MATTYMATT726
Well-Known Member
How do you know if yoir freezer is frost free? I assume all new freezers would be. I just bought a new fridge/freezer 4 years ago and surprisingly dont store much but alcohol in the freezer.
Freezer Curing Cannabis
- Thread starter hotshotisdashit
- Start date
I would certainly expect a newer, like '95 and on, freezer to be frost free but recommend looking at the manual or google the make and model # in an effort to find an online manual. It's also referred to as auto-defrost, frostless, or no frost. Basically anything wording like that and nothing like MANUAL Defrost.
You can also look in the freezer and see if frost is accumulating. Just pretend to be a kid again and open the door for a few minutes to allow moisture inside; things will get nice and frosty. Then close it up and check after an hour or two to see if the frost is gone. I do this everytime I'm about to put buds in just to make sure it's working. Can't be too careful you know!
Good luck!!
You can also look in the freezer and see if frost is accumulating. Just pretend to be a kid again and open the door for a few minutes to allow moisture inside; things will get nice and frosty. Then close it up and check after an hour or two to see if the frost is gone. I do this everytime I'm about to put buds in just to make sure it's working. Can't be too careful you know!
Good luck!!
I read that IC thread and I thought people had success with deep freezers as well due to the colder temps they can achieve.I would certainly expect a newer, like '95 and on, freezer to be frost free but recommend looking at the manual or google the make and model # in an effort to find an online manual. It's also referred to as auto-defrost, frostless, or no frost. Basically anything wording like that and nothing like MANUAL Defrost.
You can also look in the freezer and see if frost is accumulating. Just pretend to be a kid again and open the door for a few minutes to allow moisture inside; things will get nice and frosty. Then close it up and check after an hour or two to see if the frost is gone. I do this everytime I'm about to put buds in just to make sure it's working. Can't be too careful you know!
Good luck!!
Here are a couple articles I found useful.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/m.wikihow.com/Freeze-Dry?amp=1
http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0aedl--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-00&cl=CL1.5&d=HASH082bbe2d408fa0713d394b.8.2>=1
NeoSmith
Member
I read this post a couple months ago and studied other articles on freezer curing so I did an experiment with some big bud that I cured in the freezer versus some (same plant, harvest) that I cured the traditional way (approx 4 days till stems snapped then put in mason jars and burped daily for about 4 weeks, then put in 62% Boveda Packs.) There was definitely a noticeable difference between the 2 cures. The freezer one looked way better, (didn't look as dry). smelled way better and was noticeably smoother to smoke as well. It even tasted a lot better. My next batch (white widow this run) I just started flowering a couple days ago, when it is harvested I think I am going to blog the cure process and show a side by side. Below is how I cured in the freezer;
Harvested Plant and Trimmed Immediately,
Air Dried for 24 Hours,
Put in mason jars with lid just laying on it, not tight,
Put in freezer for 2 weeks (burping daily),
Then took jars out of freezer and left lid off for 12 hours to thaw and remove any moisture,
Put Boveda 62% Packs in jars, then sealed shut,
Burped every other day for 1 more week,
Then Burped twice the following week and then cure was done.
Harvested Plant and Trimmed Immediately,
Air Dried for 24 Hours,
Put in mason jars with lid just laying on it, not tight,
Put in freezer for 2 weeks (burping daily),
Then took jars out of freezer and left lid off for 12 hours to thaw and remove any moisture,
Put Boveda 62% Packs in jars, then sealed shut,
Burped every other day for 1 more week,
Then Burped twice the following week and then cure was done.
BarryBwana
Well-Known Member
I thought that freezing made trichomes fall off easier which is why many people making concentrates will freeze the leaves etc to make collecting easier
No?
No?
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I'll be trying that. Humidity here has spiked and we're in historic rainfall. Rock hard buds drying turn to fluff. Good to squish or blast.
