Malawi Style Cob Curing.

Fermented · Apr 9, 2019

I cobbed another few today and these were picked only 24 hours ago (these were not dense buds)..I'll let you know how this goes. I assume that after 24 hours on heat, they will need a longer drying time. These were not closely manicured as I usually do...there's always some experimentation going on around here!

The cobs I made last week were initially placed under 40C for 24 hours, air dried for 6 or so hours, resealed then placed on 35 C heat for another day and after a week ( of room temps) these look a lot darker than usual.

Next time I'm going to try and make black cobs. Tangwena, should I simply go 48 hours @ 40c, air dry, then another week @ 35c to make them go black?

Tangwena · Apr 10, 2019

Fermented said:
I cobbed another few today and these were picked only 24 hours ago (these were not dense buds)..I'll let you know how this goes. I assume that after 24 hours on heat, they will need a longer drying time. These were not closely manicured as I usually do...there's always some experimentation going on around here!

The cobs I made last week were initially placed under 40C for 24 hours, air dried for 6 or so hours, resealed then placed on 35 C heat for another day and after a week ( of room temps) these look a lot darker than usual.

Next time I'm going to try and make black cobs. Tangwena, should I simply go 48 hours @ 40c, air dry, then another week @ 35c to make them go black?

Hi my friend thank you for posting such well documented recipes its what we are here for to share.
The darker cobs come from moist buds say 48hr dry on the stalks.
Then 24 hour sweat dry to touch after 24hrs then for the next 2 or 3 weeks keep them in warmer temps say 35c or 100f.
Open weekly and dry as per normal. The warmer temps keep the fermentation going longer.
Once you get the smell you seek seal them up to age for a month or more.
Once you get the dark color your after dry them fully to store and stop the fermentation at that point.
The dark cobs can be very potent depending of course on the strain.

Knothead · Apr 15, 2019

Just chopped a nice KaliChina yesterday and am thinking seriously about cobbing some of it. Wonderful aroma. Removed fan leaves only and hung to dry. Been hanging about 24 hours now and still quite moist. I’m assuming it’s best to break it down to smaller buds so as to have less stem. I’m planning on using the parchment paper to roll it. Does it still need to be bound with twine or will the vacuum keep it in shape? Also I intend to use my inova (sous vide) to maintain the 40c or whatever that is Fahrenheit for the 24 hour sweat. Should I continue to hang until outside of hanging bud starts drying or just roll it up after 48 hrs?
Really interested in getting this right as these cobs look a lot like some of the Colombian buds we got back in the 70s

Tangwena · Apr 15, 2019

Hi Knothead good on you for giving it a go.
I would hang for 48hrs depending on your relative humidity of course but you do want them quite moist compared to jar curing that is.
You only need to bind them if you are after a traditional cob look just rolling them in a sushi mat will give you the tube shape then vacuum sealing them works just fine.
I even just chuck the destalked buds loose in a bag and vacuum seal them.
They do not have to be in a rolled up form it works just fine o natural.
The longer you heat them in the sous vide the darker will be the end result.
I am finding with airy sativa type buds 12 hrs heating is more than enough to get the fermentation started then inspect (open and touch dry) weekly until you smell a sweet fermented fruit smell.
Dry the surface to the touch and reseal to age the most critical stage is the first week of curing after the sweating in the sous vide.
If you let them over ferment they will loose the sweet hashish smell but not the potency.
But as we all like our weed to smell sexy as well as taste good and get us high its best to try and retain those terpy aromas as best as you can.
Good luck and please post pics if you can of the buds and stages as you go then we can guide you and give advice to help you get the result you are after.
Its is there to be had with a little practice you can easily get perfection.

Knothead · Apr 15, 2019

Thanks for the response. It was those "canary buds" that really got me looking, but the cobs are cool too. Probably need to be compressed enough to get as much air out as possible so the bags won't float in the sous vide. I decarbed an ounce or so of kief and the vacuumed sealed kief off gassed enough to swell the bag up so much it was hard to keep it submerged.Wish I had been thinking about this when I took down my panama a couple of months ago. Made one big bag into fresh frozen dry ice kief, and still have one bag in the freezer. That's in addition to the jars of "prime" buds. Might have to thaw a little and see how it may respond to fermentation.
If I don't wrap the buds with parchment can I judge the darkness as the heat/sweat process progresses in the sous vide or is it only really judged after ageing/curing for awhile?

