Do You Have a Preference As To Buying Flake In Bulk Or Tins?

[robcapp]

By the time jars are purchased, I often wonder if it's a false economy, the whole bulk vs tins debate.

Sure, the jars are forever yours, but I don't know what I'll do with all these jars when they're emptied of their contents!
Having said that, I do love opening a box of bulk flake and preparing it to jar....the sight of that pristinely presented flake makes my heart and senses flutter.

 

[mso489]

I had an in-law years ago who would corner the owner of the local barbecue restaurant and insist she must have "the good barbecue," assuming there was a bad barbecue served to the unknowing peasants, I guess. Along these lines, I suspect that the bulk and tinned versions of blends tend to come from the same bins, since it would be another expensive process to divide out separate superior and inferior grade products.

 

[64alex]

The main reason for bulk would be economy, however as I smoke little cost is not a factor for me. What I consider is the quality of the baccy and even assuming the tin and bulk version are exactly the same I think tins are safer in terms of consistency as the bulk might suffer from suboptimal storage in the chain from production to delivery to customer and the risk is higher for less popular blends which could spend a more considerable amount of time in suboptimal storage at the warehouses/B&M. So when there is a choice I go for tins.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I like a combination. My cellar is about 40% tins, 60% bulk.

 

[mso489]

64alex, I've thought of that, the matter of storage and other handling and how it might affect bulk, but I've smoked both tins and bulk (and tubs, pouches, a bagged) for some years, and it's about an even split; bulk tastes better about half the time. I haven't made a same-blend comparison, but right now some of my jarred bulk outshines some of my tinned blends.