The Pipes Magazine Radio Show – Episode 98
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Kevin Godbee - Jul 29, 2014
- 1 min read
Kevin Godbee
Thank you for joining us for The Pipes Magazine Radio Show—the only radio talk show for pipe smokers and collectors. We broadcast weekly, every Tuesday at 8 pm eastern USA time and are available on nearly all podcast sites and apps. Listen on your computer, tablet, phone and even in the car! Our Featured Interview tonight is with Ryan Alden, a.k.a. “Lonestar” in the Forums. Ryan started making pipes just a few years ago, and has become so good, so fast, that he was one of 7 winners in the billiard judging contest that had over 50 entries at the Kansas City Pipe show this past June. In our “Pipe Parts” segment, Brian will talk about Oriental Tobaccos, and give you an update on the IPCPR trade show from last week. Sit back, relax with your pipe, and enjoy The Pipes Magazine Radio Show!
Tonight’s show is sponsored by Sutliff-Tobacco.com, CupOJoes.com, SmokingPipes.com, Missouri Meerschaum, 4noggins.com, MeerschaumStore.com, Cornell & Diehl, and Savinelli Pipes and Tobaccos. Please give them some consideration when making your next pipe or tobacco purchase.
We hope you enjoy our 1-hour show produced just for you—the pipe smoker and collector. The following link will launch a pop-up player. Alternatively, you can download the show in iTunes and other podcast sites and apps after the initial broadcast is complete here.
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Ryan Alden, a.k.a. “Lonestar” in the Forums
Ryan’s Pipe That Brian Bought
Written by Kevin Godbee
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Bigger. Better. More Pipe. This year’s Chicago Pipe Show was a larger event with an expanded smoking tent and the addition of the special events section at the back of it, and the show boasted way more attendees than previous years. While we didn’t have the most interesting man of the year at the show this year, there was an actor sighting at our hotel of Brian O’Halloran (better known as Dante from Clerks). It is unknown if he came into the show itself or was just there at the hotel, and sadly, I didn’t find any pictures of him there, just the rumors. Stay tuned on that one. Tim Garrity (Chicago Pipe Club President) shared with me some numbers this year; there were over 950ish in attendance. For those of you playing the home game, they reported to me that in 2024, a little over 400 attended (after checking with Tim this was just the attendees not including vendors it was around 800 with everyone). That’s more than double for 2025. “We had an increase in carvers and tobacianna makers. A large international presence with vendors coming from China, Brazil, Italy, France, Denmark, the UK, Austria, Germany, Turkey, Cuba, Cyprus, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, and a few others as well…. I really want to highlight two pieces that stick out to me. As mentioned before, the international showing. Our guests came from all around the world. While it rained outdoors, only friendship and fellowship reigned in our tent. Our community continues to bring me joy, for in divisive times, we are coming together. Pipes over politics, personalities, and persuasions,” said Tim. The line to enter stretched almost outside this year. Below are a handful of pictures to give you a general idea. Upon first entry into the ballroom, vendors and carvers were stacked in with more tables than in the past couple of years, as Tim discussed. To the newcomer, this can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many pipes, but do yourself a favor and do the “Brian Levine” advice and walk the whole floor looking before coming back to settle on some pipes. New Tobaccos Coming out from C&D and Per Georg Jensen I ran into Per Jensen this year at breakfast and ended up heading out to the smoking tent with him before the show opened, and we sampled several blends that he’s working on in collaboration with Jeremy Reeves (newly minted Doctor of Pipes) at C&D. Per: In a collaboration with C&D. One week ago I was playing ping-pong with Jeremy at the C&D factory. Two tobacco-interested people who came into talks and discussions and decided to collaborate. So I’m coming out with four blends under the name Legacy Collection, where I honor my father and his job. The first four will be with sailor motifs because he was onboard the royal yacht Dannebrog. Per: Every summer, the King and Queen travel around Denmark visiting the different cities. This was a tradition that goes back to the Vikings because at that time they didn’t have any facebook or Instagram so a lot of people didn’t know how the king looked. So they had to travel around to all the cities to show his face. He didn’t have a castle. This tradition is taken over by the present kings as well. Per: The crew onboard the yacht are selected from the regular navy, and conscripts are hand-picked and sent onboard the royal ship to work for the summer. Officers were always assigned to the ship, but every summer a different crew. The ship he started on was the paddle boat steamer, and then in 1932, a new ship was built, and that is the same ship we use today, almost a hundred years old. When are we going to see these blends come out? Per: If everything goes as we would like, it will be the beginning of July. I’ve got two blends ready, and I’m smoking the new ones now. They are: 100% Virginia (Red and Bright) Virginia Dark Fired Kentucky Burley Dominant Blend One more Virginia blend. (Red and Bright) For all of them, they are going to be so natural, that means a little bit casing, no top note (with the exception of the burley). The goal, Per says, is to have balance in the flavors and no tongue bite. Kings Watch is a 50/50 blend of red and bright virginias. Interesting note: Per said, each tobacco company calls variations of Virginia something different. MacBaren, for instance, would call it bright Virginia because it had a higher sugar content. The red Virginia has all the flavor, so the more red, the more intense the taste. When sampling this, the flavor profiles are citrus fruit, mellow cream, and a slight floral note. Tasting the Burley heavy blend, which is ready to go as well, is smooth, nutty, and cocoa-flavored. With that nougat taste, I’m reminded of a Toblerone candy bar, but don’t go assuming it’s full-on aromatic. It’s subtle. Another commented that it was like a truffle. The Burley forward blend does have a hint of Virginia in it as well, but just a hint. The Dark-Fired Kentucky and Virginia blend has that expected BBQ smell/note. The room note is more mellow. Per says they are still tweaking the two other blends, and they don’t have names for them yet, other than being under the Legacy Collection banner. Stay tuned! Battle of the Briar This year’s Battle of the Briar featured Ping Zhan, Silver Gray, and Nathan Davis as the carver competitors. Once again, our Master of Ceremonies was Steve “Pipestud” Fallon, with Jeff Gracik providing the play-by-play. Missouri Meerschaum was a sponsor this year and also did a live stream of the event; you can go back and watch here. I’ll expand a bit on that video with things you didn’t know, with a couple of comments from the carvers and Judges, so strap in. I chatted with Jeff […]
HI Brian,
Nice discussion on the Oriental tobaccos. Looking forward to your taste testing.
