Malawi Style Cob Curing.

[Tangwena]

As most of use now know (thanks Sam Skunkman) that terpenes enhance, modulate and affect the high, also, pure THC does not get you as high as THC and terpenes. I think the reason cobs are different is that the terpenes in standard dry & cure techniques gas off (evaporate) to a greater extent than compared to cobbed buds as the terpenes are trapped in due to compression and wrapping. I also think that the Co2 produced inside the cob affects the high too.

What is not known now is why the high from cobs changes from month one to month three of storage.

This is only a guess but if you keep the moisture level just right the curing process seems to carry on until the 6 month mark after that there is not much positive change if you leave them.
I dry the cobs which stops the fermentation when I estimate from the smell and texture that the cobs have peaked or at least got to a level based on smell and touch that I like.

they seem to change almost weekly, that is why I am always opening the bags to check them and dry them a little more each time to gradually bring them to the level I desire from experience with that particular plant.
It is a very hands on touchy feely method. Requiring frequent tasting and sampling until you learn the best cure for those particular buds.
Its not a one size fits all scene. I have 3 basic types of cure that I use to get 3 distinct types of results. Depending on the buds, loose airy, sticky dense, small delicate foxtailing buds ect all need different moisture levels and sweat times as well as curing times before final drying for storage.
Its as much fun as growing the buds in the first place and makes your enjoyment of your grow last years if have enough cobs to play around with.
If you are careful and diligently keep them vacuum sealed during the curing process it will not harm the buds at all and can only make them better.

 

[Agronom]

As the discussion is going on about the chemical process in the fermenting cobs and buds, I'd like to say that this chemical reaction is not of my interest at all. I mean, it's good to know, but it is more fun to go by smell and touch as Tangwena is saying. I don't really believe that knowing the chemical process will bring a perfect result. But knowing the conditions and timing will. Analyzing to the last atom and revealing the Oz behind the magic would bring me less satisfaction than bringing a result by trial and error and following what makes sense. But for those analytical minds, may they find their contentment in the scientific details.. Do I really need to know which terpene becomes what formula, there are so many of them, I'd rather pull out the cob and smell it.

 

[Chevy cHaze]

Hi everybody and thanks for your feedback.
However I was not bringing up the chemical process out of interest in the subject, but because I wanted to know what caused the intensified high, and if it's caused by the terpenes and cannabinoids or just by, potentially harmful, byproducts, like ammonia and other stuff that usually show up when there's anaerobic bacteria at work.
then again, I'm thinking if it was indeed something nasty that caused the intense high, everybody around Lake Malawi was probably dead by now and it's probably not worth looking further into the subject...
So thanks for your feedback but I think my thirst for knowledge has been quenched hehehe.

All the best,
CC

 

[Tangwena]

Hi my friend if you go back to page 90 an old member here Madjag had a cob he made checked for such things and it came back "remarkably free" in the words of the testing company.
So I dont think you have anything to worry about as far as nasty by products go.

 

[Agronom]

Just smelling the cobs and waiting. The loose buds give me the same high as the cobs at this stage, very nice and long lasting.

 

[Agronom]

The loose buds curing in the vacseal bag:

 

[Tangwena]

Just smelling the cobs and waiting. The loose buds give me the same high as the cobs at this stage, very nice and long lasting.

Sometimes I find the loose bag sweated buds can seem better in the end than the compact cobs for whatever reason.
That is why with large sticky buds I like to do the cobs big and loosely bound. Its worth experimenting with a shorter sweat time say 12hrs and a looser style cob.
This can sometimes produce amazing mummified looking buds that break off the cob whole but slightly compacted its one of the best smelling and aromatic cures with an up racy high depending on the strain of course.

 

[Tangwena]

The loose buds curing in the vacseal bag:
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The colors look good its well on its way I would dry them a bit now and keep an eye out for mold all the time.
Best of luck my friend looking good at the moment.

 

[Agronom]

That sounds really good the way you say it. I'm already addicted to the smell.

