Ammonia taste?

[seamusjft]

I've noticed recently with a couple of pipes that I'm getting a taste at the end f the bowl I can only describe as ammonia. I'll try and cancel out some variables and hopefully someone can help.

I only use a pipe once in 24 hrs. I always clean with pipe cleaners after. It's happening with various blends (English). I've only recently developed a pallet for pipes, I wasn't tasting much before. I finish every pipe, could I be smoking it to far to an end?
I've heard of salt cleaning? My pipes are a month old and I've used them everyday.
Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

 

[seamusjft]

Thanks rothnh. I'm glad you said that about over thinking. I did think it might be in my mind a little. You know. Got a whiff once and now just worried. I have 4 new basket pipes turning up tomorrow and I'm starting to build a couple of regular smokes so I shall dedicate pipes to blends.

Thanks again

 

[rcstan]

+1 rothnh , on all counts.
As a side note, if not cleaned frequently, pipes used to smoke Englishes in general, and Balkan blends in particular, tend to develop this cat piss odor ...... I once thought the cats took revenge on the pipe cabinet 8O

 

[judcole]

In fact, it may be a good idea to dedicate a pipe to EACH of them, if you're smoking more than one English blend.

This is one of those things pipe smokers have varying opinions on. Although there might be some folks that do this, many of us generally are satisfied with a latakia rotation, a virginia/burley rotation, and an aromatic rotation. (There are also some smokers who are perfectly happy smoking any blend in any pipe.)
I smoke a ton of different latakia blends. There are only three, however,that are always in my tobacco rotation. I would need a whole lot more pipes than I have if I was to dedicate a pipe to each one. I have one dedicated pipe in my rotation. I don't have any issues smoking different latakia based blends in the same pipe. YMMV, of course, but it works for me. ::

 

[admin]

Ammonia typically comes from tobacco that has not been properly cured. It is a natural byproduct that is released from the tobacco during curing.
However, if you're smoking standard commercially produced, branded tobacco, the previous responses are probably more correct.

 

[smokedogrememberthatsht]

Try some different styles of pipe tobaccos, and rest your pipes longer. I find that it takes 3 to 4 days to really dry out a briar. Pick up a few cheap cobbs to extend your rotation. Just my 2 cents.

 

[gray4lines]

Fresh cigars came to my mind too! But I think it's far less common to have pipe tobacco still in that fermentation stage just from the differences in how it's prepared and stored (not as humid, which can restart the fermentation process).
You mentioned it's at the end of the smoke... do you think that you're smoking a little hot near the end of a bowl? Overheating might cause some funky flavors, especially with a heavily finished or varnished pipe.
Or maybe just keep smoking and it'll go away. Maybe a break in issue?