NFC How do you know your weed is any good

[TegridySpecial]

@cvs8floz curing is one of the most crucial part.
All weed can't go till two years, Just like wine(just divided by 10). most part will start decline before the first year, but they will still maturate and gain in potency couple months after harvest...

I've always wait at least 2 months of drying followed by 2 months jar curing before starting to enjoy her.
It's the minimum to let the plant lose their "real weed" smell and taste, and develop their particular ones (lemon, floral,...) i'v got once one with violette taste, best one of my life... a critical kush. i've grown several same strain and never get that taste again. Even between sisters it will be different

Outdoor bud can't be cured for too long, only resinous ones can be stored for long time.
Around one year of dry+curing they give me the best, in term of vapor density and taste. The 2 years old i've got (not every bud can go till that time) are still potent and the taste have literaly change to a full flotal taste...

I 100% agree. The number 1 mistake is harvesting too early or too late, followed by curing. You cure it wrong and you can mess up every perfect procedure before it.

I’ve also found that the cure drastically improves at the 2 month mark.

 

[Shadooz]

 

[Mowjo]

I usually pick up outdoor stuff since its fair in $/quality in my area. Jar curing is what has saved it a good bit. 1.5 months of jar curing has been a game changer. You can play with humidity too if you want using something like the raw hydrostones. Those suckers can be powerful I almost ruined an oz of stuff by making it so humid a brilliant cut grinder was getting gunked up.

My understanding is that a super quad A will be dense, firm (small rebound), and full of trichomes.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

Many traits can be used to estimate a bud's quality:

-Look (is it dense? colorful? shiny? brown? moldy? leafy?)

-Smell (the smellier the better, for the most part)

-Moisture (you can tell by looking at how much volume makes up a gram)


Generally, Cannabis is something like wine, in this regard. It'll take time to hone your quality assessment abilities, some of which will begin to be somewhat "inuitive", as your brain starts to make it's own associations.

 

[justcametomind]

Medical grade >>>>>>>>> coffeeshop weed

Bureau Medicinale Cannabis | Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis

Startpagina van het Bureau Medicinale Cannabis van het ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport

www.cannabisbureau.nl

 

[Haze Mister]

The most important factor to me is freshness. The plant is at maximum potency when harvested, this is the only time you get the true aroma and after about 5-10 days of drying and curing, I would say the bud is at peak potency for vaping. No matter how you store your bud, how often you burp your jars, what humidity you maintain, that original heavily aroma only lasts 6-8 weeks for most strains, even less for CBD rich strains which I find become tasteless even faster. Occasionally you get lucky, I remember a Sweet Cheese plant that was still tasty after 8 months in a jar, but most strains lose their flavor by then. And I have grown 1 strain that absolutely didn't smell like weed at all, was light and fluffy, but plenty potent.

Agrweed
I always argue with the people talking about curing weed for months... i think that's only desirable to those wanting to combust as the curing breaks down the chlorophyll... Someone argued that curing can alter the cannabinoid profile favourably for some strains but the flavour always suffers. All old weed that wasn't fully dried then vacuum sealed ends up with the same boring, stale taste... As for those boveda humidity packs people like to use: they do not preserve the weed, they just keep it from drying out so it rolls better and smokes smoother. Any humidity in your container will degrade cannabis, and cannabis is not tobacco.

Also, a very close trim will result in weed that degrades faster- leaving the small trichome-coated leaves around the buds creates some extra protection so weed that looks poorly trimmed isn't always bad at all.

 

[Thick Vape]

There are alot of good tips in this thread for overall quality.
But then you have CBD weed that looks and smells the same as the THC counterpart.
So it is basically impossible nowadays to judge the effect/quality just by looks and smells...

Best is, if you can bring it back to your source when you are not happy. Or a good source/dispensary/producer that can provide constant quality.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

It would be interesting for someone to sacrifice some weed to test the cannabinoid profiles before and after a 2 month cure.