 

[Tangwena]

That sounds really good the way you say it. I'm already addicted to the smell.

Your nose and your eyes are your best instruments.
I have a Zamaldelica cob that smells so nice I will keep some for a long time in a vac bag just so I can smell what heaven smells like, its fantastic like a sweet floral/pine/hashish smell just amazing.

 

[Agronom]

Exactly the way you describe it, yes I noticed the pine resin smell. With the fermenting smell almost disappearing now, and other ones becoming stronger, it's only getting better.

 

[Agronom]

Loose buds out in the open after three weeks curing:

 

[seeded]

Wow that's black almost all the way through. I bet that's got a wicked high

 

[canna.ballistic]

I have also been experimenting a bit with loose bud placed in a vacuum bag.

Below is some Highland Mexican x Blueberry (from Chimera) ...
- dried for 3 days from harvest until moisture content in upper 70s (determined by placing buds in jar for 4 hours)
- sealed in vac bag and then placed in yogurt maker for 2 days (temp between 35C and 40C) - the buds were wet when bag opened, but there was no excess moisture in the bag
- bag opened and buds dried for a few hours to bring moisture content down to low 70s
- resealed in vac bag and placed in yogurt maker for another 3 days - the bag swelled up after a day or so, which I assume was due to gases or water being released during the fermentation process

First photo is prior to opening the vac bag after the 5 days overall in the yogurt maker (and showing how I rolled the loose buds up into a big fat cob-styled wad). The second photo is after opening the bag, and also shows some of the buds from the plant which are jar curing as a comparison - a reasonable colour change in the buds from the vac bag can already be seen. The loose buds in the vac bag did not have the same fermented smell as the proper cobs I have previously done, but had a very sweet aromatic terp smell fairly similar to the jarred bud. The loose vac bag method is reminding me more of the colours and textures of the good buds I used to smoke in the 80s.

The buds have since been dried to mid 60s and have just been resealed in a vac bag and placed in a box on the UPS battery for computer for another fortnight or so of curing (temp about 30C).

 

[canna.ballistic]

Loose buds out in the open after three weeks curing:
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Wicked wicked wicked !! How did you get those buds so dark ... I am assuming high initial moisture content (80% plus) and/or high temps (45C or higher) ??

I've been getting faded olive green / yellowish green buds using an initial MC of approx 78% and temps between 35C and 40C.

I also misjudged the MC of some buds from another plant where the initial MC was only about 72%. The buds didn't sweat much or change colour much after a few days in the yogurt maker (temp upper 30s) ... they were still fairly similar in appearance to the jar cured bud (although I am still to do a smoke test to see if there are any differences in taste or smoothness). This seems to show that a minimum MC of at least 75% is probably needed for this process to start working well.

All interesting learning and experimenting as we each try to understand how this curing / fermentation process shared by Tangwena works, as well as what end product we are specifically seeking.

I will be very keen to know what you think of your 'black bud' after you have tried her a few times.

 

[seeded]

I finally bought a decent vacuum sealer and gave some Blueberry/Thai x Malawi a good 36 hour sweat at 40c

 

[seeded]

Yes I'm a monster and cut her open but at least I documented it

 

[Agronom]

Wow, Seeded, you have some wicked looking material too, I bet Tangwena would love a little chew from it.

 

[Agronom]

Canna.ballistic, good comparison with the jar cured buds. My loose buds were dried for two days on the plant, then in a plastic vac bag for two days at 45C in a warm box, then dried a few hours on the open and then again vacuumed until now. The buds are a lot more potent than the jar cured ones, and I'm never going back to jar curing again.

 

[Tangwena]

Loose buds out in the open after three weeks curing:
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Picture perfect my friend once dried and aged a bit that will be a very smooth smoking cure. I am sure the high will be different also. I have some Golden Tiger i cured loose that looks identical and as it ages the smell will become more subtle but also more refined as will the high.
Nice work my friend enjoy the fruits of your experiment it takes a bit of faith but once you have it you know.