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As I Dry My SG BBF

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taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
I decided it would be fun to test out how much weight was lost due to the excessive moisture of my tobacco. The answer will come in like a day because I probably can't dry it out enough tonight, this is taking forever and has come wetter than the wettest tobacco I have ever had, even FVF! This way I can see if there's any merit to the rumor Samuel Gawith tobaccos are extra wet in order to increase their profit by selling less tobacco for the same money. I personally believe it is just a preference of theirs for a different reason, promoting faster aging perhaps? I do notice SG blends while wet do tend to produce bloom a lot quicker and often comes with some bloom on it right out of the container, which might also be attributed to the fact most of my SG blends are really dark, which makes it also a lot easier to see.
I shall reply to this thread with my results, of course you may reply with yours if you have some of your own already.

 
flyguy

flyguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2012
1,018
4
Selling wet tobacco is like putting your finger on the scale. Nice little trick. Too bad BBF is so good that I have to buy it anyway. :roll:

 
taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
Looks like I struck a nerve lol, I knew this thread would. I love flyguy's analogy. Still not dry, not even close. Too bad too since it's a record low humidity of only 35% outside. Been 85% for the last month. I have never seen mold on tobacco yet roth (knock on wood).

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
Eric, keep your freaking results to yourself. I don't want to know how bad I am getting ripped off. If I hear a number like 25% I will become homicidal. :twisted:
I just cracked a tin of 2008 BB and it is much drier than the fresh stuff. I can actually smoke it straight from the tin, which is kind of weird. I have 2006 bulk that is as wet as fresh, hasn't dried a bit.

 
taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
I will have to for a while longer cigar, it is far too humid here right now to dry tobacco, my jars are now keeping the moisture out, not in.

 
hfearly

hfearly

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 11, 2012
822
2
Canada
From the manufacturing notes I've read in the past week, most factories use drying ovens to bring moisture down to 19% and then let them sit in the factory for 24 hours before packaging. Maybe Kendall is just really really humid... ;-)

 
dragonslayer

dragonslayer

Lifer
Dec 28, 2012
1,026
7
Pittsburgh
I've not noticed the box BBF being that "wet". SJF and FVF are much wetter. Anyways, whatever it is... I'll still be smoking and cellaring it as one of the best tobacco on the market.
Craig

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
Eric, understood. What ever the number is it will not stop me from smoking my 3 SG flakes. I have already stocked up my cellar so it ain't like I am going to sell the stuff. I am guessing that it might be a ten percent loss, but not much more.

 
judcole

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,187
33,562
Detroit
I don't dry my SG flakes, and I smoke both BBF and Balkan Flake. I fold and stuff, and then rub out a top layer. I take a long char light - maybe two kitchen matches worth. By then the top layer is nice and dry, and lights easily. I smoked a bowl of BBF today that way, and used three kitchen matches for a bowl. It smoked beautifully. The bowl of Balkan Flake I smoked tonight took three matches; it still was not a great light, and went out and needed a relight -one match; I then dgt'ed about half the bowl, and it relit beautifully.
Balkan Flake is a bit harder to light, I find, then BBF - the flakes are thicker. :puffy:

 
cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
Roth asks,
Eric, why not push it along? Desk lamp or the hair dryer & mesh strainer method?
Click to expand...

That's a non-trivial solution (excuse the pun). Heat can interfere with the determination of moisture in a number of ways.

It can cause the decomposition of carbohydrates, so you not only drive off H₂O, but you inadvertently decompose the "carbo"-"hydrate" into carbon and water (C₆H₁₂O₆ → 6C + 6H₂O), thereby over estimating the original moisture content.

Another way heating may produce an overestimate of the water content is by inadvertently driving off volatiles -- which tobacco has in abundance. In fact, both processes are "what we do" when we smoke. You know about the moisture issues; and, let's face it, we're in this hobby to suck in those organic volatiles.
(I'm not a scientist, but I watch The Big Bang Theory on TV) :lol:

 
flyguy

flyguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2012
1,018
4
I tend to agree somewhat with Jud on his technique. I rub out BBF completly and allow a little dry time. It dries much more quickly and is easy to light. BBF is just about the only flake I rub out. BBF is a tasty flake but I go through a tin quickly. Could it be there are 25% fewer flakes than other 50g tinned flakes because of the moisture content?

 
judcole

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,187
33,562
Detroit
Jud, are you smoking fresh BB or is it aged? I recently opened a tin of 2008 and it does not need additional drying like my fresh stuff needed.
Click to expand...
Aged - maybe that's why. I've been cellaring BBF for years.
My Balkan Flake is fresh, though.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
cortez, is that for real that equation and if it is I am glad I have never tried to dry my tobacco with any kind of heat.
jud, good to know about the aged, I like the idea of not having to dry my SG flakes years from now. I have no experience with the Balkan, but maybe because of the Latakia it doesn't require the normal drying.

 
taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
I have not forgotten, however it is now 94% humidity, what is going on here, and what happened to the 35%???

 
taerin

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
I always check the humidity level before drying, anything over 30% or so and I don't dry my tobaccos out. I've been waiting patiently for these crazy humidity levels to subside.

 
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