You might be wondering how to make cannabis-infused honey. Years of myths and tricky marketing from uneducated brands have made it appear as if honey can be infused with flower in the same way as butter or oil. We did the research and found that old methods for infusing honey don’t necessarily work in a significant way, and therefore, dosage is almost always off, in addition to causing tons of wasted material.
We put honey to the test, and infused it inside the Ardent FX in a few different ways to find out which methods give you the most bang for your buck. Check out our suggestions for infusing honey below:
The Truth
We know that cannabis is not water soluble. Cannabis molecules cling to fats like butter and oil, along with alcohol.
Where did the idea that honey made a great infusion medium even come from? Greed, probably. Brands are putting big bucks into advertising under the false pretense that honey can be added to decarbed cannabis or hemp, and infused into a potent end product, and that’s not true. Spoiler alert: The same is also true for plant-based milks, but that’s another blog for another day.
Although cannabis and hemp flower aren't easily infused into honey on its own, there are ways to infuse it without any loss at all. We want to ensure that your honey gets infused with as many cannabinoids as possible, so let’s do it right.
Honey Infused with Kief
There’s no loss when you infuse honey with kief, so long as you’re not straining anything. Just decarboxylate your kief inside the Ardent Nova or Ardent FX using the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve. Once the cycle is complete, gently fold your activated kief into the honey of your choosing. Since there’s no infusion step here, you have to actually eat the kief particles within the honey to experience your high.
Honey Infused with Concentrate
There’s no loss when you infuse honey with concentrate, since with wax, you’re not straining anything out. Using the Concentrate and Infusion Sleeve, place your concentrate inside the device and decarb. Once the cycle is complete, add honey to the decarbed concentrate in the Sleeve, and place it back in the device on the Infuse setting. Run the infuse setting for a few minutes, or until the mixture is warm enough to dissolve the concentrate inside the honey. Pour it into a bottle or jar, then cover, shake, and enjoy. Shake before each use.
Honey Infused with FECO
In case you can’t access cannabis concentrates in your area, you can always make your own. Making FECO starts with decarboxylating your flower inside the Ardent Nova or Ardent FX. Once activated, move the plant material to a jar outside of the device, and pour just enough Everclear over the material to fully submerge it. Allow it to sit for 24 - 48 hours, agitating it whenever you have the chance, and strain out the plant material using the Ardent Frainer.
Allow your strained Everclear infusion to sit out in a well-ventilated area, unlidded, until all of the alcohol has evaporated off. It’ll yield a dark, sticky, concentrated wax that can be mixed or warmed into your honey.
Honey Infused with Cannaoil
Another way to infuse honey with cannabis is by adding small portions of infused oil to your honey. Just decarb your flower inside the Ardent Nova or Ardent FX. Then, add a small portion of coconut oil over your decarbed herb, fully submerging it. Place it back inside the device to Infuse for a full cycle. When the cycle has finished, strain using the Ardent Frainer and drizzle a small amount of infused oil inside your honey. Emulsify it further by warming the honey and coconut oil mixture inside the device on the Infuse setting. Cover, shake, and enjoy!
Using Lecithin
Lecithin is an additive that aids with emulsification, bioavailability, and absorption rate. Lecithin, made with sunflower or soy, can be added to your honey in addition to your kief, concentrate, or infused oil, to help boost the experience further.