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Fresh Frozen... Lets Chat :)

So id like this thread to be a good place to talk Fresh Frozen and what it takes to properly produce, manage, maintain and extract.

we all know the definition of "Fresh Frozen" as being a plant thats immediately frozen after being harvested, with minimal time in between.

now one part of the procedure seems to vary depending on the Extractor. i noticed that some break up ther flowers in a frozen state and some just toss em in whole whether it be for Bubble Hash or "live resin" BHO. What do YOU do? how do you do it? i personally have tossed them in whole before but prefer breaking it down more for more surface space on the plant for easier trichome access. what is the BEST and most EFFICIENT way to break it down with minimal damage to the plant?

everyone feel free to chime in and feel free to bring up more questions! this is an area that is getting alot of attention and more research should be done. iv even recently seen a fellow cannabis extractor @cubangrower do fresh frozen dry sift... yes fresh fro sift! the gentleman is doing things right.

:grouphug:
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I've never used green buds for FF, only trim.
If the lil nugs are too small for the jar I chop em up with the trim previous to freezing.

I smoke my flowers as much as possible.
 

ple1ades

Member
I have done this with fresh frozen outdoor. My yields were small but the oil was very fragrant and tasty. I would have feather speed dried then run my extraction I thing I would have hade even better results. The oil its self was some of my best I will be trying to get back to making fresh frozen. This time I will just fill and not pack the product.
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
So id like this thread to be a good place to talk Fresh Frozen and what it takes to properly produce, manage, maintain and extract.

we all know the definition of "Fresh Frozen" as being a plant thats immediately frozen after being harvested, with minimal time in between.

now one part of the procedure seems to vary depending on the Extractor. i noticed that some break up ther flowers in a frozen state and some just toss em in whole whether it be for Bubble Hash or "live resin" BHO. What do YOU do? how do you do it? i personally have tossed them in whole before but prefer breaking it down more for more surface space on the plant for easier trichome access. what is the BEST and most EFFICIENT way to break it down with minimal damage to the plant?

everyone feel free to chime in and feel free to bring up more questions! this is an area that is getting alot of attention and more research should be done. iv even recently seen a fellow cannabis extractor @cubangrower do fresh frozen dry sift... yes fresh fro sift! the gentleman is doing things right.

:grouphug:

Cut in 1/2" chunks and packed before freezing to keep atmospheric moisture from coating the trichomes with ice during transfer.
 
Cut in 1/2" chunks and packed before freezing to keep atmospheric moisture from coating the trichomes with ice during transfer.

hey thanks for the response GrayWolf! im happy you chimed in with some serious knowledge under ur belt.

do you suggest cutting them into smaller pieces in a frozen state or right when chopped and still at room temperature? id assume you would be meaning while still at room temperature right when harvesting, if im packing them into the column before freezing them "to keep atmospheric moisture from coating the trichomes with ice during transfer"
 

NEGT1

Member
hey thanks for the response GrayWolf! im happy you chimed in with some serious knowledge under ur belt.

do you suggest cutting them into smaller pieces in a frozen state or right when chopped and still at room temperature? id assume you would be meaning while still at room temperature right when harvesting, if im packing them into the column before freezing them "to keep atmospheric moisture from coating the trichomes with ice during transfer"

The material breaks apart a lot easier if it's frozen. You can refreeze, you won't lose any terps presuming it's going to stay below 50 degrees or so when you're breaking it up. Nugs break apart much easier.

Seriously though I suggest everyone from now on always freeze trim and run it opposed to drying it.
 

Chonkski

Member
One down fall of using fresh frozen in a closed loop system is the chance of water contamination. One would not be able to use heat on the column at any point, and also should be using cryo temps for running.

Also one should keep the column open for dumps etc while recovering so the refrigeration effect will keep everything frozen in between passes, if you even want to run multiple passes.
 
One down fall of using fresh frozen in a closed loop system is the chance of water contamination. One would not be able to use heat on the column at any point, and also should be using cryo temps for running.

