First Cure - How does smell and taste change?

Hi all, this is my first post along with my first cure

The buds (bigbud) were dried for 6-7 days till most stems snapped easily, then went into mason jars and burped a couple of times a day for 15-20 minutes.

I've been keeping a close eye on them for mould and though I did have a paranoid moment with one jar this was days ago and all seems well.

They have been in the jars for over 6 days now, the buds are spongy and crumble nicely, leaving a strong smelling resinous coat on my fingertips. So all is well from that perspective, it's just that the taste seems to have gone harsher, more bitter, almost dry and certainly not as tasty as it was before i started curing it.

Is this part of the process or have I screwed up somewhere?

Peace

Dude where on the same page. When I open my jars the buds smell like flowers. After I leave it open for about 2-3 minutes the strong weed smell fills the garage. Smells fruity. All from bag seeds. I believe there not suppose to be crispy. Mine are semi moist. I have them in my garage which is about 40F now. I know if I leave them out they will crisp up fast. Its been curing for about 2 weeks now. I have no mold so I guess Im doing it right. The color is getting darker and it starting to look like some of these pics I've been seeing on the site. Everyones curing styles are different. Never saw a video on how to properly cure weed.
I open the jars for about 5 minutes everyday and move them around. I keep them in complete darkness.

im in the process of curing my weed for the first time also and i feel the same way, theres been no improvement of taste, or potency or anything like what i've read about on here
i think all this talk about curing may actually be b.s
just dry it and smoke it imo
but im kind of new to this soooo who knows lol

So many people swear that it's 100% the best way to go but yeah, I've been smoking and enjoying weed after a week of drying for years...it always seems to lose flavour after a few weeks in my stash bag

if you cure your weed once you are done burpping it DONT OPEN it for as long as you want. longer is better, but i never let mine get crispy

dont use bags get a glass jar

I am using glass jars for the curing, i suppose the point i'm making is that the weed ive been curing for a week tastes pretty much the same as the weed i'd normally leave in my stash bag (starting to lose its sweetness).

I find the longer I cure, the smoother the smoke. Usually I dry (hang) for about a week, then place in paper bages to even out the remaining moisture for roughly 2-3 days, then in mason jars. The jars are opened for about an hour every day and buds moved around inside the jars for the first two weeks. After that, I just open the jars, shake around the buds and close the jars for another two weeks. The smoke is smooth compared to buds that have only cured for a week. (occasionally have to sample a little) and the week long definately burns the throat a little.
Burns much more evenly when rolled and has a much better flavor in the vaporizer as well if cured longer.

WDeranged said:

Hi all, this is my first post along with my first cure

The buds (bigbud) were dried for 6-7 days till most stems snapped easily, then went into mason jars and burped a couple of times a day for 15-20 minutes.

I've been keeping a close eye on them for mould and though I did have a paranoid moment with one jar this was days ago and all seems well.

They have been in the jars for over 6 days now, the buds are spongy and crumble nicely, leaving a strong smelling resinous coat on my fingertips. So all is well from that perspective, it's just that the taste seems to have gone harsher, more bitter, almost dry and certainly not as tasty as it was before i started curing it.

Is this part of the process or have I screwed up somewhere?

Peace

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grind said:

im in the process of curing my weed for the first time also and i feel the same way, theres been no improvement of taste, or potency or anything like what i've read about on here
i think all this talk about curing may actually be b.s
just dry it and smoke it imo
but im kind of new to this soooo who knows lol

Click to expand...

WDeranged said:

I am using glass jars for the curing, i suppose the point i'm making is that the weed ive been curing for a week tastes pretty much the same as the weed i'd normally leave in my stash bag (starting to lose its sweetness).

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Ok first it's only been a week, a good cure is going to take at least two weeks, longer depending on the strain and density of your buds, be patient give it some time.

