Ardent Dreamer | Cannabis Cocktail
Have you ever had trouble falling asleep? Well, I never do unless I’ve had coffee after three in the afternoon. Rather than taking a sleeping pill, I’ve been known to hasten the dream-state by building a lovely little sipper that only resembles the classic beverage known as the margarita. In this case, I utilized something named extra añejo tequila. Most people have never heard of extra añejo, nor have they ever tasted this ultra-luxury elixir that starts at over one hundred dollars per 750ml bottle. This alluring liquid is aged in oak for over three years imparting a creamy richness in every sip. There are some who would shudder at the thought of mixing a cocktail with THC and such expensive tequila, but this is where the fun starts. I cut several pink grapefruits into thick slices and grill them over hard-wood charcoal until they caramelize, two or three minutes per side. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, then a cast iron pan will suffice. Or roasting in a 400-degree oven. That works too. It’s a sleepy-time beverage that erases your mind, or whatever mind you have left after 2020!
How much cannabis is in there? That, I really don’t know. The strength is completely up to you! Generally, the rule for infusion is ½ oz. to 1 oz. of high quality decarbed cannabis into a 750ml bottle of any given spirit. I use an electric hot plate to heat a double boiler (water on the bottom should never run dry…) for two hours at 160 degrees. Use a fan to keep your workspace safe, no lighting joints in the nearby periphery. And alcohol when heated, runs the fumes along the floor, it’s heavier than oxygen. Please be very patient and careful. No open flames allowed!
Try medicating your tequila by infusing it with sativa-dominant hybrid Gatekeeper OG. It’s redolent of pine and freshly turned soil, aromatics that seem to melt into the grapefruit’s toasted sweetness. A blissful night’s rest lies in your future, for sure.
Recipe: Ardent Dreamer
INGREDIENTS
1 Thick Slice Pink Grapefruit, Grilled and Cooled
1 Ounce (30ml) Cannabis-Infused Extra-Añejo Tequila (see recipe)
1/2 Ounce (15ml) Orange-Cognac Liqueur
Orange Zest Twist
1 Gläce Luxury Ice Mariko Sphere (or Regular Ice Cubes)
PROCESS
Grill the grapefruit: Slice the ends off the grapefruit and cut it into 1/2-inch rounds. Place the grapefruit slices on a hot cast-iron pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side to help the fruit caramelize. Let cool.
Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, muddle the grilled grapefruit slice in a cocktail mixing glass to release its juices and essential oils.
Fill the glass three-quarters full with ice.
Add the infused tequila and the orange-cognac liqueur.
Cap and shake hard.
Pour over a single Gläce Luxury Ice Mariko Sphere in a rocks glass.
Garnish with the orange zest twist and serve.
Warren Bobrow is the CEO of Klaus Apothicaire, a 6x Author, Chef, Barman, Cannabis Alchemist, Master Mixologist. Some of his cannabis awards include: SXSW Cannabis Disruptor 2018, Berlin Bar Convent-Cannabis, and Moscow Bar Show-Master Class-Rum. He is the author of Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics, Available in Indie Bookstores, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo Books. See his cannabis creations on instagram.