Harvest & Curing Low and Slow

[Mr.Prospector]

I've been reading a thread on another forum about the Low and Slow drying method in the refrigerator. Supposedly a 2 week dry in the fridge results in the best smell/taste preservation.

Has anyone here ever tried this method?

It seems like it should work. Using a humidity and temperature controlled environment is what we strive for when drying...isn't it?

I just chopped 3x24 Carats and my last Sour Stomper and hung them to dry in my (temperature and humidity controlled) tent. I took the main/largest cola off each and removed most leafy material and put these on open racks in a mini fridge in my basement to try this low and slow method.

I will report progress here.

 

[Mr.Prospector]

I've never taken a wet weight on a harvest, but to help monitor the progress I have recorded weights of my 4 test subjects.

Starting (wet) weight for all 4 colas: 187g

 

[Mr.Prospector]

8 HRS DRYING:
Fridge: 42°/66%
Tent: 63°/50%

24 HRS DRYING:
Fridge: 44°/75%
Smell is strong.

48 HRS DRYING:
Fridge: 44°/73%
Tent: 59°/54%

 

[Mr.Prospector]

I recently dried a very dense and grape Sour Stomper from this same grow using a MyHerbsNow dryer. First time ever using it.
I was hopeful and skeptical.

===================================
FROM MY JOURNAL:
Turned dryer off after 24 hrs. After 13 hrs off, back on for 8hrs and everything is over dry and brittle.

THIS PRIMO BUD MAY BE RUINED.
===================================

Besides smaller buds being brittle to the touch, the delicious grape smell was gone.

I rehydrated it slightly in a large curing jar with some of the trim I had taken off 2 days ago, and once @stable 62%... jarred it up. Didn't smell like hay or grass, just had NO smell... like cardboard.

I opened the jars a couple of times, but the smell was blah. I just left the jars alone, figured they were headed for the hash pile.

At the 10 day mark, it had a slight flowery/fruity smell. On day 11, a more noticable grape smell is coming through.

In the name of science, I tested a sample. Its fairly smooth and tastes a bit fruity.

My take on the MyHerbsNow dryer:

(Very) much to my surprise, the MyHerbsNow dryer didn't ruin my beautiful buds...even with a rather quick 2 day dry. But it's probably not necessary during the winter when conditions in my space are at their best. During the summer when its humid, this could work more as intended (4 day dry).

As a comparison, the main cola from the last Sour Stomper has been sacrificed to this (really) Low and (really) Slow experiment.

 

[Mr.Prospector]

72 HRS DRYING:
Fridge: 44°/73%
Tent: 62°/51%

Lowered temperature in fridge hoping to move humidity lower. Tent will probably be ready for jarring up tomorrow

 

[96golfin]

I'm interested in how it works out for you. I tried it a while back and still got that hay smell.

 

[Mr.Prospector]

4 DAYS IN FRIDGE
Fridge: 38°/59%
Lowering fridge temp seems to have moved drying in the right direction. Plant material is still retaining a lot of moisture but everything is shrinking and drying as it should. This is supposed to be a 2 week dry to jarring @65%.

Tent was de-limbed and put into large curing jars for continued slow dry. (Initial rh 61%)

 

[Mr.Prospector]

5 DAYS IN FRIDGE
Fridge: 38°/53%
Total weight: 111g

These buds have shed a lot of water weight.
Smell remains strong.

 

[Mr.Prospector]

I'm interested in how it works out for you. I tried it a while back and still got that hay smell.

How long did they dry in the fridge?

 

[96golfin]

It took 12 days to get to 55%rh when jarred up. My harvest wasn't very dense though so that definitely played a role in the faster dry down.
To be fair, I've gotten that hay smell with every harvest so far so I think the problem might be the area I'm drying in at this point.