Tangwena's Malawi-Style Cob Cure: Fermented Cannabis

[tangwena]

Made a new cOB today with 21g of white widow that have dried down from 70g since monday (< 5days). It's been fairly dry here and warm (under 60% humidity and 42% today) but temp dropped 25F since yesterday too. Figured if I didn't get them done now, they'd be too dry and not get a good sweat. Into the sous vide @41C for a day!

Looking good my friend just remember the drier they are the longer it takes but it will still happen just a lot longer needed.
The results from drier cured cobs can be quite amazing just seal it up and leave it as long as possible on the router for warmth.

 

[Tony Urban]

Alright. Here is the result of my cobbing shenanigans.

The lovely colour is mostly the pistils. This is the drier material cob. The colour told me to stop the sweat. It got pretty much the same time in the heat mat as the more moist cob and you can see the difference.

Mulanje x Swaziland dry cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

This was the plant that had an amazing lemon or haze smell. Dried a bit longer. Sweat for 12-16...

Mulanje x Swaziland dry cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

closer shot. Based on colour I stopped the sweat and started the ferment.

Here you can see the difference between the two cobs. I wanted to try both levels of cure to experience the difference and continue evolving my own methods to match my taste in effects. Pretty excited about these and won't touch them for a few months at the least.

Tale of two cobs

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

The cob on the left was sweat while freshly cut. It has also fermented for a day. The cob on the...

 

[Momma's Kitchen]

Since my first buzz at the age of 22 I've been searching for an elusive euphoric experience, one that connected me to a deeper awareness, insight, and hallucinatory inspiration one might more often attribute to ceremony than recreation. After years of dreaming, and following three years of learning to grow my own cannabis, I've danced around the edges of my dream, but so far the Dark Devil Auto was the closest thing to otherworldliness I'd come across.

There was a singular moment in my youth where I was transported by the after effects of Columbian Gold, which memory may or may not be influenced by the hunky tennis player that shared that experience with me. Just in case he wasn't the cause of the memories being so......delicious, I'll be growing a Columbian Gold this year. A girl has to know.

I'll be cobbing that eventual harvest.

"Cobbing?" you inquire. "What is cobbing?"

I'm so glad you asked.

Well, it turns out someone has worked to perfect a method of curing that he believes closes replicates the cobbed buds he grew up appreciating in Africa. Tangwena was frustrated for years at the inferior quality of the euphoric experience with western-style drying techniques. For decades he devoted himself to the process of replicating the flavors and euphoric effects he remembered from his earlier years, but using safer methods.

In Africa the buds were cobbed and buried for fermentation, creating magical alchemy that transformed good bud into intense bud. Be forewarned, this is not cannabis you want to smoke as a newbie. At least not alone. Lol! Burying your cannabis can be problamatic from a sanitary perspective, particularly in the control of microorganisms that promote mold. Tangwena overcame that problem with vacuum sealing, and then he worked out a timeframe that gets the buds fermented and ready to cure in less than two weeks from harvest.

Vacuum seal the finished buds and let it cure for three months and you'll have an end product that will change how you think of your cannabis. From reading their accounts you'll change that perspective when they first come out of the cob after a week or so fermenting.

His thread is titled "Malawi style cob curing." When you've achieved success with this technique you're going to want to thank him. It'd be a nice gesture to stop by and pay your respects. If you don't want to bother with a membership to do so you can let me know and I'll pass it on. I think he and I are going to be talking about this technique for many years.

Do yourself a favor, go to his thread and read his accounts of the euphoria. Come back ready to play.

Tangwena's thread's been up for years and runs nearly 250 pages. They welcomed me with open arms, thrilled to share what they learned as a team, and even reworked the flow chart fellow member repuk developed to reflect current knowledge. In a nutshell, this is our process. No need to reinvent the wheel.

repuk’s flow chart: part 1

• SweetSue
• Mar 8, 2018

Instructions for Tangwena’s Malawi-style cob curing

repuk’s flow chart

• SweetSue
• Mar 15, 2018

Latest update

repuk’s flow chart: part 4

• SweetSue
• Mar 9, 2018
• 6

The latest rework of Tangwena’s Malawi style cob curing technique

I know, impressed the hell out of me too.

I want to do this. I'm going to do this. It's so much more fun to take these adventures with friends. Want to play? Ok, let's learn to ferment our cannabis together.