Ryan Alden is another pipe carver that I am not familiar with. I have never tried a strawberry wood pipe. It will be interesting to see how Ryan develops over the next several years.
Stevie Ray Vaughn was one of the most accomplished guitar players, as you noted, also a pipe smoker. His accidental death in a helicopter crash was much to early in his career.
Sounds like you liked the trade show, but it tired you out.
Enjoyed a great smoke tonight while listening to the show. McCranies Red Ribbon (1983 Crop) in (what else) a Castello GG #84 Old Antiquari Hawkbill which I had not smoked for over a year. It was one of those moments when the stars were all in the proper alignment.
Rant – Slots for Kids —-should be regulated by the FDA!
Really enjoyed the interview with Ryan and as an owner of one of his pipes, a Lovat, (plus some current commissions) I was stoked to hear the back story. The discussion of Orientals was interesting and if the tasting goes down the same road as the Escudo series it will be a great listen.
RANT – as a life long resident of Vegas (51 years) the corporate Vegas sucks. The whole celebrity chef fad is just dumb. I generally don’t go near the strip, because I’m smarter than I look, and am always shocked when I take friends or clients to see the sights. The food is over priced and just gimmicky, the drinks are stupid expensive and the porn slappers (the guys on sidewalks handing out escort and strip club fliers) are ridiculous and finally the street performers are an eyesore. I really prefer the old Vegas (mob controlled) when the food was good and inexpensive, the drinks were cheap and the slots were traditional and not expensive video games.
Anxiously awaiting my new pipe!
I really appreciated the Pipe Parts segment. I love to hear about the different varietals of tobacco. It is these finer nuances of our hobby that can get lost in the shuffle. If you have been smoking pipes for a long time or are a connoisseur this info might be redundant. I welcome the information, especially if it is succinct and complete.
Ryan’s interview was great. I love to hear about the up and coming pipe artisans that are chasing their passion. His pipes are both gorgeous and refreshingly affordable. I too will do my part to keep him out of the cab of a big rig.
I loved the SRV! A big fan of his and I didn’t know he was a pipe smoker. I guess I am not as big a fan as I thought. I love your ecclectic choices for the music.
It seems the whole world has gone celebrity happy. “This actor did this with that person”, “This sports professional was seen here with this person”. It is tiresome. It is getting to the point where the main stream media news is reporting on this stuff not just the gossip rags. Tie that with product recognition and you have money making machines. God help us!
Great show, again. Still.
Good job discussing Orientals which are kind of a mystery to most of us.
I enjoyed meeting Ryan in KC. Seems to be a really good guy. I had the honor of giving him his check for being one of the winners of the KC Carving Contest. I tried to get one of his pipes but all he had were straights and I am a bent kind of guy. Ryan really took advantage of the pipe carvers forum to really learn at a high rate. The old line carvers have to be green with envy with how relatively easy it is to learn how to do things today.
Something to remember about celebrity chefs. They didn’t get that way because they are great cooks but rather that they have a great gift of gab.
Targeting kids to gamble seems obscene, but I am sure the anti-smoking Nazis would rather kids gamble than smoke. Oh, wait, you can smoke in a casino.
Brian,
As usual a great show. I will be keeping an eye out for Ryan and his pipes at the West Coast Pipe Show this year. I have been wanting to try something other then a briar pipe and really liked the pics he had on his site as well as the pipe you picked up. A little advice next time your in Vegas and hankering for a burger…In N Out! Great burger, really good service and it won’t cost ya an arm and a leg. If you haven’t been you really should, I’ll even treat ya to your first Double Double.
Sean
Hey Brian. Great pipe parts. Being an old guy with a bad memory, I’m going to listen to that tobacco info, a few more times, with my notebook. That way I’ll be prepared for future Oriental tobacco “lessons”.
Great interview with Ryan, that rather large guy who can’t figure out if he comes from Tx or Fl. Only kidding. Wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of a big guy like him. Good drinking buddy.
Hey. Can anyone help me? I haven’t been able to listen to the radio show until many hours after airing. It was 01:32 on Wednesday morning before I could download. It’s been happening only the last three weeks. Well looking forward to Augusts first show. Just hope I won’t have to stay up until Wednesday AM to listen. Be well and thank you , Brian and Kevin. I know that this show takes many hours of your life to prepare for………..THANK YOU!!
See you at the West Coast Show.
Peter D Field Sr
Bend, Oregon by way of NYC.
Peter, I removed your email address from your comment. It’s not a good idea to post that in public. You’ll get spam and phishing attempts. Regarding the listening of the show – I imagine you are listening on one of the syndication sites, like iTunes or similar. They pick up the feed whenever they feel like it, and there is nothing we can do about that. However, you can listen on your computer, in a standard web browser on the page you commented on right here right when it goes live. – Kevin
Thank you Kevin……….