FVF: Bulk Versus Tinned.

mawnansmiff · Mar 22, 2017

Yesterday my boxes of FVF arrived (thanks Stan!) and I opened one and stored the other three. I have only ever bought this blend in 50g tins so these 250g boxes were a new experience for me.
Thing is I am finding the bulk version quite different both in appearance and taste. First off it is much lighter in colour and I spied no crystallization on any of the flakes whereas the tinned version is often covered in crystals and is a tad darker in colour.
Secondly the taste seems a little 'watered down' if you get my drift (granted after only two bowls). All my tins have come from a UK supplier and the boxes from the US. I am wondering if what I am buying tinned is perhaps older than what I have in the boxes.
I know the blend is hugely popular in the States so suppose that stock must be replaced with fresh stuff on a regular basis.
Don't get me wrong here, it still tastes like FVF should, just a little thinner. Has anyone else detected any difference twixt tinned and bulk?
Regards,
Jay.

cosmicfolklore · Mar 22, 2017

90% of the differences between bulk and tinned versions of anything is that inside the tin, conditions have been established to start the aging process. So, even if the tin is only a few months out of the gate from the manufacturer, it still has darkened and sweetened up.
I just got a few boxes of that FVF as well, and it is as bland as stale bread and water. But, I set them up in jars and within a few years it will be good to go. But fresh FVF, nope, not worth wasting lighter fluid on to smoke.

ashdigger · Mar 22, 2017

I'm a fan of FVF, but I'll not discuss it anymore. Which is sad. Cube it, dry it, light it and love it.

cosmicfolklore · Mar 22, 2017

Ash, so you do not notice any difference at all in a fresh out of the tin version and fresh bulk?

mawnansmiff · Mar 22, 2017

"tinned versions of anything is that inside the tin, conditions have been established to start the aging process."
That makes sense Michael, never thought of it like that. Thing is I bought the bulk for smoking now (plus the huge VAT saving) or at least within the current year. The tins I buy are for storing away. Perhaps I ought change things around and store the bulk and smoke the tins.
Also, something I forgot to mention is that rubbed out it even looks different, more 'stringy' than the tinned stuff which rubs out into a more coarse, 'lumpy' mixture.
Regards,
Jay.

cosmicfolklore · Mar 22, 2017

rubbed out it even looks different, more 'stringy' than the tinned stuff which rubs out into a more coarse, 'lumpy' mixture.

My guess is that travelling around the world twice in a small ziplock bag inside a huge box that is inside an even larger box might have made the flakes a little more "stringy." Just a guess. : puffy

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Mine was more of a broken flake than what comes protected from being jerked around too much in the tinned version.

toobfreak · Mar 22, 2017

One of the evils of saving money buying many tobaccos in bulk is the necessity of starting the aging process yourself.

stickframer · Mar 22, 2017

My first box of Best Brown arrived the other day and it tasted very different than the tinned version. Much lighter in color, and stale bread. 'Thinner' describes it well.
Other than the couple pipefuls I tried, I jarred it into 3 mason jars. I'm a fan of jarring it in smaller quantities.
My guess is after 3-6 months it will already taste different.

aquadoc · Mar 22, 2017

So, buy the tins for current consumption and the bulk for the Cellar seems to be the consensus. I just placed a small order for the Grousemoor, FVF, and some Blackwoods. My intent was to put the FVF and Blackwoods aside for now. Maybe not after reading the above.

mawnansmiff · Mar 22, 2017

Not sure now whether I should just sit on my remaining three boxes, open them up and jar the three ziplock bags or to go mad and open up all three, rub it all out and then jar it nice and tightly packed :roll:
Regards,
Jay.

hawky454 · Mar 22, 2017

I wouldn't rub it all out and then store it. I find, that just like a plug, flakes age better than rubbed out tobacco. I also agree that FVF is not very good right out of the box but I think 6 months is plenty of time for it to mature a bit. Give your stash 6 months, Jay and you will be good to go.

pipeman7 · Mar 22, 2017

Not sure now whether I should just sit on my remaining three boxes, open them up and jar the three ziplock bags or to go mad and open up all three, rub it all out and then jar it nice and tightly packed

Dude it's pretty simple: You should immediately open the 250 gram boxes remove the flakes from the plastic bag, take a mason jar grab a handful of flakes (like 6 or 7), flex them to see which way they bend (if you bend them one way they will break, if you bend them the other they will curl). You want them to curl, you curl them around the inside of the mason jar and stack them and roll them until all the mass in the mason jar is full. You should never, leave this in the box, never leave them in the plastic, this is should be standard operating procedure
& you should never ever rub flakes out for storage

pipeman7 · Mar 22, 2017

So, buy the tins for current consumption and the bulk for the Cellar seems to be the consensus

Why would anyone do this? Tins are way more expensive. You buy the boxes, jar a bunch of it for your cellar and jar some of it for smoking. Why would you pay to have something come in a tin when you already have a bunch of it way cheaper?

mcitinner1 · Mar 22, 2017

pipeman7 thanks, but most of us have been around the block here many times and don't need schooling. Jay is just discussing this. He is a FVF veteran. Plus he lives in the UK and the boxes aren't available there.

ashdigger · Mar 22, 2017

Stan, ?????

cosmicfolklore · Mar 22, 2017

Peck had a great post about FVF that suggested cube cutting the whole thing and then storing it. He did this before putting it in rotation, but they make storing them easier. It's a tiresome job, but I do all of my flakes like this now. Plus, I can make them fit into the smallest jars easier.

I used to do as Pipeman suggests, but I get frustrated pushing the roll into those small jars. Plus, I don't fold and stuff anyways. And, they age just like full flakes, because they are still dense. ...but, I'm not convinced that Ribbon or rubbed ages worse. It just doesn't plume as noticeably, which is a mineral leaching thing anyways. It probably happens, just not as noticeably.

pipeman7 · Mar 22, 2017

pipeman7 thanks, but most of us have been around the block here many times and don't need schooling. Jay is just discussing this. He is a FVF veteran. Plus he lives in the UK and the boxes aren't available there.

Ok well from the post it didn't sound to me like Jay was aware of this method. He was asking if he should jar the ziplock bags or rub the flakes all out for storage. I wouldn't advise either, but I'm just trying to be helpful. Also the 250 boxes of course are available in the UK, but like he said it might be cheaper to order from US. Again I'm only trying to be helpful

pipeman7 · Mar 22, 2017

Cosmic I use the quart size jars which fit the 250 grams easily

mcitinner1 · Mar 22, 2017

I stand corrected, You are right pipeman, I forgot his reason was because they're cheaper from the US.

ashdigger · Mar 22, 2017

Stan, that's why the question marks. I know who you are. I've even purchased from you. I was questioning your comment, not reaching out to a guy I ran into at the grocery store after not seeing each other for ten years. : puffy

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FVF: Bulk Versus Tinned.

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