I'm just starting the process myself. I'm being a bit more casual with this thread than others I've started because I don't want to wait until I'm all ready. I want to start while I'm in process, let you guys jump in and add information as we go. I'll be harvesting my Malawi in the morning, and the plant needs to hang to get to around 80% RH before I cob any. That'll take between 1 to 3 days. As Tangwena describes it "the sugar leaves should be limp, but not brittle." He likes to think the buds are still alive when he cobs them, and talks sweetly to the buds as he compresses their sweetness into a cigar-shaped bundle of future joy.

Supplies:
* You'll need something to wrap the buds in. The best wrapper appears to be corn husks. I got mine from the rain forest, but you can find them in many stores for wrapping tamales. Alternatively, Tangwena suggested construction-weight paper bags. They'll withstand the abuse better than thinner bags. The corn husks create more surface area with their grooves. Tangwena says he swears by the sweeter taste created by the husks.

* The best cobs hold 1.5 - 2 ounces of buds, at somewhere around 80% RH

* A vacuum sealer system eliminates the threat of mold. You're going to squeeze them snugly.

* The process begins with a 24 - hour sweating step, maintaining the cobs at 40 C/104 F. There are many ways to achieve this, some of which repuk suggested on his chart. I'll be using a seed-starting heat pad with an inverted container under the insulating weight of a couple towels. Simplicity and frugality rolled into one.

There were some good pointers I found in just the first 10% of Tangwena's thread.

Aaaaand I just realized they got deleted. Lol! I'll go back over the material tonight and tomorrow and add it into this thread. I'll get the process worked up with details. They're aware that we're building on their experience and heartily encourage us to create a flow between the communities.

Tangwena's intention is to share this wonderful gift of knowledge with the world, to change the hearts and minds of cannabis enthusiasts, one cob at a time. I'm honored, as an unofficial ambassador of to bring the knowledge back to my friends.

I think we're going to look back on this day warmly as the start of something wonderful. Can't you feel it?

Ok, who's in?

Yup I'm gonna try it!

 

[SweetSue]

Yup I'm gonna try it!

Oh Momma’s Kitchen, you wont regret it. Every happy camper in the room shared that enthusiastic welcome. Lol!

to the fun.

 

[SweetSue]

Alright. Here is the result of my cobbing shenanigans.

The lovely colour is mostly the pistils. This is the drier material cob. The colour told me to stop the sweat. It got pretty much the same time in the heat mat as the more moist cob and you can see the difference.

Mulanje x Swaziland dry cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

This was the plant that had an amazing lemon or haze smell. Dried a bit longer. Sweat for 12-16...

Mulanje x Swaziland dry cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

closer shot. Based on colour I stopped the sweat and started the ferment.

Here you can see the difference between the two cobs. I wanted to try both levels of cure to experience the difference and continue evolving my own methods to match my taste in effects. Pretty excited about these and won't touch them for a few months at the least.

Tale of two cobs

• Tony Urban
• Jan 17, 2020

The cob on the left was sweat while freshly cut. It has also fermented for a day. The cob on the...

Make me proud. I could feel Tangwena’s chest expand as I read that.

 

[SweetSue]

I have been messing around with 6 to 12 hour sweat but curing in warm 30 to 36c temps for 2 to 3 weeks its leaving them very terpy and colorful.
After 12 months aging the effects chewed are amazing. I have been loosing it big time lately, i think I'm loosing my sanity but it feels so good I cant stop haha.

For terpy cobs:
6-12 hr sweat
2-3 week cure at 30-36° C (86-96.8° F)

Noted

 

[Tony Urban]

Make me proud. I could feel Tangwena’s chest expand as I read that.

Thank you Sue. Its one of those Pay it Forward things. Spreading the word, making believers one tester at a time, I know people who are now curious or trying with their own flower. Something about this cure method that resonates with me.

I just smoked a bowl of CB Dream cob. It was dry and not cured from the post ferment stage. It is much like the flower form, very chill buzz, uplifting but definitely tell its low thc/cbd. Smooth on the inhale. I chewed .5 grams last week and no big noticeable buzz. Had a great sleep though. Noticed the chew was fine sawdust almost. Interesting.

I am hoping a few months curing will bring out some of the finer aspects of that strain.

 

[Schnookie]

Ooorida! I'm going cob-happy today!!! Let's see the lineup for the festivities!

Took out the GSC cob from 3 days ago which didn't sweat (none of mine really have) and I saw the color was starting to look darker so wanted to open her up and air it out...I've also learned (finally!!) that my phone camera makes much better pictures here without the flash.

