Curing with Boveda Humidipaks

[Team Microbe]

Just ordered mine!

Has anyone had experience with these before? I ordered the 62% for cure time. Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Boveda-Medium...387253638&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=63+humidipaks


wondering if there's anything I should know before popping these into my jars... thanks for the info fam!

 

[Team Microbe]

Nobody uses these?

Just wondering how they work!

 

[Green81]

Keep them in the same jar as your herb bro.

G81

 

[The OrigF/clred]

as it sez ".... Protects against eliminates bacteria, mold or mildew." i've got a feeling they're the same as Dr RH gelatin jars, which are sold for the same purpose and are basically propylene glycol (an alcohol derivative). PG has the same properties and is used to replenish Dr RH gel balls when they dry out

one advantage to Dr RH ( http://www.amazon.com/DR-RH-PhD-HYD...?ie=UTF8&qid=1387290833&sr=8-2&keywords=dr+rh ), is the jar has an inner perforated lid, so you simply remove cap and place it in your storage tub. 2nd advantage is if/when they dry out (the gel balls shrink in size as they dry out) you simply pour in some Propylene glycol till balls have swelled back to the "full" line

Dr RH is set for 70% RH, haven't seen them for any other RH level. disadvantage, when used pure like that, it leaves a kind of sick wet sweet aroma -

PG is also used by tobacco mfgrs (as well as wonder bread, twinkies etc as a moisture retention agent and a preservative) but not pure, ie maybe 1/4 teaspoon to 8 oz of water and misted onto the tobacco. once the tobacco is dried down to whatever humidity level you want and you've sealed it in a container, it will maintain that RH level. PG retards the movement of moisture into or out of whatever is treated with it. Best way to describe - when i open a bag of tobacco, if it's too moist to use to stuff cigs as it'll jam the machine, i'll let it dry laying the tobacco out on the desk. If it hasn't been treated by the mfgr with PG, it'll dry down in 15-25 minutes. IF it has been, it'll take 1.5-2 hours

Common table salt will maintain an RH of 75% - ie, if a tablespoon (moistened) is placed in a sealed container, it will release moisture until the environment is at 75%, if environment is over 75%, it'll draw moisture out of the environment - it's self regulating. Advantage to table salt is that it doesn't impact any flavor to the tobacco when used as a moisture regulating agent - i just put the TB inside a small jar cap and cover the jar cap with a performated plastic membrane - a papertowel would work but resin etc is going to stick to it and get a little messy. But salt doesn't work to control moisture movement if diluted in water, as the PG, and sprayed on the tobacco. But it will sweeten the smoke slightly (again, a weak dilution of maybe 1/4 teaspoon to 8-10 oz).

If you get them, check the label to see if it shows any PG and before you dump those packets in all your mason jars, try one for a few days just to see what happens to the aroma in the jar.

 

[bloyd]

Here is a thread. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=255174

 

[cyat]

i use em.. 1 big pack per qp to lb.... herb is dried first

will keep nugs sticky and perfect for a long time.. even untrimmed ones

i use with bags not jars though... those are in a plastic tote with humi packs in the tote too

 

[Jhhnn]

Here is a thread. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=255174

There's also some discussion towards the end of the "A perfect cure every time" thread. I use Simon's method right up to where the jars get sealed for the cure, pop a 62% bovedapak in with the bud.

There may be better, dunno, but it gives quality results. I've been using bovedapaks for longer term storage, as well. It seems to take a bit off the aroma over time, but the smoke seems to get smoother, too. It's important to let the material air out a bit after grinding, as it's not quite down to optimum moisture content for smoking, I think.

 

[audiohi]

I use them, and I think they're great! I like to package up 7 gram packs and one boveda pack in 4.5 mil or higher heat sealed packages. When I finally smoke my way down to my prime nugs sealed in those bags... they are always perfect!

 

[Team Microbe]

wow great info everyone, didn't expect that many responses overnight!

