Curing tobacco leaf....phase I

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08-17-2010, 09:52 AM
ashauler

Curing tobacco leaf....phase I

Okey dokey, here are some photo's of the leaf that I have harvested thus far, and the progress it has made in color-curing, the first stage of the curing process to make this smokeable tobacco.

Here is what it looked like when I hung it up on 9 August:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1938
The second hanger from the left was actually harvested on 6 August and left to dry outdoors until 9 August. Here's a close-up of them, they are Long Red Leaf:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1942

This is what they looked like on 15 August:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1948
Here's a shot of the environmental statistics when the 15 August photo was taken:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1946
I'm gonna have to work on getting the rh up to around 60% - 70% before I move the bulk of my harvest in for curing. Right now I'm simply keeping the floor under the leaves damp all day.....works, but not efficiently enough for me.

Small Stalk Black Mammoth. Top photo is 9 August, bottom is 15 August:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1943
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1945
08-17-2010, 02:46 PM
TachyCoventry

You have the cleanest shed that I've ever seen. They look really good too, this is a very cool project!
08-17-2010, 02:48 PM
EGQ

What's the cost of a 5er with shipping?
08-17-2010, 03:35 PM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGQ

What's the cost of a 5er with shipping?

Depends on how many I can get out of this extremely limited production run. :smiley2:
08-24-2010, 01:18 PM
ashauler

Dual color curing methods

Using the leaves that I harvested on 21 August, I have started an experiment with two different methods to color cure the leaves.
1. Sweating to color cure (pile method)
2. Hanging

Sweating:
This is simply placing the green leaves in a pile covered with a breatheable fabric. The leaves must be seperated, inspected and rearranged on a daily basis. Once yellowed "enough" the leaves will be removed one at a time and hung. Below are photo's of how I have this set up and the progress made since they were piled at about 6pm 21 August.

I wrapped the leaves in an old cotton sheet and I keep them on our porch swing, sheltered from direct sun and any rain. I think this allows for great airflow above and below the tobacco.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1983

The pile of leaves....the cut stems are arranged to the outside, one to the left then one to the right, etc.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1981

I piled 6 Small Stalk Black Mammoth and 4 Long Red. Here is a Long Red:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1985

And a SSBM:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1982

Now for the air curing method. I've been using this since 9 August. The leaves harvested on 21 August were hung that same evening.

The entire hanging crop of first primings:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1984

The Long Red harvested on 6 August and allowed to cure 3 days outdoors then hung on 9 August:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1980

Long Red harvested on 21 August:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1979

Florida Sumatra harvested 21 Aug:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1977

SSBM harvested 21 Aug:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1976
You can see some of the sun scald damage in the above photos. After curing and fermentation these will simply be cut out of the leaf. It should have no effect on the quality of the smoke.

Argentina harvested 21 Aug:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1975

I have added a vaporizer that I picked up for $5 to the garage where the leaves are hanging. I have been able to maintain the RH in the mid to low 60's even during the hot part of the day. This is still a little lower than ideal from what I've read, but it appears to be working just fine.
08-25-2010, 09:35 AM
ndv21

Looks like great progress! I am really enjoy watching this project unfold. :smiley20:
08-30-2010, 09:54 AM
ashauler

29 August Progress

Here is a shot of the results of the Pile method of color curing. I am very happy with it and have used it for all the best leaves from the 29 Aug harvest. This method seems to set the color change in motion quicker while maintaining the proper moisture level in the leaves. This way, when I hang them in the curing space, I will have to be less concerned with the RH level and they can dry faster since the majority of the green is gone.

Top are the Small Stalk Black Mammoth and bottom is Argentina:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2003

Leaves harvested on 9 August:
Small Stalk Black Mammoth
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2005

Long Red Leaf:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1996

Argentina (on the right) ssbm (on the left):
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2001

21 August harvest:
Small Stalk Black mammoth
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2006

Long Red Leaf:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1995

Argentina:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1997

Florida Sumatra:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=1999

All hanging (oldest harvest to newest from right to left):
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2007

I've lightly modified the hanging space by placing painters plastic over the opening to retain as much moisture as possible during the heat of the day. I'm still struggling with keeping the RH up, but with increased use of the pile method, this should be less important.

I have taken the 6 LRL leaves harvested on 6 August and placed them in a 1 gallon zip lock baggie and begun the sweating process on them. Basically, this is simply placing the sealed bag in direct sunlight and allowing the tobacco to sweat moisture. I flip the baggie over several times a day, and in the evening I remove the leaves and shake them out and allow them to partially dry before replacing them in the bag. This process should continue for about 2 weeks or so at which time I should be able to get a test smoke. :smiley20: I'll try to get some pics of this in the next couple of days.

