Aromatic Won't Stay Lit

[Lykkeberg]

Hi all.

I've been smoking for almost 3 months now, so still very new at this.
I am having trouble keeping my Amphora nr.8 (an aromatic) staying lit, which is odd as I have no trouble keeping my pipe lit when I smoke english blends, which I pack the completely same way and light the same way.

I have tried smoking it straight out of bag, dried for 15 mins, 30 mins, 1 hour, 2 hours, but in all instances it goes out shortly after the initial light. I've tried tampering it both little and a lot and neither of the two helps solve the issue.

Is this just me doing it wrong or something wrong with this tobacco?

Thanks.

Edit: i use a soft butane pipe lighter.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Well, aromatics are of course more prone to go out than non aromatics for obvious reasons. Try a pipe with a wider chamber, dry the tobacco a little more, pack it lighter than you normally would. If you can't get a good enough draw to light it, pack it down a tad bit more until you can and make sure it's a good solid charring light. If it goes out, fine, just tamp it down a tad again and relight it. Sometimes you just have to find that sweet spot. Also, relights are ok, but I understand the frustration if you're having to relight after every other puff or so. Also. try speeding up the drying time with a warmer of some sorts (coffee cup warmer or even the microwave 10 second method if you must). Remember also to tamp lightly when you must, and not to over tightly pack or tamp.

 

[Lykkeberg]

Well, aromatics are of course more prone to go out than non aromatics for obvious reasons. Try a pipe with a wider chamber, dry the tobacco a little more, pack it lighter than you normally would. If you can't get a good enough draw to light it, pack it down a tad bit more until you can and make sure it's a good solid charring light. If it goes out, fine, just tamp it down a tad again and relight it. Sometimes you just have to find that sweet spot. Also, relights are ok, but I understand the frustration if you're having to relight after every other puff or so. Also. try speeding up the drying time with a warmer of some sorts (coffee cup warmer or even the microwave 10 second method if you must). Remember also to tamp lightly when you must, and not to over tightly pack or tamp.

Thanks for the quick answer!
Think I am gonna try and pack it tonight and then let it dry out overnight and try and see if it is easier to smoke tomorrow.

 

[bullet08]

You don't want to dry aromatics too much. It will lose flavor. Instead, pack it in such way you will have unrestricted draw. Use good charring light, tamp just enough to push the charred tobacco around to give good coverage and light it again. Make sure all the top is lit, not just part of it.

 

[Lykkeberg]

You don't want to dry aromatics too much. It will lose flavor. Instead, pack it in such way you will have unrestricted draw. Use good charring light, tamp just enough to push the charred tobacco around to give good coverage and light it again. Make sure all the top is lit, not just part of it.

It lit a lot easier after drying it out overnight, but just as you said, it lost almost all of its flavor.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It lit a lot easier after drying it out overnight, but just as you said, it lost almost all of its flavor.

Perhaps that's a message to smoke something else?

 

[mso489]

Yes, dryer is good. You might leave it in the pouch for a week or two until it dries enough to burn better, then jar it. Sometimes I will put a bowl or two in a pottery cereal bowl size bowl and let it dry out. This also mellows out the flavoring, for a more tobacco-forward smoke, which is better to me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have tried smoking it straight out of bag, dried for 15 mins, 30 mins, 1 hour, 2 hours, but in all instances it goes out shortly after the initial light.

Are you actually engaged with smoking when it goes out? Or, is this happening when you set it down for a few seconds? I smoke an aromatic in the mornings, usually something vanilla flavored, so I don't dry it like I would a real tobacco. But, if I am engaged with smoking, meaning that the pipe is in my clench and I am undisturbed and I am finding my cadence... I haven't had a pipe go out. But, if someone comes along and asks me a question, or I set the pipe down between sipping it, or if I am distracted in some way... then yes, I have had my pipe go out.

There's nothing wrong with holding your pipe and sipping and setting it down, or if I am engaged in a conversation... (actually if I am engaged in conversation, I just set the pipe down till the bothersome conversation has stopped) relights are ok and to be expected. However, relighting after each puff and set down the pipe, I just never really get to the flavor. It takes me a while of slowly sipping or breathsmoking, to get past it just being smoke and getting into tasting the subtle nuances. Most tobaccos don't even open up their flavors till about half way.

I don't see anything social about pipe smoking, not in the same way cigars are. I used to try to sample other people's tobaccos, and talk, and cut up at pipe club meetings, but now I just grab a cigar, so that I can smoke and hold court. My pipes tend to demand my attention... for me to totally enjoy them. YMMV

 

[Lykkeberg]

Are you actually engaged with smoking when it goes out? Or, is this happening when you set it down for a few seconds? I smoke an aromatic in the mornings, usually something vanilla flavored, so I don't dry it like I would a real tobacco. But, if I am engaged with smoking, meaning that the pipe is in my clench and I am undisturbed and I am finding my cadence... I haven't had a pipe go out. But, if someone comes along and asks me a question, or I set the pipe down between sipping it, or if I am distracted in some way... then yes, I have had my pipe go out.

