Bulk vs Tin

[fr0st]

My only recommendation is to remember to mix up the bag contents thoroughly before jarring. Sometime the small pieces end up at the bottom. This is more or less likely depending upon the blend.

Anymore, I only buy bulk. Although I have a tradition of picking up a tin from a local shop when I travel. I write a date on these and put them in the cellar.

 

[Auxsender]

Same. I started with English, and really enjoyed it for awhile but lost my taste for them. Now I'm on Perique.

Right on. I’m currently exploring burley based codger blend matches and loving it. Sutliff Ready Rubbed, Milan’s Our Carter Hall, American Cut Plug, and Sutliff #600 are all in the current lineup.
I wonder how difficult these will be to procure in the future now that Sutliff is gone; probably quite.

In order to stay somewhat on topic I will note that these are all bulk.

 

[Mortar0341]

ive got a decent amount of different blends in my celler, of stuff I don't really want to smoke. Not that any of them are bad, I really like all of them, just don't crave them. So they are there if I ever want them. I just find myself only wanting to smoke HB. I do smoke a lot of Bayou Morning too though. I'd probably buy it in bulk too. I'm curious about the BM flake, I ain't had it yet, just the ribbon. Again cause it's easy.

 

[Mortar0341]

This seems to be a perennial topic. The short answer is, yes, tinned and bulk versions of blends are the same. Take a moment to consider what the point would be, from a commercial perspective, to add the cost and complexity of running separate production lines for bulk and tinned versions of exactly the same product.

So why offer the same product in two formats? Customer convenience. Not every blend gets customer demand for a bulk option. Psychology - some nitwits are sure that the tinned version is superior in quality in some undefinable way so why not satisfy the nitwits and charge them extra, a nitwit tax.

So why do some say that the bulk and tinned versions taste ever so slightly different?

Most of the time it’s just imaginary, the power of self suggestion. It’s in a tin, it’s gotta be better.
And sometimes the bulk gets a little drier over time, sitting in those big plastic bags at the B&M, and that moisture change alters the flavor a little.
In any case it starts out as the same product.

, nitwit tax. That's funny man

 

[sablebrush52]

ive got a decent amount of different blends in my celler, of stuff I don't really want to smoke. Not that any of them are bad, I really like all of them, just don't crave them. So they are there if I ever want them. I just find myself only wanting to smoke HB. I do smoke a lot of Bayou Morning too though. I'd probably buy it in bulk too. I'm curious about the BM flake, I ain't had it yet, just the ribbon. Again cause it's easy.

Hold onto those other blends. It’s the rare smoker who’s monogamous. Chances are good that at some point you’ll find yourself inclined to revisit their charms.

 

[SSGT.]

Yes I know. Sorry.

No need to apologize for chiming in on pros and cons. Pro of bulk it's cheaper con resale price sux.

 

[peteyhan]

If I were the type of person that a single type of tobacco would be satisfying then I would be attracted to bulk, it's the same product in a different package but cheaper. I reach for new smoke frequently and am a collector at heart so by nature I love the tins, and when I find one I've been seeking it feels like a real win.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I don't have any interest in selling my smoke. What I really want is a Large fancy Jar next to my pipe cabinet, full of my favorite blend. That's always full. I've basically spent this last year trying to find what I like. The Virginia, Perique, Burley trio has been my jam. Haunted Bookshop has been a special one to me. It just hits right Everytime. I really just want to buy a ton of it in Bulk I think and celler it.

Keep in mind, what you're smoking regularly can go in any jar you please depending on how long it takes you to smoke through it all. But most fancy jars won't be air tight and the tobacco will dry out eventually. Anything else you should keep in Mason jars. That way when you replenish the fancy jar, the stuff going in is relatively as fresh as the day you bought it, but with perhaps a bit of age on it.

 

[Lumbridge]

It's the same as long as the place you're buying from keeps their bulks fresh.

 

[Mortar0341]

Hold onto those other blends. It’s the rare smoker who’s monogamous. Chances are good that at some point you’ll find yourself inclined to revisit their charms.

I'm sure I will. I've already been shocked with how time can change a blend. Haddos Delight being an excellent example. I don't throw blends out. If anything I'll roll what I don't prefer into cigarettes and smoke them at work.

 

[Mortar0341]

Keep in mind, what you're smoking regularly can go in any jar you please depending on how long it takes you to smoke through it all. But most fancy jars won't be air tight and the tobacco will dry out eventually. Anything else you should keep in Mason jars. That way when you replenish the fancy jar, the stuff going in is relatively as fresh as the day you bought it, but with perhaps a bit of age on it.

Well that's another question I was gonna ask on here. Is it anyone knew of good fancy jars. Chacom and Savinelli have some on SP, and then there are some antique looking ones on there too, I think they might be Savinelli too. I mean if they can keep the tobacco fresh for say a month. That be long enough.

