AmaxB- Flue Curing Tobacco at Home: Wins & Fails

[DonH]

I tried yellowing Orientals in a box, but without air flow, some of my leaf in the center turned black in a matter of hours. I still have no idea what I did wrong, except maybe the airflow thingy. I did have a towel over the box, maybe that was the screw up.

It might have been the towel. What was the temperature? It it was over 100 it might be a problem. I've never had a problem doing this but I've always done it in open boxes. And restacked once a day.

 

[Ishi]

I yellowed some in a box at 104 to 107 during the day without rot but the RH during that time was 17%.

 

[BarG]

You guys are getting way tp technical and over my head, Whoosh ,It went right over my head.

 

[AmaxB]

With batch 5 I did not vent humidity at all through Yellowing (Yellowing keeping Dry temp below 102F). When wilting (102F and up to 110F) I did no venting and maintained the wet bulb. At about 115F drying the leaf body I did need to start venting to keep wet bulb at 105F - 104F.
Am killing stems now a few leaves are cured brown maybe 5% the vast majority are Yellow this run has been the most hands off without the PC.
A post by Deluxe in this thread http://wholeleaftobaccollc.com/forum/showthread.php?3182-what-defines-tobacco-as-flue-cured
Post #4
Can explain why the Yellowing went so well....
The bottom of the chamber was / is Stolak 17 Mid - Top Stalk and the top is A-56-N Bottom - Mid Stalk. This explains the few brown leaves I think.
I wish I had 6 thermometers to do 3 Dry/Wet Bulb configurations and use all 3 at the same time to cross reference them.

 

[AmaxB]

In regard to post #64 not venting worked out very well......

 

[AmaxB]

I have tried a number of ways to load my chamber and get a uniform cure. While taking advantage of space to get as much tobacco in the chamber as possible.
Wire shelving works best. I can hang my tobacco using wire under the shelf in advance before placing inside the chamber.
This allows for:
Saving time
Plenty of work space
Maximize load
Control density
Keep consistent
Hanging leaf outside of chamber
Wilting outside of chamber if desired
Easy loading of chamber

To yellow tobacco after a number of cures it is now my thought, that if tobacco is loaded with space between and around leaves start temperature should be low 90s.
The leaf yellows in 48 to 60 hours if ripe. The more ripe the tobacco the less time to yellow.
If tobacco is loaded tightly start temperature should be high 90s to 100F.
The leaf yellows in 48 to 60 hours if ripe. The more ripe the tobacco the less time to yellow.
If tobacco is very ripe in thought it has less moisture within a leaf & artificial moisture my be needed (water pan) to keep humidity acceptable for yellowing.
.
..
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I adapted this method for this cure. In the future I will always use this method it works very well.
Loading the leaf in a uniform manner is important

 

[AmaxB]

Batch 6 is working fine (I think) will know in another few days

 

[DGBAMA]

How did 5 turn out? Take pics?

 

[AmaxB]

5 went OK except I lost some of the Silk Leaf was using the racks with the Tines and maybe 2 pounds fell off onto the floor. The leaf was to tender to spear.
It is all bagged now. The A-56-N cured very well had little browning and a deep yellow. Silk Leaf was Lighter Yellow and some browning.
I'll post photos of this batch, the Tine racks are retired forever.

 

[workhorse_01]

You have come a long way in a short time Amax. I think you are our resident flue cure mad scientist extraordinaire. In my book a well deserved title. Thanks for doing what you do.

 

[AmaxB]

I am convinced humidity is as or more important than the heat when curing to yellow well / for me it must be 95% and higher.
Curing a dense load is different than a loosely hung load
I have a cold corner in the front right side of my chamber leaf in this corner has trouble yellowing.
Well try new door gasket next batch

I feel like a lot of effort is put into growing and hanging so when curing you need to get as close as you can to a good cure.
Medi-oaker results don't cut it.
I'll be growing again next year and the road will be smoother. It is good to see others doing this...