Agrweed
I always argue with the people talking about curing weed for months... i think that's only desirable to those wanting to combust as the curing breaks down the chlorophyll... Someone argued that curing can alter the cannabinoid profile favourably for some strains but the flavour always suffers. All old weed that wasn't fully dried then vacuum sealed ends up with the same boring, stale taste... As for those boveda humidity packs people like to use: they do not preserve the weed, they just keep it from drying out so it rolls better and smokes smoother. Any humidity in your container will degrade cannabis, and cannabis is not tobacco.

Also, a very close trim will result in weed that degrades faster- leaving the small trichome-coated leaves around the buds creates some extra protection so weed that looks poorly trimmed isn't always bad at all.

I find that weed which is vaped too soon after harvest, tastes like grass.

 

[Zoltani]

It would be interesting for someone to sacrifice some weed to test the cannabinoid profiles before and after a 2 month cure.


I find that weed which is vaped too soon after harvest, tastes like grass.

Tastes like grass yes, but the vapor seems thinner to me as well, for lack of better word. The vapor on a well cured bud is denser, has more mouthfeel, fills the lungs without irritation, and I can get more hits from one bowl than fresh bud. I certainly notice a difference from vaping the same bud over the course of the cure. People in my legal state seem to always looking for the freshest bud in the shops, which I don't get.

With all of that said, to me it is near impossible to tell by looking if bud is cured well, though if it is super bright colored that is usually a tell that it is fresh, IME.

 

[Shadooz]

It would be interesting for someone to sacrifice some weed to test the cannabinoid profiles before and after a 2 month cure.

Book Excerpt: After The Harvest

Ed Rosenthal and David Downs explore the intricacies of storage and processing once pot plants have been taken down, dried and cured.

hightimes.com

 

[cvs8floz]

Tastes like grass yes, but the vapor seems thinner to me as well, for lack of better word. The vapor on a well cured bud is denser, has more mouthfeel, fills the lungs without irritation, and I can get more hits from one bowl than fresh bud. I certainly notice a difference from vaping the same bud over the course of the cure. People in my legal state seem to always looking for the freshest bud in the shops, which I don't get.

With all of that said, to me it is near impossible to tell by looking if bud is cured well, though if it is super bright colored that is usually a tell that it is fresh, IME.

I find you need to increase the temp with fresh bud but the hits can be just as plentiful-I would argue more plentiful-then with cured bud that has been sitting in a jar for months. I personally like the fresh, young, uncured taste, to me it represents the true essence of the plant, 2-3 weeks after harvest is probably the sweet spot for me, the buds have hardened up a bit and grind well and give you more vapor at the right temp then at any other point, and the taste is out of this world. This preference mirrors some of my other food preferences, I much prefer fresh, young cheese like mozzarella or cheese curds over anything cured in caves or wherever for months or years, also prefer Beaujolais Nouveau over aged wines any day.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

Tastes like grass yes, but the vapor seems thinner to me as well, for lack of better word. The vapor on a well cured bud is denser, has more mouthfeel, fills the lungs without irritation, and I can get more hits from one bowl than fresh bud. I certainly notice a difference from vaping the same bud over the course of the cure. People in my legal state seem to always looking for the freshest bud in the shops, which I don't get.

With all of that said, to me it is near impossible to tell by looking if bud is cured well, though if it is super bright colored that is usually a tell that it is fresh, IME.

Yea, I can't see fresh bud being better than well cured bud.

Book Excerpt: After The Harvest

Ed Rosenthal and David Downs explore the intricacies of storage and processing once pot plants have been taken down, dried and cured.

hightimes.com

That seems to be discussing what happens after the cure, no? What about from harvest to 60-90 days later. That's what I'm curious about.

I find you need to increase the temp with fresh bud but the hits can be just as plentiful-I would argue more plentiful-then with cured bud that has been sitting in a jar for months. I personally like the fresh, young, uncured taste, to me it represents the true essence of the plant, 2-3 weeks after harvest is probably the sweet spot for me, the buds have hardened up a bit and grind well and give you more vapor at the right temp then at any other point, and the taste is out of this world. This preference mirrors some of my other food preferences, I much prefer fresh, young cheese like mozzarella or cheese curds over anything cured in caves or wherever for months or years, also prefer Beaujolais Nouveau over aged wines any day.

