Most of the plant matter I work with has the same moisture content as flower plant matter that is dry trimmed is often around the 8 to 12% moisture content range.
However, water content in the plant matter as we all know is theoretically less than ideal when we wish to solvent extract it. For that reason I thought of perhaps setting up a small chamber to really strip the moisture out of it prior to extraction, to help with yield or perhaps just to introduce less water into my ethanol so it is easier to reproof. Anyone tried this?
On the opposite end of the spectrum, at some point Future said he he worked with live plant material and got his first âwater clearâ distillate from such plant matter. Now I know we can lock up said water in totally wet material, heck Iâve taken it straight of the plant into liquid nitrogen into the cryo ethanol, but how does this retard yield? Can the higher terpene content in the fresh material effectively improve active constituent dissolution?
edit: also, how fast we strip the moisture out can play a role in final product quality. If I have whole harvests destined for extraction, maybe best to put it in a windy 100F room with 0% humidity rather than the gentle dry down that seeks to protect the flower⌠any thoughts?
1 Like
if youâre aiming at distillate, and not capturing your terps, then that dry windy room seems ideal to me.
dryer material can be extracted warmer or longer with less green than the standard 8-12% moisture under the same conditions.
as far as âoptimalâ, Iâm still of the opinion that that is a moving target, and should be determined individually based on scale, funding, available input & desired endpoint(s).
2 Likes
I have a deplegmator 6âx24â watercooled by a evaporation unit from hvac with two fans as the First condensor on my main still running the warm exaust air go s to my drying chamber where my biomass gets druĂŻde to bone dry
I always have better results in color running real dry biomass
2 Likes
Given that we are using the terpenes as cosolvents, you probably donât want to boil them all off during drying. So keeping the temps below 30C might be advisable.
2 Likes
Thanks for the replies. Iâm gonna build a box with a dehumidifier and I will strip stuff harder than Iâve been. Makes great sense.
1 Like
SO what I am reading and understanding is this:
The reason the hemp I dried yesterday to under 5% moisture smells like hay is due to me âboilingâ off the terps? Fresh is fairly pungent.
Yep, itâs also the plant releasing compounds from quick cutting and drying. Think grass clippings/hay vs dried fruit.