Malawi Style Cob Curing.

[Hombre del mont]

Yesterday, whilst going through this year's cobs, I came across a small (15g) Golden Tiger one who's bag's seal had gone and consequently it was fairly dry.
It was made on the 17th of November, so exactly one month old.

As it was so dry, rather than just reseal it, I thought we'd try a little.

Wow! One month old and already really potent! It doesn't have the legs or perhaps the clarity of a well cured/aged cob and I required a second dose later in the day, but wow for only one month.

It's so good that we've both had another piece today!

 

[iTarzan]

Smoked or eaten hombre?

Nice looking cobb for sure.

 

[CDNINCA]

I daren't make my own wine! I've struggled with alcohol all my life and have to limit myself. Living in the world's largest wine producing country is hard enough as it is; if I started to make my own I'd drink myself to death.
Better I just stick to growing weed.

Roger that on sticking with weed, definitely sounds like a smart move and probably a more healthy one too! I do enjoy some wines from your country, they are quite amazing! I live in a great region for growing grapes and making fine wine - the Napa Valley of California. Turns out it's a pretty amazing place for growing "other" things too . Cheers!

 

[CDNINCA]

@CDNINCA nice to read that you make wine yourself, where I live there is only sour wine hahaha. So everyone has their hobbies. I've been brewing my own beer for 28 years. 150 liters a year, it's not a lot but enough to make some fun parties with friends.
I hadn't even thought about growing cannabis indoors. I'm more of a collector and connoisseur. I need maybe 15 grams a year for food, tinctures, etc. Around 50 grams end up in the incense bowl. I give away a little, old grass from the jar is put into rainwater and so I fertilize my plants with it. Everything is a cycle.
I've been collecting cobs since 2018, but they are not processed into fertilizer

Very cool, I'm sure that you have some pretty serious skills when it comes to making great beer! I've only made beer twice and it turned out decently enough that I've thought of doing it again sometime. Perhaps I should get busy...
After many years of consuming cannabis when I was younger, I took many years "off" for no particular reason, and a few years ago a friend shared a clone with me to stick in my veggie garden. Suffice it to say that's all it took... and I'm definitely a lightweight these days! Perhaps it's the low-tolerance, stronger strains? Anyway, I give most of what I grow away to friends also, the oldest gets put in the compost bin with the same thought that you have - it will go to the next "vintage" in a good way?!
As for this new world of cobs... I don't think they will ever meet the same fate as old jarred weed does!

 

[CDNINCA]

Yesterday, whilst going through this year's cobs, I came across a small (15g) Golden Tiger one who's bag's seal had gone and consequently it was fairly dry.
It was made on the 17th of November, so exactly one month old.

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As it was so dry, rather than just reseal it, I thought we'd try a little.

Wow! One month old and already really potent! It doesn't have the legs or perhaps the clarity of a well cured/aged cob and I required a second dose later in the day, but wow for only one month.

It's so good that we've both had another piece today!

Amazing colors that you get @Hombre del mont ! I'm about to cob some of the Malawi Gold that I've had hanging for a few days. I believe that you mentioned somewhere, as did @Tangwena , that a shorter initial sweat is a good way to get the better color, loftier effect? If so, at what temp, and for how long, do you do the initial sweat? I know the answer is in the thread somewhere, I'll see if I can find it... thanks very much! Love the photos!

 

[revegeta666]

Happy cob sniffing day!

Zamal fil rouge x Jamaica blue mountain from Mustafunk, cobs are around 2 months old. It has been like a month since last cob sniffing day, I was surprised that a lot of the sweeter smells kind of faded in favor of the spicier peppery ones. Right now the smell reminds me most of blonde Moroccan hash (polen they call it). Also like when you open a pack of cigarettes (ex smoker here) and that spicy and sour aggressive smell hits you. Still a little sweet but not nearly as much as a month ago. Very addicting to keep smelling them and I could just wear one as a moustache under my nose to sniff it all day long

They now are hard as wood and a little darker than the light gold they were a month ago. Will open them up for new year's eve, hopefully it will be a trippy new year.

 

[wuluz]

Happy cob sniffing day!
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Zamal fil rouge x Jamaica blue mountain from Mustafunk, cobs are around 2 months old. It has been like a month since last cob sniffing day, I was surprised that a lot of the sweeter smells kind of faded in favor of the spicier peppery ones. Right now the smell reminds me most of blonde Moroccan hash (polen they call it). Also like when you open a pack of cigarettes (ex smoker here) and that spicy and sour aggressive smell hits you. Still a little sweet but not nearly as much as a month ago. Very addicting to keep smelling them and I could just wear one as a moustache under my nose to sniff it all day long

They now are hard as wood and a little darker than the light gold they were a month ago. Will open them up for new year's eve, hopefully it will be a trippy new year.

