew Stem Tea
Just like any other food or drink, the key to making excellent stem tea begins with equally excellent ingredients. Technically, you could make weed tea from any leftover stems. However, you should pick a strain potent enough to suit your needs from a source you trust.
The following amount of stems makes three to four cups of tea. Feel free to play with the ingredients to find your potency "sweet spot."
Here's what you'll need to make weed tea:
- At least 1/4 cup of cannabis stems (up to 2/3 cup for additional potency)
- 3 cups of water
- Coffee filter, paper towel, cheesecloth, or reusable tea bag
- Kettle or saucepan
Don't Forget the Binding Agent
You also need a binding agent toextract the CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids because they're not water-soluble. You need one of the following:
- 1/4 tablespoon of unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, half-and-half cream, or whole milk
- 2-3 tablespoons of alcohol (any hard liquor).
Spice Things Up With Optional Ingredients
Cannabis tea is a great drink on its own, but the earthy, "hempy" taste is sometimes a bit much. If you want to spruce up your infused tea, add any of these simple ingredients and tweak the drink to your taste.
- Tea bag (any flavor, like chai tea, orange pekoe, or chamomile)
- Lemon
- Honey
- Raw sugar
- Stevia
Once you have your weed stems, binding agent, and optional ingredients (if any), it's time to make some awesome weed tea.
How to Make Cannabis Tea from Leftover Stems
Now that you're all set up, it's time to add everything together. Just follow the next few simple steps, and you'll be sipping on some amazing stem tea in minutes!
Step 1: Grab Your Stems
At this point, you can choose to either grind your stems or leave them alone. Grinding helps increase the stems' surface area but doesn't do much - if anything - to improve potency. If you'd rather not spend time grinding the leftover stems, break apart the bigger pieces with your hands and call it a day.
Step 2: Prepare the Water
Pour the 3 cups of water into your kettle or saucepan. Add the milk, oil, or butter, and then bring to a boil.
IMPORTANT: If you use alcohol as the binding agent, don't add it until Step 3. If you do, the alcohol will boil away and become useless.
Step 3: Add the Weed Stems
Heat the mixture until it boils. Now, it's time to add the weed stems directly into the boiling water or suspend them in a reusable tea bag. Let the water boil for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once the boiling time is up, remove the kettle or saucepan from your stove.
If you choose alcohol for the binding agent, now's the time to add that in.
Step 4: Strain the Tea
If you used a tea bag, there's no straining necessary. Your tea is ready and you're good to go.
For the rest of you, use a rubber band to secure your coffee filter, paper towel, or cheesecloth around a mug or other container (you may need to stack additional paper towels, depending on how thick they are).
Slowly pour your tea onto the filter, paper towel, or cheesecloth, then discard the plant material left behind.
If you brewed with a kettle, secure your filter around the spout and pour as normal.
Step 5: Spruce Up and Enjoy!
You now have some perfectly-strained stem tea. Just add a regular tea bag, honey, milk, sugar, and anything else to make this recipe your own.
Bonus Tips for Making Strong Stem Tea
Take your recipe up a notch with a few simple tips and tricks.
- You can add decarbed shake, trim, or ground flower to your stems in Step 2 for added potency.
- Make your weed tea stronger by increasing the boiling process to 15 minutes. This gives time for more cannabinoids to activate and mix with your binding agents.
- Reuse your vaped herb along with the stems. Vaped herb is already decarbed and contains a decent amount of THC and/or CBD, as long as it's a golden brown color.
Stem Tea FAQs
Does Stem Tea Actually Work?
Yes. Weed stem tea works. As long as you follow a few easy directions, you'll get a perfect batch every time.
Can Stem Tea Get You High?
Yes, stem tea can get you high, as long as it has a decent amount of THC. However, some weed strains are high in CBD with little THC. You won't get high, but you'll still enjoy the benefits of CBD.
How Long Does a Tea High Last?
A stem tea high lasts anywhere from four to eight hours, like with most ingestible cannabis.
What are the Medical Benefits of Weed Tea?
Weed tea offers a slew of medical benefits. Historically, it's been used for chronic pain, nausea, sleep, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and even labor pain (in the case of ancient India).
Can You Make Weed Stem Tea Without a Binding Agent?
No, you can't make stem tea without a binding agent. Cannabinoids aren't water-soluble, so they need something fatty (or alcoholic) to be drawn into the cannabis tea when you boil the mixture. Without this key ingredient, you won't get high or experience any other effects.
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