Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/599676
f a l l / w i n t e r 2 0 1 5 | 8 3 "I spent a lot of time on Google and a lot of time experimenting with the temperature and infusion time period to get the best results," he says, ex- plaining that he's found the best formula by baking the cannabis flowers for one hour at 175 degrees. "The slow and low heat activation is perfect—it doesn't burn and it results in that really nice, earthy marijuana flavor." Once out of the oven, Straus places the activated cannabis in a bottle of a spirit of his choice, letting it steep for 36 hours before running the liquid through a tea strainer, resulting in a green-tinged infused spirit. Straus estimates that an eighth of cannabis is around 12 to 15 servings, a perfect match for the 12 to 15 servings found in the standard 750-milliliter spirits bottle. While the activation process is fairly straightforward, Straus's depth of spirits knowledge helps him select the perfect strains to pair with specific spirits to create a bal- anced flavor profile and mood: "Pairing lighter spirits with more fruity strains like Tangerine, Blueberry, and Banana, you will get some of those citrus fruity notes coming through in the spirit, but with more flavorful spirits like tequila or Scotch, the resulting flavor is less pronounced." Where flavor leaves off, Straus pairs spirits with indicas or sativas to create a specific effect and mood, just as one might drink a Scotch by the fireside at the end of a long day, or might smoke an indica to wind down by that very same hearth. "When you're creating a cocktail, whether it is infused or not, you're telling a story and setting a stage, and using marijuana as an ingredient in your cocktail is just another way to further develop that," explains Straus. The experiential nature of the cannacocktail is also at the heart of how Jason Eisner approaches the merg- ing worlds of marijuana and mixology. Eisner, Beverage Director at West Hollywood vegan Mexican mecca Gracias Madre, has been toying with a series of cocktails served in a water pipe, through which a specific strain is smoked, imbuing the liquid with cannabis flavor characteristics before it is poured in a glass and drunk. "It's a great interaction between marijuana and spirits, and the person gets to be a part of the experience as well," says Eisner. "The human being is a necessary part of consuming this cocktail." Eisner has also been playing with beer cocktails featuring cannabis, a category he thinks is particularly promising thanks to complementary flavors between plant kingdom cousins hops and marijuana. Eisner selects a low-ABV sour beer, mixed with a pluot–shisho leaf canna-shrub, explaining, "You'll find a lot of citric qualities in certain marijuana strains, which comple- ment the citrus in the beer, and then the cannabis adds another layer of hoppiness, lifting the hops flavor that's already present in the beer without adding that charac- teristic marijuana flavor." Of course, while there's certainly no lack of creativ- ity when it comes to marijuana mixology, under current regulations, there is no bar or restaurant in the United States that can serve these canna-quaffs, but Straus and Eisner have their sights set on the future of this developing category, with hopes for continued recre- ational legalization paving the way for future bud bars or cannabis clubs. "This absolutely has a place in the future develop- ment of the cocktail industry," comments Straus. "Once marijuana goes fully legalized, we will start seeing can- nabis cocktails making their way onto menus. There's no reason there shouldn't be an 'Infusions' section, just as they have a 'Classics' and 'House Specialties' section." "This is the future," continues Straus, "and I look forward to the day when marijuana's just another herb I can mix with." Alex Straus activates the THC in his sativa by baking it at 175 degrees for an hour, then infusing into any spirit over the course of 36 hours. PHOTO: MARGARET SOSS PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM Jason Eisner is Beverage Director at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood, CA. GET UP, GET OUT, AND GET SOMETHING by Alex Straus 2 oz. sativa-infused tequila 3 ⁄4 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 ⁄2 oz. blanc vermouth 1 ⁄2 oz. mint simple syrup Top with bitter lemon tonic water Lemon wheel garnish THOUGHTS TWILIGHT by Alex Straus 2 oz. indica-infused Scotch 1 oz. Ancho Reyes chili liqueur 1 ⁄4 oz. Giffard Banane du Brésil 1 drop coffee extract Garnish with grapefruit zest UP IN SMOKE by Jason Eisner 1 1 ⁄2 oz. Clase Azul Mezcal 1 ⁄2 oz. hopped cucumber soda 2 dashes celery bitters 1 ⁄2 oz. simple syrup 3 ⁄4 oz. lemon juice Muddle simple syrup and the peel from one fourth of a cucumber. Strain into a water pipe and smoke with Sour Diesel for a cerebral experi- ence. Serve in rocks glass and garnish with cucumber dipped in lime. THOUGHTS TWILIGHT UP IN SMOKE MARGARET SOSS MARGARET SOSS CAL BINGHAM PHOTO: CAL BINGHAM CANNABIS CAVEAT While Straus and Eisner both view marijuana as just another ingredient to be added to cock- tails, both warn that it is, obviously, a potent one. "It's like eating an edible with your cock- tail," explains Straus of the effect. "Start with one, wait an hour, and see how you feel before having another drink or any more marijuana. It's a new path–explore it carefully!" ■cr