Tangwena · Apr 16, 2019

Knothead said:
Thanks for the response. It was those "canary buds" that really got me looking, but the cobs are cool too. Probably need to be compressed enough to get as much air out as possible so the bags won't float in the sous vide. I decarbed an ounce or so of kief and the vacuumed sealed kief off gassed enough to swell the bag up so much it was hard to keep it submerged.Wish I had been thinking about this when I took down my panama a couple of months ago. Made one big bag into fresh frozen dry ice kief, and still have one bag in the freezer. That's in addition to the jars of "prime" buds. Might have to thaw a little and see how it may respond to fermentation.
If I don't wrap the buds with parchment can I judge the darkness as the heat/sweat process progresses in the sous vide or is it only really judged after ageing/curing for awhile?

You will see a color change during the sweating in the sous vide the bag may also swell up with off gassing but will shrink back as it cools.
The darker colors come during the fermentation/cure stage and continue even after the fermentation is stopped by drying.
So if your after lighter colors and terpy aromas less is more in the sweating and curing times.
Once taken out of the vacuum bag they seem to oxidize as they dry and this causes them to darken also.
I wouldn't bother using dried or frozen buds for this cure myself some others have done this but I have not had any good results personally.

If you are after darker cobs try a 24 hr sweat then open the bag.

Towel dry the perspiration in the bag after opening it.
Reseal the bag and leave in a warm place for a week (30c)

Then remove the cob and dry the outside of the cob so its dry to the touch, the inside will still be moist.

Reseal and repeat the process for 3 or 4 weeks.
During this time the aroma of the opened bag will tell you when its "ripe".

Trust your nose if you like the smell its ready, fully dry and reseal to age for a month or longer and you should have a dark sticky hashish look cob.

On another note I am a firm believer in hashish needing to be cured the same as buds but I have no experience in doing it.

Sunshineinabag · Apr 16, 2019

I think this cob stuff is overrated

Tangwena · Apr 16, 2019

Sunshineinabag said:
I think this cob stuff is overrated

You are entitled to your opinion.

Of course it will have been based on your own experiences wont it?
Otherwise it would have been a pointless comment wouldn't it?

Fermented · Apr 17, 2019

I think this cob stuff is overrated

Have you tried making, fermenting and curing cobs yet? Once you get it right, it's more than likely that you'll change your mind.

I had my first joint 50 years ago and haven't bought bud for decades. I now cob everything...why? for several reasons, mostly because I like the high better than bud. Cobs aren't ten times better than bud, but the improvement in the quality of the high is noticeable when you get it right. Anyone can compress bud, but the magic that comes from a well fermented and aged cob is worth waiting for.

funkyhorse · Apr 17, 2019

[[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On another note I am a firm believer in hashish needing to be cured the same as buds but I have no experience in doing it. [/FONT]]

Master Tangwena
Back in the 80's I was hanging around the Middle East and South America. I could source real lebanese hash and real south american marihuana
Back then it was all cured. I dont know what processes were used for making and curing lebanese hash. But it came wraped in sackcloths. It has a pita bread shape so we would call it pita, about a thumb and a half thick. Every pita had a weight of around 200 grs

What I can report and never read is this: south american marihuana bricks back in the 80's were all different, even from same batch. I mean they all had a different high
With the lebanese pitas happened the same. Every pita had a different high, even from same batch

This leads me to believe that both were cured. Marihuana was 100% sure fermented
Both had the quality to last long time. Back in the 20th century things were made to last long time. Be it cars, fridges, buildings, ganja and hash. It was done to last
In the sackcloth, lebanese hash was good for at least 6 years. 4 years quality intact and then slowly starts degrading but still good for a couple more years.
I dont see in the 21st century any cultural demand for long lasting stuff which demands more work
Back in the 20th century, most people would prefer to eat a stew or long cooking foods over a Mc Donalds. Today is the opposite, everybody wants fast food

