Malawi Style Cob Curing.

[Hermanthegerman]

Here you go:

View Image

View Image

Many thanks!

Wow, double Wow, the second picture is very Close to perfect! Sorry, just stolen ;-)

 

[Tangwena]

Excellent, thank you. From your recommendation, should I conclude it is possible to 'overcure'? I was under the impression the cure lasts at least a month normally and since mine is probably a little dry I would need more time.

Or perhaps are you encouring me to get an idea of how the process progresses, which of course is smart either way.

Yes you can over ferment or over cure.
That looks done already I would try drying it until the outer surface feels dry to the touch then re seal it for a week.
Check after 7 days sample it and smell it. You can tell by the smell with a little experience it will be easy.
After 7 days dry it again until the surface feels dry not fully dry then vacuum seal it for a month.
The curing after the initial sweating is where the magic happens and you need to keep on top of it. Testing, sniffing and testing is the way you find when you have the sweat spot in the cure.
If it smells sweet or funky (like real hash from Asia) you need to dry it and age it vac sealed for at least a month to get the best results.
From the pics it all looks on track practice will make it easier every time.

 

[wolfhoundaddy]

I just picked up a dehydrater at my thrift store. 5$

 

[Tangwena]

I just picked up a dehydrater at my thrift store. 5$

Good score I'm def getting one before my next cobbing they will make you an artist.

 

[repuk]

Sativas

My favorite every day sativas are so clear in mind that I become 100x more productive with my time, am more methodical with my work, more precise, accurately assessing, frees up all anxiety to fully commit to now. I can not stress enough how much clarity the clear sativas provide. There are variations of this clear high too. Hawaiian clear high is so mellow for what it lacks in productivity it makes up for in enjoying life. Some clear highs are so productive you can only enjoy life after you finish what must be done.

My favorite for fun sativas are psychedelic full of lights, color, sound, and intense imagination.

Every strain without this clearness from here has some type of fogginess and this range goes all the way down the pipe to the stoniest indicas.

Outside of that clearness with other strains can be psychedelic, or stoned, giggly, racy, paranoid, or what have.

Sativas are for the thinking man as I see it

Bro, couldn't agree more. That's why I love sativas. Actually make you your better possible version, and you enjoy the process in the meanwhile!

Zamaldelica Malawi Cobs

TBH I must admit I'm doing it from the heart this time...

They've been fermenting for around 11 days at room temps, which should have oscilated between 22-30C.

So a soft, gentle fermentation of longer duration.

I left them drying at the same place for 24 hours, husks intact; when revacced them they felt dry but soft, pliable still.

Tangwena would you dry one completely now? I don't find the buds to be overwhelming at all.

I must say my Zam even while I didn't gave her the best tenders I should, had pests, etc... turned out to be a potent, incredible smoke, buds smell to delicious orangey-mango and it tingles even on the most seasoned smokers

Hers and the "foxy kalichakra" buds I got make me think on sweet cotton, they're like fuzzballs of pure sugar hairs. They're now my favourite buds!

Left her revegging but seems stalled... I want her back in my life! Is it wise to sow now for outdoors?

 

[MostlyMe]

Yes you can over ferment or over cure.
That looks done already I would try drying it until the outer surface feels dry to the touch then re seal it for a week.
Check after 7 days sample it and smell it. You can tell by the smell with a little experience it will be easy.
After 7 days dry it again until the surface feels dry not fully dry then vacuum seal it for a month.
The curing after the initial sweating is where the magic happens and you need to keep on top of it. Testing, sniffing and testing is the way you find when you have the sweat spot in the cure.
If it smells sweet or funky (like real hash from Asia) you need to dry it and age it vac sealed for at least a month to get the best results.
From the pics it all looks on track practice will make it easier every time.

Got it! I hope I can remember smells for a week

Btw, are there any general guidelines on how the processing influence the final result? Like: longer sweats tend to ... (yield a more stoney product, for example). Or: long aging tends to...

