Breakfast, Beer & Buds

By Colby Chandler with contributions from OB Brewery Head Brewer Jim Millea, Chula Vista Brewery Head Brewer James Hodges and The Original 40 Brewing Head Brewer Cosimo Sorrentino

Beer and cannabis (AKA: marijuana) are fun to enjoy together. As evidenced when taking in the aroma of a “dank” IPA that evokes memories of rock concerts, beer and weed have certain flavors and aromas in common. There are more reasons for this than you might think. 

Hops and cannabis were actually the same plant until about 27 million years ago before evolving into two separate but very closely related “cousin” species within the cannabaceae family. Hops and cannabis have similar plant structures with both producing male and female plants. When growing cannabis, isolating female plants allows them to flower or grow buds that yield THC and other essential oils. Bringing male plants into the mix causes the female plants to grow seeds to be pollinated rather than maximizing buds. Guess what other plant works this way? Hops! Also, and perhaps more importantly, cannabis and hops contain many of the same aromatic compounds in their essential oils that are also closely related. These compounds are called terpenes. 

Terpenes provide the “hoppy” flavors and aromas in a fresh IPA and the distinct fragrance that hits your nose when you smell marijuana. Terpenes such as myrcene, humulene and pinene are the reason for

hoppy beers with aromas reminiscent of tropical fruit, citrus or earthier aromas like grass, flowers or pine. Myrcene, one of the most common terpenes found in both cannabis and hops, also exists at high levels in aromatic fruits like passion fruit and fragrant herbs such as thyme. Going beyond the flavors and aromas, it has been suggested that consuming a mango, which is myrcene-rich, can help cause a relaxing effect, similar to what one might get from cannabis. Pair that mango with a tropical, fruity IPA plus a puff of weed has the potential to advance myrcene impact to the next level. 

When sitting down to eat, people typically incorporate some type of beverage. Sometimes it’s simply to wash things down, but pairing food and fluids can be a delight…especially when working with beer. With its many diverse styles, flavors and aromas, beer has a lot going for it when it comes to pairing. Whether malty sweet, bitter, fruity, bone-dry, tart or even “dank”, these qualities can complement, contrast or cut the flavors in the foods they are paired with or even allow the beer to serve as a condiment. Given many of these enticing flavors and aromas come from terpenes found in cannabis and hops, understanding more about them can help you to prepare a meal that allows you to create a synergy between the hops, cannabis and food to enhance the overall experience.

One thing to keep in mind when cooking with cannabis is to prepare the weed with heat so that you extract the most character. Just as sugar dissolves more easily in hot water versus cold, melting and heating butter in a slow-cooker and soaking ground-up marijuana in it helps the butter absorb the THC. But there’s more to it than that. There is a scientific process of heating cannabis to a precise temperature which activates the THC and associated compounds, allowing the human body to more easily absorb them. This process is called decarboxylation and requires temperature and time.  

When you smoke cannabis, decarboxylation occurs instantly due to the high temperature, but some of the more volatile terpene-related compounds evaporate or degrade. Using lower temperatures over a longer span of time allows the THC to activate while preserving terpenes and flavor. Effective formulas for infusing marijuana into butter for 30 to 45 minute at 220 degrees Fahrenheit or employing a sous-vide approach as low as 203 degrees for around 90 minutes.

Before we get too scientific, let’s get to the art of the matter and answer the proverbial question of how we use the above information and techniques to bring beer and cannabis together as part of a meal? Here are some helpful tips followed by some smokin’ recipes you can apply them to:

• Smell the food, the beer and the weed.
• Drink the beer first to note its flavors.
• Taste the food, once again taking flavor notes.
• Drink the beer again and note how the beer’s flavors change with the addition of the food to your palate.
• Smoking comes last as it has the most effect on your palate.
• Take another sip of beer to reset your palate as you literally rinse then repeat.

If you prefer to ingest an edible version of the herb, incorporate it as described above and leave it at that.  Whichever route you go, remember to use your senses. Take a look at what’s in front of you and smell what you’re about to drink before you take a sip. Do the same with the food and cannabis. Try them separately and together to see how the flavors play each way. Does the first sip of beer prior to sampling the dish taste the same or did adding food change anything? The goal is to elevate the food, drink and cannabis to a better place than if they were consumed separately.

Now, let’s be real with each other. Under certain conditions, food, beer and weed are all capable of putting you in a coma. Indulging in all three will impact more than your palate. The effects of ingesting cannabis can be powerful, unpredictable, sneaky, and long-lasting, so plan accordingly. Other good pairings for this trio of consumables include sleeping bags, couches, spare beds, futons and cushy (see what we did there) pillows. It’s highly recommended that you enjoy this multifaceted pairing experience at home or a friend’s house where a spare bedroom is available. Use of a smartphone equipped with a rideshare app will also work.

Safe options for enjoyment abound, so add some alcohol and elevate your day—or evening—with a sprinkle of caution. But most of all, have fun!