Lebanese hash was made by real hash masters, by master alchemists. I experienced new kind of highs I never experienced back then with the mythical south american marihuana of the 80's. There are different ways to consume hash, all of them having different highs. My favourite was to make a turkish coffee with the sackcloth of the pita. It was a 8-10 hour trip or more if you overindulged. I prefered the sackcloth coffee trip over LSD and back then I had access to both

It opened a new world, which is lost today, but that's a subject for long posts or maybe its own thread

Tangwena · Apr 17, 2019

funkyhorse said:
[[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On another note I am a firm believer in hashish needing to be cured the same as buds but I have no experience in doing it. [/FONT]]

Master Tangwena
Back in the 80's I was hanging around the Middle East and South America. I could source real lebanese hash and real south american marihuana
Back then it was all cured. I dont know what processes were used for making and curing lebanese hash. But it came wraped in sackcloths. It has a pita bread shape so we would call it pita, about a thumb and a half thick. Every pita had a weight of around 200 grs

What I can report and never read is this: south american marihuana bricks back in the 80's were all different, even from same batch. I mean they all had a different high
With the lebanese pitas happened the same. Every pita had a different high, even from same batch

This leads me to believe that both were cured. Marihuana was 100% sure fermented
Both had the quality to last long time. Back in the 20th century things were made to last long time. Be it cars, fridges, buildings, ganja and hash. It was done to last
In the sackcloth, lebanese hash was good for at least 6 years. 4 years quality intact and then slowly starts degrading but still good for a couple more years.
I dont see in the 21st century any cultural demand for long lasting stuff which demands more work
Back in the 20th century, most people would prefer to eat a stew or long cooking foods over a Mc Donalds. Today is the opposite, everybody wants fast food

Lebanese hash was made by real hash masters, by master alchemists. I experienced new kind of highs I never experienced back then with the mythical south american marihuana of the 80's. There are different ways to consume hash, all of them having different highs. My favourite was to make a turkish coffee with the sackcloth of the pita. It was a 8-10 hour trip or more if you overindulged. I prefered the sackcloth coffee trip over LSD and back then I had access to both

It opened a new world, which is lost today, but that's a subject for long posts or maybe its own thread

Very true my friend in the 70's I lived in England for 4 years a friend of ours was Lebanese a refugee.
His father was old school, he said his father wouldn't touch the Lebanese available locally in England because it hadn't been cured properly that ties in with your post my friend.
Fresh dried buds are still ok but the high is raw. Of course it can feel strong if the plant was a good one. But properly cured and aged bud is a clean euphoric high and once you get into it you want nothing else.
The Turkish coffee sounds unreal it makes me cry thinking of all the coffees I threw away.

Ignorance was bliss at the time ha ha.
I agree with everything you say brother you have obviously lived a very full life and the more power to you my friend.

Tangwena · Apr 17, 2019

Fermented said:
I think this cob stuff is overrated

Have you tried making, fermenting and curing cobs yet? Once you get it right, it's more than likely that you'll change your mind.

I had my first joint 50 years ago and haven't bought bud for decades. I now cob everything...why? for several reasons, mostly because I like the high better than bud. Cobs aren't ten times better than bud, but the improvement in the quality of the high is noticeable when you get it right. Anyone can compress bud, but the magic that comes from a well fermented and aged cob is worth waiting for.

Spoken like a true connoisseur, the secrets locked in the buds we have to bring it out.

Fermentation is an art once mastered you unlock a whole new world of canna enjoyment you have to be in it to win it.
You are obviously a member of the cob club you have to be a member to enjoy the benefits of this plant fully.
Much respect brother my hats off to you.

Knothead · Apr 17, 2019

Been hanging 2 1/2 days-I'm going to give it a try. Pretty purple KaliChina buds. The smell is unreal!
https://www.icmag.com/ic/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

Removed from stalks and weighed-48 grams. Moisture was hard to determine cause they were so sticky.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

About 1/2 of bud pre-rolled before vac-sealing
https://www.icmag.com/ic/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

Two cobs going in the sous vide at 40c for about 20 hours
https://www.icmag.com/ic/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

Hope the pics show-wish me well!