I popped em in with some sample buds I clipped from my girls in flowering right now... they'll be clipped next week but these were clipped for Christmas purposes

I will let you guys know how my cure came out, this will also be my practice cure before the main one with these packs. I'm also using some hygrometers (mini ones) to stick inside my jars during the main cure. I'm hoping this will help me dial in the exact humidity and see if these packs are as accurate as they claim to be.

 

[unregistered190]

Work great for me.....my cigars and my stash

 

[Team Microbe]

One last question -

do I insert the humidipacks right off the bat (while burping)?

or do I wait til the burping process is complete to pop em in?

 

[maya36459]

I use during the burping and after.

 

[audiohi]

I put them in as soon as I get down to and hold 62% humidity. They do say they will not add humidity over 62% so I can't see them harming anything by putting them in earlier. I just wait as long as I can to keep them fresh and new until I seal the buds up.

 

[Jhhnn]

I put them in as soon as I get down to and hold 62% humidity. They do say they will not add humidity over 62% so I can't see them harming anything by putting them in earlier. I just wait as long as I can to keep them fresh and new until I seal the buds up.

Pretty much my technique, as well. Sometimes the RH in the jar comes back up a little as the moisture level in the material evens out, So there's more burping, but putting the pak in too early harms nothing.

I think Simon's cautions about easing the moisture content down into the cure range bear repeating. Pay attention, don't overshoot & go too dry, because the cure will stop if you do. Re-hydration apparently won't start the cure back up again.

The paks hold up well in a sealed jar all by themselves. They get thin & crunchy when spent. I discovered that by losing one, then finding it a long while later.

 

[Team Microbe]

I use during the burping and after.

I put them in as soon as I get down to and hold 62% humidity. They do say they will not add humidity over 62% so I can't see them harming anything by putting them in earlier. I just wait as long as I can to keep them fresh and new until I seal the buds up.

thanks guys, I can already tell this cure is going to be ON POINT.


my hygrometers didn't come yet, but I just pulled em out for the 2nd time today to burp and the once dry-feeling nugs are now evenly moistened. They almost feel sticky, but not quite there yet. Insane how well these packets work guys... my flowers would've been far drier by now at this stage of the cure. 2 Thumbs up for Boveda!

 

[mohammed romney]

They worked great for me. I found that the hygrometer read 62% after a day or two with bovedas and the dry buds in a jar. I used 2 large 62's in a jar with a few z's that had been hang dried about 6 days. The bud has an excellent feel, burn and moisture level after 1 month with the bovedas.

I dropped the bud into the jar after 6 days of drying and burped the jars a few times until the meter reading was close to 62%RH. Then I let them set and check on em every couple weeks.

 

[Jhhnn]

thanks guys, I can already tell this cure is going to be ON POINT.


my hygrometers didn't come yet, but I just pulled em out for the 2nd time today to burp and the once dry-feeling nugs are now evenly moistened. They almost feel sticky, but not quite there yet. Insane how well these packets work guys... my flowers would've been far drier by now at this stage of the cure. 2 Thumbs up for Boveda!

Indeed. The large boveda paks are just what high tech is supposed to be- very user friendly, highly effective, well made & durable.

OTOH, I suspect that people with lots of experience, artists in their craft, can probably do better by the seat of their pants. It's like cooking- I can follow a recipe, but I'm no chef.

 

[Team Microbe]

They worked great for me. I found that the hygrometer read 62% after a day or two with bovedas and the dry buds in a jar. I used 2 large 62's in a jar with a few z's that had been hang dried about 6 days. The bud has an excellent feel, burn and moisture level after 1 month with the bovedas.

I dropped the bud into the jar after 6 days of drying and burped the jars a few times until the meter reading was close to 62%RH. Then I let them set and check on em every couple weeks.

hell yeah man, so good to hear. who ever invented these things is a genius. I hear they're good at re-hydrating over-dried buds too...

Indeed. The large boveda paks are just what high tech is supposed to be- very user friendly, highly effective, well made & durable.

OTOH, I suspect that people with lots of experience, artists in their craft, can probably do better by the seat of their pants. It's like cooking- I can follow a recipe, but I'm no chef.

you're definitely right when you say that, I'm sure there are "master curers" just like there are master growers! It's almost if not AS hard as growing IMO...