How to Water Cure Cannabis

While air drying is the most popular method of preparing Cannabis flowers, the lesser-known 'water curing' may be a better choice for some.

Water curing produces some of the smoothest smoke available. In fact, water curing is so successful at mellowing flavors that, for many, the resulting buds are considered to be too smooth for proper enjoyment - an effect that is welcome when faced with unpleasantly-flavored weed.

We shall begin with a few words of caution about water curing. First of all, if done incorrectly, it can create a wet, unpleasant, ruined mess. Secondly, you should only smoke water-cured Cannabis that you have made yourself, or received from a trusted source. Water curing does such a good job of leeching out 'off' flavors that it is sometimes used by the unscrupulous to try to mask fungal infections or other 'nasties'.

To be clear, the method does NOT fix buds ruined by powdery mildew or those that have been sprayed with toxins. Buds infected by fungus or doused in dangerous chemicals are ruined, and should be discarded. Another drawback to water curing is that it pretty much destroys any bag appeal, as water-cured weed is generally considered to be unattractive.

Water curing can, however, improve buds that have been dried too fast, or for too long, and have become harsh. Improving 'cat piss' varieties of weed that genetically produce an 'off' flavor is another benefit of water curing.

How to Water Cure Cannabis:

Both the principle and method are simple. The two fundamental ideas behind water curing are that most of the undesirably-flavored components are water-soluble, and that a solution can be weakened by diluting it.

First, start with a quantity of manicured weed in a watertight container, such as a glass jar. The starting material can be freshly-harvested and wet, or it can be over-dried.

Fill the container with clean water, but be careful - the Cannabis may try to float at first; weigh it down if needed. Loosely cover the jar, then set it aside someplace safe and cool, where it will not be disturbed for twelve hours.

Next, pour out the water and replace with fresh water every twelve hours, for five to seven days. The water must be changed at least every day, if not twice a day, to be effective. Do not skip days or fail to change the water, or disaster can result. The fresh water dilutes the water-soluble components, which slowly dissolve into the water, reducing the over-all concentration in the Cannabis.

At the end of the week, drain the water from the jar. Spread the wet Cannabis on a tray, and place the tray in an oven at 200º F (about 93º C) until the buds are dry enough to smoke. A word of warning - this drying process may take a couple of hours or more.

If done correctly, the finished smoke will have little flavor or aroma, leaving a very mild and smooth smoke, but with most of the character lost. Tinctures and edibles made with water-cured Cannabis tend to be very mild tasting, helping to reduce the Cannabis flavor that some people do not care for.