Harvest & Curing Alternative methods of curing

[Somerset]

Hi all,

I am thinking about trying a few new (or actually old/traditional!) techniques for drying and curing your weed and have been looking for more information on other ways to do it, in particular -some of the traditional methods of how weed is cured around the world such as in Africa, or Asia where it is done very differently. Having smoked some bud from around the world of which I have some very fond memories) I'd like to give a few other techniques a go. I have used paper bag method, which works well, but I'm keen to see how other methods affect flavour, humidity, tightness, smoke ability - overall enjoyability I suppose.
Anyway - I found a very informative and thought provoking link and thought you other lovely people on AFN might find it useful too (cos we like to help each other out here):

http://www.lycaeum.org/~sky/data/grow/c21.html

Has anyone tried 'alternative' methods of processing weed and what were the results like? Its my first grow ever (you can follow grow here if you really care - its been an interesting one!:
https://www.autoflower.org/f6/outdoor-uk-first-time-journal-ref-34201.html)

Consequently, I have loads of weed and more on the way so want to play with my options a bit.

Anyone got any good traditional methods of curing involving wrapping the weed up and 'stewing' it, then breathing it (burping?) and repeating etc. I have read of people hanging it for a few days to start drying then bagging weed in plastic, and leaving it for a week or so to cure. The fermentation process in the first link makes it sounds like a great idea to me!

 

[F.N.]

If you have the room pick the plant do not remove one leaf let it dry hanging upside down with the leaves surrounding the bud it protects the trich,s from getting damaged leave until you can easily snap a bud off throw it in mason jars and burp every few days until you get the to where you like it smell wise and crumble abillty

 

[Joedirt]

Nice article Somerset!
I do the slow cure and then a boveta 62 pack.
After about 2 months or so, when I know that I don't have to burp anymore, I will put an O2 absorbing pack in the jar and then put it in the fridge for long term storage.
So far this has worked for me. Ive been doing it like this for about 3 years now.
I got some smoke for my sis the other day that was jared Dec. 3 2011 it tasted and smoked beautifully!

 

[Somerset]

i've done the classic 5-7 day hang after a good trim and then brown paper bagged to dry already so I\m keen to explore other methods whilst I have enough weed to do so. My current fav is the sweat cure. After the trim and hang (as above) I wrap the storks into a thick black plastic bag and gently pack them together excluding most of the air, then leave it in the sun for an hour. I thenopen the bag, remove the storks for about 2 mins, then repeat. I did this 3 or 4 times then left them in a open box for the night before jarring them. The colour changes straight away (I believe as a result of a fermentation) and it goes to a darker, richer more golden brown colour. They're still soft and very malleable much like fresh rolling tobacco, and although still a bit wet to smoke - give you a lovely buzz thats more hash like than a brown paper bag dry cure. Not sure why. One of the downsides of heat is that you loose that fresh grapefruit smell that good weed has, it smells more natural and earthy now. I trying variations of this technique current;y in both small and large batches using heat and no heat, but allowing it to sweat before drying.

I'm thinking I should try a NO TRIM hang and then trim it later (not sure when!) to see if it helps improve the technique at all?

 

[Eekman]

Great Thread Somerset,


We have used many methods, preferring to air our buds out during the day, trimmed and deleaved, and paper bagged at night for about a week.

I like the "Sweat Cure" method on that link you posted though. Maybe next i will try that. Got it bookmarked.

We have done the water cure method, as we make lotions and balms with some of our material. It gets the color out (for the most part), and the smell. We were given about a lb of shake once after a harvest, and it was dusty. The water cure washed it all out, and it became good medicine.

Cover all material with Water, keep the buds pushed down below the water line with a plate or something like it.

Start out changing the water twice a day, after it starts to look clean, once a day, keep it up for three or four days until the water is clear. Dry it out carefully, using screens or racks, you can quick dry it as we are now not concerned with taste and smell, turning it often as to avoid mold.

There is a thread on this somewhere.


Thanks and reps to ya.

Eek

 

[Somerset]

Nice one for the positivity Eek! thanks for your input - the water method is indeed an interesting one! Do you know if you can cold sweat cure and keep some of that nice original aroma?

 

[Dr Who]

I did an bit of accidental sweat curing earlier this year, by putting some recently harvested buds in a tobacco tin and leaving it somewhere warm, but where condensation was forming on the insider of the lid of the tin. I think it may have only been a few hours like that before I removed the lid and it dried out, but the bud had turned much browner already. I felt that bud really gave me quite a strong sedative effect, but I'm not really sure if it was that plant, or the accidental sweat cure which resulted in this effect. Is that broadly consistent with your description of a more "hash like" effect? Perhaps there is some conversion of e.g. THC type actives towards CBD type actives during the cure?

I usually hang with the whole plant intact, for some of the following assorted reasons. I'm bone idle, leaving the leaves in leaves a higher surface area for evaporation of internal moisture (so it can dry more quickly?), leaving the plant whole means that moisture held in the stems can prevent excessive drying of the buds if I leave it too long. I can't say for sure if any of these things are really true, but I find it gives me good flexibility in terms of when I actually do the trimming because it doesn't seem to dry too fast, but will still reach a reasonable level of dryness in a reasonable time.

 

[Dr Who]

...and I also meant to say, have you thought about trying to make bhang such as is made in India? Clearly just a bit too stoned to remember at the time though...

 

[Eekman]

I have never done the sweat cure.

I did try news paper wrapped, and it cured slowly, and got real brown, but it is killer smoke. But you gotta keep the ol' eye on the mold, and give it a lot of time to air out daily.

Repack with new (dry) newspaper each time.

 

[Somerset]

Dr.Who - yes, the sedative effect you describe does seem similar to what I'm trying to describe with regards to the effects a sweat cure seems to have (bit more body effect etc) Its almost like the plant seems to be able to ripen active compounds a bit more but I have ABSOLUTELY no evidence for this!

As Eek said, you def need to watch out for mould, I caught one bud starting to turn so opened up the wrap, removed it and have been drying the rest since (its safe!)

If anyone wants to try and see if it for themselves, try 'pocket curing'. Take a few spare nugs or even a whole branch that has been hanging for 5 days and remove the buds. When trimmed, wrap them tight in cling-film (or plastic food wrap) and leave it in your trouser pocket for the day. The warmth activates the moisture in it and starts a ferment, if its a bit too wet, open it up for 5 mins halfway through the day before re-wrapping it. It'll turn brownish, the aroma will change to something more hay-like and it looks more compressed. After a day, you can dry it, to jar it and cure it until you want to smoke it. Its a nice way of trying something else without having to risk too much.

Let me know how you get on folks!

This is what I have so far: one unknown super auto trimmed and hung for 5 days.


This is the same unknown super auto after a 4 day sweat cure (although I think now that 2 days would be ample and reduces the risk of mould - so long as it gets warm enough initially to start the process.) Try and make sure that you loose as much stalk/stems as possible before the sweat, particularly if the weed is a little on the wetter side - they hold ALOT of moisture!