I have a use for any kind of high, but I like the ultraclear ones the most (like Thai). Any hints to get there?

 

[Tangwena]

Got it! I hope I can remember smells for a week

Btw, are there any general guidelines on how the processing influence the final result? Like: longer sweats tend to ... (yield a more stoney product, for example). Or: long aging tends to...

I have a use for any kind of high, but I like the ultraclear ones the most (like Thai). Any hints to get there?

First up you need the right plant. I will be growing the Panama x Honduras again its very clear and very stimulating also very euphoric.
The short sweat (12hrs) and 2 week cure on 2 day dried buds is fantastic. I have the same buds sweated for 24hrs and 4 week cure and while also good they are stonier but still very euphoric.
The Bangi Haze I believe you cured is supposed to be very similar.
If I was looking for a clear euphoric high I would get the right weed. Dry for 2 days and do both 12 and 24 hour sweats and also take some at 2 weeks and 4 weeks cure and dry and age them for a month then test them.
Its a matter of experimenting with the cure. It took me 3 tries to get the right cure for the Malawi x Ethiopia but I nailed it 3rd time.
Thats why I say sniff and test. The sweat starts the fermentation off and then you need to inspect it weekly and dry until the skin is touch dry each time before resealing it for another week.
Once the fermentation is under way you dont need as much moisture and you are managing the cure/fermentation to get the sweet smell that indicates it has peaked. Once you get there dry it until it feels dry but still has a little moisture in the core.
Then seal it up to age for a month.
Still open sniff and take a taste to test weekly during this time.
Its only by doing this that you find out the best cure for any given strain.

The smell of well cured buds is quite distinctive the aroma of the terps and oils can be an overpoweringly beautiful smell.
Once you get the hang of it it is easy, but still I sometimes over do the fermentation and loose the smells but not the effects.


Generally though shorter sweat shorter cure times will give you what you are after. As I say the PxH I have is exceptional and well worth a try. Dubi is bringing out a fem version soon that has got to be worth trying if you like productive clear and euphoric pot which I do.

 

[Tangwena]

Sativas



Bro, couldn't agree more. That's why I love sativas. Actually make you your better possible version, and you enjoy the process in the meanwhile!

Zamaldelica Malawi Cobs

TBH I must admit I'm doing it from the heart this time...

They've been fermenting for around 11 days at room temps, which should have oscilated between 22-30C.

So a soft, gentle fermentation of longer duration.

I left them drying at the same place for 24 hours, husks intact; when revacced them they felt dry but soft, pliable still.

Tangwena would you dry one completely now? I don't find the buds to be overwhelming at all.

I must say my Zam even while I didn't gave her the best tenders I should, had pests, etc... turned out to be a potent, incredible smoke, buds smell to delicious orangey-mango and it tingles even on the most seasoned smokers

Hers and the "foxy kalichakra" buds I got make me think on sweet cotton, they're like fuzzballs of pure sugar hairs. They're now my favourite buds!

Left her revegging but seems stalled... I want her back in my life! Is it wise to sow now for outdoors?

Hi brother so you find the buds weak, how are the straight dried buds?
Some pics would be good but at only 11 days curing I wouldn't even consider trying them yet.
Give them a month at least I need to see pics. If the bad growing conditions effected them or the pheno was a weak one it may never come good.

But from the pics you posted of the plant while it was small the buds looked ok from the pics.
Patience my friend my Malawi x Ethiopian was way to stony at one month but at 2 months is unreal crazy trippy weed a little too trippy for me.

I will be testing them again next week when I have a day to right off because the trip gets very intense and I cant drive or anything like that under its influence.

 

[HaHaHashish]

Tangwena
Does the cobbing process make seeds sterile or still viable? In Africa, do cobs ever have seeds in the them? Are the cobs that are commercially sold in Africa very dense or
closer to compressed grass?

