People love putting weed in stuff. Just ask the Dutch, who even like to dip their fries in marijuana mayo. But one New York bartender has something better than just weed flavoring to bring to the table. He's got a scientific way of infusing cannabis into alcohol — and the best part? We've got the recipe.
According to Popular Science, the mad-scientist bartender (unnamed for obvious reasons) is "a serious, technologically minded craftsman of beverages" with plenty of experience in the New York bar scene. With a penchant for marijuana experimentation, it would seem.
Thanks to the nitrous infusion technique the cocktail connoisseur has perfected the art of getting not only the flavor, but also the effects of weed into a sippable beverage. The secret is using a whipped-cream charger and N2O, which allows him to achieve a precise amount of THC into the beverage.
He says the rapid-infusion process means the drink gives you a much more predictable high. The technique also allows him to adjust the amount of THC in the liquor which enables his customers to drink more (without going catatonic), if they wish. The bartender told Pop Sci that the effect of the drug should last about two hours and that a single serving is about 1.5 ounces.
Though there are a few recipes out there, this bartender says, he uses mezcal as his base liquor since the smoky flavor goes well with the herbal notes of the weed. Others suggest cognac or gin.
"It's not on the menu. No one is selling it," he told Pop Sci. "You can't ask for it. But if you're a regular, an insider, your bartender just might pull out a bottle and offer you a taste."
Nitrous Green Dragon
- a one-liter whipped-cream whipper
- two nitrous oxide chargers
- a double boiler large enough to accommodate the whipper bottle
- 750 ml mezcal at room temperature
- 3.5 grams (1/8 ounce) of cannabis
Roughly break up the cannabis.
Put the cannabis and the mezcal in the whipper bottle.
Close the canister and charge it with two charges of N2O according to the instructions.
Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Vent out the pressurized gas.
NOTE: you are venting aerosolized ethanol with THC dissolved in it, as well as laughing gas.
Stir the liquid and let it sit until the gas boils off.
Place the sealed canister in a double boiler and let it simmer for an hour.
Strain the solids out of the liquid and discard them or dry them for other uses.
The liquid is nitrous green dragon.