Now there are several things that make weed harsh. The first thing is weed that was either dried too fast or is too dry. You mentioned that your weed crumbles when you break it up, it shouldn't be that dry during the first week of curing. Your buds have to be slightly moist to cure, if they are totally dry they are not curing. You may want to try to get them to absorb some moisture. After a good cure you buds shouldn't be crumbley they should seem slightly pliable, you shouldn't be able to break it up with your fingers. It should burn slow but evenly in a blunt or joint, it should go out if no one is toking on it.

Did you flush your plants prior to harvesting? Leftover chemicals from nutes can make your weed harsh.

Lastly did you dry your plants in the dark and are they away from light during curing? Drying and curing in dark areas allows the process of photosynthesis to stop. It allows the chorophyll, sugars, starches, and nitratres (all products of photosynthesis) to break down faster. The process of photosynthesis doesn't stop when you cut the plants down. All the products of photosynthesis can make your smoke harsh; they are also what cause you buds to smell and taste like grass, leaves, hay, etc. You'll notice that after drying and curing youor buds will start to lose that fresh green color, they will still be green but they won't look "fresh". You know what I mean?

Also to grind, who may think curing is bs. I assure you it is not. Not only does it make smoke less harsh and improve the taste, smell, and look of yoou bud, it increases potency by allowing the non-active acids of THC to be converted to the active form.

https://www.rollitup.org/1512312-post63.html
Pictures that show the difference ^^^^

Entire thread with discussion on it:
https://www.rollitup.org/harvesting-curing/120624-want-bag-appeal-curing-matters.html

Yep, the weed was dried for at least a week maybe ten days, well flushed and dried/cured in darkness. I am concerned that it might have been too dry before it went into the jar but it certainly wasn't bone dry.

I've read in many places that the stem should snap before putting the weed into the jars but i've read in other places that the stem should bend...I went with the first option.

Do you think rehydrating would do any good? I've heard that once the weed has dried you can't "recure" it

WDeranged said:

Yep, the weed was dried for at least a week maybe ten days, well flushed and dried/cured in darkness. I am concerned that it might have been too dry before it went into the jar but it certainly wasn't bone dry.

I've read in many places that the stem should snap before putting the weed into the jars but i've read in other places that the stem should bend...I went with the first option.

Do you think rehydrating would do any good? I've heard that once the weed has dried you can't "recure" it

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It is possible that it was too dry before you put it into the jars. Weed that dried to fast or is too dry will be harsh because the by-products of photosythesis never got to break down fully. If they are too dry in the jars the during process doesn't get going.

As far as the stems snapping or bending, I have personally found that to be an unreliable way to tell if your buds are dry. If your buds are really dense the stem will dry way faster than the bud. The way I tell my buds are ready to go from hanging to the paper bags is by how they feel. When the tips of the buds feel crisp to the touch I remove them from the stems and put them into the brown paper bags. This step allows the moisture from inside the buds to escape and be evenly distributed through the bud and any excess moisture will be absorbed by the paper bag. After that step I go to jars.

You can most certainly add moisture to those buds and get the curing process going again. Now if the buds were like a year old, no but they are still fresh! Do you have fresh, moist leaves from your plants? If so you can add a few of the fresh leaves to the jars, the moisture from them will condense inside the jar and the buds can absorb it. If you don't have fresh leaves there are a few things you can put in the jar. Some people add slices of orange, lemon, or lime peel; adding those to your jar will also add the scent to your buds. Some people don't like to use those because they don't want the added fruit scent; in these cases Ive heard of people cutting a small piece of terrycloth, dampening it and then adding that to their jars. I have also heard of people taking the buds and putting them in paper bags with a small container of water then closing the bag; basically a homemade humidor. You could also invest in a humidor, most cigar shops will have them for sale.

roxistar said:

Also to grind, who may think curing is bs. I assure you it is not. Not only does it make smoke less harsh and improve the taste, smell, and look of yoou bud, it increases potency by allowing the non-active acids of THC to be converted to the active form.

https://www.rollitup.org/1512312-post63.html
Pictures that show the difference ^^^^

Entire thread with discussion on it:
https://www.rollitup.org/harvesting-curing/120624-want-bag-appeal-curing-matters.html

Click to expand...