She'll be dried for an hour in my 40% humidity apt. and then resealed and placed on the router for another few weeks...

Next up...my last skunk cob for this harvest...stay tuned!

 

[Schnookie]

I'll just post the links here for my new cobs going in the sous vide today. No reason to double post...

Skunk

Schnookie's First Grow In 30 Years: Mixed Strains, Mixed Schedule, Mixed Nutrients

Somehow I overlooked these guys...4 buds that have dried down to 26g with 2/3 of their stems gone now. Not sure how I missed these in photo update. Anyway...cob'in time! This one ain't gonna get wet! New foodsaver vacuuming up... unsquished: sushi roll...this one is FAT!

www.420magazine.com

GSC

Schnookie's First Grow In 30 Years: Mixed Strains, Mixed Schedule, Mixed Nutrients

Somehow I overlooked these guys...4 buds that have dried down to 26g with 2/3 of their stems gone now. Not sure how I missed these in photo update. Anyway...cob'in time! This one ain't gonna get wet! New foodsaver vacuuming up... unsquished: sushi roll...this one is FAT!

www.420magazine.com

WW

Schnookie's First Grow In 30 Years: Mixed Strains, Mixed Schedule, Mixed Nutrients

Somehow I overlooked these guys...4 buds that have dried down to 26g with 2/3 of their stems gone now. Not sure how I missed these in photo update. Anyway...cob'in time! This one ain't gonna get wet! New foodsaver vacuuming up... unsquished: sushi roll...this one is FAT!

www.420magazine.com

Cheers!

 

[nickeluring]

I'm trying a dryer approach then previously. These cobs were made from my Rainbows plant that had been slow-drying whole for 6 days. I only took pop corn buds from the bottom of the plant, and they were pretty dry.
I did a short 12 hour sweat at 40 C, and there was no visible moisture after the sweat so I wouldn't really call it a sweat. Now they'll be left to slow cook in the cobatron for a while...

Rainbows cob 1.jpg

• nickeluring
• Jan 19, 2020

Rainbows cob curing

Rainbows cob 2.jpg

• nickeluring
• Jan 19, 2020

Rainbows cob curing

 

[Momma's Kitchen]

Look great!

 

[SweetSue]

Oh! This is beginning to get exciting. You’re starting to understand what you’re doing now guys, and now it all becomes more interesting.

 

[tangwena]

These are Mulanje buds i left on the plant to mature more they were picked at 13 weeks and dried more than usual.
Then sweated for 6 hrs before being sealed up for a week at 30c average temps very gentle fermentation occurred.
They will now be sealed for a couple of months to age.
The aroma is floral wild honey with a sandalwood background they should be nice and Alice in Wonderland once aged I cant wait to try them.

 

[Tony Urban]

Those look great Tangwena!

I cut short the ferment of my fresh cut Mulanje x Swazi. It was pliable in the bag and getting darker. Its on the rack to dry now. Seal er back up after.

mulanje x swaziland cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 20, 2020

Fresh cut. 14 hour sweat. 5 day ferment. Currently drying.

The dryer MxS is still fermenting.

 

[SweetSue]

Envy..... pure envy.

 

[Tony Urban]

Envy..... pure envy.

I know right! This thread is definitely getting more cob candy for the eyes and soul.

 

[tangwena]

Those look great Tangwena!

I cut short the ferment of my fresh cut Mulanje x Swazi. It was pliable in the bag and getting darker. Its on the rack to dry now. Seal er back up after.

mulanje x swaziland cob

• Tony Urban
• Jan 20, 2020

Fresh cut. 14 hour sweat. 5 day ferment. Currently drying.

The dryer MxS is still fermenting.

Oh yes my friend dry that nicely it will age into some great cob.
Dont let it ferment further its perfect as it is hats off brother.

 

[Tony Urban]

Well I seem to be firing on all cylinders lately. Started a new journal, link in my signature, and inviting anyone interested.

 

[Schnookie]

Here's the GSC that was finally removed from seal after a week...this makes it looks darker than it really is (bear in mind also the buds were quite purple too...), and I think should be quite pleasant after a few months aging...

 

[Tony Urban]

Here's the GSC that was finally removed from seal after a week...this makes it looks darker than it really is (bear in mind also the buds were quite purple too...), and I think should be quite pleasant after a few months aging...

yeah those look great! Some lighting makes them look darker. I have some similar that are golden in colour. Those willl be fantastic in a month or so.