Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day with cannabis cocktails is way better than overpaying for green beer in an Irish bar. This year, throw a small gathering with your quaran-team instead, and make sure you have some of these delicious drinks on the menu. Whether you’re going with a simple pairing or a complicated mocktail, your intimate Saint Patty’s celebration is going to be great.
1. Weed and Whiskey: The Perfect Pairing
A good whisky is usually paired with a nice cigar, but it’s always good to change up your routine. Cannabis is smoky and full of flavor. It’s not just a cute alliteration—weed and whiskey is the perfect pairing you didn’t know you needed.
Bourbon and Weed Pairings
No one can compete with California’s growers, but when it comes to bourbon, we have to defer to the East coast, specifically Kentucky. Long known for its hemp farms and exquisite bourbon, it’s a pairing with plenty of history. Jeeter pre-rolls go well with this liquor, but so does good old-fashioned flower. Made mainly from corn and aged in charred oak barrels, the sweet and subtle smokiness of a bourbon (served neat, of course) goes nicely with Heavy OG and other Cannabis indica strains.
Scotch and Sinsemilla
For real smoke-on-the-water vibes, Scotch is your friend. Known for its strong smoky flavor, you can pair it with any tasty strain. On your next R&R weekend, combine the earthy flavors of Super Silver Haze and a glass of Monkey Shoulder for an uplifting (and tasty) experience.
There are other creative ways to combine whiskey and the power of cannabis. Not sure where to start? No worries—we’ve adapted a few recipes of traditional cocktails so you can enjoy your favorite whisky cocktails with your weed.
2. How to Make a 7 & 7 & 420
A play on the classic Seven and Seven cocktail, this version takes things up a notch by swapping out the Seven-up for a classed-up botanical alternative. Cann Social Tonic, which comes in high-class flavors like Lemon Lavender, offers a CBD boost and won’t knock you out with too much THC.
EQUIPMENT:
- Highball glass
INGREDIENTS:
- Cubed ice
- 2 oz Seagram’s 7 Crown (or other whiskey)
- 6 oz Cann Social Tonic (one can minus a few gulps)
- 1 lemon (optional)
Fill the highball glass with ice, then pour in whiskey. Fill to the top with Cann Social Tonic in your flavor of choice.
Garnish with the peel of the lemon, or let a few thin slices float on top. For bonus points, you can substitute it with the citrus fruit that corresponds to your Cann flavor, such as grapefruit or blood orange.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
3. How to Make a Pineapple Express
Named for the notorious Pineapple Express strain, this cocktail feels so much like summer that you’ll forget you spent the whole season stuck inside. For a stronger high, add more fruity flavors and THC by increasing the amount of Major. This drink pairs perfectly with its namesake strain, but feel free to explore—weed gummies from Plus make a perfect accompaniment. They work as a garnish, too.
EQUIPMENT:
- Cocktail shaker
- Highball glass
INGREDIENTS:
- Cubed ice
- 2 oz of your favorite whiskey (fruit-infused whiskeys such as Howler Head are particularly good in this)
- 4 ounces pineapple juice (canned is fine)
- 2 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 dash Major cannabis-infused fruit drink
- 1 lemon (optional)
Pour the whiskey, pineapple juice, and lemon juice into the cocktail shaker with ice, and firmly shake 3 times.
Fill the highball glass with ice, then pour in the mixture. Garnish with the peel of the lemon, or let a few thin slices float on top.
For a combination that’s more relaxing than taking a Bali vacation, get your smoke sesh started before your first sip. Light a bowl of Pineapple Express, take a puff of a tropical fruit-flavored vape, or enjoy with any other cannabis products you happen to love.
Skip the Hangover with these Cannabis Mocktail Recipes
While there’s nothing quite like peat notes mixed with botanical terpene flavors, we understand that not everyone wants to mix their liquor and marijuana. Luckily, we found a few alcohol-free cannabis mocktail recipes from People’s. These warm drinks are perfect for the fall and winter, but we think they’re delicious any day of the year.
4. How to Make a Minty Pot Toddy
With this recipe, you can turn a classic British cold remedy into a delicious drink that contains all the benefits of cannabis that you need for your health and well-being.
This twist on the Hot Toddy is easiest to make in large batches, and this recipe will make 10 servings. Once you serve yourself, you can let the extra liquid cool, then strain it and store it for you to enjoy later.
EQUIPMENT:
- Mug
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ liters water
- 2 ½ cups loosely-packed mint leaves
- 5 teabags of THC-infused Kikoko Tea
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 lemon (optional)
Combine the water, mint leaves, cannabis tea bags, and brown sugar in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Place lemon slices in your mug, then ladle your serving over them.
Store the remaining liquid as described above, and enjoy your Pot Toddy.
5. How to Make a Vegan Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
This recipe, which also comes from the official website of People’s OC, is a vegan-friendly way to warm yourself up with cannabis.
- 3 cups oat milk or other dairy substitute
- ¼ Kiva cannabis chocolate bar, roughly chopped
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups coconut cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Pour milk into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Do not bring to a boil.
When the milk is steaming, pour it into your blender with your cannabis chocolate and semisweet chocolate. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, and spices. Blend until smooth.
Place the hot chocolate back on the stove on low heat to keep it warm.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut cream and the powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream until soft peaks form.
Pour the hot chocolate into mugs and top with a generous spoonful of coconut cream. Garnish with cinnamon stick if desired. Serve immediately.
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day Responsibly
St. Patrick’s Day is a day to let loose, but don’t forget to celebrate responsibly. Designate a driver if you plan on outdoor activities,and gather supplies ahead of time so you won’t need to go out later. For any of your cannabis needs, People’s is the premier dispensary in Orange County. If you get lucky, there might even be some good deals at the end of their rainbow. Have a safe St. Patty’s day!
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