You read this where? Everytime I smoke whether it's 10 minutes after cutting a bud or 3 weeks I still get blazed....

roxistar said:

It is possible that it was too dry before you put it into the jars. Weed that dried to fast or is too dry will be harsh because the by-products of photosythesis never got to break down fully. If they are too dry in the jars the during process doesn't get going.

As far as the stems snapping or bending, I have personally found that to be an unreliable way to tell if your buds are dry. If your buds are really dense the stem will dry way faster than the bud. The way I tell my buds are ready to go from hanging to the paper bags is by how they feel. When the tips of the buds feel crisp to the touch I remove them from the stems and put them into the brown paper bags. This step allows the moisture from inside the buds to escape and be evenly distributed through the bud and any excess moisture will be absorbed by the paper bag. After that step I go to jars.

You can most certainly add moisture to those buds and get the curing process going again. Now if the buds were like a year old, no but they are still fresh! Do you have fresh, moist leaves from your plants? If so you can add a few of the fresh leaves to the jars, the moisture from them will condense inside the jar and the buds can absorb it. If you don't have fresh leaves there are a few things you can put in the jar. Some people add slices of orange, lemon, or lime peel; adding those to your jar will also add the scent to your buds. Some people don't like to use those because they don't want the added fruit scent; in these cases Ive heard of people cutting a small piece of terrycloth, dampening it and then adding that to their jars. I have also heard of people taking the buds and putting them in paper bags with a small container of water then closing the bag; basically a homemade humidor. You could also invest in a humidor, most cigar shops will have them for sale.

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Thanks for the detailed reply, I will try adding a couple of leaves tonight. One thing i can't get my head around is why its tasted fine up until this point, the buds themselves look and smell fine but it seems like all the weed i've smoked goes into this stage after a couple of weeks, curing is my attempt to avoid it

SmokerE said:

You read this where? Everytime I smoke whether it's 10 minutes after cutting a bud or 3 weeks I still get blazed....

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Whoaa, I never said you wouldn't get high from uncured buds, I just said curing increases potency, it basically allows them to be at the peak potency because of the chemical reactions that occur. I certainly didn't just make it up, I read it in a number of places. Plus, I have doing this long enough to know there is a noticeable difference in quality between cured and fresh buds. You can find the information in several books, guides, and articles about cultivation by some of the most well known and respected marijuana cultivators, breeders and activists; people like DJ Short (I'm sure you like his Blueberry strain), Jorge Cervantes (If you read about cultivating chances are the info came from one of his books), and Ed Rosenthal.

So here are some of the places this information is found. The first four quotes are either excerpts from the following books; Marijuana Botany by Robert Connell Clark andMarijuana Chemistry: Genetics, Processing, Potency by Michael Starks or quotes from certain Cannabis websites from thread by fergetit or Skunk Works (original may have been at Overgrow at one time). I'll also provide a few links for you to check out, one is to an article by DJ Short.

Here's the explaination:

Moisture is essential for the curing process, it is both your friend and enemy. If too much moisture is left in the buds, with out the regular mixing, venting and turning of buds involved with curing, molds and bacteria can quickly form and ruin the taste and potency of your stash. On the other hand, without the necessary moisture metabolic processes essential to curing do not take place.

Fresh cannabis plants are around 80% water (all %’s by weight); curing generally begins after the cannabis has lost half of it’s initial mass, and contains approximately 33% of it’s initial water.

Once curing is complete and the pot is “dry”, it should still contain 10-15% moisture, approximately 2-4% of its’ initial water. This is an ideal because most bacteria and molds can not grow below 15% water content, and below 10% cannabis buds tend to powder.

