Sidebar

Tobacco In The Microwave

Log in

Forgot your password?

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

Al Pascia
Blue Room Briars
Cigar World
Danish Pipe Shop
LePipe.it
Missouri Meerschaum
Pipes2Smoke.com
PipeStud.com
Seattle Pipe Club Tobaccos
SmokingPipes.com
Tabaccheria Corti
TinBids.com

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
The title of this post might look a little off, but bear with me. I have read several different posts on here about how people use the microwave to dry their tobacco. I just tried this with MacBarens 7 Seas Royal on short 5 second bursts for a total of about 15 seconds. Now this seemed to work fairly well, but I guess my concern is: Does the process of microwaving have any kind of ill effect on the tobacco, particularly with pure tobacco blends that have little no topping on them? I mean, my microwave didn't ignite, the tobacco seems and smells OK, it is dried near perfectly, but I was just wondering if the process of microwaving alters the chemical makeup of the leaf or would make the tobacco unfit to smoke? Anyone else here nuke their tobaccos? Anyone have any bad luck doing this?

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
The 15 seconds that I threw it in the microwave dried it to the near perfect level. I just tossed it on a paper plate and kept an eye on it. Seemed to work pretty well and as I said, it smells OK. Im gonna load it up and char light it and save it for the morning.
EDIT: Char lit it and put it back on the rack. Seems to taste like it usually does. I might try this with my next bowl of Golden Extra and see if it works just as well.

 

buckley01

buckley01

Lurker
Dec 8, 2011
19
0
Never tried it. I am content with newspaper drying it seems to work well for me. I will try the desk lamp bake though...sounds like a good idea. I will just stick to using the microwave to blow up marshmallow Peeps on Easter. :D

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
I read somewhere that GL Pease does not recommend this, you might want to read through his website for more information, personally, if I need to dry out a tobacco I just set it under an incandescent desk lamp for a few minutes.
Click to expand...
Marc, thank you for that little bit of information. I have been smoking my tobaccos almost bone dry lately, but according to Greg, I might just experiment and see if I can smoke these blends a little more moist than others. It just goes to show you that you really do learn something new every day, especially in this hobby.
never tried tobacco but i do know clay pipes dont like the micronuke
Click to expand...
Pawpaw, I remember that thread from a little while back. I will definitely keep this in mind when I go to buy a clay pipe.

 
spartan

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
Off the top of my head nuking your blend in the microwave MIGHT change the blend slightly. All the mircowave does is cause water molecules to move really fast so that they heat up...right? I could see it damaging the tobacco... BUT... you're going to set it on fire anywaz...
Keep doing it and let us know if you've noticed a change.
Or maybe Mr Pease has allready tried this and we just have to hunt down an article somewhere?

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
Or maybe Mr Pease has allready tried this and we just have to hunt down an article somewhere?
Click to expand...
Mr Pease answered my original question in GL Pease FAQ Just do a page search for the word "microwave" and you will find the question. Mr. Pease makes it sound like nuking a high quality blend runs the risk of altering the leaf so that it affects the taste, or at least that was the way I understood it from the way he wrote it.

 
spartan

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
Nope, that answer does not satisfy me. Unless he has tried it he is just going off the idea that "heating up your tobacco hurts it" In theory he's right. And at the same time he's wrong. He's only wrong in my mind because he answered the question without trying it to see if he noticed any change in the taste of the blend. A blind smoking is required!
Nuke a blend. Randomize it. Test it.
Smoke blend A
Smoke blend B
Smoke blend C
Smoke blend D
All blends are the same. Relatively dried out to the same degree. NOW tell me which one was nuked!

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
Nuke a blend. Randomize it. Test it.
Click to expand...
This would make for an interesting experiment if I had the time. I suppose that I will keep nuking in short bursts and seeing what effect, if any, it has on the blend. For example, I am smoking the original nuked bowl of 7 Seas Royal that I char lit last night, and it still tastes OK to me. Ill try it with a bowl of Black Frigate later on tonight and see if it has the same effect, although in all fairness, Black Frigate is a lot drier out of the tin than 7 Seas is.

 
batdemon

batdemon

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 20, 2011
834
0
Just because he didn't mention that he had not tried it doesn't mean that he hasn't. We don't know for sure because he didn't say. So, we really need more info from Greg as to how he reached his opinion. Just my thoughts. :puffy:

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
So, we really need more info from Greg as to how he reached his opinion.
Click to expand...
If only I had a full day to sit down and pick that man's brain. The conversation would look something like this:
Greg speaks
Mind=BLOWN

 
spartan

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
You're absolutely right batdemon. I'm just saying that the answer wasn't enough for me. Far be it from me to challenge a man like Mr. Pease.
He'd kick my ass and then make a great tobacco blend out of it and then sell it to you! :rofl:
My fingers outthink my brain sometimes... most times.
I like a little evidence to back up an answer like that. It's hard for me to take someone's word on subjects which rely so heavily on personal preference. A microwave is a bit extreme either way. :puffy:

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
My next few bowls are just going to be smoked straight out of the tin. Ill see if that works any better for me. I have just gotten so spoiled with my tobacco getting bone dry in this winter weather and it smokes really well for me, but I may be overthinking things. This is one of the great things about our hobby. We're always evolving and learning new techniques and things that we like. I might find that I take my tobaccos a little more on the moist side. Who knows?

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom