If you have ever cured cannabis before, odds are you’ve had to burp your jars during the process. But have you ever wondered why burping weed is important? The short and sweet of it is that doing so removes the buildup of carbon dioxide and moisture in the jar caused by your buds.
As for why your buds release CO2 and moisture, it mainly has to do with the chemical reactions during curing. And unfortunately, there’s no short answer to this one. So if you want to know why burping weed is important, you’ll have to continue reading.
What is “burping”?
Burping weed is where you remove the lid of your curing jars to allow moisture and CO2 to escape. It’s done to release a buildup of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the jar caused by your buds as they cure. In a way you’re allowing air to circulate in your curing jars to avoid mold growth like jar rot which is caused by high moisture and humidity.
But why do your buds release carbon dioxide and water vapor? When it comes to moisture, it’s because of transpiration. Even after plants have been cut, transpiration can still occur in them. The same goes for your buds that have been dried. They will still transpire, releasing their leftover moisture as they cure which causes a buildup of it in the jars.
As for why your buds release carbon dioxide, it’s a byproduct of a chemical reaction that happens during curing to ‘activate’ the cannabinoids in the trichomes. Part of the reason we dry and cure our buds is to partially decarb them to convert the THCa in the trichomes into THC which makes for a more potent bud. An easy way to explain decarbing is that it’s a reaction which uses heat to remove a part(carboxyl group) from a chemical compound. In the process of removing that part, CO2 is released. For cannabis buds, this is removing a part in THCa which then converts it into THC(1).
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How do I burp weed?
Burping your weed jars is pretty straightforward. You open the lid of your jars and leave it open to allow moisture and carbon dioxide to fully escape. The question, though, is when should you start burping your jars? Without a hygrometer it’s hard to tell exactly whether you should open the lid of your jars to burp them.
Pro Tip: It’s important that you don’t haphazardly open your jars. Doing so exposes the trichomes of your buds to too much oxygen which causes the terpenes in them to degrade, resulting in a loss of potency and flavor(2). Should I burp my weed everyday?
Your buds will constantly release moisture and carbon dioxide as they decarb. So yes, you should burp your weed everyday and keep your jars open for at least 30 minutes. But this only applies to the first week of curing. During the second and the following weeks after that you will have to gradually reduce the amount of times you burp your jars.
This is where the hygrometer will come in handy. Typically when it comes to curing, you need to maintain a relative humidity of roughly 58-62% with a temperature of 18°C(3). This allows for a slow cure that will better preserve terpenes while still partially decarbing the cannabinoids of your buds.
When should I stop burping my weed?
The main purpose of burping weed is to let out a buildup of CO2 gas and water vapor, which means it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. Half an hour is all you need for your jars to return to an acceptable relative humidity for curing.
Another question is when can you stop burping cannabis? And the answer is: you don’t.
So long as your buds are curing, you have to burp them. Even after your cured buds have gone past 6 weeks, you would still need to burp them once every month to avoid CO2 from accumulating. This air exchange is vital in maintaining your buds’ potency and overall quality.
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What happens if you burp weed for too long?
One of the main issues with burping marijuana buds as they cure is overexposing them. While it is important to let excess moisture and carbon dioxide gas escape the jars, leaving the lid off for too long can release too much moisture. This causes your terpenes to evaporate along with the moisture, resulting in a loss of flavor and aroma in your buds.
But the problem of overexposure is a relic of the past thanks to humidity packs. These handy packets can help maintain a relative humidity in your jars by absorbing excess moisture in them. In some products like Boveda Humidipaks, they can also release moisture if the air is too dry. The only caveat, though, is that it cannot also absorb CO2 gas in the jar. Meaning you will still need to burp them.
Are burp lids good for weed?
Burp lids are a great alternative if you’re looking for a fast and easy way to burp your jars. The way it works is that the lid comes with a valve at the center. That valve can then have an oxygen extractor attached to it which will pump out stale air. It can also remove excess oxygen in the jar.
But do you need these ‘self’ burping jars to cure? No. They’re more of a commodity than a necessity. Your buds will cure just fine even if they’re manually burped. Plus, I personally believe a hygrometer is more necessary than auto burping jars. Since with a hygrometer, you can tell when you should burp the jars.
Other facts you need to know about curing weed
Why you should cure weed in the dark
When it comes to curing cannabis, it’s critical that they’re placed somewhere that’s dark, cool, and dry. The reason for this is that light, heat, and oxygen are factors that cause the cannabinoids in your buds to degrade(3). Especially light since it can also contribute to the heat in your curing room which will also result in your buds drying out too quickly. Moreover, UV light still plays a factor in affecting your buds, particularly in reducing both their terpenes content and THC content.
Why is curing weed important?
The main reason we dry and cure cannabis is to preserve them. Through curing we remove the bacteria and enzymes that cause the buds to break down and decay. What that means is that the terpenes and cannabinoids in the trichomes of the flowers are preserved.
Does curing increase smell?
Additionally, curing your buds helps accentuate the terpenes in the trichomes. This is because as your buds cure, it’s also breaking down things like chlorophyll, starch, and sugars. By removing those things, it gives your buds not only more aroma but even a stronger flavor and a smoother smoke. In addition to that, curing also helps further ripen the terpenes in your buds by giving it the time it needs to fully form within the trichomes. It’s the exact same reaction that occurs with the cannabinoids in the buds, wherein by giving it time to ‘ripen’ the THCa turns into THC.
A lot of effort and time goes into curing your cannabis. Especially if you have to manually burp your jars. That means you need to make sure that the buds you’re curing are grown from the best seeds which you can get from ILGM.com. Guaranteed to germinate and worth the effort to cure.
Does burping weed prevent jar rot?
Yes. By burping your jars, you prevent moisture from accumulating which avoids creating an environment where bacteria and mold can thrive. That’s not to say that burping will fix your mold issues. If your buds were improperly dried, odds are they’d still grow mold. Especially if the buds have a lot more moisture in them still.
Are auto burping jars any good?
If you’re looking for an easy and fast way to burp your jars, then yes. Auto burping jars or burp lids are a novel way to reduce the work around burping your jars. They are pretty expensive, though. Especially if you consider they’re a nice-to-have and not a need-to-have utility.
Can you cure weed in a plastic bag?
No. With plastic bags, they don’t offer a tight enough seal that makes them ideal for curing. So before you can even think of burping weed in turkey bags, you’ll find that your herbs have grown mold.
Citations
Decarboxylation Study of Acidic Cannabinoids: A Novel Approach Using Ultra-High-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography/Photodiode Array-Mass Spectrometry By Wang M., Wang Y.H, Avula B. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5549281/
Oxidation of Terpenes with Molecular Oxygen. I. Oxidation of Terpinolene in Aqueous Dispersion By Boglin J.N, Lister D.A, and Reese J.E – https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja01166a072
Post-Harvest Operations to Generate High-Quality Medicinal Cannabis Products: A Systemic Review By Ubeed H., Wills R., and Chandrapala J. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8911901/
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