There are more photo's in my albums....feel free to take a look. :smiley37:
08-30-2010, 11:16 AM
guado

aboslutely amazing!
08-31-2010, 09:48 AM
mrtr33

So, here's what happened:

I wasn't going to do anything with my plants. I haven't been taking very good care of them - and two of the plants started to flower. I would say the biggest plant was probably the Long Red Leaf or the Sumatra, at almost 5 feet in height.

Then Saturday morning, I was sitting on our back patio, looking over the tobacco garden. We've been going outside more, now that it's cooled down to the mid-90's in the mornings. I was curious as to whether or not any of the leaves were salvageable. I had read somewhere once that a simple way you can tell if your leaves are ready for harvest is to try to break it off - if it snaps off, you're good. If it's still clinging on, it's not.

So I started harvesting. You know when you start popping bubble-wrap, and you can't stop at just a few bubbles, but you have to keep popping ALL of the bubbles? Same kind of thing. Not all of the leaves were ready, but I was ready to clean this garden up.

I bypassed the entire curing process, and decided to go straight to hanging. My garage is more like a shed, with a huge attic fan on one side, and two windows. No direct sunlight gets in at all, really. I would say it's usually warmer in there than it is outside.

I used some cooking twine from the kitchen, and clothespins to hang the leaves. We'll see if this works.

Photos:

Left to right - Long Red Leaf/Argentina/Florida Sumatra
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...---sumatra.jpg

Florida Sumatra is in the foreground, Argentina and Long Red Leaf in the back
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...trahanging.jpg

Long Red Leaf
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...eafhanging.jpg

Black Mammoth
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...thhanging1.jpg

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...thhanging2.jpg

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...thhanging3.jpg

All in all, there are 2 strings of leaves hanging. Even though it doesn't look like it, none of the leaves are touching, though some are very close. There are a total of 50 leaves hanging. I guess I'm still in this.

BTW, tobacco leaves are very sticky, and will turn your hands green. Does anyone know if smoking in the same place where the tobacco leaves are drying will affect the process in any way?

Thanks for reading.....
08-31-2010, 10:03 AM
ashauler

Very, very nice Mark.....your leaves look excellent. Your hanging space should work very well also, just pay attention to the amount of ventillation you have...a good cross breeze would be just perfect.

I can't imagine that smoking in the garage would affect the curing process. BTW, you're not bypassing anything, what you are doing now is color-curing. :smiley2:

I knew there weren't enough episodes of cup-cake wars to keep you from doing this. :smiley4:
08-31-2010, 05:22 PM
Smoked!

You two are amazing. There is yet hope for America and the Republic.

Since my cultivation efforts ended in what can only be described as a figurative farming face-plant, I have looked on at your progress with envy - green, green envy. What most impresses me is not simply the success of growing and harvesting, but the ingenuity employed to solve the simple tasks. Plus, there’s lots of neat pictures.

For some reason, I feel compelled to make cupcakes.
09-01-2010, 11:28 AM
mrtr33

THIS IS NOT A THREADJACK

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

Your hanging space should work very well also, just pay attention to the amount of ventillation you have...a good cross breeze would be just perfect.

I'm contemplating putting a little oscillating fan in there, keeping it on low, and running it just during the day. Thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

BTW, you're not bypassing anything, what you are doing now is color-curing.

Yeah, I knew that..... :smiley5:
Another reason I chose to harvest now is so that you'll do everything about a month before me. So I can learn from your successes and mistakes. I honestly have no idea what to do next. Your leaves are more dried out than mine right now, so I'm guessing I'm still good there.

When you get the chance, can you go into a bit more detail about what the curing process does in the long run? I have no idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smoked!

What most impresses me is not simply the success of growing and harvesting, but the ingenuity employed to solve the simple tasks.

I can't speak for Jamie, but there just isn't that much reliable documentation available online for stuff like this. Most of it that is available, you find that they are just flying by the seat of their pants, too. A few weeks ago, my parents were driving by a barn in SW Arkansas and saw tobacco leaves hanging from the rafters - I thought it sounded like a good idea. Then you look at photos of the Fuentes or Padrons walking through fields of tobacco plants whose leaves are just absolutely massive. I don't have anything like that here.

*One quick update*
I checked the leaves out yesterday, and some had already noticeably yellowed. They are definitely getting droopier (it's HOT and HUMID in there), so I'll definitely keep an eye on them every other day or so.
09-01-2010, 02:51 PM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtr33

I'm contemplating putting a little oscillating fan in there, keeping it on low, and running it just during the day. Thoughts?

Yep, just put another little one in my space. Need some fresh air also, so if you can crack a window or the door or something do that as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtr33

Yeah, I knew that..... :smiley5:
Another reason I chose to harvest now is so that you'll do everything about a month before me. So I can learn from your successes and mistakes. I honestly have no idea what to do next. Your leaves are more dried out than mine right now, so I'm guessing I'm still good there.

