Does humidity affect the the tobacco while smoking?

willisk · Sep 18, 2018

I’ve had a rough week to begin with but these last few days I couldn’t keep it lit or enjoy a good smoke to save my soul?

I am an outdoor smoker ( nice covered porch ) and it has been raining and damp outside till today. ( better smoke today )

Has also been pretty windy but I try to shield the bowl from the wind!!
So in summary bad smoke when wet and nasty outside and back to normal when dry!!

Am I the only one? Or y’all notice or go through this!!

craig61a · Sep 18, 2018

Yes. I keep tobaccos in my working stock for the summer dried down and cut be sure the summer humidity affects the tobacco as its being smoked. If I have the impulse to smoke something that's not in my working stock, I'll pull it out and zip it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
I use a grinder to chop my tobacco into more reasonable size bits... this is just the ticket...
grinder
Smokes more evenly. You don't want to turn it into dust, just break it down somewhat.

weezell · Sep 18, 2018

When the plug tobaccos I smoke get to small to slice, I buzz them up in a cheap spice grinder I've used for years...

jpmcwjr · Sep 19, 2018

I find that if the tobacco is dry enough going in and bowl smoked directly, the ambient humidity has only a tiny effect on the smoke. So, dry down extra when it's raining or foggy; it's likely the tobacco being a touch too moist pre-loading due to the weather. Keep stuff in Mason jars.

willisk · Sep 19, 2018

Good tips from all. I do keep everything in mason jars and I try to pull what I’m gonna smoke for the week out and on the dresser in lil Tupperware with the lids off!!

For up to 24 hours depending on the beginning level of moisture. Some more some less

This has been working quite well. But sat, sun and mon were very wet and nasty and it just kicked my noobie but lol.

Yesterday was a beautiful day and things got better. Still getting there. I’ll look into a grinder thank y’all very munch

pianopuffer · Sep 19, 2018

Yeah I also struggle with this on the East Coast. Drying before and storing in jars is the way to go, or a quick zap in the microwave if you prefer.
I tried like you to let my stuff sit out, but if the humidity is high enough, it will never dry out. So perhaps you are actually re-hydrating your tobacco by letting it sit out prior to smoking it. Just a thought.

willisk · Sep 19, 2018

I haven’t tried drying it prior to jarring so not necessarily rehydrating it’s pretty dry in our house ( hundred and 18 year old farmhouse, all wood floors and walls and ceilings )

lordofthepiperings · Sep 19, 2018

I live in Las Vegas, I'm not familiar with this term "humidity".
We do have a monsoon season here, but I've never noticed the humidity level having an affect on the tobacco moisture. I'm relegated to the outdoors and when it does occasionally rain I'll sneak into the garage for a bowl.

blendtobac · Sep 19, 2018

There's no question that ambient humidity has an impact. It's even more noticeable with cigars during a damp spell. I keep my humidor at 67% rather than 70%, but if it's 90% rH outside, some cigars will get spongy at an inch or so into the stick. Smoking a pipe under those conditions, I find I have to tend the tobacco more carefully.
Russ

olkofri · Sep 19, 2018

So, is tongue bite directly proportional to the RH?

workman · Sep 19, 2018

In my experience, it does. When it's foggy here, smoking is difficult.

lawdawg · Sep 19, 2018

Echoing Russ and others: In very high humidity, it matters a lot! Ambient humidity definitely affects the smoking characteristics of the tobacco, especially when humidity is high. I will take it a step further and state my belief that ambient humidity also can affect the perceived taste of the tobacco.
I live in the Midwest, so our weather is all over the place, and throughout the year, we experience most possible weather patterns / combinations at some point in time. To my taste, English / latakia blends have a better flavor during periods of lower relative humidity. When people say "latakia in the winter", I think they are (unknowingly) referring to low humidity as much as they are referring to cool weather.

mso489 · Sep 19, 2018

Yeah, I didn't even think about it until now. We've been "dancing" with Hurricane and Tropical Storm Florence, lucky to dodge the hurricane wind and deluges around it, but yet rained on heavily for a week. I didn't even think of it, and I have enjoyed some bowls as a stress reducer. But more tamping and more relights have been required, even with extra dry tobacco, but any blend I've smoked too. I didn't make the association. I've been pretty riveted, lived on hurricanes.gov along with Forums. I'd vote yes categorically, humidity changes pipe smoking decisively.

bluto · Sep 19, 2018

I would think so also.
Cars engines run better in foggy weather.

thehappypiper · Sep 20, 2018

I noticed it the moment I lit a cigarette on my first trip to Asia. After I realised that the heat was not a practical joke! For a few minutes I actually did think "No. It can't be this hot. Somebody is having a laugh." Then I looked at the locals wearing trousers and sweat-free shirts and realised I was a long way from home. But the cigarettes didn't burn right, didn't taste right, even the smoke had an unusual texture.

I got used to it.

One night a pipe-smoking buddy and I went to a restaurant that had a beer garden on a lakeshore. Nice breeze, low-ish humidity. The tobacco came alive. We both commented on it. Air conditioning is great for getting rid of humidity, but it seems to sap the life out of the air. Beer goes flat in a few minutes.

Does humidity affect the the tobacco while smoking?

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