NeoSmith
Member
Our humidity dips a lot here as well, that is how I discovered the Boveda Humidity Packs, they are 2 way, so it makes things a lot easier. They are also really good for over dried bud.... got some from a friend that we over dried, it revived it pretty well. Plus, if the bud is still a little too wet, it will remove the access humidity
NeoSmith
Member
I decided to try it with a crop of White Widow... harvested all the same time, dried in an air temperature drying cabinet for 2 days then half was put in mason jars to cure (with boveda 62 packs) and the other half put in mason jars with the decorative lid tops with holes in them and stored in the freezer. Below are my observations;
After about 1 month of jar curing/burping, I was able to smoke some of the jar cured weed, which was not quite ready imo. The freezer weed, I pulled a nug and let it thaw overnight, on first inspection, it was about the same color and was still very sticky and had really no smell until it thawed, then it still smelled a little grassy for about the first 12 hours. After 24 hours I tried it and it actually tasted a little smoother/more pungent smelling than the jar cured but was also not ready imo, I would say even tasted a little grassy in a way.
I let them cure 2 more weeks, both the jar weed and freezer weed, then pulled the freezer weed out of the freezer (after 6 weeks total) and let them thaw for 24 hours. First side by side observation was that the jar cured was brown and not so pleasant looking compared to the freezer cured, which was still pretty vibrant in colors and did not shrink nowhere near as much. (My guess is it did not dehydrate as much) Put the freezer cured in jars with Boveda 62 packs as well and waited 1 more week, burping the freezer cured 3 times daily.
After 7th week total, side by side, the freezer weed won in appearance (No Contest), in fragrance, smelled better and stronger and remained stickier, harder buds. (They stayed hard compared to the jar cured, which fluffed a little) As for taste, there is a noticeable taste difference, less coughing with the freezer cured (even tho there was not too much with either one). As for thc, I have no scientific way to test that, but it seems that I get more relaxed with the freezer cured, but that could just be physiological since I put extra effort into them. HOWEVER, my significant other agrees that the freezer one looks, smells, tastes better and has a slightly better effect.
I am about to harvest within the next 2-3 weeks another batch (this time Big Bud again) and I am going to take better notes and pics during the process for comparison purposes and will post my photo results along with notes. (I forgot to start taking photos and notes on this batch) But my conclusion is that there is some noticeable advantages to freezer curing, but I cannot confirm if it desegregates any THC in the process. It seems like it does not, but that is just opinion. (People worry about the trichomes being fragile, but I put mine in jars in a freezer I use just for curing, so the freezer is not opened much nor were the buds moved/disturbed by rummaging through the freezer.
After about 1 month of jar curing/burping, I was able to smoke some of the jar cured weed, which was not quite ready imo. The freezer weed, I pulled a nug and let it thaw overnight, on first inspection, it was about the same color and was still very sticky and had really no smell until it thawed, then it still smelled a little grassy for about the first 12 hours. After 24 hours I tried it and it actually tasted a little smoother/more pungent smelling than the jar cured but was also not ready imo, I would say even tasted a little grassy in a way.
I let them cure 2 more weeks, both the jar weed and freezer weed, then pulled the freezer weed out of the freezer (after 6 weeks total) and let them thaw for 24 hours. First side by side observation was that the jar cured was brown and not so pleasant looking compared to the freezer cured, which was still pretty vibrant in colors and did not shrink nowhere near as much. (My guess is it did not dehydrate as much) Put the freezer cured in jars with Boveda 62 packs as well and waited 1 more week, burping the freezer cured 3 times daily.
After 7th week total, side by side, the freezer weed won in appearance (No Contest), in fragrance, smelled better and stronger and remained stickier, harder buds. (They stayed hard compared to the jar cured, which fluffed a little) As for taste, there is a noticeable taste difference, less coughing with the freezer cured (even tho there was not too much with either one). As for thc, I have no scientific way to test that, but it seems that I get more relaxed with the freezer cured, but that could just be physiological since I put extra effort into them. HOWEVER, my significant other agrees that the freezer one looks, smells, tastes better and has a slightly better effect.
