Does Bigger Bowl Give Better Taste?

[bullet08]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

it's only been 3 months since i started smoking pipe. started with morgan stubby pipes. enjoyed it very much. then started using peterson sh pipes. peterson sh pipes have bigger bowls and maybe i'm imagining things but the flavor i notice are more. today, i put escudo in one of the morgan pipe, fold and stuffed. i barely notice the taste i get from bigger bowl. does bigger bowl give more taste?

 

[ashdigger]

I smoke Orientals and Medium English blends. I'm a huge fan of the "Pot Shape", but not everyone is.
I get all the flavor I want. But YMMV.

 

[sasquatch]

There seem to be a lot of factors, but I think some blends do better in a bigger bowl, the pipes seem to get going and then go on cruise-control, and burn at just the right temperature for a long time, with no real effort. Eventually, flavors will get a little muddy in a 2" deep bowl, but depending on the blend... some things really sing in a big pipe.
I think the small-pipe users (and I am one of those as well) seek a less muddy experience, a smaller burn zone and less smoke being drawn through the bottom half of the tobacco in the bowl. This might offer a cleaner taste over all on some blends, especially virginias which can be prone to getting a little harsh or ashy. Also if you have real strong tobacco, a huge 2 hour bowl of it is going to leave your head spinning, while a little group 2 billiard would be "just right".
I mostly smoke virginias in small pipes, and I mostly smoke english and oriental blends in slightly larger pipes, and I like the all-day type blends (Peretti 500, american-english crossovers) in big pipes because a) they taste good and b) they burn a bit fast.

 

[warren]

ifyoupersivesuchit'strue

 

[mso489]

Broader chambers can give complex blends of four or more tobaccos room to all burn at once and give you more of the blend experience than narrow chambers...that's one theory that works for me, mostly. But it's not physics. I've had great smokes with smaller, narrower bowls, especially with flake/coin/plug/rope. Using different diameter and depth bowls can give a variety of experiences, and sometimes the differences are good. I try around with pipes and blends, and that's part of the fun.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I'm a firm believer in complex blends, Balkan/English, etc., and even many aromatics offering more flavor in a wider chambered bowl. I smoke most of my Balkan/English blends in one of my larger Nordings, or in a Savinelli 320.

 

[seldom]

I find with blends that have a lot going on, for example HU's Directors Cut, a wide bowl does provide a better and more interesting taste.

This may be a case of the grass being greener because lately my smoking has been limited to around 30-40 minutes per bowl.

 

[sablebrush52]

Not necessarily. In my experience, it's the moisture level of the tobacco, the nature of the pack, cadence, and snorking, that affect flavor more than anything else.

 

[Chasing Embers]

In my experience, it's the moisture level of the tobacco, the nature of the pack, cadence, and snorking, that affect flavor more than anything else.

Same

 

[workman]

I agree with Sable.

 

[bnichols23]

^^^ Make it 4 of a kind. Bowl size/shape *can* have an effect, but not as much as the others.

 

[64alex]

Provided all other factors being equal (moisture level, packing ...) I find larger diameter bowls render more flavour of complex blends such as English/Balkan ones, while smaller diameter bowls are better for Virginia. Regarding depth I find the taller the bowl the more ashy and muddy the flavor becomes in the 2nd half of the bowl, which I hate, so I prefer shallow ones except blends which burns fast such as Semois for which a taller bowl is appropriate.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Try to smoke Condor in big deep chambered bowl,I reckon You ain't gonna repeat this too often,,

 

[Chasing Embers]

Try to smoke Condor in big deep chambered bowl,I reckon You ain't gonna repeat this too often,,

That's the only thing I smoke in this.

 

[kiltedpiper]

I haven't noticed a difference between my little Grabow and my large Nording other than the time it takes to smoke through them allowing more flavor to collect. But like Sable and the others said, with so many other factors that play into it, I wouldn't be surprised at all if it can affect it, the question is how much, and is my palette developed enough to notice it yet.
Also, Embers what kind of pipe is that you linked? I like the styling on it a lot, kind of a sucker for freehand.

 

[blackadderlxx]

I don't offer much in the way of anecdotal evidence but I have a Falcon pipe with an Algiers bowl which is wider than my other pipes and I get better results with certain blends being more flavorful. I'm hoping to get a Sav 320 for Christmas this year and continue the experiment.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Also, Embers what kind of pipe is that you linked? I like the styling on it a lot, kind of a sucker for freehand.

A IIS from Holm's workshop. Picked it up a few years ago when SPC had an estate sale.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

The myth goes that Balkan/English blends do better in a bigger chamber like a pot shape.
I've heard some people say the exact opposite is true though, that they get more flavor out of smaller chambers.
To me the most important thing to remember here is that pipe smoking is a very personal thing. Try all kinds of blends in all kinds of shapes and chamber dimensions to find out what works best for you and when you find what works best stick with it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...bigger bowl gives better taste...

The problem with this is the word "better" should be the word "different." "Better" is too subjective, and pipesmokers never agree on anything. And, if more that two members do agree, we have a few forum members who relish in being about to step into the thread and post the exact opposite. Ha ha.

The only one who can answer your initial question is you.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Cosmic's post above is right, as are a number of other observations as to why one bowl might taste different from another using the same tobacco. Bowl size alone does not make it better, and much of the time, not different to this smoker.