 

[MostlyMe]

First up you need the right plant. I will be growing the Panama x Honduras again its very clear and very stimulating also very euphoric.
The short sweat (12hrs) and 2 week cure on 2 day dried buds is fantastic. I have the same buds sweated for 24hrs and 4 week cure and while also good they are stonier but still very euphoric.
The Bangi Haze I believe you cured is supposed to be very similar.
If I was looking for a clear euphoric high I would get the right weed. Dry for 2 days and do both 12 and 24 hour sweats and also take some at 2 weeks and 4 weeks cure and dry and age them for a month then test them.
Its a matter of experimenting with the cure. It took me 3 tries to get the right cure for the Malawi x Ethiopia but I nailed it 3rd time.
Thats why I say sniff and test. The sweat starts the fermentation off and then you need to inspect it weekly and dry until the skin is touch dry each time before resealing it for another week.
Once the fermentation is under way you dont need as much moisture and you are managing the cure/fermentation to get the sweet smell that indicates it has peaked. Once you get there dry it until it feels dry but still has a little moisture in the core.
Then seal it up to age for a month.
Still open sniff and take a taste to test weekly during this time.
Its only by doing this that you find out the best cure for any given strain.

The smell of well cured buds is quite distinctive the aroma of the terps and oils can be an overpoweringly beautiful smell.
Once you get the hang of it it is easy, but still I sometimes over do the fermentation and loose the smells but not the effects.


Generally though shorter sweat shorter cure times will give you what you are after. As I say the PxH I have is exceptional and well worth a try. Dubi is bringing out a fem version soon that has got to be worth trying if you like productive clear and euphoric pot which I do.

Cool, looks like I have a lot of exploring to do. Just when I thought I got growing and curing down ... I have yet to sample a cob, but thank you for opening this door for me!

I always keep my eye on Ace's offerings, it's all I grow basically. Can't grow them all unfortunately

 

[Tangwena]

Tangwena
Does the cobbing process make seeds sterile or still viable? In Africa, do cobs ever have seeds in the them? Are the cobs that are commercially sold in Africa very dense or
closer to compressed grass?

When I was there, a while ago now you had every kind imaginable from loose packed to dense like we make.
Also every grade from green dried crap full of seeds to lovely almost seedless golden cobs like every where you only get the good stuff if you look hard and know where to look.
All the cobs had viable seeds except the very old powdery cobs and even some of those would grow sometimes.
The last time I was there about 20 years ago now it was very hard to find good cobs it was flooded with poorly cured commercial cobs but I managed to find good cobs after a lot of looking.
You can make just as good cobs yourself its just the quality of the plants that differ. You need good buds to make good cobs after that your golden.

 

[Tangwena]

Malawi x Ethiopian cobs

Malawi x Ethiopian cobs

Heres some close ups of some cobs I made a month or so ago. The Malawi x Panama is super trippy the first 3 hours going up all I could do was lay on the floor riding waves of euphoria that just melted my mind and overwhelmed me to point I wasn't physically present and totally unaware of my surroundings.
Now 4hrs later I am on a plain just holding it together that was on 0.25g I am glad I didn't take my usual test dose of half a gram ha ha.
Check out the different resins colors but especially the sugar piled up it smells of tea tree oil like some phenos of Zamal except sweeter its super potent either way.

 

[Swamp Thang]

Yeah, I hear ya about the lots of looking part. I recently gave up on my idea of purchasing some newly harvested bud here, since my self-grown stash is running low, and I had been hoping to make some more cobs with purchased weed scored directly from growers.

One by one, I instantly tossed away SEVEN deliveries of what passed for weed, in the eyes of my non-toking buyer. The first three purchases were a mass of very stale, moldy and nasty smelling stems, leaves and seeded bud that must have been retrieved from a compost heap, going by the repulsive crap-brown color it had.

Responding to my request that I wanted GREEN weed that was newly harvested, the same man then brought me a handful of two-week old SEEDLINGS, which I tossed out instantly, whilst shaking my head in disbelief.

