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swmalone

Lurker
May 21, 2014
20
0
I have seen a few posts where they mention the ash being a fine, white ash. My ash is almost always black. I was wondering if this is because of the blends I have been smoking, which are mostly aromatics, or if it is something else? After working in the yard today I found a nice shady spot to sit and watch our beehive. I smoked half a bowl of stokkebye sweet vanilla and took my time, kept tamping, and I ended up with a mix of whitish/black ash. This is the closest I have ever come to this white ash I have heard about. I just wanted to know if I should be doing something while I"m smoking so that I get that kind of ash or does it not really matter?
Thanks for the all of the assistance. These forums have been great for a new pipe smoker.

 
martiniman

martiniman

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 6, 2012
885
2
Nail--------Head.

You will have a hard time getting the fine white ash with a tobacco that has a casing (aros).

Don't get caught up on the ash, just enjoy.

Welcome aboard.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,454
I'm trying to remember which tobaccos give the white ash, maybe Virginias without much or any flavorings. A lot of them

do give darker or black ash. Like martiniman says, just enjoy.

 
neverbend

neverbend

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 20, 2014
230
5
Sounds like you're getting a combination of ash and dottle (incompletely burned tobacco) . Are you taking out ash a lot?
Ash tends to get lighter in color the more completely it burns. Color of ash changes depending on the chemicals present (same in cigars). The longer you leave ash in the pipe (on top of the burning hearth) the lighter it will become in color and consistency (fine ash) and there's no reason to take out ash as your smoking unless it's affecting the taste or draw.

 
drwatson

drwatson

Lifer
Aug 3, 2010
1,721
5
toledo
I mainly smoke aros as well. One thing I have noticed (and I have no idea about any science to this), but the whiter my ash becomes, the better my smoke seems to be. Funny thing is that the same blend can give me white ash, or dark ash. I kinda have come think that the pack,and temp MAY make a difference.

 
neverbend

neverbend

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 20, 2014
230
5
I mainly smoke aros as well. One thing I have noticed (and I have no idea about any science to this), but the whiter my ash becomes, the better my smoke seems to be. Funny thing is that the same blend can give me white ash, or dark ash. I kinda have come think that the pack,and temp MAY make a difference.
Click to expand...
You're burning better and more completely and that can well be related to how you filled the pipe.

 
apatim

apatim

Can't Leave
Feb 17, 2014
497
0
Jacksonville, FL
Although the ash sometimes appears white when still hot and in the bowl, I find that it is really more of a light to dark gray depending on the blend. I've also noticed that a bit of dottle is more likely to remain on humid days. I never noticed dottle during the winter but some days lately there has been a little. This is the ash from the bowl of Melange I smoked this morning - relatively low humidity this morning.



 
northernneil

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
I know when it comes to high end cigars, the white ash is a symbol of that tobacco being properly cured and fermented. If the ash is black, it is usually a sign that the curing and fermentation process was rushed. So as I understand it, the white ash can be a sign of quality tobacco. At least when talking about cigars. Now, I am not sure if this transfers to pipes or not. I would assume that it could.

 
N

necron99

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 4, 2014
268
0
Sorry but am calling bs on this whole ash thing. Come on guys are really investigating your ashes in such depth? Mayhap that ya need a real problem to solve if ya are.

 
northernneil

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
Necron, you can call all the BS you want. But as I said above, properly cured tobacco will burn to a whitish grey ash. There is no need to investigate anything as it is pretty obvious. Also, some people, like myself, get just as much enjoyment from the learning aspect of the hobby as I do from the actual smoking. So understanding things like white / black ash is a party of the pleasure.

 
S

swmalone

Lurker
May 21, 2014
20
0
I agree northernneil. I asked the question because I was wondering if I could improve the quality and pleasure of my smoke through technique or if it had something to do with the type of tobacco. I was visiting family in Idaho and visited an actual tobacconist and after a lot of discussion they suggested I try some Frog Morton. I picked up a tin of On the Bayou and this is the first blend I have had other than just bulk aromatics that can be had at the closest smoke shop. My experience was overall so much better than what I have experienced with the bulk aromatics and I noticed that without changing how I pack, smoke, or relight that the frog morton did burn to a whitish/gray ash as opposed to mostly black.

 
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