While brownies and butter are popular options, cannabis gummies have become the “holy grail” of cannabis edibles. Many financial experts suggest the weed edibles market could expand to $197.74 billion by 2030, and gummies are set to lead this rapid expansion.
Although it’s getting easier to find pre-packaged cannabis gummies in dispensaries, many people are taking it upon themselves to make these snacks at home. Thanks to incredible advancements in consumer cannabis tech, it has never been easier for people to get all the tools and ingredients they need to create high-quality cannabis gummies at home. Since you control what goes into your edibles, you can rest assured it meets your dietary needs and potency requirements.
Making cannabis edibles at home can be truly be a fun and rewarding experience. However, don't get discouraged if your first batch doesn't turn out the way you intended. Gummies can come with a learning curve. Mistakes are more common than you think - even with experienced weed chefs! Here are the 5 most common mistakes when making DIY cannabis gummies and how to fix them.
Common Mistakes When Making Edible Gummies
While making cannabis edibles isn’t rocket science, there are a few techniques DIYers need to know before mixing their first cannabis gummy molds. To increase the odds of success, be sure to learn the most common mistakes people make when mixing marijuana gummies.
Mistake #1: Getting Too Much "Ganja Flavor" in Your Gummies
Many cannabis fans crave the earthy notes that emanate from terpene-rich weed flowers. However, not everyone appreciates these bitter and grassy terpenes when biting into a (supposedly) sugary gummy. After all, if people wanted a “raw” cannabis flower flavor, they could have saved themselves a lot of time and bought a batch of nugs.
People who make DIY cannabis edibles may not recognize just how potent a cannabinoid extract’s flavor is. Even at relatively low doses, these woodsy aromatics can significantly affect your edible’s taste.
If you want to mellow marijuana’s flavor in your gummies, you must focus on low-patency THC or CBD concentrations. While you might be able to mask these “natural notes” with a thick layer of sugar, chances are weed’s flavor will override this sweetness if you opt for high-potency products.
Mistake #2: Underestimating Pectin Problems
Another feature many people making DIY gummies underestimate is how tricky it is to work with pectin. Although gelatin is more common in mass-produced gummies, many customers prefer pectin because of its vegan-friendly status. Although pectin can work well in a CBD or THC gummy, people should prepare for a more complicated process.
Pectin and gelatin may be similar, but they aren’t interchangeable. Generally speaking, gelatin has greater flexibility and elasticity, which makes it a more forgiving gel ingredient. By contrast, pectin is quite stiff when it firms up, and it probably won’t make a great product if you make minor errors with your temp settings.
Unfortunately, there are no easy conversions between gelatin and pectin. Therefore, if people use pectin in their baking process, they need to look up recipes that specifically call for pectin. If you try to use pectin in lieu of gelatin, you will need to do some experimentation to find what levels work for your recipe.
Mistake #3: Ensuring Potency Is The Same In All Gummies
Even if you carefully measure your cannabinoid extracts, it’s very easy to end up with a batch of “uneven” gummies. Without careful attention and constant testing, your gummies will end up with wildly different cannabinoid readings once you’re finished making them.
The only way to verify a consistent cannabinoid potency in each gummy is to use high-quality at-home THC/CBD scanners like those on tCheck. With one of tCheck’s potency scanners, you can quickly get a read of the THC/CBD concentrations in your gummy mix at all stages of the process.
Taking samples before and while making your gummies may feel tedious, but this is the only scientific way to gauge how well incorporated your cannabinoids are. Taking the time to constantly scan your DIY mix with a tCheck scanner will increase the odds each of your gummies will have the same ratio of THC or CBD.
Mistake #4: Improper Cannabis Gummy Storage
After you’ve done so much work to make your cannabis gummies, it’d be a shame to see your sweets disintegrate. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful about storing your THC or CBD gummies, they can quickly get moldy or lose their potency. Indeed, homemade gummies will spoil faster than most manufactured products due to the lack of preservatives.
It’s imperative to pop your cannabis gummies in a sealable airtight container to avoid oxygen exposure. You should also place your gummies in a reliably cool and dark place to prevent a significant dip in potency. Heat and light are marijuana edibles' greatest enemies. You must minimize exposure to these elements if you want your gummies to last for the long haul.
If you don’t feel like you’re going to eat your gummies within about one week, you may want to consider saving some space in your fridge for your DIY delicacies. People who live in states that experience tropical or desert-like summers may consider putting their gummies in the refrigerator as a precaution.
Mistake #5: Forgetting To Decarboxylate Cannabis
Decarbing weed is a nuisance, but it’s necessary if you want a potent edible experience. People who don’t heat their weed before using it in a DIY recipe won’t have activated cannabinoids in their gummies. Natural cannabis buds only have acidic cannabinoids like THC-A and CBD-A. It’s only after these cannabinoids break down via heat (aka “decarboxylate”) that they form the THC and CBD most consumers want.The simplest way to decarboxylate weed is to place your flowers on a baking sheet and set your oven to about 250° F. Leave your weed flowers in the oven for about 30 minutes.
For more specific details on the decarboxylation process, be sure to read this previous tCheck post "Four Easy Ways to Decarboxylate Cannabis at Home".
Keep Your Gummies Consistent With tCheck THC Potency Tester!
Many people make marijuana gummies because they want a reliable way to microdose either THC or CBD. While cannabis gummies are fantastic for microdosers, you need a way to ensure your daily doses are accurate. The only way to know your gummies have consistent levels of CBD or THC is to use an at-home cannabinoid potency tracker like those on tCheck.
No matter how large or small your gummy operation is, a tCheck THC scanner kit will help you verify your edibles have the consistency you need. Learn "how accurate is tCheck?".