When you get the chance, can you go into a bit more detail about what the curing process does in the long run? I have no idea.

Well, I really have no freaking idea what the hell I'm doing either, so I bet you'll have lots of mistakes to learn from. :smiley36:

Mistake 1....allowing leaves to dry green. Some say they can never be recovered, some say they can. I'm trying it now and I think it is actually working, but I ain't gonna bet on it.

All that I know I have learned by reading the various boards that you are, though I think one of them has much more knowledgeable people on it than the others. Ingenuity is in no short supply among these people, that is for sure.

Color curing is the process of letting the leaf die slowly enough that it consumes all of the chlorophyl and excess nitrogen from the leaves before they are dried. This is what makes the tobacco actually smokeable. Also during this process, nicotine is reduced to a small degree, though more of that takes place during fermentation and aging then during color curing.
09-01-2010, 03:05 PM
mrtr33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

Yep, just put another little one in my space. Need some fresh air also, so if you can crack a window or the door or something do that as well.

I didn't explain very well: there's an attic fan on one side of the garage. The fan is probably 4' X 4'. There's no screen or wall or net or anything - beyond the blades are the open elements. The garage door is makeshift as well. The garage/shack/tobacco house/whatever you want to call it might as well not even have a roof over it - it's not weatherproof at all. All to say: there's fresh air getting in there for sure. But does it need a slight breeze? It's been at least 85% humidity for the past few days, and around the mid to upper 90's during the heat of the day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

Mistake 1....allowing leaves to dry green. Some say they can never be recovered, some say they can. I'm trying it now and I think it is actually working, but I ain't gonna bet on it.

So not all leaves are going to turn yellow? Just how yellow do they need to be?

Back to reading again......
09-01-2010, 03:19 PM
ashauler

See, you just thought that was a double post.

Mark it sounds like you have almost the perfect conditions to color cure. You don't want them to get wet, so some kind of protection from the rain is cool. Yes, some breeze is also beneficial to help prevent the growth of mold.

All the leaves should go from green to yellow to brown, but, if the rh drops and the temps stay up, they will indeed dry green. Bad news if it happens, trust me.
09-03-2010, 06:17 PM
Sam Tushing

Thanks!

These pictures are so cool...thanks for posting them. I'm envious; I wish I had the room and expertise to do this...
09-07-2010, 04:57 PM
mrtr33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

See, you just thought that was a double post.

Mine eyes hath deceived me...

Going to check on them tonight. I checked them last Friday, and the edges were drying, but even the yellow ones were very sticky still. It's been unbearably humid here for the last 2 weeks - will this help them not dry green?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Tushing

These pictures are so cool...thanks for posting them. I'm envious; I wish I had the room and expertise to do this...

Expertise - yeah, that's what it is.

Do or do not. There is no try. If you want to do something, then DO it. Find a way. Anything is possible.
09-07-2010, 06:01 PM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtr33

It's been unbearably humid here for the last 2 weeks - will this help them not dry green?

Yep. But, ya gotta watch for the mold and black mushy main stems....both are no bueno.

I built a curing chamber on Friday and Saturday morning. I have been having a difficult time keeping the humidity up in the garage where I'm color curing so I figured if I could make an environment that would stay about 90-95 F and 70 -80% rh I could use it to complete the color cure. So far I've been able to maintain pretty close to those parameters but I'm still fiddling with the fine adjustments. I've transferred all of the harvest previous to 21 August to the chamber. The 21 and 29 August harvests are still doing well in the hanging area so I'm in no hurry to move them.

Once they have completed the color change, I'll remove them and allow them to dry crunchy including the mid-rib (stem). Once that's finished, I'll up the temp in the chamber to 125 or so and start fermenting them.

The Long red leaf that I have been bag sweating is looking pretty darn nice, and smelling pretty good too. I may just get to smoke some of this soon.
09-07-2010, 10:00 PM
ashauler

Here's the curing chamber (kiln) that my pops and I put together Friday and Saturday morning. It is 4' X 4' and made of 1 1/2'' polystyrene sheathing. The top and bottom frame and the braces are made from redwood recycled from an old picnic table.

http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2011

The Front vent, the cords are from the crock pot and fan. Yup, that's a JdN slide top box from a sampler I picked up a long time ago.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2015

The rear vent. Yup, that's a Habanos Puros Fuerte slide top box.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2012

The crock pot and fan....and some tobacco hanging.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2013

Here is the water heater thermostat. In this pic you can see the sending unit from my temp/rh guage. I can read it from my couch :). As I type this, the kiln is at 94.6 F and 78% RH.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2016

And, since some just broke off the leaf I've had bag fermenting for 3 weeks, I just couldn't help it.
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2017
09-07-2010, 10:59 PM
mrtr33

So, they've been hanging in the garage about 10 days now. Thought I'd provide a status update.