Do you enjoy more uplifting Cannabis effects? If so, that may also lead you to prefer fresher buds, which should have a higher THC:CBN ratio. If I'm gonna vape, I want to feel somewhat sedated, and I'm not sure what CBN actually feels like, as I'd need to try an isolate or high CBD sample, but I personally prefer bud that has stopped smelling like chlorophyll, over fresh bud.

 

[cvs8floz]

Yea, I can't see fresh bud being better than well cured bud.


That seems to be discussing what happens after the cure, no? What about from harvest to 60-90 days later. That's what I'm curious about.


Do you enjoy more uplifting Cannabis effects? If so, that may also lead you to prefer fresher buds, which should have a higher THC:CBN ratio. If I'm gonna vape, I want to feel somewhat sedated, and I'm not sure what CBN actually feels like, as I'd need to try an isolate or high CBD sample, but I personally prefer bud that has stopped smelling like chlorophyll, over fresh bud.

Yes, in general I prefer uplifting effects where you become more talkative and want to do things like go in the basement and mix 20 gallons of plant food!! I would be interested to learn if there is a connection to CBN as you suggest. I am also less bothered by the smell of chlorpohyll that is always mentioned in these discussions, I only find it overwhelming during the first 3-5 days of drying. I normally dry my buds in the grow tent with the lights and the fans on so they only take 5 days max until you can jar them, after a few more days of burping the chlorophyll smell is much reduced and I start vaping.

 

[lifeisgoodnow]

What does bud rot look like? It's all green and so is mold lol well it can be black but... you get my point. How d you know

I always break into the biggest bud and look around stem for bud rot, check the trichs to see if they're developed or if they are clear still. I prefer dense light green myself, and needs to be well trimmed, I hate shotty trim jobs.
If getting from a legitimate shop shouldn't have to worry about bud rot, sadly it happens though.

 

[iDRINKBLEACH]

What does bud rot look like? It's all green and so is mold lol well it can be black but... you get my point. How d you know

It’s usually darker in color has a little weird smell, but the dead give away is usually you break a chunk of bud off to the stem look for mold on the buds nearby stems. It might look almost like trichs at first but if you look close it’s fuzzy fluffy looking not sharp crystal looking. That’s how I’ve spotted it.

sorry about caveman spelling. Just realized it’s bad.

 

[Gigsabits53]

Living in a legal state where I can grow my own would be amazing.

Been dreaming of that very same thing for years. After the last election, at least in my state, there is no way I can stay here anymore. The state I live in now is doing its best to turn it into another kentucky. No offense if you are from Kentucky, but the numbers do not lie. They are last in damn near everything.

Anyway, I keep hearing that old saying in my head, "Go west young man". I'm not young, but I intend to do just that.

 

[Ramahs]

Been dreaming of that very same thing for years. After the last election, at least in my state, there is no way I can stay here anymore. The state I live in now is doing its best to turn it into another kentucky. No offense if you are from Kentucky, but the numbers do not lie. They are last in damn near everything.

Anyway, I keep hearing that old saying in my head, "Go west young man". I'm not young, but I intend to do just that.

I 100% hear ya. This shit sucks. The funny thing is that the only two living family members I have moved to a legal state years ago. The funnier thing is that neither of them have any interest in cannabis at all.

 

[VapeEscapist]

Great advice throughout here. Definitely looking for trichomes and smelling for terps is a tried and true method.

Speaking of Dutch coffeeshops, I have visited Amsterdam 6 times since '99 and have had the pleasure of enjoying strains from reliable sources to help me verify what I was getting back at home. Choosing reputable shops, though more expensive, will help insure a quality product. Also having land access to Morocco, where 80% of the worlds hashish is made has always been a main draw for me, not as much the flower. In 2017 I used an Arizer Solo version 1 to vape Manala, Temple Ball, numerous black and brown hashs, Tangerine G13 hash, and full melt bubble, all in the same town. That's pretty unique.

Personally, I blast small batches of everything I buy through a turkey baster that nicely holds 10 grams of ground flower.

