Do Longer Stems help Taste?

[Old_Newby]

Title edited. See Rule 9. -jpm

Newby here and was noticing how a key desire is to burn cooler. It made me wonder if a longer stem offered any value by the smoke being a little cooler when reaching the mouth (distance and surface area)? If yes would it help maximize flavor?

 

[sablebrush52]

That's an interesting question. It would certainly make the smoke a little cooler. As for maximizing flavor, my experience is that getting the moisture content to the right place for the blend I'm smoking is the biggest factor.

 

[Duck]

It'll be cooler, but not perceptibly so, you'd need some fancy equipment to even measure s difference. Go for comfort and aesthetics.

 

[AlanH]

Good question I have contemplated the same question. I do not have any pipes over 6 inches.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Nope, that's all in packing and smoking cadence.

 

[Old_Newby]

Ok thanks!!! I guess it makes sense that it would not make a difference. I think it’s the point or moment of combustion and how hot that combustion is that would determine if flavor is present or destroyed with heat. That occurs in the bowl. So my understanding after reading more about it is that if the tobacco is too hot you get ash flavor in the smoke, if it’s cooler burn you get flavors released in the smoke. So whether the smoke travels 5 inches or 10 inches it’s flavor is the same.

 

[64alex]

Cooling the smoke is your friend to get most of the flavor out of the tobacco. As said right level of humidity, correct packing and cadence of smoking are the most important factors to achieve it.
About the pipe anything which is increasing the volume of the chamber where the smoke pass through help cooling and with this regard calabash pipes are the system that can most help in this regard, more than a long stem as they offer a much larger volume for the smoke to cool. You can definitely feel a difference with this regard when using a calabash.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Just imagine water flushing through a hose. Would the water taste different at the end of a 8' hose vs a 2' house? Assuming the house is neutral, there wouldn't be any difference. I don't even see how there would be a perceptible difference in temperature. We're talking about less than a second from the ember to the mouth, how and why would there be a temperature change?

 

[hauntedmyst]

Just imagine water flushing through a hose. Would the water taste different at the end of a 8' hose vs a 2' house? Assuming the house is neutral, there wouldn't be any difference. I don't even see how there would be a perceptible difference in temperature. We're talking about less than a second from the ember to the mouth, how and why would there be a temperature change?

True with the average pipe. Back in 2012, I was working with Intel on new super cooling technology. We were attempting to build a new super computer for the US government that could out perform multiple Cray's. We managed to get pretty close with a cryogenic liquids. I took some of the extra equipment, cooling tubes and a pump system home and connected it to broken pipe and stem to see if it would smoke cooler and it worked fabulously! You can't imagine your favorite VaPer inhaled at right around 36 degrees. I considered selling it as a new type of smoking pipe but with 102 feet of tubing bent down to 36 feet and a cost of $1.8 million per pipe, I didn't think it marketable. Plus, I suck at turning bowls.

 

[bullet08]

True with the average pipe. Back in 2012, I was working with Intel on new super cooling technology. We were attempting to build a new super computer for the US government that could out perform multiple Cray's. We managed to get pretty close with a cryogenic liquids. I took some of the extra equipment, cooling tubes and a pump system home and connected it to broken pipe and stem to see if it would smoke cooler and it worked fabulously! You can't imagine your favorite VaPer inhaled at right around 36 degrees. I considered selling it as a new type of smoking pipe but with 102 feet of tubing bent down to 36 feet and a cost of $1.8 million per pipe, I didn't think it marketable. Plus, I suck at turning bowls.

Water cooling system is a possibility. Like those WWI water cooled machine guns. But you would need running water at low temperature. And more than likely have to smoke near a faucet. Water pipe with a large water tank might be another idea. Only if they can be miniaturized to 6" pipe... With its own self powered pump... And double as moonshine still..

 

[jpmcwjr]

Imperceptible difference in temperature, most likely the same for taste. However, if you believe that it does, it does for you.

 

[64alex]

I never tried but there is the hookah which is basically pipe where the smoke is cooled passing through water. Don't know how much is actually cooling the smoke passing through the water.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Nope. ️

 

[mingc]

True with the average pipe. Back in 2012, I was working with Intel on new super cooling technology. We were attempting to build a new super computer for the US government that could out perform multiple Cray's. We managed to get pretty close with a cryogenic liquids. I took some of the extra equipment, cooling tubes and a pump system home and connected it to broken pipe and stem to see if it would smoke cooler and it worked fabulously! You can't imagine your favorite VaPer inhaled at right around 36 degrees. I considered selling it as a new type of smoking pipe but with 102 feet of tubing bent down to 36 feet and a cost of $1.8 million per pipe, I didn't think it marketable. Plus, I suck at turning bowls.

I just put ice in my bong water. Worked great. For tobacco only, of course.

 

[Eastmon]

I don’t have the experience here than many guys do, but I thought what you wanted was a cooler ember in the pot to bring out the flavors.

 

[tzinc]

I always thought a long shank like in a Canadian with a short stem would produce a cooler smoke.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I always thought a long shank like in a Canadian with a short stem would produce a cooler smoke.

yes They do,and somewhat dryer too,I feel my straight billiards with longer stem producing cooler smoking experience compared to the shorter ones,

 

[jpmcwjr]

As I said up thread: If you think the smoke is cooler due to x, y, or z, it is for you!

 

[WVOldFart]

There are those that will swear that the smoke is cooler and the taste is deeper, but I don't see it. For me, it is how dry the tobacco is, how the pipe is packed and the cadence I use. If I do these three things right, I will have a good smoke no matter whether I have a nose burner or a churchwarden.

 

[MacMarty89]

This theory would mean that a nosewarmer delivers a substantial hotter smoke. It won't, just as a churchwarden will not yield you a cooler smoke either. It's the cadence that is key, I think.