Another dumb question - Hot Bowl

What type/brand of pipe is it? Because the first thing I can say is, "Slow down, mate." Sometimes that's an indication you're puffing away too fast. If a cigarette is a 50 meter dash, think of a pipe like a marathon... Slow and steady is the winner.
That being said, I have encountered one pipe that smoked WAAAAY too hot for me, but it was what it was made out of that was the problem. What I had was a Medico Standard (Brylon) pipe. Very rugged and durable, but ruined the taste of any tobacco I smoked in it. I eventually just put it in my cabinet to collect dust.
That's my 2-cents.

Your pack should feel like sucking a soda through a straw, not a milkshake, not an empty cup. There are tons of videos and tutorials on packing your pipe, and a few good ones located on this site with a link there on the left.
But, mainly all of this is done so that you can smoke slowly, just sipping of allowing the smoke to just drizzle into your mouth. The thing is that you will get nothing out of just making smoke. You want to just savor the flavor and allow the nicotine to just absorb into the small blood vessels in your mouth. Pipes are a relaxing hobby, take your time, slow down, and make that bowl last as long as possible. The slower you go, the less smoke you will waste to just the air, and the more flavor and enjoyment you'll get from them. Your pipe will appreciate it as well.

I hope this helps.

I had this problem when I first started and unless it is the material of the pipe itself the yes, you are most likely smoking your pipe way to fast. Like jsponge said, think of it as a mararthon rather than a dash.

Some pipes are more forgiving to the touch, but that doesn't mean that you won't burn your tobacco too hot. I usually recommend a clay or thin bowled pipe for starters. If you can smoke a clay slow enough to keep it somewhat cool, you'll be ready to smoke any pipe.

But, the kiddos don't like the clay pipes, and they always want the short cuts. If you should choose a thicker pipe, just keep in mind that you'll destroy the flavor and possibly scorch your tongue if you puff too hard or often, despite how the pipe feels in hand.

SLOW DOWN! That is all. ::

Sounds like you were puffing too fast...glad last night was a better experience...work on your tamping to keep your pipe lit...also your tobacco may need to dry out some...if your having to puff a lot to keep it lit and after slowing down needing to do that many relights. Leave the tin open for a couple hours and see if that doesn't help...

Congratulations! You are learning to smoke and, more importantly, enjoy a pipe!
Packing, rate and strength of draw are the three most important considerations in determining "heat." It'll soon all become second nature to you. I like to feel just a bit of resistance when I draw in the smoke and steam.
To speed you along the learning curve I suggest you test the draw as you load. Further, when I load I "nest" the blend with a light twist of my finger tip as I tamp to the desired draw resistance. I load in layers, number depending on the bowl size, firming the tamp with each layer. I find "nesting" the tobacco very conducive to an even burn. That said, different blends and cuts require minor adjustments to the resistance I strive for. Some need a tighter pack, others a looser pack. Some burn better drier and others need a higher humidity to burn and taste correctly. Just a couple of vagaries you can run into as you switch blends, pipes and bowl sizes, etc.
When first learning the pipe one must pay close attention to the machinations of the load and smoking rate. Soon you will go through all the steps without thought or effort. It just takes time and attention to the details.

It's like playing an instrument, the more you practice and play, the easier all of the small things become. When I first started playing, tuning it took 15 minutes or more. Now, just a few seconds is all it takes to get it in tune.