Naturally, as the metabolic processes continue during curing, the conversion of cannabergerol to tetrahydrocannabinol will continue and the potency of the pot will increase. This is because cannabergerol (CBG) is the non-psychoactive precursor for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Of course, the exact change in THC content will necessarily be dependant upon the concentration of CBG in the fresh material at harvest. Of course any remaining precursors necessary to form additional cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids will also be consumed and converted.

Curing proceeds while the leaf is still alive, for until it dries, many of the leaf's life processes continue. Since the leaf's ability to produce sugars is thwarted, it breaks down stored starch to simple sugars, which are used for food. This gives the grass a sweet or earthy aroma and taste. At the same time, many of the complex proteins and pigments, such as chlorophyll, are broken down in enzymatic processes. This changes the colour of the leaf from green to various shades of yellow, brown, tan, or red, depending primarily on the variety, but also on growing environment and cure technique. The destruction of chlorophyll eliminates the minty taste that is commonly associated with green homegrown.

Potency during curing and storage can be maintained by observing some basic precautions. Excessively hot temperatures will promote oxidation and the growth of mold and bacteria, and very cold temperatures can prolong curing and drying for up to several months.

1. The buds need to be kept in the dark, protected from light, which will quickly decompose the THC.

2. Moderated temperatures should be observed during curing, 50-75F being ideal.

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Continued Metabolism

Also as these metabolic process take place, the plant needs energy which leads it to consume the sugars, starches, nitrates, and minerals. Many of these compounds are metabolized and released as water and carbon dioxide, therefore removing what is essentially inert material from the pot increasing the concentration of cannabinoids therefore making it more potent.

Much of these positive metabolic processes can be most effectively begun with thourough flushing and stripping of the plant before harvest. This will help reduce the amount of time necessary for a good cure.

Curing will not only improve potency, but the color and look of most cannabis buds because as the chlorophyll is broken down purple, gold, and white coloration can emerge and the trichomes will appear more pronounced.

Decarboxylation

Some decarboxylization will take place during curing as well. This happens when the carboxyl group (COOH) located at C-2, C-4, or the end of the hydrocarbon chain at C-3 is destroyed leaving a hydrogen attached and liberating CO2.

Decarboxylization is necessary to convert cannabinoids to usable psychoactive forms; the plants (and your body) carboxylize cannabinoids to make them more soluble in water (for metabolic reactions and excretion). As decarboxylization occurs, the loss of CO2 will liberate a small amount of inert material making the pot more potent via concentration of the cannabinoids.

Taste & Odor

Terpenoids are the highly volatile compounds that give marijuana much of its’ characteristic odors, and therefore tastes.

The most current research also suggests terpenoids lend to the high, sometimes very significantly. Cannabinoids are phenolated terepenes so it’s not surprising that many hundreds of different terpenoids are synthesized as well.

As pot ages, some of the terpenoids go through polycyclic aromatization in the process of decomposition. This agglomeration of terpenoids will change the flavor; hence the ability of cured pot to show flavors that didn’t seem present in the original fresh material. Much of the very volatile terpenoids will also evaporate and or decompose, especially with prolonged curing or storage. This action will remove some matter from the pot increasing the cannabinoid concentration and therefore potency.

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A little background on what happens inside and outside the harvested drying plant will help you understand why proper drying and curing are so important to good quality dope. Drying evaporates most of the 70-75 percent water content in fresh marijuana. Drying also converts THC from its non-psychoactive crude acidic form to its psychoactive pH-neutral form. Every THC molecule must shed their moisture content before they are fully psychoactive. In other words fresh green marijuana will not be as potent as dried marijuana.

When you cut a plant or plant part and hang it to dry, the transport of fluids within the plant continues, but at a slower rate. Stomata, small openings on leaf undersides, close soon after harvest and drying is slowed since little water vapor escapes. The natural plant processes slowly come to an end as the plant dries. The outer cells are the first to dry, but fluid still moves from internal cells to supply moisture to the dry outer cells. When this process occurs properly, the plant dries evenly throughout. Removing leaves and large stems upon harvest speeds drying, however, moisture content within the “dried” buds, leaves and stems is most often uneven.