There's nothing wrong with holding your pipe and sipping and setting it down, or if I am engaged in a conversation... (actually if I am engaged in conversation, I just set the pipe down till the bothersome conversation has stopped) relights are ok and to be expected. However, relighting after each puff and set down the pipe, I just never really get to the flavor. It takes me a while of slowly sipping or breathsmoking, to get past it just being smoke and getting into tasting the subtle nuances. Most tobaccos don't even open up their flavors till about half way.

I don't see anything social about pipe smoking, not in the same way cigars are. I used to try to sample other people's tobaccos, and talk, and cut up at pipe club meetings, but now I just grab a cigar, so that I can smoke and hold court. My pipes tend to demand my attention... for me to totally enjoy them. YMMV

Yes, it went out almost instantly after doing both the initial light and charring light whilst puffing away. But as soon as I turn off the lighter the tobacco goes instantly out. All of this completely undisturbed.

 

[Lykkeberg]

Perhaps that's a message to smoke something else?

Perhaps, as I have never had this issue with my English blends. However, as I have my eye on cherry aromatics to buy next, I'd like to try and figure out what I am doing wrong so I can enjoy aromatics in the future.

 

[Lykkeberg]

Yes, dryer is good. You might leave it in the pouch for a week or two until it dries enough to burn better, then jar it. Sometimes I will put a bowl or two in a pottery cereal bowl size bowl and let it dry out. This also mellows out the flavoring, for a more tobacco-forward smoke, which is better to me.

I actually put the aromatic tobacco in a jar straight after buying it as I thought that was the best idea. Might try and return the tobacco to the pouch and see if it makes a difference

 

[TinCup]

One has to wonder if the draught hole is being blocked (even partially) when you pack/tamp or (less likely) whether the airway is fully clear or needs some cleaning/obstruction removed

 

[Kozeman]

I find the suggestion for the wider shallow bowl to be a good one. You can meter the intake of air a bit by a handhold that partially covers the bowl. You adjust how much you uncover as you watch the smoke and monitor the tastes you are pulling from the smoke. I have also found that letting the pipe sit for a minute after it goes out gives the warm pipe a chance to dry the tobacco a tad before the relight. Sometimes the first relight after this short rest can be a very flavorful burst of goodness.

 

[jpmcwjr]

You dry tobacco not in an enclosed arena. So, not in pipe chamber, not in a pouch, not in a jar with the top on.

 

[Kozeman]

You dry tobacco not in an enclosed arena. So, not in pipe chamber, not in a pouch, not in a jar with the top on.

I usually leave the lid off of my pipe chamber when I smoke.

 

[jpmcwjr]

OK, but that's not necessary! In a high wind, I clamp a bit of wood or paper over the chamber and can still draw well.

 

[Kozeman]

A briar is pretty absorbing when warm. I think there are several moisture altering factors going on albeit at questionable levels of contribution. Some out the top. Some into the briar. Some just equalizing through the cut pieces of tobacco. Clearly the time allotted will vary the effectiveness on these processes. I just find if I rush into a relight the taste is a little different than from one with a bit of a pause. I've been attributing it to drying but could always be in my head,,,, along with many other stranger thoughts.

 

[mordy18]

Try packing using the frank method, including his recommend lighting method. Repeatedly hover the flame over the bowl, for no more than a second each time and sip. Wait 30 seconds or so between lights. May take 4, 5 or more lights but once it gets going it gets going and i can often smoke aros down tocthe bottom with zero relights and little tamping. Also try the breathe method. Finally, i have some amphora full aroma and it was tricky - more of a broken flake than a ribbon and if yours is like that u may need to rub it out a bit.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I find drying aromatics until they are crispy works best re burn rate. Another reason is if they have even the slightest moisture in them I get tongue bite, the more moisture the more bite. I do seem to lose some of the flavour though but that's just the price I have to pay.
The one exception are Gawith Lakelands/aromatics which I smoke with some moisture in and I never ever get bitten. My guess is it's a combination of the Gawith tobaccos and the casing/toppings they use.

 

[maulragoth]

The comments above about draft holes and the drying and packing you have experiemented with all leave this a bit of mystery to me still. However, it sure seems too moist to me still. It probably is a humectant on your aromatic too, thus drying is tough, and then when using it well dried you lose a bunch of flavor St. Bruno or Erinmore aromatics burn a lot better for me than many of the heavily flavored aros. I love Edward G. Robinson's and it burns better for me than 30+jars of aromatics I have sampled too.

I imagine you are getting some tongue bite from all this trying to keep it lit too.

What are you smoking?