After a detailed description of what a frigging BUD looks like, along with a request from me that ALL leaves and stems needed to be REMOVED, the same dimwit then brought me ANOTHER handful of fresh leaves and stems, containing two very tiny, newly formed popcorn budlets that were MONTHS from ripeness. That that final act of idiocy that marked the end of my search for newly harvested bud.

I just could not get through to the man, who always nodded his head in agreement, to show he understood my series of requests. Back to growing my own, fer sure.

 

[repuk]

Wow Tangwena, incredible macros!!!!

 

[Tangwena]

Wow Tangwena, incredible macros!!!!

Thanks man I use a cheapish USB microscope its great for seeing how the resin changes during the cure.
Heres some shots of when I was making some of it. I did a 3 way experimental cure in the yogurt maker. Cob, canary and vacumed jar.
All had the same sweat and cure the cob is devastatingly good.
I haven't dared try anything else yet.

 

[Tangwena]

Yeah, I hear ya about the lots of looking part. I recently gave up on my idea of purchasing some newly harvested bud here, since my self-grown stash is running low, and I had been hoping to make some more cobs with purchased weed scored directly from growers.

One by one, I instantly tossed away SEVEN deliveries of what passed for weed, in the eyes of my non-toking buyer. The first three purchases were a mass of very stale, moldy and nasty smelling stems, leaves and seeded bud that must have been retrieved from a compost heap, going by the repulsive crap-brown color it had.

Responding to my request that I wanted GREEN weed that was newly harvested, the same man then brought me a handful of two-week old SEEDLINGS, which I tossed out instantly, whilst shaking my head in disbelief.

After a detailed description of what a frigging BUD looks like, along with a request from me that ALL leaves and stems needed to be REMOVED, the same dimwit then brought me ANOTHER handful of fresh leaves and stems, containing two very tiny, newly formed popcorn budlets that were MONTHS from ripeness. That that final act of idiocy that marked the end of my search for newly harvested bud.

I just could not get through to the man, who always nodded his head in agreement, to show he understood my series of requests. Back to growing my own, fer sure.

My god where are you?
That sounds down right depressing what state are you in?
Thats if your in the US.I might be able to recommend a legal place refered by my US friends.
PM me if you like.

 

[Swamp Thang]

I'm out in the tropics, Tang. A few time zones away from the USA at the moment. It was your reference to searching for decent weed in Malawi, that reminded me so much of my recent attempt to do the same in a similar Third World country with very harsh possession laws.

Hoping to make another pilgrimage to Cali before long, especially that new tough testing laws are coming on stream there for bud outlets, reducing worries about chemical contamination and such.

Speaking of cobs, I'm still working my way through the last of my car-jack compressed pucks, that I vacuum fermented a couple of months ago. Probably started out a a bit too dry, but with mold being such a problem out here close to the Equator, I decided to err on the side of starting with weed that was over-dry, just to be safe from mold after I broke the seal on each cylindrical puck.

 

[Bumbatar]

MALAWI COBS = UNICORN TURDS

 

[Scottay]

Hi there Cobsters!!! Hope everyone is happy & high! Tangwena....buddy....that .25 dose sounds outta this world my friend!! I cannot wait til the future when I'll be able to cob my own stuff! Just a couple hits off of Sues cob was plenty enough to convince me for sure!! It was Grrreeeeeaaatttttt! (Tony-the-tiger voice)
I love reading everyone's accounts of their cob experiences!! Stay green friends!!!

 

[AgentPothead]

Alright so the 2 cobs that were in my first batch, the brown ones, they were definitely over done. When I opened the bag they just smelled the same as before, like weed that had been used in a vaporizer. When I unwrapped them they just looked bad and smelled worse. I tossed those two. The other bag fared much better. When I cut it open it smelled sweet, hard to place, but sweet smelling. I didn't unwrap any of those cobs, just re-vacuumed and put back in the drawer. I didn't get any pictures because I was pressed for time, but I have a feeling this bag is on the right step.