So far, the results have been spotty - some leaves are as green as I picked them (I'm guessing they weren't ready to be harvested yet), while others are not only shriveled up, but drying on the edges. It doesn't look like there's any leaves drying green, or that there's any mold (yet) - but these pictures may prove me wrong.

Black Mammoth
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n.../bm1_week2.jpg

Black Mammoth - other end
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n.../bm2_week2.jpg

Long Red Leaf - Sumatra - Argentina
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...est1_week2.jpg

Long Red Leaf - Sumatra - Argentina
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...est2_week2.jpg

Argentina - Sumatra - Long Red Leaf
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...est3_week2.jpg

I mean, what happens now? Jamie, I'm guessing your kiln is another tool to get the leaves to cure, correct? If not, am I going to have to build a fucking kiln next? What am I supposed to be doing now? What leaf did you smoke, and how was it?

I need some cupcakes.
09-08-2010, 12:51 AM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtr33

I mean, what happens now? Jamie, I'm guessing your kiln is another tool to get the leaves to cure, correct? If not, am I going to have to build a fucking kiln next? What am I supposed to be doing now? What leaf did you smoke, and how was it?

I need some cupcakes.

Looking good!! I've noticed the leaves I harevested a little early are taking much longer to change color also.
Yes, initially to help me get the color cure finished, then to ferment the leaf with heat.
No, you don't have to ferment the leaf, so you don't have to build a kiln.
Enjoying the experience.
Long red, and really, not too bad.
09-09-2010, 03:03 PM
mrtr33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashauler

No, you don't have to ferment the leaf, so you don't have to build a kiln.

So.....theoretically, I could start rolling once I have enough shriveled up leaves (that aren't completely dried out, obviously!)?
09-09-2010, 08:39 PM
ashauler

Well, yeah, you could. The long red leaf that I sampled had been sweated in a plastic bag for about 3 weeks.....a type of fermentation. It was definitely "sick" if you want a comparison to draw from....sweet, grassy, but not too harsh. It needs more time. Either longer fermentation or significant aging imho. I won't be rolling any cigars for a few weeks yet.
09-10-2010, 02:31 AM
WOXOF

Bad ass thread guys. Love the pics. It makes me want to go tour a cigar factory.
09-10-2010, 10:51 AM
ashauler

Photo's from yesterday evening.

It took me about 3 hrs to rewire all the leaves and take the photo's. I took the opportunity to remove the coat hangers from some of the leaves and hang them in the kiln in hopes they would finish the color curing process so I could move on to the drying phase with a portion of the crop. Hopefully, by the time all the leaves have color cured, I will have enough dried leaves to start the fermentation process right away.

Florida Sumatra harvested on 29 August and pile cured until 5 Sept:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2042

Florida Sumatra harvested on 21 August and air cured only (my apologies for the photo quality):
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2037

Argentina, harvested on 9 Aug and air cured:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2055

Argentina harvested 21 Aug and air cured:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2053

Argentina harvested 29 Aug and pile cured to 5 Sept:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2059

Long Red Leaf harvested 6 Aug...hung, then bag sweated for 3 weeks (this is what I've sampled). Keep in mind these were just junk leaves picked for the hell of it:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2023

Long Red Leaf harvested 21 Aug and air cured:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2020

Long Red Leaf harvested 21 Aug and pile cured to 29 Aug then hung:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2028

Long Red Leaf harvested 29 Aug and air cured:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2029

Long Red Leaf harvested 29 Aug and pile cured to 5 Sept:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2032

Small Stalk Black Mammoth harvested 21 Aug and air cured:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2045

Small Stalk Black Mammoth harvested 21 Aug and pile cured to 29 Aug:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2051

More photo's in my albums if you care to take a peek. Thanks for looking.
09-26-2010, 10:55 AM
ashauler

Progress 25 Sept

Some pics from yesterday.

Black Mammoth:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2091

http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2090

Florida Sumatra:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2089

http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2088

Argentina:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/attachme...achmentid=2087
09-26-2010, 01:14 PM
logan37

Looking really nice Jamie and Mark!
10-06-2010, 10:07 AM
ashauler

O.K., phase I of the curing process, for me, is complete. All of my leaf has color changed, though there is a tiny bit of green remaining on a few of the first leaves harvested.

Now comes the fermentation phase. 3-4 weeks away from producing the first cigars.

What I learned for next year:
Pile curing is the way to go in my conditions.
There is much more time and regular attention required to prevent disaster in this phase.
Harvesting early drastically affects the curing process.
Big leaves are cool looking, but difficult to handle when hanging and moving it around.
Don't try to handle crispy dry tobacco.

Thanks for looking.

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