For those navigating the world of cannabis, one of the most common queries revolves around gauging the THC content in homemade edibles. In the realm of homemade edibles, you can get a pretty accurate estimate when the testing data is available for your starting flower material. Across all flower products sold in dispensaries, you’ll find the potency and “certificate of analysis” testing summary affixed to the label. Using the potency of the flower and net. weight on the label, we can determine dosage guidance based on a simple formula.
So, whether you’re a math enthusiast or prefer a quicker route, we’ve got you covered!
Cracking the Code on Homemade Edible Dosages
For those who might shy away from equations, online calculators (like this one) come to the rescue, offering approximate THC-delta-9 percentage estimations. But for those who enjoy some math magic, here’s how the formula unfolds.
Begin by determining the THCA percentage of your starting material – found on the testing label affixed to your flower product. Let’s assume it’s 10% THCA, just for simplicity. Multiply your THCA by 10 to find your mg/g of THCA:
10% THCA x 10 = 100mg of THCA per gram of cannabis
The conversion rate from THCA to THC-delta-9 is 0.877:
100mg THCA x 0.877 = 87.7mg of THC-delta-9 per gram of cannabis
This implies that a gram of 10% cannabis houses 87.7 milligrams of THC-delta-9.
Moving forward, divide the THC-delta-9 content in your recipe by the number of servings to get the dose per serving. Picture this: you make cannabutter with a cup of butter and a cup of average-quality ground cannabis (around 7 grams). Multiply 7 by 87.7 (7 x 87.7), and voilà, you have 613.9 milligrams of THC in your butter. If you use half the cup of butter for 24 cookies, the batch will pack about 306.95 milligrams of THC-delta-9. Divide this by 24 (the number of servings), and you’re looking at roughly 13 milligrams of THC-delta-9 per serving.
Mastering the Art of Homemade Edibles
Crafting impeccable edibles is an evolving journey, often characterized by trial and error. While there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for perfection, the following dos and don’ts can steer you in the right direction:
- Don’t Overdo the Cannabis: Contrary to popular belief, the lipids in oils can only bind with a limited number of cannabinoids. Excess cannabis is simply wasted. Consider a 1:1 ratio of butter to cannabis for optimal results.
- Do Adjust for Dosage: If your recipe yields a dose that’s not quite right, tweak it. Enhance weaker recipes with more THC via oil or extract, and temper stronger ones with regular butter or oil.
- Don’t Skip Decarboxylation: Raw cannabis doesn’t just taste bad; it’s also ineffective. Ensure you decarboxylate your cannabis before cooking. (Unfamiliar with the term? Check out this guide.)
- Do Stir with Gusto: Vigorous stirring guarantees even distribution of cannabutter, making sure each serving is consistent.
- Don’t Powderize Your Cannabis: Overly fine grinding makes it tricky to strain your butter and can impart a strong plant-like taste. Opt for a coarser grind using a hand grinder.
- Do Test Cannabutter Potency Early: Instead of assessing potency post-baking, consider testing it beforehand. Imagine working the formula in reverse. Consume a little oil alongside food or drink, wait an hour, and assess the effects. The oil amount that achieves your desired outcome represents a single dose, which you can then scale to each serving.
For a more detailed guide on calculating THC or CBD per serving and determining the right cannabis quantity for your baking ventures, check out this invaluable cannabutter dosing calculator. Looking for recipe inspiration? Explore this helpful guide into leveling up your homemade edible game to tinctures and topics.