Wow...Those look very tasty

 

[Hombre del mont]

Smoked or eaten hombre?

Nice looking cobb for sure.

Eaten! Amazingly strong for so young!

 

[revegeta666]

Eaten! Amazingly strong for so young!

Golden Tiger does pack a punch. Is this the first cob you make with this strain?

 

[Hombre del mont]

@revegeta666 , No, I've made them for the last 3 seasons but last year's pheno was not quite so strong.
The first time I grew it it was very potent, but it was my first year of cobbing and I only made one cob of each plant.
This year I have a lot of cobs from the GT!
Mrs DM and myself are going to be really high this coming year!

 

[Hombre del mont]

@revege

Happy cob sniffing day!



Zamal fil rouge x Jamaica blue mountain from Mustafunk, cobs are around 2 months old. It has been like a month since last cob sniffing day, I was surprised that a lot of the sweeter smells kind of faded in favor of the spicier peppery ones. Right now the smell reminds me most of blonde Moroccan hash (polen they call it). Also like when you open a pack of cigarettes (ex smoker here) and that spicy and sour aggressive smell hits you. Still a little sweet but not nearly as much as a month ago. Very addicting to keep smelling them and I could just wear one as a moustache under my nose to sniff it all day long

They now are hard as wood and a little darker than the light gold they were a month ago. Will open them up for new year's eve, hopefully it will be a trippy new year.

Make sure you dry them well now before you reseal them. Once the smells start to lesson in intensity then it is the time to stop the process and seal them up to age. If they ferment further they will lose more of the good smells.

 

[Tangwena]

Very addicting to keep smelling them and I could just wear one as a moustache under my nose to sniff it all day long

Thats when you know you are getting it right brother I feel the same way.
I dont know how many times I have carried a piece around in my pocket all day for just that reason ha ha.

 

[Tangwena]

Amazing colors that you get @Hombre del mont ! I'm about to cob some of the Malawi Gold that I've had hanging for a few days. I believe that you mentioned somewhere, as did @Tangwena , that a shorter initial sweat is a good way to get the better color, loftier effect? If so, at what temp, and for how long, do you do the initial sweat? I know the answer is in the thread somewhere, I'll see if I can find it... thanks very much! Love the photos!

I prefer to just get fermentation started then allow it to progress at its own pace.
The ambient temps here are mid 30's centigrade in summer perfect for no sweat curing or short sweat 6 hours.
In cooler temps during winter 12 hours sweating because the fermentation is slower or even non existent in cooler temps.
Warmth is the key.

 

[Tangwena]

Eaten! Amazingly strong for so young!

With you on the GT its my medical nurse, it puts everything on an even keel for me.
That is the next day after I come down ha ha, it can be a very nice high/trip ha ha.
I love riding the swells of power as they roll through my mind I just let go and surf them ha ha.

 

[revegeta666]

@revege

Make sure you dry them well now before you reseal them. Once the smells start to lesson in intensity then it is the time to stop the process and seal them up to age. If they ferment further they will lose more of the good smells.

I did notice they lost some water, one went from 45 to 40g, the other one went from 35 to 31. Do you think this can be a sign that they are dry enough? Or should I dry them further?

 

[iTarzan]

Why is it when curing buds you can't let them get too dry or the curing process stops but with cobbs drying them only stops the fermentation process and not the curing process?

When you experienced cobbers cure them do you dry them and vacuum seal them for long term cure/storage?

The African people in the video that had them wrapped in bark or whatever didn't they keep them wrapped until they sold them? They didn't have vacuum sealers. Tangwena you are chasing the very best cobbs you had in Africa so why don't you do it exactly like they had too?

Why am I hung up on keeping them wrapped in husks/paper/bark and making them tight? WTF is wrong with me?? LOL!

Those old guys wanted that tobacco tight as they could get it. Was that to get it so smashed together that the cure and fermentation could encompass every bit of material and transform into a solid mass of wonderfulness?

I checked my heat mat because I have it set for 104 but it takes several days to get the cobb to sweat. I put a temp probe in the middle of a cobb and it only gets to 82F.

Tangwena when you sweat for 6-12 hours does your cobb get moist (sweat) on the outside? After 12 hours mine is as dry as a popcorn fart.