RECIPES & PAIRINGS

Belgian Blueberry-Dunkelweizen Waffles

with “Blueberry French Toast” Cannabis-infused Bourbon Syrup

Paired with OB Brewery Starting the Clock Dark Mild Ale

Recipe by Colby Chandler and description by Jim Millea, Head Brewer, OB Brewery

When do you make waffles for dinner? When you’re an adult and you feel like it, that’s when! Honestly, this crisp and fluffy waffle paired with beer and topped with bourbon-infused maple syrup capped off with a strain of marijuana called Blueberry French Toast would be a “hit” any time of day.

The idea for this recipe started with the aforementioned weed strain, which is known for its fruity-sweet, buttery, vanilla flavor and uplifting qualities. We decided to go with a waffle instead of French toast and some fresh blueberries then added light-bodied malt-forward beers to go with it. Hidden Gem dunkelweizen is a light-bodied dark wheat beer with chocolate and banana notes and a low, soft bitterness (13 international bittering units). We used this beer in the waffle batter to balance with the maple-sweet flavors of the syrup. The carbonation of the beer also adds bubbles to the waffle batter and helps to make the finished waffle light and fluffy. Pairing the meal with a glass of the dark mild brings some toasty and nutty notes to the table (literally), complementing the bready, biscuit flavors of the waffles and washing away the fatty, savory flavors of the bacon and butter. 

For this recipe, we decided to incorporate the cannabis into the bourbon-infused syrup and go the sous-vide route to decarboxylate the cannabis.

Will you ever stop eating this? Will you even remember to eat it? Please remember to because you’re guaranteed to enjoy it. 

Yield: 5-6 servings

• Blueberry French Toast or other dark-fruit, vanilla-forward cannabis, to taste
• 3 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
• 1 lb (about 12 strips) bacon, cooked and kept warm
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp raw sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup OB Brewery Hidden Gem Dunkelweizen
• 1 cup blueberries
• whipped cream
• confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Decarboxylation Instructions: Set an immersion circulator to 203 degrees F. Place the cannabis in a sous-vide bag and vacuum-seal it. Place the bag in the water and sous-vide for 90 minutes. Remove from heat, open bag and set aside. Place the bourbon in a non-reactive, sealable container such as a mason jar. Add the cannabis, seal and let stand for 3 to 5 days. Use a coffee filter to strain the bourbon into a separate, sealable container and store, sealed, until ready for use.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place the bacon in the oven and keep warm.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup and bring to a boil. Simmer until the syrup has reduced by half. Remove from heat stir in cannabis-infused bourbon. Set aside.

While the syrup is heating and reducing, prepare the waffles.

Heat a waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, buttermilk and beer together. Make a well in the center of the dried ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently whisk together leaving some small lumps. Fold in ½ cup of the blueberries. Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions. When waffles are ready, keep them warm in the oven. 

To serve, slice the waffles in half. Stack two waffle halves on a warm plate in an offset configuration and top with syrup, confectioners sugar, whipped cream and the remaining blueberries. Place bacon on the side and serve with dark mild ale.

Eggs Benedict

with “Lemon Larry” Canna-butter-infused “Hodgendaise Sauce”

Paired with Chula Vista Brewery Bendiciones Belgian-style Tripel

Recipe and description by James Hodges, Head Brewer, Chula Vista Brewery

When I was approached to do this story, I was pretty stoked. Teaming up with friends who have like minds is always a fun time. Beer, bud and brunch is something (almost all) San Diego brewers enjoy, and it had been a really, really long time since I had cooked with cannabis. So over a round of disc golf it was decided I would do the savory portion of the meal. It came to me almost immediately to prepare a Hollandaise (AKA: “Hodgendaise”) sauce with “canna-butter.”

The brunch classic Eggs Benedict can be varied to include anything a chef desires, making for varieties such as a Florentine (spinach) or crab-cake benny. I chose our Bendiciones Belgian tripel to pair, thinking the profile would match well. Bendiciones contains a Pilsner-malt base and mostly Czech Saaz hops, plus Belgian candi sugar and some orange peel. I went with what I call my “SD Sunnyside High” Benny, which, from the bottom-up, includes hashbrowns with sautéed onions, heaps of bacon, sunny-side-up eggs and sautéed spinach. I chose the cannabis strain “Lemon Larry” because, as you can see in the recipe, Hollandaise is basically eggs, clarified butter and lemon juice. I also added a little splash of the tripel to impart the citrus and spice notes of the beer.

A big reason I chose this dish is because the (canna-)butter is the star of the Hollandaise. Plus, who doesn’t like a good Benedict? Oh, the possibilities! There are a few different ways to make hollandaise, such as the blender, sauté or whisk. I prefer the whisk and a stainless-steel bowl over a simmering pot of water. This is called a double-boiler setup, and it’s what you’ll utilize to prepare your canna-butter.

I threw my first disc-golf ace the day this recipe was made. Talk about a great pairing!

Yield: 4 servings (family-style presentation)

• ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lb bacon, chopped
• ¾ cup onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 4 large eggs, cracked into 4 small ramekins
• 1 cup Hodgendaise Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Using a box grater, shred the potatoes and submerge in the water. Stir, then strain out the water. Fill the bowl with water, stir and strain out the water again. Squeeze the potatoes over the sink to remove excess water and starch, then transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Using additional paper towels, pat the potatoes until they are completely dry.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the butte is melted, sprinkle the potatoes into an even layer in the pan, season with salt and cook until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom of the potatoes, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the potatoes over in portions. Cook until golden-brown on the opposite side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a heat-safe plate or platter and place in the oven to keep warm.

