A bit of tongue burn/bite normal?

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JohnnyRockets

Lurker
Sep 1, 2022
42
150
Tecumseh, Michigan
Hi all,

Is a little bit of tongue bite/burn normal after smoking your pipe a bit (2 bowls worth)?

Or am I still going too fast?

What is normal? Some tongue bite or no tongue bite?

Thanks!


JR
 
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K.E. Powell

Can't Leave
Aug 20, 2022
493
1,781
37
West Virginia
There are a lot of variables that go into the cause of tongue bite/burn, but to answer your question as to whether or not it is normal, I would say that depends on how long you have been smoking. When I started out, I never so much as smoked a cigarette, so I found myself somewhat susceptible to tongue bite because I was fairly sensitive to the smoke itself. That sensitivity does lessen with time. I also made common beginner mistakes, namely smoking goopy aromatics, puffing a bit too much, and just generally being impatient if I had to relight several times.

It is one of those things that gets better both with time and practice. It sounds like the tongue bite you experience now is less than when you started out, so that sounds like progress! I wouldn't fret too much over minutiae, such as the exact amount of time you spend on a single bowl or how many times you have to relight. Be patient with yourself. It is worth it.
 
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OverMountain

Lifer
Dec 5, 2021
1,296
4,689
Western Caccalack Hinterlands
Hi all,

Is a little bit of tongue bite/burn normal after smoking your pipe a bit (2 bowls worth)?

Or am I still going too fast?

What is normal? Some tongue bite or no tongue bite?

Thanks!


JR
It shouldn’t be normal. Any discomfort or pain is not part of this hobby. I am sipping on Macbaren dark twist very slowly but some tobaccos are more prone to bite, especially certain aromatics IMO. Sip peacefully and learn to enjoy the flavor and leaf. If the outside of your bowl is hot, then that is a sign to slow down.
 
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Jacob74

Lifer
Dec 22, 2019
1,243
6,665
Killeen, TX
Yeah, I got bitten pretty good a few times early, and since then am always extra careful and slow with blends that are new to me.
The possibility is always lurking in my mind, so I just try and keep from getting greedy, or hurried!
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Most pipe smokers avoid it, tongue and gum bite and burn. When I first started smoking a pipe, I had a problem. Later I realized that non-aromatics were much better for me, and I had fewer bad aftertastes. Some tobaccos are worse for some people. Red Virginia really bothers some people and not so much others. A cold beverage or any beverage sometimes helps as well.
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,858
15,829
Oregon
Tongue bite is generally avoided once the smoker has figured out which kind of tobaccos mesh with their mouth pH and how to properly pack and smoke their pipe. There are so many things that could be causing your tongue bite but I would say one of the primary problems I’ve seen from beginners is packing the pipe too tight. I would recommend trying mild tobacco blends from all of the major families (va, va/per, burley, English) and you will almost certainly find one that is easier on your palate than the others. I recommend black coffee while you smoke as the acidity is an antodote for a fatigued palate.
 

Markem

Might Stick Around
Aug 4, 2022
63
175
Beaverton, OR
Got some of the recommended mouthwash. Didn’t have any tongue bite, but smoked enough recently that my tongue felt rough. Didn’t hurt and maybe helped. Time will tell.

Also, I agree with @FLDRD. As I also smoke cigars, I am probably not keeping my tongue low in the mouth.
 
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Aug 8, 2020
8
32
In my opinion tongue bite means something is wrong. Either smoking technique, tobacco moisture, or packing.

When I first started I would destroy my mouth, because I was fiending for nicotine and lots of smoke. Now I keep it chill.
 
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RudyH

Might Stick Around
Sep 1, 2022
53
74
Wisconsin
Hi all,

Is a little bit of tongue bite/burn normal after smoking your pipe a bit (2 bowls worth)?

Or am I still going too fast?

What is normal? Some tongue bite or no tongue bite?

Thanks!


JR
Yes, slow down some more, but also let the tobacco dry longer. First, try something extreme like putting a bowl's worth of tobacco on a plate and let it dry for a full day. Smoke that and see if you like it better. Adjust drying time as needed. A common amount of time for drying the tobacco on a plate is about an hour. It depends on the moisture content of the tobacco, so you need to learn how dry the tobacco should be for a pleasant smoke.

One good bit of advice from the great book "The Perfect Smoke", but Fred Hanna, is that tinned tobacco should typically be smoked "on the dry side", as was long recommended by Dunhill when they sold pipe tobacco.

A lot of American aromatic pipe tobaccos are treated with chemicals to keep them moist, so that may be an issue. Also, many pipe smokers find that tobaccos with a lot of Virginia tobacco smoke hot enough to contribute to tongue bite, while blends heavy with burley are generally cooler. Many pipe smokers prefer tobaccos with a lot of oriental tobaccos because they tend to "smoke cool".
 
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cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I never get tongue bite. What I suffer from is an acid burn the minute the smoke hits my tongue. This is caused my almost any red Virginia. I have a real high uric count in my blood and red Virginia's kill me.

It took a long time before I figured it out but I was able to build a nice deep cellar of my favorites avoiding the reds that burn me. jiminks was a huge helping me avoid the reds he knew would torture me. If you need help Jim is your man. Another guy who knows tobacco is pipestud.