Smoke color

[lupy1234]

As a new smoker and a fireman (railroad) part time, I was smoking and noticed the color of my smoke to have a bluish tint. When firing the steam engine I work on, this is a perfect burn for that engine. I was wondering the same with pipe smoking. Or does smoke color even matter? Thanks

 

[Chasing Embers]

Were you smoking an aromatic?

 

[lupy1234]

Were you smoking an aromatic?

Yep

 

[sardonicus87]

Most of what I smoke gives off a grey/white smoke, but most of what I smoke isn't aromatic. I haven't noticed if aros give off a different color, but that's been mentioned so... now, I am curious to see later.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yep

Sounds like the propylene glycol. English and Virginia blends are often white. Really high nicotine blends will have a yellow cast to them.

 

[PaulRVA]

Purple means dust off is coming in
Cause the LZ is clear.
All I got?

 

[bullet08]

Depends. If you see rainbow of colors, your friend might have dropped acid in your coffee.

 

[proteus]

White smoke means a new pope is chosen. Black means no pope yet or you left the roast in the oven a wee bit too long.

Seriously though I love steam engines. Essex has one here in CT. That old timey sound of steam power. And the calliope. I love that.

I've only ever had white smoke. I don't think the air fuel mixture would apply for pipes in terms of burn quality. It's a smouldering fire so incomplete combustion as I would surmise from being a firefighter. Like a meat smoker produces. Smoke is flavor. If you have perfect combustion you get no smoke and that's not good for meat or tobacco smoking.

 

[sardonicus87]

White smoke means a new pope is chosen. Black means no pope yet or you left the roast in the oven a wee bit too long.

Seriously though I love steam engines. Essex has one here in CT. That old timey sound of steam power. And the calliope. I love that.

I've only ever had white smoke. I don't think the air fuel mixture would apply for pipes in terms of burn quality. It's a smouldering fire so incomplete combustion as I would surmise from being a firefighter. Like a meat smoker produces. Smoke is flavor. If you have perfect combustion you get no smoke and that's not good for meat or tobacco smoking.

Yeah, I had an aro today and it was white smoke—granted it's not a goopy aro to begin with and it was relatively dry.

I also barbecue (slow smoke) stuff and no matter the source wood, smoke was always white. And yes, incomplete/low temp combustion (aka smoldering) is what causes the smoke. If the wood you're using gets hot enough to catch fire, it produces far less smoke (also why it's better to "burn" the wood on coals or another heat source rather than lighting it on fire directly, as well as control air intake).

Only time I ever saw blue smoke was on an internal combustion engine that was burning oil.

 

[jeff540]

Here's an observation: with cigars, you'll notice that the mouth end smoke is greyish white, but the charred end gives off blueish smoke.

On my BBQ, I wait until smoke turns blueish and no longer grey, otherwise meat gets a bitter tinge.

 

[crashthegrey]

I have never analyzed pipe smoke color. I judge cadence by how it tastes and feels. Interesting.

 

[renfield]

Normally white / grey smoke. Sometimes a faint blue tint only noticeable if I’m outside. Normally smoking VaPers, VaOr or Burley blends.

 

[sardonicus87]

More to the point, I don't think smoke color matters with regards to pipe smoking.

Does it taste right and is your pipe not getting too hot? Then you're not doing it wrong.

 

[Lucashly]

More to the point, I don't think smoke color matters with regards to pipe smoking.

Does it taste right and is your pipe not getting too hot? Then you're not doing it wrong.

Agree.

 

[verporchting]

Wait, what? Are you telling me you’re supposed to be lighting the stuff?! Shit!

 

[ThermionicScott]

Bluish-gray smoke indicates larger particles, probably a good thing since incomplete combustion is what we’re after. I feel like a Sherlock Holmes story or two described his smoke as blue, but [citation needed].

 

[ahouston]

I've always found that tobacco smoke has always had a mildly blue tint. Cigarettes in particular!