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What Happens If You Freeze Weed: Effects and Consequences
by JARS | December 11, 2024
Just like all things fresh and tasty, weed doesn't stay fresh forever. And with these things, we want to preserve their freshness for as long as possible. Storing backup's in the freezer has been a trick of the trade since the beginning. So, what happens if you freeze weed? Will it preserve the flavor and texture, or will it completely ruin the rich cannabinoids filled with THC?
Back at the greenhouse, once a cannabis plant reaches full bloom, it's time to prep it for our consumption! Fresh cannabis flower has to go through this drying and curing process in order for it to develop into its full potential. This can take anywhere from 3-10 weeks once the plant has bloomed. Individual branches are cut from the plan and hung upside down to dry in a dark room. Sometimes they'll be in there for a few days or if the humidity and temperature is a little high, it will be hanging out for a couple weeks. An easy way to tell that the cannabis is ready for the curing process is by bending the stems. If there is a snap, that means enough moisture has evaporated and the buds are dried. But, if the stems easily bend, it needs to stay hanging for a while longer. When it is time for curing, individual nugs are trimmed from the branch and put into an airtight container. Many cannabis sommeliers call this "burping" since it's basically just an exchange of gasses. While the lid is closed, moisture can naturally be produced, cannabinoids will become more potent, and really brings out the flavor. Opening the lid allows for a fresh breath of air before being closed again. So, you remember how the whole drying and curing process can take several weeks? Well, quite a few cannabis growers have taken a new approach to speeding up the process to just a couple of days. Commercial-sized equipment is used to precisely freeze and remove any extra moisture from the cannabis flower. When this is done by the big brands, a lyophilizer is used. You'd think it's just a massive freezer, but a little bit more goes into the machine. By freezing the cannabis, its quality and potency is drastically savored. This is a lot like freeze-dried fruits. The curing part of this process involves vacuum-sealing the flower and putting it back into the freezer. The vacuum-sealed environment allows the frozen water in the cannabis to sublimate directly from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase. In fancy terms, a process called sublimation. The end product is a crisp and lightweight bud that has a clean but very pungent smell. Also, this freeze-drying process saves the flower from producing any mold! It completely stops the degradation process, the reason your weed goes bad. The whole freezing of weed thing is really a more beneficial process for bulk amounts of cannabis, like a greenhouse amount. But, there are a rare couple of reasons why putting your weed in the freezer can be a benefit. There's no need to freeze a few grams of flower, keeping it stored properly will keep it fresh for several months. Also, you don't just want to throw your weed in the freezer all willy nilly either. It's best if you use a vacuum sealing machine. You can find them at your local grocery store and are typically made for freezing and storing foods. You'll be defeating the whole purpose if this is your only choice of storage. Freezing, unfreezing, opening, and closing the bag your frozen weed is in will cause it to go bad… fast! So, if you're storing your weed in the freezer, it should be for an extended amount of time (weeks) and once taken out to consume, do not refreeze it. The most prominent effect that freezing has on THC and CBD is causing the trichomes to become more fragile than your ex. Literally like glass. When you freeze weed, these fragile trichomes will break right off when you touch the bud. There goes any bit of THC or CBD you were looking to consume. Abso-freakin-lutely! We completely understand, that 200mg edible brownie you break down into 20 single 10mg pieces can become stale tasting before you know it. Keep half out for now and store the other half in the freezer! Of course, you should keep in mind things like freezer burn and letting it thaw before you consume it. For concentrates, storing oils, waxes, resins, rosins, etc., in the freezer is best for keeping it potent, tasty, and fresh for way longer. Your main concern here is making sure the container you're storing it in has an airtight seal. Freezing your weed will not make it more potent, nor will it cause it to turn purple, sorry. It's pretty much impossible for freezing temperatures to completely altar the genetics of a cannabis strain. Ruling both of those factors out. Another common misconception is that freezing weed will kill off any mold growth or stop it from forming. Nope, not necessarily true. While it might slow down the degradation process of the cannabis, it doesn't completely stop it from aging or producing bacteria. Lastly, skipping the curing process and just freezing your weed is the farthest reliable method possible. Curing allows for the gradual breakdown of chlorophyll and other compounds, resulting in a smoother smoke and more complex flavor profile. That's what you want! There aren't too many reasons for you to freeze your personal stash. Unless you're blessed with enough flower, edibles, or concentrates to last you a few years, leave the freezing process to the professionals. If you are storing your cannabis products in airtight containers and keeping them away from heat, humidity, and direct sunlight, save the room in your freezer for more munchies!The Drying and Curing Process
Freezing Cannabis: Benefits and Drawbacks
How to Freeze Weed Properly
Effects of Freezing on THC and CBD
Can You Freeze Edibles and Concentrates?
Common Misconceptions About Freezing Weed
Conclusion
WHY DOES CANNABIS SMELL SKUNKY?
Cannabis smells skunky due to terpenes, specifically myrcene and pinene. These compounds create the distinct aroma, influenced by the strain's genetics and growing conditions. The smell is often compared to a skunk due to similar compounds found in both.
There’s no denying it, some cannabis buds smell like they’ve been freshly sprayed by a scared skunk. In fact, many aficionados want their nugs to smell skunky because a pungent aroma is often a sign of quality. Although each strain has its unique aroma that comes from a blend of chemical compounds like terpenes, we now know that other molecules may affect our olfactory experience as well.
Scientists wanted to pinpoint exactly where this signature sour scent comes from — and they’ve finally figured it out. Keep reading to uncover why cannabis smells skunky and where every bud gets its one-of-a-kind aroma.
What are terpenes?
If you’ve ever used a diffuser and filled it with essential oils to relax or get focused for the day, you’re already familiar with terpenes. They have been used for their aromatherapeutic properties for centuries.
Commonly found in plants and fruit, terpenes are aromatic compounds that were originally designed to ward off pests — little did they know, that they’d eventually be luring us in. These tiny molecules can also be found in lavender flowers, orange rinds, hops, cracked black pepper, and of course, cannabis. That’s why different strains will often smell like berries, citrus, pine trees, diesel, and all that pungent stuff that we can’t get enough of.
In addition to making flower at JARS smell really, really good, many believe that terpenes may also impact the overall effects of your favorite strain. For instance, the citrus-forward terpene known as limonene (which can also be found in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges), is said to have an energizing effect as it elevates your mood. Hence, many sativa-dominant strains like Lemon Pound Cake and Jet Fuel can offer a mood-boosting high.
Although there are countless different types of terpenes, it does not appear that they alone are responsible for giving cannabis its skunky aroma.
Why does cannabis smell like skunk?
After studying over a dozen different strains, a new analysis resulted in the identification of a group of sulfur compounds that are responsible for cannabis' skunklike scent. They also discovered that there didn’t have to be a great deal of these molecules in the flower to pack a punch — even a small concentration made a big difference in the overall aroma. The most dominant of the compounds discovered was a molecule called prenylthiol, or 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol if you’re feeling fancy. These are the same stinky compounds that give “skunked beer” its notorious flavor.
These sulfurous compounds have been found to occur in other natural substances as well, but this is the first time that they have been discovered in cannabis. Hooray, science! We can finally put this sensory mystery to rest.
Want the skunk?
If you love a skunky cannabis strain, our friendly JARS budtenders can point you in the right direction. Stop by any of our locations to discover your new favorite cultivar.
JARS
December 10, 2024
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