Wipe the pan clean, return to the stovetop and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a bowl. Set aside. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, then add the onions to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Wipe the pan clean, return to the stovetop and add the remaining butter. Once the butter is melted, add the eggs to the pan, arranging them so they each have their own space in which to cook. Season with salt and pepper, then place a lid on the pan and cook until the whites of the egg are completely set but the yolks are still fluid, 2 to 2½ minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

To serve, spoon the potatoes onto a large plate or platter. Top the potatoes with the onion-and-spinach mixture, then lay the eggs on top. Ladle the Hodgendaise sauce over the eggs and serve immediately with the tripel.

Hodgendaise Sauce:

Yield: 2 cups

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup canna-butter, softened, plus more if necessary (recipe follows)
• 1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1-2 Tbsp Chula Vista Brewery Bendiciones Belgian-style Tripel, plus more if necessary
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• ⅛ tsp turmeric
• pinch sea salt

Fill a small-to-medium-sized saucepan with a few inches of water and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring the water to a low boil, making sure to avoid a rolling boil. In a stainless-steel bowl, add the egg yolks, lemon juice and beer and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is well-blended. Place the stainless-steel bowl over the saucepan, making sure it fits so that it is resting over the saucepan without touching the water. Whisk briskly, turning the bowl every 15 seconds, until bubbles form on the surface and the mixture becomes frothy. (Note: If the eggs begin to cook and solids begin to form in the mixture along the way or the mixture becomes too thick, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the beer, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin it out, then return to heat to continue cooking.) Begin whisking the canna-butter into the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once each tablespoon of butter is fully incorporated into the mixture, repeat the process until you have used all of the butter. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or keep warm.

“Lemon Larry” Canna-Butter:

Yield: 1 cup

• ½ gram “Lemon Larry” cannabis, ground
• 1 cup unsalted butter

Decarboxylation Instructions: Fill a small-to-medium-sized saucepan with a few inches of water and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring the water to a low boil, making sure to avoid a rolling boil. In a stainless-steel bowl, add the butter. When the butter is melted, stir in the cannabis. Reduce heat to low and let steep for 40 minutes. Use cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve to strain the butter into a non-heat-reactive container. Use the back of a spoon to apply pressure to the cheesecloth or sieve to squeeze more butter out of the cannabis. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature, then seal or cover the container and place in the refrigerator overnight for the butter to solidify. Before using, remove the container from the refrigerator and discard any liquid that has separated from the solids.

Labneh Bagel

with Seasonal Fruit Salad, Za’atar & Kikoko Honeyshot Sticks

Paired with The Original 40 Juice Maze Hazy IPA

Recipe and description by Cosimo Sorrentino, Head Brewer, The Original 40 Brewing

The dish I choose is not so much a full recipe as a blueprint to incorporate whatever in-season fruits you enjoy. The key ingredient here (other than the obvious thematic ones) is the labneh. This Lebanese interpretation of a strained yogurt tastes like a mix of Greek yogurt and cream cheese with noticeable saltiness. To balance out the fruit and bring in some savory notes, I chose za’atar bagels from Nomad Donuts. za’atar, a mid-Eastern spice blending thyme, marjoram, oregano, sesame and sumac, has a lot of flavor but will not overpower the other components.

Once the fruit has been placed on the savory base, we add some sweetness and the key ingredient: Kikoko honey sticks. Utilizing them allows one to choose how much and which type of effects they will get from the cannabis. Since we were having this as part of a weekend brunch, I went with the “Buzz Honeyshot” with 10 milligrams of THC. In a situation where there are multiple courses, beers and forms of cannabis, always take into account the other dishes, the predictable effects of the alcohol and how much you plan to smoke when dosing. No one wants to miss out because they passed out!

The Original 40 Brewing’s Juice Maze hazy IPA was an obvious choice to round out the “fruit salad” theme I had going. Aromas of peaches and other stone fruits blend with blood orange and clementine on the pallet in a way that not only adds new flavors to the mix but also enhances the other fruits. Feel free to play around with different fruits and beer pairings, although I do suggest something with a touch of hops or acidity to cut through the sweetness of the fruits and honey.

Yield: 4 servings

• 2 Nomad Donuts za’atar bagels, cut in half, lengthwise, and toasted
• 4 heaping Tbsp Labneh (preferably, Arz)
• 1-1½ pounds fresh seasonal fruit, stemmed, cored and seeded (if applicable), thinly sliced or chopped into small pieces
• 2 Kikoko Honeyshot sticks (choose your blend)
• 2 tsps za’atar herb-and-spice blend

To serve, evenly spread 1 tablespoon of labneh on each bagel half, then top with the fruit. Drizzle ½ a stick on each bagel, sprinkle ½ a teaspoon of za’atar each, then serve with the hazy IPA.