As an up and coming pipe smoker, I’m interested in trying different tobaccos and building a cellar. I’ve come up with a method I think will work, but would really appreciate some blunt and honest feedback. What would you change? Can you make an argument for larger jars? How good are tin seals?
I keep my current smoking rotation and samples I’m trying in “8oz Ball Elite Jars” They don’t stack well, but look great, make it easy to fill my pipe over and have a large lid for labeling.
For cellaring/storage, I use 4oz & 8oz Quilted Ball Jelly Jars. Occasionally, I use Ball Wide Mouth Pint (16oz) Jars. I use the pint jars for bulk American burleys… CH, CB, PA, SWR. Everything else goes in 4oz or 8oz jars. Honestly, part of me wants to put everything in 4oz jars.
Note: For storage, a 2 to 1 ratio seems to work. 4oz jar = 2oz tobacco, 8oz jar = 4oz tobacco, etc.
Here’s what I do:
• Tins - If I open a tin of a tobacco I’ve never tried, I put .5oz in a rotation jar and the rest gets sealed in a 4oz jar.
• Bulk - If I buy 2oz – 8oz, 2oz goes in rotation and the rest goes in 4oz jars. If I buy 10oz or more, 2oz goes in rotation, then I fill one 8oz jar and the rest goes in 4oz jars.
• Flake – The only time I will ever use an 8oz jar for flake, is if I buy 16oz or more.
Here’s my rational for small jars:
• I can sample small amounts at different ages.
• I can trade or gift a small jar.
• Transport, storage and segregation.
• If the integrity of a jar seal goes bad… all is not lost.
Here’s what keeps me up at night:
• If I had a large jar with 16oz of 10yo flake and decide I want some... Am I committed to putting the whole jar in rotation? Can I reseal it? If I reseal it, will it be as good as if I never opened it? Should I pull 2oz and then break it down into smaller jars?
• I have several tins in my cellar… What if they leak or lose their seal? Shouldn’t I just open them as soon as I get them and put them in 4oz jars? I trust my seal more than theirs. How much change/aging has really occurred since the manufacturer sealed it? Which tin has a better seal, a vacuum tin or one with a pull tab?
• How do I build a store of tobacco that doesn’t age well… I guess a future where tobacco is scarce or near impossible to get, would consist of aged VA & VA/PER. Not a bad future at all…. But I would miss the variety.
I keep my current smoking rotation and samples I’m trying in “8oz Ball Elite Jars” They don’t stack well, but look great, make it easy to fill my pipe over and have a large lid for labeling.
For cellaring/storage, I use 4oz & 8oz Quilted Ball Jelly Jars. Occasionally, I use Ball Wide Mouth Pint (16oz) Jars. I use the pint jars for bulk American burleys… CH, CB, PA, SWR. Everything else goes in 4oz or 8oz jars. Honestly, part of me wants to put everything in 4oz jars.
Note: For storage, a 2 to 1 ratio seems to work. 4oz jar = 2oz tobacco, 8oz jar = 4oz tobacco, etc.
Here’s what I do:
• Tins - If I open a tin of a tobacco I’ve never tried, I put .5oz in a rotation jar and the rest gets sealed in a 4oz jar.
• Bulk - If I buy 2oz – 8oz, 2oz goes in rotation and the rest goes in 4oz jars. If I buy 10oz or more, 2oz goes in rotation, then I fill one 8oz jar and the rest goes in 4oz jars.
• Flake – The only time I will ever use an 8oz jar for flake, is if I buy 16oz or more.
Here’s my rational for small jars:
• I can sample small amounts at different ages.
• I can trade or gift a small jar.
• Transport, storage and segregation.
• If the integrity of a jar seal goes bad… all is not lost.
Here’s what keeps me up at night:
• If I had a large jar with 16oz of 10yo flake and decide I want some... Am I committed to putting the whole jar in rotation? Can I reseal it? If I reseal it, will it be as good as if I never opened it? Should I pull 2oz and then break it down into smaller jars?
• I have several tins in my cellar… What if they leak or lose their seal? Shouldn’t I just open them as soon as I get them and put them in 4oz jars? I trust my seal more than theirs. How much change/aging has really occurred since the manufacturer sealed it? Which tin has a better seal, a vacuum tin or one with a pull tab?
• How do I build a store of tobacco that doesn’t age well… I guess a future where tobacco is scarce or near impossible to get, would consist of aged VA & VA/PER. Not a bad future at all…. But I would miss the variety.
