If you have ever been curious as to why some cannabis or hemp is harsher or less flavorful than others, it’s because these plants have not been properly cured. Correctly curing the hemp flower is an art form that not only greatly extends the shelf life of the crop, but will also greatly improve the potency, flavor and smoothness of the smoke.
The overall goal of curing is to remove bacteria for long-term storage and preserve the product while retaining the flavors and nutrients. Immediately after hemp plants are harvested, they begin to degrade as enzymes and bacteria break down excess sugars and starches. The curing process, in-essence, forces the hemp plant to use of those sugars, starches and excessive nutrients before they dry out and are trapped within the plant – requiring a very particular combination of the storage and climate conditions. In this case, we’re focused on preserving the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids located within the plant.
Proper slow curing is a longer, more artesian process that will halt the degradation process and protect volatile compounds like cannabinoids and terpenes from evaporating or transforming into other compounds. This requires a combination of the perfect curing environment (temperature, relative humidity, lighting) and tending to the plants to ensure that moisture is removed to the proper levels. This process does not utilize any dryers or ovens to quickly remove moisture, which is extremely common in the industrial hemp industry. Only a proper slow curing process can produce the most delicious and aromatic smokable hemp products.