Search “CBD hemp tea” and most of what comes back is a product listing with a price tag, not an explanation of what to actually do with the leaves once they arrive. Brew it the wrong way and the cup still tastes fine — it just means you're drinking flavoured water and missing the reason to buy loose hemp tea in the first place.
Here's the method, the one variable that actually matters, and two flowers worth trying it with.
The one thing most people skip
Cannabinoids, including CBD, are fat-soluble rather than water-soluble. Steep dried hemp flower in plain hot water and most of what ends up in the cup is antioxidants, colour and the plant's natural flavour — pleasant, but only half the reason to brew it. A splash of milk, cream or coconut oil during steeping gives the cannabinoids something to bind to, so they carry into the liquid instead of staying behind in the plant material you strain out.
It doesn't take much. A tablespoon of whole milk or a teaspoon of coconut oil per cup is enough to make the difference.
What you'll need
- 1 teaspoon of dried, loose CBD hemp flower per cup
- A teapot, infuser, or French press
- Milk, cream, or coconut oil
- A kettle
- Honey or lemon, if you like it sweeter or sharper
How to brew it
- Grind lightly. Break the flower up by hand or with a light grind — you want it opened up, not powdered.
- Heat water just off the boil. Around 90–95°C. A full rolling boil tends to scorch the plant and flatten the flavour.
- Add your fat. Stir milk, cream, or coconut oil into your cup or pot, either before pouring or straight after.
- Steep for 2 to 7 minutes. Two minutes for something lighter, seven for a stronger, more herbal cup. Push much past that and it starts to turn bitter.
- Strain and sweeten. Pour through a fine strainer or infuser basket, then add honey or lemon to taste.
Picking a flower for your teapot
Not every strain brews the same way, and flavour matters more here than it does when smoking or vaping — you're tasting it directly rather than through combustion. Two worth trying:
Daifuku (10% CBD) — fermented fruit with a subtle funk underneath, and a strawberry-pastry aroma when the bud is broken open. It's cultivated indoors in living soil and available only in strictly limited quantity, so it's worth trying while it's in stock. The depth suits an evening cup, paired with cream or a spoon of honey.
Z Lime (14% CBD) — big, bright green buds with a rich, syrupy lime character, dominated by the citrus terpene limonene. Lighter and sharper than Daifuku, it works well earlier in the day and takes a plain milk pairing without needing much sweetening.
Both are lab-tested, UK-legal hemp flower under 0.2% THC, and both sit in the full loose hemp tea range alongside everything else currently in stock.
Hot brew vs cold brew
The method above is a hot brew, and it's the one to use if you want the cannabinoid-fat pairing to actually do its job — cold water is far less effective at pulling cannabinoids out of the plant material, fat or no fat.
Cold brew hemp tea is really a flavour-and-refreshment drink rather than a way of extracting cannabinoids. If you want it iced, brew hot using the method above, let it cool, then pour over ice — rather than starting the steep in cold water from scratch.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the fat. The single biggest reason people say hemp tea "does nothing" — see above.
- Boiling water. Scorches the flower and pulls out more bitterness than flavour.
- Over-steeping. Past seven or eight minutes, tannins in the plant material start to dominate and the tea turns bitter and grassy.
- Stale flower. Older, drier buds give a thinner, less aromatic cup. Keep hemp tea sealed, cool and dark between brews.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to add fat when brewing CBD hemp tea?
Not strictly required, but recommended. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, so a splash of milk, cream or coconut oil while steeping carries more of them into the liquid. Skip it and you're mainly getting flavour and antioxidants.
How long should I steep hemp tea?
Between 2 and 7 minutes. Shorter for a lighter cup, longer for something stronger — past 7 to 8 minutes it tends to turn bitter.
Can I drink CBD hemp tea cold?
Yes — brew it hot, then chill or pour over ice. Starting the steep in cold water from the outset is much less effective at pulling the plant's compounds into the liquid.
Does hemp tea get you high?
No. UK-legal hemp flower contains under 0.2% THC, the compound responsible for a "high" — nowhere near enough to produce one.
Which CBD flower is best for tea?
Down to taste. Daifuku brings a deep, fruit-and-funk profile suited to an evening cup; Z Lime is brighter and citrus-forward, better earlier in the day. Both are loose-leaf and brew the same way.
Quick reference
1 teaspoon of flower per cup. Water just off the boil. A splash of milk, cream, or coconut oil. Steep 2 to 7 minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste.
The full range of loose hemp tea is in the flowers collection. Prefer something ready-rolled instead of brewing? The same flowers are available as hemp tea tubes, and if smoke-free is more your thing, our CBD gummies are worth a look too. Still deciding what to buy in the first place? Our buying guide covers what separates a good flower shop from the rest.
H Town Hemp products are sold as aromatic hemp tea and are not food, supplements or medicines. Nothing here is medical advice. Not for sale to anyone under 18.