Best way to store non-tinned tobacco long-term (10+ years)

[greatdane]

It seems like the standard canning jar method is not perfect for long-term storage as I have experienced several 10+years jars with completely dried out tobacco. There is is inevitably some air leakage over time with your typical Ball or Kerr jars.
Anyone found a better method for long-term storage of bulk tobacco? TIA

 

[lawdawg]

I'm curious to know whether you live in an extremely dry / low humidity climate. My oldest jars are maybe five years old, and have shown no signs of drying out whatsoever.

 

[crashthegrey]

I'm afraid that most swear by these jars and have no issue with drying. Are you talking about screw on lids, or those weird snap lids, because the snap lids will cause that problem.

 

[lawdawg]

To add something perhaps a bit more responsive and helpful than my above post, I've heard of people vacuum-sealing bulk tobacco in mylar bags. That would be the first alternative I'd look into if I lost faith in mason jars.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have never had, never seen, nor ever heard about anyone I know having an issue with their tobacco drying out in a jar. I would assume such a thing to be possible for someone who didn't make sure the jar was ever truly sealed, or someone who reused a jar lid (which you are supposed to throw away).
One week after canning, go through and remove all of your outer rings from the jars. I have been canning as my grandfather and great grandfather canned. Removing the outer ring from everything; tomatoes, beans, tobacco, whatever I have canned. Doing this, you ensure that there is a seal between the jar and the lid, because it will hold itself on. There is never a chance that a jar that I have sealed has compromised it's seal, because it would be blatantly obvious.
That said, I don't believe there to be a method of saving and aging tobaccos that surpasses the jar. I think that the mylar bag is ok, and maybe has it's great uses, but it doesn't surpass jars in any actual quality that a jar can provide.... except weight.

 

[spartacus]

Interesting article.
www.glpease.com/Articles/vacuum.html

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Spartacus, what did you want us to understand from that article?

 

[ben88]

Anyone puts Boveda pack when jarring baccy?

 

[greatdane]

Thanks everyone. I do live in a very dry climate (4 corners area) but perhaps I just had a bad batch of jars.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Make sure that no little tiny leaf parts gets between the lip of the jar and the seal on the lid. Screw down the lid and let it set for a week or so. Then remove the ring. The tobacco will have sealed and by leaving the ring off you make it obvious if one loses it's seal, which I have never heard of happening.

The lids will still pop with shifts in air pressure, but the seal will never be compromised till it is pried off.
The ambient air RH would have no affect on the contents of a sealed jar.

 

[crashthegrey]

Huh, I don't take the outer ring off. I like that, for all jars, as it does tell you if you have a compromised seal. Thanks Cosmic.

 

[sablebrush52]

Jar seals are not guaranteed to last for 10 years. Manufacturers will give a time frame of about 2 years. Will a seal held up longer than that? Sure, but not guaranteed. It's always possible that the seal shrank and cracked. Food grade metallized Mylar bags are used for long term storage, but are too new to the tobacco cellaring community to have developed any sort of track record. Whatever path you take there's an element of hope, faith, and desperation. I sure wish they were still tinning in cutter tops.

 

[spartacus]

[Spartacus, what did you want us to understand from that article?]
It was suggested that vacuum sealing might be a better alternative. I posted the article to show the results of that experiment.

 

[Civil War]

Spartacus, thanks for sharing the article.
Conclusion: Unevacuated sealed mason jars perform the best.

 

[mikethompson]

I don't cellar in jars, but once I open a tin straight into a jar it goes. I have heard about wrapping electrical tape around the seal for an extra layer of protection though.

 

[btp79]

Anyone puts Boveda pack when jarring baccy?

Cigars yes, pipe tobacco no.

 

[saltedplug]

I think the maximum time I jarred was 7 years. No problem there. During this time I had cases of jars sitting where I could hear any changes to the seal, and it was a regular occurrence to have the lids ping given changes. I never correlated this to improperly stored tobacco. I smoked a few jars of Dark Flake in 2018 that had been jarred in 2013.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don't know of anyway to keep them over 10 years that is guaranteed. I don't believe that Mason Ball Jars were ever intended especially for tobaccos, but there really isn't a food product that can be saved in jars or any method that extends past two years. I put dates on all pickles, jellies, jams, and canned veggies. After two years I dump the contents, because the pathogens that can grow in old canned food can be odorless and invisible, and can kill you quickly. There have been recorded instances of whole families found dead at the dinner table.
So, it makes sense that Mason Jars wouldn't put a 10+ year guarantee on their jars, because some idiot would kill himself with 10 year old green beans if they did.
Even herbs you don't want to keep around for longer than a couple of years.
Pipe smokers putting their tobaccos in jars probably doesn't come up at board meetings at the Mason Ball corporation. ::

 

[leafsmoker]

I have never had problems with my storing in Mason jars.I have never taken the rings off.Interesting to learn.I also make sure there is no Tobacco on the rim.I punch a hole in the center of the lid,put a tab on it and use my pump'n'seal to get rid of all the air.So,I have a vacuum sealed jar of Baccy.the best part is taking the tab off when you are ready to open.The tobacco in the jar dances on top when air is introduced back in the Jar. :idea: