Samuel Gawith and additives

[cosmicfolklore]

So in other words it can be done?

That is just preservatives. He admits (by default) the other stuff. I wish he was still active here. He could put a better spin on this.

As far as I know tobacco was produced and sold successfully for many a years under the old British purity laws.

My understanding of purity laws was in regards to things that add weight to the tobacco. But, when I think purity laws, I think all sorts of godawful chemical smells that are commonly used in perfumes and possible chemical warfare. NOT, pure unadulterated tobaccos.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

PM me your address. I will send you some unadulterated tobacco. Or, if you don't trust me, www.wholeleaftobacco.com/

But note that even the whole leaf will send you something to case it with.

 

[woodsroad]

Tobacco right out of the barn tastes like...a barn. It needs to be processed in order to be palatable.

So in other words it can be done? Why then are other blenders/manufacturers unable? Is it simply because it is more convenient to spray some synthetically produces chemical over the tobacco than to ensure the proper moisture level? Or what is the problem?

What is the "proper" moisture level?
Pipe smokers want to enjoy their pipe tobacco. And for most smokers, pipe tobacco is more enjoyable if it's pliable, cased and flavored. So if you are a pipe tobacco producer, and this is what your customers tell you that they want, then that's what you sell them. Pipe tobacco at the "proper" moisture level.
And FWIW, I suspect that tobacco manufacturers have been treating with anti-fungals for a very long time.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

But, don't feel bad about it, Kabot. Your ideas about "pure tobacco" has been bouncing around in tobacco lore for a long time. But, unless you have access to a tobacco farmer, you would never know what the pure leaf is like. If you read into tobacco history, there really never was a time when something wasn't mixed with the tobacco. It seems even in Native American times they couldn't tolerate the pure leaf without mixing something with it.

 

[kanse]

Mark Ryan ships his tobacco basically dry, so that it does not grow mold.
Gawith flakes being some of the wettest I've had, I never had a shred of doubt they use some additives there to keep it from molding.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Quite timely is this post as last night I randomly picked one 250g box from four of FVF to rub out and put in my jar.
Half way through the process I spied five adjoining flakes had started to mould on the edge! And yes, it was mould as I checked it under the microscope.
I was mortified...never had that problem with FVF afore. This was by the way in a box sent from the states if that has any bearing on the matter.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Mark Ryan ships his tobacco basically dry, so that it does not grow mold.

I am not sure that Ryan ships his tobacco dry for the sake of mold. I have never heard his say that any of his products were additive/chemical free. In fact some are rather obviously cased. I think the dry is because he just wants us to get the best bang for our buck.

 

[perdurabo]

I like dry. I think Ryan likes dry too. More flavors and the burn....well you know it's a Codger Secret.

 

[perdurabo]

Bang for our Buck

Is he into Prostitution Rings, too?

 

[woodsroad]

The whole "minimally processed" movement is a good thing, on the whole. But it has its downside.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It would make absolutely no sense to say that the US demands that pipe tobacco be treated differently if sent to the US. There has been practically no one watching over pipe tobacco and still isn't until next year. They could be putting rat semen in the casings and aging it in the crack of their derriere, and no one would have been standing guard over any of that.

In every discussion of any tobacco company making a separate formula for what they send the US, it has turned out to not be true. NADDA! Not until next year when the FDA kicks in.
Jay, I got a hold of several of the same shipment of boxes that you did. No mold yet, but there is something odd about the boxes. It may be the age of the tobacco, or that they were just in an unsealed box, or something, but those were not indicative of what we in the US know of as FVF. I think that there was someone different about those boxes. Most of the flakes were cut to shag thickness, and the taste was... off.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Perdurabo, explosives.

 

[kanse]

Cosmic
If I recall correctly he discusses that matter in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWt34lQGsS0

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Mark is a great salesman. 16% humidity prevents it from molding. Well, now I've heard it. But, he danced a bit with his words, and he still didn't say that he added absolutely no mold preventatives. But, he does still case the tobacco. It is still great stuff. I'm a big fan of D&R.
There are a couple of other RYO/ pipe tobaccos that were completely organic and no additives, but you never hear about anyone saying how wonderful they smoke.

 

[toobfreak]

It would make absolutely no sense to say that the US demands that pipe tobacco be treated differently if sent to the US.

I am guessing that the USA is probably the prime consumer of tobacco anyway? In that case, it would make more sense for them to alter production for the non-american markets. Not that I think they do. The idea just seems silly.
As to mold, if you can ship it dry enough, that is the ultimate mold-inhibitor. Barring that, with all of the crazy flavors and things that people crave, you are going to have to have some sort of inhibitor in there.

 

[jpberg]

Jumping Jesus this is a nonsense thread. Grow some tobacco, cure the leaf, roll it up and smoke it. It's fookin awful. I'm not sure where or when Gawith ever said said they were additive free, nor am I sure what anyone would consider an additive, but I'm not smoking any tobacco that doesn't get some pretty serious treatment before it gets to my door.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"this kinda destroys my whole view on tobacco."
It's sad to read that you feel that way. Think of a slice of plain old bread...pretty boring on its own but stick some butter and jam on it and it becomes a treat.
"Did they adulterate their tobaccos with chemicals like PG, artifical[sic] flavours, casings and top flavours?! What the hell were they smoking, and why diddnt[sic] it taste like "cardboard" as you guys say?"
As was mentioned above, the Native Indians mixed in ground up berries, tree bark, spices etc to the tobacco that they smoked. They weren't stupid, they knew exactly what they were doing.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[toobfreak]

I bet whatever the Indians smoked if we could try some would be some amazing stuff!

 

[jitterbugdude]

Grow some tobacco, cure the leaf, roll it up and smoke it. It's fookin awful.

Then whoever grew and cured the tobacco had no idea what they were doing. Properly grown and cured tobacco is outstanding.

I bet whatever the Indians smoked if we could try some would be some amazing stuff!

That would be a Rustica. It is tasty but the nicotine will knock you down.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Toob, didn't anyone tell you the pipe goes in your mouth, not your ear :rofl:
Regards,
Jay.