[mrcreosote]

Gill,
That Critical really puts out the flowers huh?
I got a Critical Jack Herer that is just loaded with nice sized buds and the smoke is really nice and trippy. The kind you have to be careful with or the rushes get a wee bit intense, at least for lightweights like me.

Nothing wrong with a flower machine that makes you want to cry for yo mama.
Definitely a keeper. Dina Fem has some quality genetics in this lady. Highly recommended.

[City Twin]

mrcreosote,

I got this idea originally for drying mushrooms and ran a few tests. If there was surface moisture I would tend to get spots on the dried produce. Allowing to dry off prevented that blemishing. Raising the temp speeded drying.

I just figure for leafy herbs, it would be good form to start with outer cell walls completely dry, so the interior was a little out of equilibrium and ready to begin wicking from the interior cells.

I could be all wet on this part.

And yes, I do enjoy the old 45 flatheads. Fun to ride and perfect for these mountain roads. English transmission and wheels for a lot less rolling resistance and better brakes. AMAL carb for over 90 MPH on otherwise bone stock engine, with enough “ummphhh” to get out of the way.

Ride Safe.

[jus'plain'gill]

Originally Posted by City Twin

OK neighbors, here’s the run down.

Freezer drying is possible. Basically its: frost-free unit + high temp = drying environment. Here's why and how...


...What I think happens is specimens begin to dry as usual, maintaining intracellular equilibrium with internal water wicking its way to the dryer outer surface. The relatively high temperature precludes a rapid enough calorie exchange to begin crystallization and form ice internally. If frost should form on the surface it does little or no damage.

A little more explanation on water crystallization from - https://whyfiles.org/071questions/4.html

“To change matter from the one state to another, you must add or remove heat energy. To cool one gram of water by one degree Celsius, you must remove one calorie of heat energy. But after the water reaches 0 degrees Celsius, freezing requires the removal of almost 80 calories -- the heat of fusion. Similarly, you must add almost 80 calories to melt one gram of ice at 0 degrees Celsius.”

If your freezer is at a temperature that won't allow the water in your buds to freeze then the process of sublimation can't take place. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, just that we will be curing with a different method if the buds aren't frozen. I'm going to try this is soon as I get the chance. I believe I have one frozen pizza and some frozen berries to eat then I can clean the rest of the junk out of the freezer and get the temp up to 32f

The one thing that I'll be concerned about with a good sized harvest is too much moisture in such a small space and the potential for mold; or water dripping down the insides of the freezer. I don't have that concern at all with 0-10f... But, nonetheless, I wanna try it. Thanks for the info City Twin.

Originally Posted by mrcreosote

Gill,
That Critical really puts out the flowers huh?
I got a Critical Jack Herer that is just loaded with nice sized buds and the smoke is really nice and trippy. The kind you have to be careful with or the rushes get a wee bit intense, at least for lightweights like me.

Nothing wrong with a flower machine that makes you want to cry for yo mama.
Definitely a keeper. Dina Fem has some quality genetics in this lady. Highly recommended.

Yo MrC, I'm digging both the dinafem strains I have going atm. The Critical+ and Sweet Deep Grapefruit both look like potential standouts but I won't know for sure until they've cured up and are ready for a real smoke. One of these Critical+ looks like a super fast and fat finisher, I'll give an update somewhere when the time comes.



Take care



.JPG

[City Twin]

Giver ‘er a go and let us know J.P.. I would shoot for a 30-31 F. max.

I don’t know for certain, but would think humidity in a household freezer would not be low enough to initiate sublimation. Something to look into.

[captaincaveman]

the freezer will just dry the fuck out of your buds man

[jus'plain'gill]

Originally Posted by City Twin

Giver ‘er a go and let us know J.P.. I would shoot for a 30-31 F. max.

I don’t know for certain, but would think humidity in a household freezer would not be low enough to initiate sublimation. Something to look into.

I'm def gonna give it a shot, I don't think I can mess it up too much and if it's just not working I can always lower the temp down to what I'm used to working with.

Originally Posted by captaincaveman

the freezer will just dry the fuck out of your buds man

Haha, thanks for this constructive criticism. I'm sorry you had a poor experience but if you decide to give it another try just drop me a line and I'll help you out however I can.



I've said it a couple times but it is def worth repeating:

Originally Posted by jus'plain'gill

...the freezer drying method is superior and more practical for my situation than is drying and curing in jars... I never had to monitor the conditions of or do anything to the bud drying in the freezer, it was in a constant pitch black darkness and an airtight environment to protect THC from degradation. The vacuum also keeps the smell in, NO ODOR EVER COMING FROM THE FREEZER. This method was pretty much "Set it and Forget it!"


.JPG

Take care,



.JPG

[Nicol Bolas]

I am more interested in the 31 degrees F freeze drying method that City Twin suggests to avoid forming ice crystals in the cell walls. Doesn't it screw up your smokability to have shredded cell walls? I have started using silica precisely because Crazy Composer said that stiff cell walls aided the stability of the cherry, leading to a more thorough smoke that gets you higher. Am I losing that benefit by letting ice crystals shred my bud?

[jus'plain'gill]

Originally Posted by Nicol Bolas

...Doesn't it screw up your smokability to have shredded cell walls?...

If ice is shredding the cell walls of the buds, I can tell you the smoke is still just as smooth as anyone would desire. I would assume, because smoking the freezer dried pot gives me the desired effect, that any ice that forms doesn't affect potency at all either. It isn't the buds that are getting you high anyway, it's the oils covering the buds that do that.



I have found, and so have many others, that freezer drying/curing is an excellent (and preferred) method. It is possible that freezer curing at 31F is as excellent method as well so if you decide to give it a try, please do come back and share your results. I'm pretty certain I'll do this if I can get my freezer cleaned out in time.


Take care,



.JPG

[smilley]

Good thread gill. My wife would shoot me if I started curing my bud in the freezer like you do. heh, heh I do believe its a good method though and I might give it a try out in the shed soon. Is -30C too cold?

[jus'plain'gill]

-30C? That sounds painfully cold, I'm shivering here in my 66f living room just thinking about it, brrrrrrr! But IDK if its too cold to freeze cure at, my gut tells me it should work fine if there is NO DISTURBANCE whatsoever of the buds. At that low of a temperature, I would imagine all trichomes are extremely brittle. What else do you store in this freezer? How often do you have to get into it, i.e. disturb the contents? I'd be very interested in how well freezer curing worked at such a low temperature though

How far are you from trying it out?



.JPG