Cannabis capsules are one of the most discreet and portable methods of cannabis consumption.
Plus, instead of factoring in additional calories or preparations for an infused meal or dessert, cannabis capsules keep your lifestyle choices front of mind.
Decarbed Flower Caps
The easiest way to make cannabis or hemp capsules at home is by decarboxylating your plant material, grinding it up, and stuffing it inside an empty capsule. You can use flower, kief, or concentrates for this!
To make decarbed cannabis capsules, place your plant material inside the Ardent Mini, FX, or Nova. No need to grind. If you’re using concentrate or kief, or if you just want to keep your machine looking spotless, place your material inside the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel before placing it inside the unit. Close your device. If using the Nova, press the single button interface to begin a cycle. The cycle is complete when the button turns from red back to green. If using the FX or Mini, switch between modes using the M button. Press A1 to activate material rich in THC or CBG, and the A2 setting to activate material rich in CBD. The cycle is complete when the button turns from red back to green. Break the activated cannabis down into small bits until it fits in one side capsule, avoiding stems whenever possible. Close the capsule with the other side.
Although most people can generally feel the effects of activated cannabis on its own, others need a little extra boost of bioavailability. If you fall into this category and want to use cannabis or hemp on its own in your capsules, just be sure to eat something around the same time containing a bit of fat. Avocado, peanut butter, cheese, hemp seeds, yogurt, etc. work very well!
Decarbed Flower + Adaptogen Caps
For those looking to turn their capsules into daily supplements, you might want to consider adding powdered adaptogens like Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Cordyceps, Ashwagandha, and other herbal support to your dose.
To make adaptogenic capsules containing cannabis, place your plant material inside the Ardent Mini, FX, or Nova. If you’re using concentrate or kief, or if you just want to keep your machine looking spotless, place your material inside the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel before placing it inside the unit. Close your device. If using the Nova, press the single button interface to begin a cycle. If using the FX or Mini, switch between modes using the M button. Press A1 to activate material rich in THC or CBG, and the A2 setting to activate material rich in CBD. The cycles are complete when the buttons return back to green.
Using a coffee grinder or hand-held cannabis grinder, break down the decarbed cannabis. You can also break it up by hand into small pieces that will fit inside the capsule. Fill half of one side of the capsule with ground, decarbed herb, and the other half of the same side with the powdered adaptogenic supplements of your choosing. Close the capsule with the other half. Please consult your physician before using cannabis and other herbal adaptogens for potential interactions and/or side effects.
Decarbed Flower + Oil Caps
If you’re someone who has a hard time feeling the full effects of your activated cannabis or hemp without a boost of fat, add a bit of food-grade oil to your cannabis right inside the capsule to help make it more bioavailable. Take your pick between olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, ghee, or whatever else you might have on hand or prefer.
Skip the infusion step entirely with this easy-to-follow method: Decarb inside your Ardent Mini, FX, or Nova. If you’re using concentrate, kief, or if you just want to keep your machine totally clean, place your material inside the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel before placing it inside the device. Close your unit. If using the Nova, press the single button interface to begin a cycle. If using the FX or Mini, start an A1 cycle to activate material rich in THC or CBG, or an A2 cycle to activate material rich in CBD. The decarboxylation process is complete when the buttons turn green again.
When your material is precisely decarboxylated, grind it finely using a handheld or coffee grinder. Place a bit of decarbed cannabis inside one half of the capsule, leaving a bit of space for oil. Add a little dab of coconut oil using a small spoon or toothpick, or a few drops of liquid (or melted) oil using a tincture dropper inside the side of the capsule containing the herb. Close the capsule and enjoy.
Infused Oil Caps
Infused oil caps probably look the most dispensary-grade of all the options on this list. This method uses infused oil inside a capsule for a slower delivery compared to sublingual application.
Since we’re not adding decarboxylated herb to the capsules directly, we’ll have to factor in a bit of loss during the infusion step. We’ve determined the infusion rate of EVOO to be around 90%.
Decarb inside your Nova or FX device. House your plant material in the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve or unlidded Vessel before placing inside the device to keep the process totally clean and mess-free. Close your unit. If using the Nova, press the single button interface to begin a cycle. If using the FX, start an A1 cycle to activate material rich in THC or CBG, or an A2 cycle to activate material rich in CBD. The decarboxylation process is complete when the buttons turn green again.
Pour your infusion medium of choice over the activated material inside your device and allow it to run for another cycle in the Nova, or on an Infuse cycle in the FX. Strain out the raffinate using the Frainer, Infusion Press, or a standard kitchen cheese cloth. Using a dropper, pick up some infused oil, and carefully fill one side of a capsule with the oil infusion. Close the capsule. Store capsules inside the fridge to prevent the most leakage, which can occasionally happen with this method. To prevent leakage entirely, fill capsules with infused oil just prior to taking them.