This makes it very easy to estimate potency, quality, and freshness. Fresher flower often blasts very clear and lemony. More stale flower will be browner and more hash like. Yields depend on strain a lot, but quality indoor usually gives me 20% or better. Recently, I did however get a great deal on some SFV Kush (looked like outdoor possibly but well grown?) that blasted over 20%. It had a dark color but kind of an earthy taste and good buzz. Great end product for the price on some flower that I initially was skeptical about and it makes great edibles.

Indica and especially Kush strains in my experience tend to be more resinous and can yield 20-30% BHO.

Sativas closer to 15-20%.

https://imgur.com/vyLv1kX

Here you see 3 main types of cannabis based on how they are grown. This is an important starting point when considering price and quality.

Left is aforementioned SFV Kush and I believe is outdoor (22% BHO yield). Middle is Malibu Pie and is light deprivation/greenhouse grown (18% BHO yield). On the right is Frosted Melon, grown 100% indoor (22% BHO yield). All 3 are good quality examples of their kind and all 3 would be a good product if offered at a fair price. You can see my extract yield for the outdoor matched the indoor here and that's a testiment to the potency of that cheap stuff.

 

[nickolas]

Got to trust your senses and find a reputable source you like then stick with them. Visual inspection in smell go a long way but doesn’t guarantee you’re getting good bud.

 

[arb]

Great advice throughout here. Definitely looking for trichomes and smelling for terps is a tried and true method.

Speaking of Dutch coffeeshops, I have visited Amsterdam 6 times since '99 and have had the pleasure of enjoying strains from reliable sources to help me verify what I was getting back at home. Choosing reputable shops, though more expensive, will help insure a quality product. Also having land access to Morocco, where 80% of the worlds hashish is made has always been a main draw for me, not as much the flower. In 2017 I used an Arizer Solo version 1 to vape Manala, Temple Ball, numerous black and brown hashs, Tangerine G13 hash, and full melt bubble, all in the same town. That's pretty unique.

Personally, I blast small batches of everything I buy through a turkey baster that nicely holds 10 grams of ground flower.

This makes it very easy to estimate potency, quality, and freshness. Fresher flower often blasts very clear and lemony. More stale flower will be browner and more hash like. Yields depend on strain a lot, but quality indoor usually gives me 20% or better. Recently, I did however get a great deal on some SFV Kush (looked like outdoor possibly but well grown?) that blasted over 20%. It had a dark color but kind of an earthy taste and good buzz. Great end product for the price on some flower that I initially was skeptical about and it makes great edibles.

Indica and especially Kush strains in my experience tend to be more resinous and can yield 20-30% BHO.

Sativas closer to 15-20%.

https://imgur.com/vyLv1kX

Here you see 3 main types of cannabis based on how they are grown. This is an important starting point when considering price and quality.

Left is aforementioned SFV Kush and I believe is outdoor (22% BHO yield). Middle is Malibu Pie and is light deprivation/greenhouse grown (18% BHO yield). On the right is Frosted Melon, grown 100% indoor (22% BHO yield). All 3 are good quality examples of their kind and all 3 would be a good product if offered at a fair price. You can see my extract yield for the outdoor matched the indoor here and that's a testiment to the potency of that cheap stuff.

Indoor.

 

[shredder]

As a grower I'm biased but I think the best buds are usually organically grown, and then slowly dried, and jar cured at least 6 weeks if not more.

I use gypsum (calcium sulfate) in small amounts to help up terpene levels. If you grow try it sometime.

Fresh buds have more terpenes, they can be strong but harsh, but once the more volatile terpenes are gone and the buds cured, magic happens.

As a caregiver, my patients always prefer cured over fresh when given a choice. And since all five have been with me 8+ years I guess they're happy.

 

[FlyingLow]

Heavy eyelids.

 

[Thick Vape]

While I would sign what @shredder wrote,
when it takes my pain away, it is good. If not, I do not run after it.
But some does not reduce my pain, but still is quite nice and affects my mood or sleep for example, so more "recreational" maybe.