Can pipe tobacco ever be TOO dry? (Preference aside)

stevuke79 · Dec 6, 2016

I know that some don't like their tobacco to be too dry, but I read this is just a preference.
I also know that it can be easily rehydrated and that in general, not dry enough is usually the problem.
I just started smoking this summer, and I'm pretty sure i wont do any smoking over the winter... too cold (i miss it already, lol... i had my last smoke in September.
So... I mason-jarred my tobacco. I read a few ways to do it... i used some "sub boiling water" I know to watch for mold etc...
I just want to know, if I open it up in the spring, and it turns out I didnt seal it well and I have this "crumbly dry" tobacco and the ribbons and flakes are basically disintegrating....
Do I HAVE TO rehydrate? Or is there literally no such thing as too dry (beyond taste preference)?
Thanks!!

warren · Dec 6, 2016

You don't have to do anything. I think there can be "too dry" but, that's just a personal preference. I find too dry, crumbly tobacco simply will not pack into an acceptable smoke.

stevuke79 · Dec 6, 2016

I probably dont yet fully appreciate how the packing effects the smoke..

cosmicfolklore · Dec 6, 2016

As I understand it, tobaccos are dried, rehydrated, and possibly repeated before most tobacconists get hold of them to blend. And, in my own experience this is just the water content. When the tobacco starts to lose its essential oils is when it starts to taste stale. But, this is a more extreme process to drive the oils out.

FWIW, I like to pack really dry blends more tight, and I get more flavors this way with no steam to burn my tongue. But, it's always your personal preference. Some rehydrate, some don't; it's up to your own tastes and smoking style.

Aromatic or heavily cased tobaccos will lose a lot of the flavors that were artificially added, so...

aldecaker · Dec 6, 2016

Sure, too dry is when it turns into crumbly mummy dust. But a few months in a Mason jar, in a cold climate, is not going to get it there. I would not worry about this at all.

pagan · Dec 6, 2016

I wouldn't worry about it, but you can dehydrate easily with distilled water and a cotton ball if it bothers you

mayfair70 · Dec 6, 2016

Sounds like you are on the right track. If some of my stash is bone dry, I don't bother re-hydrating and pack it in as per Cosmic's comment. Works fine.
I'm kinda talking out of my ass now, but I believe there are compounds where once the water is completely lost, they do not "reconstruct" on a molecular level after water is added. I know this to be true with many kitchen herbs and spices as well as some other plants. I won't be able to confirm until I grow my own crop or re-hydrate a bunch of desiccated tobacco varieties. However, in general, it doesn't seem to be a problem.

jpmcwjr · Dec 6, 2016

It's very unlikely you'll have even a whiff of a problem. I'd pack the tobacco as tight as you can; less oxygen. Should be good for years.

papipeguy · Dec 6, 2016

Honored member lestrout likes his tobacco so dry that sunlight could light his pipes. Les is one of my heroes.

skraps · Dec 6, 2016

Honored member lestrout likes his tobacco so dry that sunlight could light his pipes. Les is one of my heroes.

Yep. Les likes his tobacco like mulch. Actually, mulch might have more moisture.
The answer for me is, yes.

didimauw · Dec 6, 2016

That's one of the reasons Carter Hall is my favorite, it's pretty dry right from the get go.

jndyer · Dec 6, 2016

I have found that I worried to much about my tobacco being too dry, then one day I found a forgotten jar that felt way to dry and it smoked like a dream. The moral of the story for me was to smoke what I had in the condition that it was in which led to some great discoveries.

seagullplayer · Dec 7, 2016

If you have it in a jar and the lid at least looks like its on it, I don't think too dry will be a concern by spring.
I would at least plan a bowl for New Years, just to lay your fears...

mso489 · Dec 7, 2016

First, in a sealed jar over the winter you're tobacco will do fine; moisture will change very little. Drier tobacco can burn faster, and this is a consideration, but most tobacco will do fine somewhat dry. In fact, with tinned tobacco, a few hours or even a day or two of drying actually improves the burn, in my opinion. Welcome aboard. Feel free about asking questions. Also explore articles and previous posts going back in time for a lot of information.

sablebrush52 · Dec 7, 2016

I like my tobacco just shy of bone dry to get the strongest flavors when smoking. Dry to the touch when squeezed, but still pliant. Dried to a crumble, some flavor is lost, and rehydrating doesn't completely reverse that loss. If your tobacco should dry out to mummy dust - pretty unlikely in a mason jar - rehydrating with distilled water will improve the flavor.

jacks6 · Dec 8, 2016

I've had problems with dry tobacco lately and have been a little unsafisfied with the smoke. I will try packing the bowl tighter than usual as many of you have referenced.

mawnansmiff · Dec 8, 2016

About a fortnight ago I smoked a bowl I had loaded (Bold Kentucky) back in October but had forgotten about.
It smoked absolutely fine though a little too quickly. That said, I would never load a bowl with baccy that had been left out in the open for several weeks.
Regards,
Jay.

crashthegrey · Dec 9, 2016

You don't actually need to seal your mason jars, either. Just pop the tobacco in there and they'll do their job. There is definitely a too dry, but again, that won't happen in jars over that kind of time. An open tin, on the other hand, could cause that. Then you just grind it up into snuff.

disinformatique · Dec 10, 2016

Yes and it will smoke HOT and create more moisture in the bowl. Never bone dry a blend.

beerandbaccy · Dec 10, 2016

I have used rehydration stones and they work fine. just leave overnight though, i once left one in the pouch for a few weeks as I had for gotten it and mould had grown..

Hydrostone
or else there are these rehydration Crystals - never tried them though but they look interesting

Can pipe tobacco ever be TOO dry? (Preference aside)

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