How are cannabis beverages made?

What are cannabis beverages?

Beverages are a more recent addition to the cannabis product marketplace. Aptly named, they are beverages that contain cannabinoids and offer an alternative way to enjoy the benefits of these miraculous molecular compounds without having to smoke or vape. They come in soda and juice-like beverages, as well as teas (learn more about cannabis beverages here).

Cannabis teas, juices, and sodas now offer an alternative to smoking or vaping cannabis. Image Source: unsplash.com

Did you Know?

Cannabis beverages are expected to be on the rise with a 54.31% estimated compound annual growth rate by Fortune Business Insights.

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Overcoming the biggest challenge

One of the biggest obstacles in creating cannabis beverages is that cannabinoids are fat-soluble. “Fat-soluble” means the molecules can only be stored in fatty tissues and compounds, rather than in water. This means that cannabinoids pulled out of the cannabis plant through an extraction process must be stored within some type of fatty compound, like MCT oil or olive oil. These oils containing suspended cannabinoids don’t mix well with water-based beverages – like putting an eye-dropper full of olive oil into a glass of pop or juice, it will just float to the top.

The key to properly integrating cannabinoids into a beverage that’s pleasurable to drink is a process called emulsification. Throughout this process, a cannabis distillate is rapidly mixed to turn the oil into tiny droplets, which are then combined with a blending agent to create a water-soluble product that can be mixed into a beverage without separating (learn more about emulsification here).

The benefits of cannabis beverages

In addition to the health benefits of serving as an alternative way to enjoy cannabis without having to smoke or vape (which can have negative impacts on lung health), one of the biggest benefits that cannabis beverages offer pertains to the social aspect of cannabis use. Previously, when engaged in a social outing, cannabis users had to separate themselves to go outside and smoke. Now, recreational users who may prefer cannabis to alcohol can sip beverages alongside their counterparts. While this small step may seem insignificant, it contributes to the de-stigmatization of a product that has much less harmful societal and physiological impacts than alcohol.

Cannabis beverages can now be enjoyed in social situations, contributing to the de-stigmatization of this remarkable plant. Image Source: unsplash.com

A key consideration in creating amazing cannabis beverages is the quality of the distillate being emulsified and combined into the drink. If you’re a hemp or cannabis cultivator, processor, or product formulator hoping to produce high-quality cannabis beverages, we walk to talk! Our turnkey mobile labs arrive at your facility within 4-6 months and require a $0 lab CapEx, and produce some of the highest-quality cannabis distillate in the world. Please contact us to learn about becoming an extractX partner.