Armadillo kiln

[Armadillo]

Oh more directly affects nicotine absorption speeds.
The more alkaline the leaf, results in the nicotine being more bioavailable, resulting in more of a “rush” feeling from the smoke.

Okay, I understand.

Thanks for the info, I've learned something new today.

 

[Armadillo]

Second hot-air drying run.

This time, I’m loading it to capacity—much like the professionals do.

If I’m wrong, that’s on me, but I want to test my theory about ethylene.

Yellowing within a day and a half.

The few leaves that are still somewhat green should finish turning yellow during the wilting stage.

So, here we go again.

I haven’t tasted the first batch yet, but I really like the smell.

 

[Armadillo]

Just one more quick question.

I watched a video where a professional explained their process and cited a maximum temperature of 68°C.

I also saw that same 68°C figure in the user manual for a professional drying oven.

So, the question is obvious: do they stop at 68°C for economic reasons ? And finally, is the 74°C temperature specified in the protocol still the standard ?
Thank you in advance.

 

[deluxestogie]

During flue-curing of Virginia type tobaccos, 68°C (~155°F) is sufficient to fully dry the leaf stem, but may require a longer duration than at the higher temperature. For home growers, who usually have quite limited chamber capacity for flue-curing, the shorter time (i.e. higher temp) may be helpful in making the chamber available for the next leaf priming. This is not an issue for the scale of most commercial growers.

Bob