Long cures plus short cures with long term storage

Hey,

I just finished up with my grow and I want to run a few experiments on cure length. I would like to produce samples that have cured for:

• 2 Weeks
• 4 Weeks
• 2 Months
• 3 Months
• 6 Months
• 12 Months
• 18 Months

Here's the challenge: Once I have a sample at my desired cure length, I need to store it until the experiment is over. I've read that freezing is an option, but is it the best option?

Can anyone advise on the best way to halt the curing process and store a sample long term?

Is there a specific RH value I can drop the sample to that will stop the curing process but not dry it out too much? If so, is there merit in vacuum sealing the sample at that value and then storing either in the freezer or in a location such as a basement?

Cool! I've read in several places that letting rh drop below 55% will irreversibly stop the cure process (key bacteria die off). Not sure about best storage, but guessing freezing would be ideal, maybe vacuum packing with nitrogen gas first to best prevent oxidation, like storing hops flowers.

55% was the number I've read as well. Does it sound reasonable to keep the samples at say 54% and then vacuum seal to remove most of the air and then store in a dark cool room such as my basement? My basement hits 49 F during Feb and peaks at 70 F in August.

And as a follow-up question to that last post, if I were to vacuum seal at 62% and stored it at 68 F, would it continue to cure, indefinitely?

I think I probably just answered my own question. Pardon me as I think out loud.

Vacuum seal samples at 62% and store at a fixed temp (somewhere in the 60's) - Will this continue to cure and what, if any, impact will temp fluctuations have on the RH of the sample?
Vacuum seal samples at 55% (or perhaps 54%) and store at a fixed temp (somewhere in the 60's) - Will this provide a snapshot and halt curing but provide a reliable storage option?

The freezer option is much easier. Capture the sample at the desired cure length and simply freeze.

Sorry for the delayed responses- My guess is that the curing process (bacteria/fermentation proccess) requires enough moisture and food (sugars and chlorophyll) to continue, so there is some end-game there. I'd say anything below ~65% rh is safe at room temp, dark is good, vac-pack at ~60% in basement should be perfect! Higher RH will probably let the bacteria do their work faster, but at the elevated risk of getting mold spores to activate and grow... keep us posted!

I use 49% boveda packs for a few reasons, long term storage, when a strain doesn't want burn right at 62 or 58%. Sounds like they could useful to you.

ColoradoHighGrower said:

Sorry for the delayed responses- My guess is that the curing process (bacteria/fermentation proccess) requires enough moisture and food (sugars and chlorophyll) to continue, so there is some end-game there. I'd say anything below ~65% rh is safe at room temp, dark is good, vac-pack at ~60% in basement should be perfect! Higher RH will probably let the bacteria do their work faster, but at the elevated risk of getting mold spores to activate and grow... keep us posted!

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Higher temps will speed the cure as well.