Since you bought a vape, life has been good. Herb lasts longer, tastes great, gets you higher, and your lungs are grateful you ditched combustion. But with all that good stuff, you may have been doing something wrong all along. You’ve been ditching your Already Vaped Buds (AVBs). We are here to steer you in an exciting new direction. 

AVBs: A Potent By-product of Vaping

Cannabinoids like THC and CBD are predominantly in the acid form on dry, unheated herb. Decarboxylation is the use of heat to convert these acidic compounds into their active forms. Therefore, through decarboxylation, THCA (THC-Acid) becomes THC, and CBDA (CBD-Acid) becomes CBD. This activation can happen very slowly at room temperature, but high heat is required for an effective conversion to happen. Decarboxylation turns non-psychoactive THCA into the psychoactive THC we associate with smoking and vaping weed. Although you inhale the cannabinoids as vapour, the herb still retains a lot that can be further extracted and used for edibles. 

Quick, easy AVB Hacks

Make AVB capsules

You can purchase empty vegetarian capsules and fill them with AVBs. To increase the potency of your capsules, grind your AVBs to a fine powder. Choose enteric-coated capsules for a more potent experience. Like high-quality vitamins, if your capsules pass through your stomach intact their compounds will be better absorbed in the intestines. 

Add AVBs to a Drink

AVBs are ready to go in a hot or cold drink because they are decarboxylated. Adding AVBs to coffee grounds is a popular way to infuse coffee with THC. Similarly, you can add AVBs to a teabag or Bodum and experiment with creating tea mixes. Add AVBs to smoothies or any other healthy blended beverage for an extra herbal boost.

A Little More Effort With AVBs

Water-Cured AVBs

If you are excited to use AVBs in butter or oil but are concerned about the vaped herb flavor, you can easily wash that out. For a cleaner tasting oil, soak your AVBs in cold water for up to 24 hours for best results. Use a sieve or cheesecloth to strain your AVBs. If you’re planning on using them in capsules, leave them out to air dry in a warm room on a baking tray. Otherwise, they can be added directly to oil and water to make AVB tincture oil. Strain out the water using a cheesecloth. Remember, cannabinoids are fat-soluble. Water-curing clarifies the flavor without reducing the AVBs potency.

Make Butter or Oil with AVBs

For a medium amount of effort, you get so much return. Research has shown that 1 gram of AVBs contains roughly 93 mg of THC. So whatever amount of fat you dissolve a gram of AVBs into will contain 93mg of THC. Take a moment to do the math and label each batch to easily track potency. It won’t be perfect, but if you’re excited to nerd out, you’ll be thankful to have this information around later. 

Indica vs Sativa AVBs for Making Tincture Oil

Depending on your strain of choice, you can get creative and explore the differences between using Indica AVBs and Sativa AVBs. To explore the different strains, their history, and benefits, check out our blog ‘Cannabis 101: A guide to Cannabis Strains’. 

Indica and Sativa cannabis strains will produce subtlely different edible experiences. The flavors, however, will be similar. Most terpenes and flavonoids are entirely consumed when herb is vaped. Sorry, your Watermelon Frost AVBs will not taste like vanilla and fruit on their own. You’ll have to get creative like these high-end edible creators and pair your cannabutter or oil with a bold, delicious flavor. 

Our excellent blog, ‘Cooking with Cannabis 101: Tip and Tricks for perfect Edibles’ will help you get familiar with the process. But if you’ve got some AVBs and coconut oil kicking around the kitchen, you can get down and dirty with this recipe right now.

6 Step AVB Tincture Recipe

1) Measure out equal parts AVBs and your fat of choice. A fat that is solid at cool room temperature is best. Fairtrade, organic coconut oil is an excellent option. Nut butters work well, too, but will be more labour intensive when it comes to straining out the AVBs.

2) At a low temperature, melt your oil until it is warm and liquified. Add the AVBs and some water. Adding water makes the mixture low maintenance, preventing it from sticking to the pan or burning.

3) Simmer this mixture for 2-4 hours. If you have a crockpot, this is a good time to use it.

4) Use cheesecloth or a very fine sieve to strain the AVBs out of the fully infused oil and water mixture. Transfer the mixture to a glass or pyrex container. Allow it to cool and separate in the fridge for 8 or more hours. 

5) If you chose not to water cure the AVBs before making oil, the water that separates will have a strong flavor. You can separate the solidified oil and wash off any remaining AVB water.

6) Keep your oil fresh by freezing it. The reason for this is that even the smallest particles of water-soaked AVB can mold in the fridge or at room temperature. Freezing your oil prevents this from happening. Slice off what you need. 

Now that you know what to do with those AVBs, get saving and reap the rewards!