Knothead · Apr 17, 2019

Somebody really needs to tell me how to post pictures

Knothead · Apr 17, 2019

Knothead · Apr 18, 2019

This is what I have after 20 hours at 40c. The parchment paper was slightly damp, no condensation on inside of vac bag. Bud was very soft and stems were rubbery when sealed. I'm hoping it wasn't too dry, I was expecting some moisture inside bag. This is my first attempt so I'm totally open to constructive criticism. Taking down a Pck x Panama now so can try again in a day or so.

Tangwena · Apr 18, 2019

Hi Knothead nice pics and nice buds dont worry about the lack of moisture the buds looked fine not too dry by the look of the pics.
I can see that a sweat took place by the change in color after 20hrs.
Just re seal the cob and store in a warmish place around 30c for a week or two.
It will cure nicely I am sure you should get a lovely golden brown/red/tan color after 2 weeks.

Also the smell will I am sure change to a deep fermented sweet fruity smell that will take your breath away.
Talking about smells the Panama x PCK should be out of this world aroma wise after 2 weeks post sweat. Panama and its crosses are unreal cured this way you will fall in love with the aroma alone.
Dont worry my friend you are well on the way to a perfect cure from what can see.
You will be surprised how simple it is once you get the hang of it. Timing is the most important criteria timing in drying, sweating and fermenting which is the next stage for you where all the aromas and major changes occur.
You should be in for a treat.

Knothead · Apr 18, 2019

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Couldn't do it without you. I'll check back in a couple of weeks for more advice. In the meantime I think I'll put together a couple of those Pck x Pan

Tangwena · Apr 26, 2019

Smoke report on Malawi x Ethiopian 12 months aged cobbed bud.
I left a cob of aged Malawi x Ethiopian with a friend to smoke test.

Well I dropped in on him later and there was 4 of them out of control with my mates wife trying to control all four guys.
They were so out of control in fits of laughter. The laughter would stop for a second then some one would show the slightest inclination to smile and they would all erupt into fits of hysterical laughter.

They all had tears rolling down there faces I couldn't get any sense out of any of them, nor did I want to ha ha. I left quickly not wanting to derail the vibe.

Today my friend came round and said it was the closest to an acid trip he had ever had.
This ties in with my feelings when I chew it it takes over and you know that inner voice you talk to when extremely high and piss yourself laughing at the jokes you crack.

Well there is a name for this voice, its a tokalosh, we all have them but not all of us realize it.
Well my tokalosh brought friends with him and it was another world man.
Top shelf Malawi type high from Africa.

Tripping balls with not a green leaf in sight, all golden browns and reds.
My mates smoke hydro all day so it takes a bit to get them that high this stuff did it easily.

Fermented · Apr 27, 2019

Top shelf Malawi type high from Africa
I've never smoked any Malawi cob, but I grew some Reunion seeds that I got from Gypsy when he had his shop in Amsterdam ('04?). Grew them, lightly seeded the fems and 1 in 20 had a very special high..strong, trippy, trancy, endless energy, very positive and it would make me feel like I was elevated and looking down from above and I would be so chilled and delighted every time. It would be interesting to check the DNA of ReUnion strains, I'd bet that the main source of genes would be Africa.

It wasn't the type of trippy high where you clearly hear every note on every instrument playing, giggle a lot or the color saturation on your vision has been upped ...it was the type of trippy high when suddenly you blink and it's 500 years ago, you are dressed only in a loin cloth with a spear in your hand, covered in war paint in the middle of 10000 Zulu warriors chanting blood curdling war cries and then in unison set off at jog stomping the ground in unison so the ground shook with every step of the 10000...it was rolling grassland and we ran for non-stop for 19 hours and never tired. It was that type of high!

No, I didn't actually run down the road buck naked with a broom handle in my hand but thoughts of above was going through my brain during a run I had just after puffing on a big joint of it.

..if the high from any strains from Africa are as good the high from a special ReUnion zamal, then I wanna grow it and then I'd make cobs out of it!

Malawi Style Cob Curing.

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