Moisture Content and Curing
After you have put in all the effort to care for and nurture your cannabis, you harvest and trim the flowers, and then you cure or dry your trimmed flower buds. This curing process reduces the moisture content of the flowers, changes the ratio of turpenes and cannabinoids, and is the final preparation before testing, packaging, and use.
Moisture Content, Turpenes, and Flavor
Inside and on the surface of your cannabis, there are all the chemicals which affect the flavor of the cannabis. Chlorophyll, turpenes, resins, and water all have an effect on the taste of your crop. Chlorophyll, usually left from a ‘quick’ curing process, will give the smoke a bitter flavor which is typically undesirable. The turpenes and resins – with their very low evaporation points – give the buds the particular aroma and smoking flavor associated with the strain or parent strains and are very desirable. The moisture content affects the smoothness of the smoking flavor and keeps the turpenes and resins from evaporating. If the moisture content is too high, it reduces the ratio of turpenes and cannabinoids in the smoke, while if the moisture content is too low, the turpenes and resins evaporate and the smoke has little or no flavor and a harsh dry smoke.
Optimize Your Moisture Content
Curing your cannabis to a moisture content of 3% to 8% moisture is optimum depending on a few other factors and preferences. Sequoia Analytical Labs can test the moisture content with results while you wait, so that you can cure your crop to perfection!
PRO TIPS:
- Cure your buds in a dark climate controlled room with some ventilation, start at about 70 °F and 55% relative humidity for about 3 days, and then reduce your temperature to about 65 °F and 60% relative humidity for 7 to 10 days.
- After this, take some of your buds and roll a joint. Don’t light this; just take a few drags on the unlit joint to determine if the flavor is at the point you like. When an unlit joint tastes and smells great, it will smoke great.
- Let Sequoia Analytical Labs analyze your moisture content to ensure it is at the 3% to 8% optimum range, you can dry further and moisture content should reduce at about 1% a day of curing.
- Take notes on your curing process so that it may be adjusted for your next crop.
You can also view or download our Moisture Content Analysis Guide in PDF format.