 

[CDNINCA]

I prefer to just get fermentation started then allow it to progress at its own pace.
The ambient temps here are mid 30's centigrade in summer perfect for no sweat curing or short sweat 6 hours.
In cooler temps during winter 12 hours sweating because the fermentation is slower or even non existent in cooler temps.
Warmth is the key.

Thanks very much for the info and advice! It's so called "winter" here -grew up in Canada so that is a bit of a loose term to me, anyway, daytime highs in the house are maybe 17C so I think I'll go with the 12 hour sweat as you suggest. I've got a hot pad setup under a cardboard box which maintains an internal temp of about 22C so that might work for a slower fermentation. By the way, that's where the three test cobs have been for a week and I plan to open them up soon! I need to finish trimming the Malawi Gold into jars first though as they are ready! Pics to follow of the cobs underway, and the new cobs of the MG!

 

[Tangwena]

Why is it when curing buds you can't let them get too dry or the curing process stops but with cobbs drying them only stops the fermentation process and not the curing process?

When you experienced cobbers cure them do you dry them and vacuum seal them for long term cure/storage?

The African people in the video that had them wrapped in bark or whatever didn't they keep them wrapped until they sold them? They didn't have vacuum sealers. Tangwena you are chasing the very best cobbs you had in Africa so why don't you do it exactly like they had too?

Each area or even village had its specialist growers and curers.
Certain tribes or areas had a reputation for a particular style of curing and even type of plant.

That video was of a commercial grower in the North of Malawi.
Sun dried for a few days then bound up in a cob and most likely sold and out the door asap.

The buyers would tour the small growers buying up their harvest and shipping it out of the area and probably the country.
The potency relied on the quality of the buds not the cure.

I checked my heat mat because I have it set for 104 but it takes several days to get the cobb to sweat. I put a temp probe in the middle of a cobb and it only gets to 82F.

Try putting a blanket over the whole thing to keep the heat in and adjust as needed until the temps get better.

angwena when you sweat for 6-12 hours does your cobb get moist (sweat) on the outside? After 12 hours mine is as dry as a popcorn fart.

Most likely the buds are too dry mine get wet or at least moist inside the bag hence the term sweating.

The African people in the video that had them wrapped in bark or whatever didn't they keep them wrapped until they sold them? They didn't have vacuum sealers. Tangwena you are chasing the very best cobbs you had in Africa so why don't you do it exactly like they had too?

Because the people in the video were not making the best cobs.
The kind they were making were for the tourist and export market.
The best cures I found were more like hashish in texture and smell, the very nicest smoke and the strongest highs.
Not all cobs were tightly bound there are at least 6 different styles of cure that I am aware of and probably many more.
The style I make is only one of the different textured results, but I am trying hard to make the others.
All I remember is what they looked and smelled like. Its like reverse engineering them.

 

[Tangwena]

Thanks very much for the info and advice! It's so called "winter" here -grew up in Canada so that is a bit of a loose term to me, anyway, daytime highs in the house are maybe 17C so I think I'll go with the 12 hour sweat as you suggest. I've got a hot pad setup under a cardboard box which maintains an internal temp of about 22C so that might work for a slower fermentation. By the way, that's where the three test cobs have been for a week and I plan to open them up soon! I need to finish trimming the Malawi Gold into jars first though as they are ready! Pics to follow of the cobs underway, and the new cobs of the MG!

Nothing wrong with a long slow cure. just open them weekly and take a sniff when they turn you will know I'm sure.

I did notice they lost some water, one went from 45 to 40g, the other one went from 35 to 31. Do you think this can be a sign that they are dry enough? Or should I dry them further?

Should be good enough dont over dry them you have to tread that fine line of controlling the cures changes. They need some moisture but not too much. I go by smell.
Its something that is best learned from practice or being shown first hand, once you sniff those sweet aromas first hand you know.

 

[Hombre del mont]

I did notice they lost some water, one went from 45 to 40g, the other one went from 35 to 31. Do you think this can be a sign that they are dry enough? Or should I dry them further?

Apologies for not replying sooner although I see that Tangwena Sensei has already replied.

Once I get the smell that I really like then I will dry them really well but in reality they still won't be bone dry. It's only when I cut a small chunk off of the cob and keep it in a jar that it fully dries.

4-5g weight loss sounds reasonable, so they probably are good to be sealed up for aging at a lower temperature. You can always check them in a month or so and see if they seem more moist than you think the should be.

Try as much as possible to let your instincts guide you.