039 - Mastering the Drying Room: Best Practices for Consistent Cannabis Quality

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In this episode, the hosts dive deep into the intricacies of cannabis drying, sharing expert insights on best practices, airflow management, and the common pitfalls to avoid. They discuss the importance of controlling temperature, humidity, and airflow to ensure consistent, high-quality drying. Key topics include the pros and cons of different drying setups like racks vs. carts, how to avoid microclimates, and the importance of maintaining a controlled environment. The episode highlights the often-overlooked impact of drying on the final product and offers practical tips for improving the process, from designing the drying room to understanding moisture management.

Drying Room Basics:

• The drying process is key to producing high-quality cannabis, and airflow is a critical factor.
• A drying room setup typically involves multiple people, with one or two focused on managing the drying process.
• Adjusting airflow is essential, especially during the "poofy" phase when the crop is wet and holding a lot of moisture.
• Over-drying can happen if fans are not positioned properly. Airflow should not be directed directly at the crop but rather across the room to avoid excessive drying.

Fan and Airflow Management:

• There’s debate about whether it’s better to push or pull air through a drying room.
• The ideal airflow design often involves drawing air through the room, avoiding direct fan placement on the crop itself.
• The design of a high-end drying room (e.g., Conviron Chambers) uses perforated walls to evenly pull air through the crop, enhancing consistency.

Carts vs. Racks:

• Racks, when compared to carts, offer better airflow as there is more space between tiers to circulate air effectively.
• The height of racks (12–18 inches between tiers) provides space for better airflow, especially around the thicker colas that retain more moisture.
• Carts, on the other hand, do not allow for as much airflow between plants, which can lead to uneven drying.

Drying Room Design:

• Proper drying room design should ensure minimal disruption to the drying process, such as ensuring fans are well-positioned and avoiding microclimates created by improper airflow.
• Lights should be kept off and doors kept shut to maintain consistent conditions inside the drying room.
• Sealing the room properly (including door sweeps and thresholds) helps maintain a stable environment.

Quality Control in Drying:

• A consistent, controlled drying environment is crucial for preserving the terpenes and quality of cannabis.
• Over-drying or improper drying can degrade the product and affect its final quality.
• Taking the time to measure and map out temperature and relative humidity (RH) across different areas of the room can help optimize the drying process.

Curing and Final Product:

• Drying and curing are interconnected, with the drying phase playing a major role in the final product’s quality.
• The podcast hosts emphasize that drying should not be overlooked, as it has a big impact on the product's outcome.
• They mention potential future research through the Cannabis Research Coalition to help improve drying techniques and share more data on the subject.

Closing Thoughts:

• The podcast encourages listeners to experiment and find what works best for their setup but also emphasizes the importance of following key drying principles for the best results.
• The hosts highlight that, while drying is a complex process with some subjective...