 

[Brad H]

Easy solution. Buy both tinned and bulk.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Well that's another question I was gonna ask on here. Is it anyone knew of good fancy jars. Chacom and Savinelli have some on SP, and then there are some antique looking ones on there too, I think they might be Savinelli too. I mean if they can keep the tobacco fresh for say a month. That be long enough.

It would also depend on the size of the jar. The Chacom jars I saw there only hold 4.4 oz of tobacco, roughly 2 1/2 tins. You would most certainly get through most of your supply before it dries much. Less tobacco equals more air in the jar and therefore more drying. That's not to say some of the larger jars wouldn't work for you. It also depends on how much moisture is in the tobacco to begin with. English blends for example will dry out much faster than a moist aromatic. Also if you refill the jar before it's mostly empty and mix the tobacco well, you might be helping to keep it all at an optimal level. It all depends on how quickly you smoke what's in there and what works best for you. I certainly am not trying to talk you out of it. I keep a couple larger non-mason style jars for a couple blends I regularly smoke myself, and have thought about purchasing a jar or two of the antique style Savinelli jars, because yeah they're cool as hell.

 

[Hutch Piper]

I buy bulk if it is an option. However, I am running out of cellar space so recently I have been buying more tins as they take up less space.

 

[Servant King]

I'm squarely in the camp that notices precisely zero difference. Sure, some might say they do, and they could be right. But I'm inclined to think they're either imagining it or, worse yet, lying. Anyway, I could speculate on that until the cows come home, but think of all the great bulk sales on SP.com I'd miss out on in the process...

Early on in my cellaring, before I discovered bulk, I really went to town on tins. Yes, hindsight is 20/20, but I really should have thought about the broader implications of my cellaring before I went balls deep. Perhaps I didn't anticipate just how deep I would go, but whatever the case, I am remedying this issue currently by swapping out some of my excess tins. Aside from being cheaper, bulk is just more practical for the minimal storage space I have to work with, not to mention less cumbersome and easier to rearrange.

 

[Mortar0341]

I'm squarely in the camp that notices precisely zero difference. Sure, some might say they do, and they could be right. But I'm inclined to think they're either imagining it or, worse yet, lying. Anyway, I could speculate on that until the cows come home, but think of all the great bulk sales on SP.com I'd miss out on in the process...

Early on in my cellaring, before I discovered bulk, I really went to town on tins. Yes, hindsight is 20/20, but I really should have thought about the broader implications of my cellaring before I went balls deep. Perhaps I didn't anticipate just how deep I would go, but whatever the case, I am remedying this issue currently by swapping out some of my excess tins. Aside from being cheaper, bulk is just more practical for the minimal storage space I have to work with, not to mention less cumbersome and easier to rearrange.

I'll probably buy bulk from now on too, this is kinda what I was thinking.

 

[Servant King]

I'll probably buy bulk from now on too, this is kinda what I was thinking.

Your wallet will thank you.

Just be sure to get good quality mylar for long term storage. 7 mil is the old standby, comes in a variety of sizes too, so you can just pick what works for your particular cellaring.

 

[Sig]

If you are going to let any tobacco sit for an extended period, or want to "age" it, I'd suggest smaller jars.
Every time you open the jar, the tobacco gets more dry.
I personally use 4oz Ball jars with the 2 piece screw on lid. Bail top jars and 1 piece screw on lids will eventually fail. Ive got 20 year old jars that are as moist as the day I jarred them.
I get 15-20 bowls from the 4oz jar. This way I can have several open while the rest stays fresh and gets some age.
Here is something I found out on Amazon and ebay. Many sellers use the words "Mason Jars" for any screw on lid. I've heard of people having issues with the cheapo Chinese 2 piece lids. The jar rims aren't level, so the lids can never seal.
I have not noticed this with the Ball brand jars. They say Ball on the jar and the packaging. Some of the knockoffs actually say Mason right on them, but they are NOT Mason brand.....in my experience.
If it's a Chinese company selling them, I would pass. All the Ball jars are sold and deliver from American companies.

 

[woodsroad]

True, but sort of off topic here.

Not at all.
I would venture to say that most folks here have either sold tins or will sell tins. Tastes change, maybe you decide to stop smoking, or maybe you need to raise some cash and you have some old tins that are now worth ten times what you paid for them. That could certainly be an influence on what you purchase.

As for “off topic”, well, that’s par for the course here. PipesMagazine is the best moderated forum that I’ve ever frequented and I’ve never seen a mod mention it.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Many folks say the 1lb bulk bags blends come from the manufacturer are in are sub-par for long term storage, but I question that. That’s how the B&M’s store them until dispensed into big jars to be portioned out of, correct?