Also one should keep the column open for dumps etc while recovering so the refrigeration effect will keep everything frozen in between passes, if you even want to run multiple passes.

thanks for the wise advice Chonkski :) iv been looking into going closed loop for a few years now but have been a little passive with it due to pre-disposed anxiety disorder. im working towards it atm and have felt its been right up my alley but i dont have confidence i know enough about industrial parts (paired with volatile gases) from just reading like i do with persay growing or anything else, id feel more comfortable learning hands on with this step up in serious parts. perhaps its my confidence that needs a tune up too :tongue:
 

Chonkski

Member
thanks for the wise advice Chonkski :) iv been looking into going closed loop for a few years now but have been a little passive with it due to pre-disposed anxiety disorder. im working towards it atm and have felt its been right up my alley but i dont have confidence i know enough about industrial parts (paired with volatile gases) from just reading like i do with persay growing or anything else, id feel more comfortable learning hands on with this step up in serious parts. perhaps its my confidence that needs a tune up too :tongue:

Perfectly understandable! Perhaps you can consider a passive system?

In my opinion they are far less stressful, as there are very few steps, and fewer possibilities for accidents.
 

gholladay

Member
thanks for the wise advice Chonkski :) iv been looking into going closed loop for a few years now but have been a little passive with it due to pre-disposed anxiety disorder. im working towards it atm and have felt its been right up my alley but i dont have confidence i know enough about industrial parts (paired with volatile gases) from just reading like i do with persay growing or anything else, id feel more comfortable learning hands on with this step up in serious parts. perhaps its my confidence that needs a tune up too :tongue:
Cannabliss420,

I don't know where you're located, but if you are near the Portland area, I would strongly suggest signing up for one of Carla Kay's classes. They aren't too expensive and you will learn how to assemble and operate the machine with one of the most experienced closed loopers in the game. My guess is, you'll leave there with enough confidence to want your own MKiii system, but if not, you're only out $150!

Here is her website. Looks like there's a class this weekend!

http://www.specializedformulations.com/

G
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
hey thanks for the response GrayWolf! im happy you chimed in with some serious knowledge under ur belt.

do you suggest cutting them into smaller pieces in a frozen state or right when chopped and still at room temperature? id assume you would be meaning while still at room temperature right when harvesting, if im packing them into the column before freezing them "to keep atmospheric moisture from coating the trichomes with ice during transfer"

I cut mine using scissors, and pack it immediately for freezing.

I formerly froze them in a bag, and then pummeled the bag to break them up easily frozen, before packing, but we have a lot of humidity here, and ice forms on the frozen trichomes during transfer.
 

Roji

Active member
I ran a fresh/semi frozen run with the -20F supply tank today. Only froze the material in the tube for 2 hours. I ran 3 column worth of solvent over an hour or so then started dump. Kept heat at 85f on the collection pot. No heat on column, just removed insulation.
Hands down the nicest oil I've ever made. Just reeks like the Royal Kush. I used the entire plant which were only 18" tall and all bud. Cut to 1/4" chunks.
The oil in the 105f oven was very active @29.5hg in all bubble sizes but then the large bubbles ceased abruptly after only 15 minutes. I suspect the elevated levels of terpenes allowed the butane to escape the oil much easier. I pulled it and gave it the hot nail test. No sizzle or any signs of excessive butane or water but huge terpene blast flavor followed by a trainwreck high.
I showed my wife who dislikes mj odour and she said it smells like fruit and kept asking me which fruit I had used to get that smell.
I'm going to go assess some GSC plants tomorrow and potentially run them whole as well. Definitely running some Chemo next week. Will report back results.
 

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Dab Strudel

Active member
I ran a fresh/semi frozen run with the -20F supply tank today. Only froze the material in the tube for 2 hours. I ran 3 column worth of solvent over an hour or so then started dump. Kept heat at 85f on the collection pot. No heat on column, just removed insulation.
Hands down the nicest oil I've ever made. Just reeks like the Royal Kush. I used the entire plant which were only 18" tall and all bud. Cut to 1/4" chunks.
The oil in the 105f oven was very active @29.5hg in all bubble sizes but then the large bubbles ceased abruptly after only 15 minutes. I suspect the elevated levels of terpenes allowed the butane to escape the oil much easier. I pulled it and gave it the hot nail test. No sizzle or any signs of excessive butane or water but huge terpene blast flavor followed by a trainwreck high.
I showed my wife who dislikes mj odour and she said it smells like fruit and kept asking me which fruit I had used to get that smell.
I'm going to go assess some GSC plants tomorrow and potentially run them whole as well. Definitely running some Chemo next week. Will report back results.

