Capstan Yellow Fungus

[bazungu]

A little less than a year ago I opened a new tin of Capstan Yellow and smoked 2-3 flakes after which I put the opened tin inside of a plastic airtight container. Now after a year I was really looking forward opening this container with these fresh, lemony virginias which I imagined to have aged nicely. Now instead of that lovely virginia smell, I got a very muted funky smell. I opened the tin and I saw the flakes were covered with fungus (big white plumes). I immediately threw it away in the trash, should have taken a picture. Now I need to disinfect the container and hope the spores flying around will not infect my other tobaccos.

I was just wondering, did something similar occur to anyone else? The flakes were even drier as they come in the tin since they have been drying out a bit while I was smoking the flakes for a few days after which I put it in the container, so it is not that I rehydrated them and they are stored in a cool, dark place. I really wondered what could have caused this sudden growth of fungus, it has never happened before to any other tobacco in my house. This was a real bummer, have been looking forward to that smoke for months now!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Mold just happens. It is impossible to say exactly where they came from, especially from this side of my keyboard. I usually just throw the jar and all away when I see mold, as I don't want it jostling about in my garbage can, nor infecting my other jars as they awaited being cleaned.

I had several pounds of Esoterica's Blackpool mold over within weeks of jarring them. I feel your pain.

 

[Civil War]

Likewise mold just happens. I found if the tobacco is moist it helps to dry it out a bit before storing long term. I had some Bayou Morning just starting to plume on me. I picked out the offending pieces, dried it out a bit, and haven't had any more problems (1 year and counting).

 

[seacaptain]

I've never tried it but the Capstan Blue Fungus isn't bad.

 

[woodsroad]

Throw out the container, too.

 

[bazungu]

Thank you all for your replies, it seems it might happen to any tobacco occasionally. I always assumed they added enough anti-fungal additives to prevent mold at the moisture content the manufacturer produces it.
I have thoroughly cleaned the container and perhaps I will put it in the dishwasher as well just to make sure all mold is removed. Luckily the tobacco was still in its tin and the container has not been in touch with the mold. Perhaps I will first test with a small amount of tobacco to see if it will get moldy again in the same container.
Learned my lesson, from now on I believe I will smoke a tin completely once it is opened! Another solution might be to dry the tobacco before jarring but I read that slightly moist tobacco ages better. I am just praying the spores floating around in the air won't infect the rest of my stash.

 

[woodsroad]

Just throw it out.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, I don't understand why you would want the container. It's plastic, and you will never get it to temperature that will kill the spores without melting it out of shape. You are just asking for trouble by keeping that thing.

 

[tozert]

In all my years of pipe smoking and tobacco cellaring, I've only ever had one tin (re-jarred) go mouldy, and it was Capstan Yellow. I removed the affected tobacco and washed the jar, but the mould came back. I had to throw it all out. I guess once the spores are active, there is no getting rid of it. Also, you may want to think about keeping your tobacco it glass jars and not plastic. It is ok to keep sealed tins in plastic like lock&lock containers. I keep all my square tins in them, but once opened, the tobacco goes straight into a glass jar.

 

[woodsroad]

The spores are like spray paint: They get on everything.

 

[workman]

What if you threw out the tobacco with visible mold and baked the rest. Wouldn't that work?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Workman, you do the experimenting, get some viable lab results, and report back with a full write up on that.

As it is, I wouldn't know, and my life and health is not worth gambling with.

 

[woodsroad]

What if you threw out the tobacco with visible mold and baked the rest. Wouldn't that work?

No. The spores would still be there. Mold spores are not killed by the relatively low temperatures that you'd use to bake tobacco.

 

[seacaptain]

Ok, serious reply now. (come on, the Capstan Blue Fungus comment was funny)
Anyway, NEVER store tobacco in plastic containers. Always use glass canning jars with a proper sealed lid. AND, keep them out of the light. That should prevent any problems.
I'd throw everything out and move on.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

(come on, the Capstan Blue Fungus comment was funny)

I chuckled, I promise. T'was good, t'was good.

 

[woodsroad]

Capstan Blue Fungus was funny!

That should prevent any problems.

Not necessarily. If the mold spores are already present, and conditions are right, it doesn't matter how the tobacco is stored, they will reproduce.

 

[Civil War]

If its white plume its ok. And the colors I see when I smoke it only enhance the experience.

 

[renfield]

It seems like we in this microscopic hobby have stumbled into territory that is a relatively new phenomenon. We tend to buy a wide range of blends and sample and cellar.
We probably also smoke fewer bowls per week than was the norm when you could smoke nearly anywhere. In the past people bought a tin or two of their favorites and smoked quickly through them and then repeated the process. The same number of spores were probably there but they never got a chance to reproduce.
Not much we can do but handle open tobacco as little as we can, store it in clean containers and just expect to run across the occasional mold party when we open a tin.
Still a bummer to have it happen.

 

[derekflint]

With glass jars available everywhere...why plastic?

 

[ashdigger]

Woodsroad, I can tell you've never had aged half and half from the 60's.