I am about to harvest within the next 2-3 weeks another batch (this time Big Bud again) and I am going to take better notes and pics during the process for comparison purposes and will post my photo results along with notes. (I forgot to start taking photos and notes on this batch) But my conclusion is that there is some noticeable advantages to freezer curing, but I cannot confirm if it desegregates any THC in the process. It seems like it does not, but that is just opinion. (People worry about the trichomes being fragile, but I put mine in jars in a freezer I use just for curing, so the freezer is not opened much nor were the buds moved/disturbed by rummaging through the freezer.
NeoSmith
Member
I believe deep freezing causes that or colder temps around -60-80c such as with dry ice, a normal freezer usually reaches approx. -15 to -20c. I have a dedicated freezer and once they go in, they are pretty much not disturbed until I pull them out.. however, when I pull them out, I still handle them gently and allow them to thaw to room temp before I start handling them.
From what I understand vacuum sealing would make the sublimination process difficult. The bud needs to be able to release moisture and vacuum sealing would keep everything concealed.
NeoSmith
Member
You are correct.... it did work, but sublimation was a lot slower... when I vac sealed in jars.... the first batch I left the jars open with mesh lids so the air in freezer would circulate. In about 3 weeks they were dried and somewhat cured when I thawed them. The last attempt I sealed in jars and they were still almost as damp even with bovedas in the vac sealed jar.. I will note that the bovedas do work in a freezer because they were swollen and full of water vapor, so they worked somewhat... I think I should leave jars open and just put some large bovedas in the entire freezer to absorb all the moisture in the freezer....
NeoSmith
Member
Lessons from this last freezer cure attempt, drying bud before freezing needs to be thorough, (I dried it 2 days this time) and were barely snapped stems, put in jars and vac sealed with boveda in each jar... 3 weeks later, they were still moist when thawed bovedas maxed out, (I put 2 oz in half gal jars with 67g boveda and they were bloated, my guess would be I did not dry it enough and it needs more air circulation.
I will add that I tried a nug and it was as smooth as fine cured bud, just had a little green taste, but not harsh at all....
I will add that I tried a nug and it was as smooth as fine cured bud, just had a little green taste, but not harsh at all....
If you bring your bud out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature, the trichomes won’t break off as you jar them for final storage. If you handle them aggressively while they are still frozen, you would certainly lose trichomes. Actually might be a good bud prep to freeze just before making ice hash.
I just finished drying this season’s grow. Can you guess where it is right now? In the freezer!
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When I make bubble hash from trim and small buds, I have to freeze them for a week to help break off the crystals (trychomes) prior to the process. I can't see freezing weed your going to smoke do anything but weaken it. But the crystals in the bottom of your bag or jar will definitely be powerful. Possibly refrigeration might be better?
I tried freezer drying years ago, about 25 years ago. Obviously you take your room dried buds. And this is what I did. Placed the buds wrapped in news paper, trying not to crush any buds, then stacked them about 3 layers deep, inside brown paper bags. Then placed the paper bags into the freezer. Any frost is drawn out through the news paper and the paper bag. Next time you look , you re-wrap in dry news paper. Because this is where all the water is drawn out to. You can re-use the brown paper bag.!
Trip_G
Member
Sorry, know this is so old lmao but Holy shit, did you just cut the stem and flip the SCRoG net around to hang dry?! How have I not thought of this? Been annoyed and taking the plant down branch by branch and having it dry out too quickly compared to the whole plant….btw, I WILL be trying the freeze dry method this round, why the hell not?
The freezer is the absolute best way to get your buds dry and without losing barely any mass to the buds! It’s weird and against ALL norms but it seriously does your buds right especially here in Arizona!!! The freezer actually recycles the air and is consistently keeping the humidity on point!!! It just works and I’ve yet to be disappointed!!! Just try it!!
HitSolution#9
Well-Known Member
He dosent seal them in jars first off. Unsealed boxes allow it to dry. How can that be possible in a sealed jar? Lol