Definitely update the GSC. I've been running some this week not fresh or frozen but subzero tane and it kept buddering on me, something like 4-5 columns at different temps and none shattered :( teach me to run a system half assed. Anyway, id like to hear how you like working with it and such
 

CLSn00b

New member
One down fall of using fresh frozen in a closed loop system is the chance of water contamination. One would not be able to use heat on the column at any point, and also should be using cryo temps for running.

Also one should keep the column open for dumps etc while recovering so the refrigeration effect will keep everything frozen in between passes, if you even want to run multiple passes.
Sorry to re-hash an older thread, but this is relevant to my current situation. I'm a long time and experienced OC tube blaster. Been dewaxing as well as successfuly winterizing less than desirable materials for a good time now. As my name suggests I've recently switched to a top.showering CLS to increase my production. I've been successful with thermos soaking fresh material in the past and did my research (or so I thought) when it came to running fresh frozen trim. All my closed loop fresh is comin out dark. I'm confident in the materials freshness as I'm getting it direct and fresh. But it's all.coming back dark. My stability and clarity are on point. Just it looks 5 shades too dark imo. I have tried column dewaxing with a dry ice/ipa mix in the sleeve and let it soak for 30-45 Mins and I've tried just blasting the cold tube with tane and recycling until the sight glass shows clear. One thing that is different now than before is that the bags the trim.come sealed in are those ziploc style pump vac bags and not the food saver roll. Am I crazy thinking that these bags make that much different?
Side note- wouldn't packing the dewaxing sleeve with crushed dry ice last longer and be less of a Pita than a slurry that literally dissolves the di quickly? DI isn't easy to come by here (BC neither is etoh
 

Dab Strudel

Active member
Sorry to re-hash an older thread, but this is relevant to my current situation. I'm a long time and experienced OC tube blaster. Been dewaxing as well as successfuly winterizing less than desirable materials for a good time now. As my name suggests I've recently switched to a top.showering CLS to increase my production. I've been successful with thermos soaking fresh material in the past and did my research (or so I thought) when it came to running fresh frozen trim. All my closed loop fresh is comin out dark. I'm confident in the materials freshness as I'm getting it direct and fresh. But it's all.coming back dark. My stability and clarity are on point. Just it looks 5 shades too dark imo. I have tried column dewaxing with a dry ice/ipa mix in the sleeve and let it soak for 30-45 Mins and I've tried just blasting the cold tube with tane and recycling until the sight glass shows clear. One thing that is different now than before is that the bags the trim.come sealed in are those ziploc style pump vac bags and not the food saver roll. Am I crazy thinking that these bags make that much different?
Side note- wouldn't packing the dewaxing sleeve with crushed dry ice last longer and be less of a Pita than a slurry that literally dissolves the di quickly? DI isn't easy to come by here (BC neither is etoh

One thing it could be is that it was harvested a few days late and the triches turned all amber. If your running CLS and you add heat to your recovery pot, that adds a tint of darkness.
 

CLSn00b

New member
One thing it could be is that it was harvested a few days late and the triches turned all amber. If your running CLS and you add heat to your recovery pot, that adds a tint of darkness.

Thanks for the reply, appreciate the input. I will try a run with no heat added (was only ever using a warm water bath of around 80-90f) and even less when running a cryo run. just room temp water cause I noticed my collection pot was cold as hell and forming an icy ring on the outside of it. I highly doubt that the plants were pulled late, these guys are all about their pull times, I'll upload some pics to show you guys what I mean, but its dark, like I said proper texture and clarity just far too dark than what I am used to seeing. I have had really beautiful stuff made with material that was actually able to see the drying screens vs. just freshly frozen with the CLS, so I'm either not getting the fresh frozen frozen enough again after packing it, or these bags that are being used are not holding a proper seal and the material gets freezer burnt. would that happen in a matter of a few days? Should I get some screens and dry all this stuff out?
 
I think buds should not be frozen in contact with ambient atmosphere. GW recommended packing the tube before freezing so less air contacts the buds, but I think no air is better.

I've had success doing cyro temp live resin soak extractions in a homemade glove box thats been purged and filled with co2 before freezing the buds with dry ice/IPA. No air contacts the buds and forms ice, the water in the buds remains ice, and no ice builds up on the outside of the extraction container. You could also use a Schlenk line for the same purpose.

Distill and dry your butane, use thermometers to make sure temps at -40C. I never use any heat so the fresh frozen is always wax instead shatter due to all the terps. Its not light yellow like PHO, but definitely not dark either
 

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