Quick drying also traps chlorophylls and other pigments, starch and nitrates within plant tissue, making it taste “green” burn unevenly and taste bad. Taste and aroma improve when these pigments break down. Slow even drying – where the humidity is similar inside and outside the foliage – allows enough time for the pigments to degrade.

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Drying bud converts crude acidic THC from its nonactive form into a neutral pH psychoactive substance. Each THC molecule has to lose it's moisture content in order to become fully psychoactive. When the water exits the bud, the THC becomes slightly different in molecular structure.

Cured buds undergo a:

Reduction in Chlorophyll content,

Reduction in plant starch content,

Reduction in nitrate levels,

Loss of moisture,

Loss of volitile terpenoids, and the polycyclic aromatization of other terpenoids.

All of these phenomena reperesent a loss in weight, and gain in net potency (except for the polycyclic aromatization of terpenoids which affects flavor).

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From Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal- THE MARIJUANA GROWER'S GUIDE

Once the marijuana plant is harvested, it ceases to produce cannabinoids and resins, and the main changes in potency that occur are degradative. However, when the material is handled carefully, dried or cured properly, and then stored well, little degradation will occur. During drying or curing, the resin content may seem to increase, as the plant's tissues shrink away from their resinous coating.


More than 70 percent of the fresh weight of the plant os water. Drying is done to evaporate most of this water, so the marijuana will burn evenly and smoke smoothly. Additionally, the cannabinoids in fresh plant material are mostly in the acid forms, which are not psychoactive. The acid cannabinoids decarboxylate (they lose the gas, carbon dioxide) during the drying or curing processes, which convert them to their psychoactive neutral forms. Decarboxylation is complete if the marijuana is actually smokes.

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Cure Your Medicine- Proper curing can exponentially increase the quality and desirability of your harvest. The key word to remember is "slow".
by DJ Short

http://www.cannabisculture.com/backissues/cc10/cure.html




There are also articles in Cannabis Culture Mag and High Times by some very well respected breeders, I couldn't find them online but they are out there somewhere.

SmokerE said:

You read this where? Everytime I smoke whether it's 10 minutes after cutting a bud or 3 weeks I still get blazed....

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Letting you know after harvest and drying I smoked a small bud. After 14 days curing smoked another small bud. The results are conclusive, curing fucking makes your shit WWAYYYYYY better. The crystal buildup is mind numbing.

KiloBit said:

Letting you know after harvest and drying I smoked a small bud. After 14 days curing smoked another small bud. The results are conclusive, curing fucking makes your shit WWAYYYYYY better. The crystal buildup is mind numbing.

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Like they say the proof is in the pudding, in this case the buds! Seriously though, I think curing makes a huge difference too. Glad that the cure is going well for you. IOU rep!!

Massively detailed reply

My buds are still tasting a bit strange and harsh, I keep checking them for signs of rot/mildew, just something to explain why my buds don't taste as great as they did before i started curing.

Worrying stuff

First joint of the day tastes bland and uninspiring

I do wonder if i've just got bored of the taste, if you have roast beef every day for three weeks it's going to get dull i suppose.

Still can't shake this worry that i'm going to end up with a jar of tasteless bud...

WDeranged said:

Massively detailed reply

My buds are still tasting a bit strange and harsh, I keep checking them for signs of rot/mildew, just something to explain why my buds don't taste as great as they did before i started curing.

Worrying stuff

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How long have they been in the jars? How dry were they when they went in? How long are you burping?

Around 7-10 days drying then into the jar almost two weeks ago, burped twice a day for at least 15 minutes, also took the buds out for an extra night on the drying shelf early on.

They were pretty dry before going into the jar, some stems snapped easily, others were still a bit bendy.