 

[deluxestogie]

I am convinced humidity is as or more important than the heat when curing to yellow well / for me it must be 95% and higher.

I agree. Although my experience is limited to a humble Cozy Can, in those batches that had some water added to the (initially off) Crockpot, and which evaporated by the early leaf dry phase (Crockpot on), my yellowing was more consistent. Of course, these are compared to different batches containing a different variety or different stalk positions, since they were later in the season.

Bob

 

[bonehead]

i heard of the mad sientist. he dosent have anything on the amaxb scientist. much more useful information on a subject that intrests me.

 

[AmaxB]

Yes Stalk position and time of priming have a huge impact .... there are so many variables. More frustrating, you could pick only leaf # 4 on the stalk keeping in the same variety & still have some yellow faster than others.
Those that yellow faster reach the point of needing to be wilted but you wait for the slower ones. In the waiting those that yellowed faster start to brown. I'm finding that if humidity is kept high it can reduce the browning of the faster leaves. Also allowing for different leaf positions & varieties to be cured in the same batch.
In this run #6 the Big Gold has been mature for a while so I primed the whole stalk, the African Red was top 4 to 5 leaves. Watching humidity I seen it begin to drop off from about 98%. My goal was to keep high humidity until all were yellowed. Anyway it began to drop and I still had a fair amount of green, so I introduced additional humidity in a way it could be maintained without opening the chamber again. From what I can see through my window it surly helped. All the leaf looks pretty much the same with exception to the one corner of my chamber which is slightly behind.
Also now that I know I will make it to as far as curing all the tobacco I have grown. I don't mind a little more time to complete a cure. So am taking time raising temps slowly to wilt / dry leaf body.

 

[Knucklehead]

Amax, if you get tired of your avatar, try one of these: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...FF8D27D36E55DEC29C153633826DE4DB3&FORM=IQFRBA

Personally, I was partial to this one:

 

[Brown Thumb]

Yes Stalk position and time of priming have a huge impact .... there are so many variables. More frustrating, you could pick only leaf # 4 on the stalk keeping in the same variety & still have some yellow faster than others.
Those that yellow faster reach the point of needing to be wilted but you wait for the slower ones. In the waiting those that yellowed faster start to brown. I'm finding that if humidity is kept high it can reduce the browning of the faster leaves. Also allowing for different leaf positions & varieties to be cured in the same batch.
In this run #6 the Big Gold has been mature for a while so I primed the whole stalk, the African Red was top 4 to 5 leaves. Watching humidity I seen it begin to drop off from about 98%. My goal was to keep high humidity until all were yellowed. Anyway it began to drop and I still had a fair amount of green, so I introduced additional humidity in a way it could be maintained without opening the chamber again. From what I can see through my window it surly helped. All the leaf looks pretty much the same with exception to the one corner of my chamber which is slightly behind.
Also now that I know I will make it to as far as curing all the tobacco I have grown. I don't mind a little more time to complete a cure. So am taking time raising temps slowly to wilt / dry leaf body.

Just what I was after also,
Thanx a Lot, Amex

 

[workhorse_01]

I agree. The beginning moisture is critical, if you're going to get a lemon yellow cured leaf. I keep my moisture the same level from 95* to 120*, for 6 hours after reaching 120*F. Then I remove the water pan and start drying.

 

[workhorse_01]

Amax, I'm starting to make a list for next years grow. Which one of the Kutsaga's was the heaviest producer?

 

[AmaxB]

Amax, I'm starting to make a list for next years grow. Which one of the Kutsaga's was the heaviest producer?

The E-2 is and the 110 is not far behind / the E-2 has heavy dark green leaves and matures later, the 110 leaves are light green and thinner it's smoke is pleasant and mild.
The E-2 I have not smoked yet will be starting a cure on it today. If I grow one of these next year it will be the E-2 I think.

 

[AmaxB]

Have a try at the A-56-N it grows slow, makes a nice leaf about 14" x 30" or so, cures very well, high nic, med strong smoke, easy maintenance, very tall when it decides to take off.
This one I am growing again along with the AR