Dried Out Pipe Tobacco and Ways to Rehydrate It

[Dan-o$]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

Are there some good ideas on rehydrating without destroying the cure on your pipe tobacco?

 

[anotherbob]

see how it smokes dry. I find that rehydrating is almost always disappointing and leaves a weird flat flavor in the smoke.

 

[didimauw]

Yup I prefer mine dry as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

+1 drying out the tin or jar is the first thing I do when I open them.

 

[bullet08]

How dry is it? Some blends, drying out to crisp is not too much of an issue. Other, too dry and it's harsh and flavor isn't there. Va type of blends do better being dried out to crisp and very forgiving. English/Balkan, to me, does best right before being crisp with just a bit of moisture. Aromatic, I don't usually smoke 'em.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Good advice above. See if you like it as is.

To rehydrate, I take a shard of terra cotta- as from a flower pot- soak it in water, then dump it in a jar for a bit. I use hygrometers to gauge how it's doing, but eye and feel are more often used.

 

[python]

Right here in the Pipe Tobacco Discussion sticky threads:

How to Re-Hydrate Pipe Tobacco :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion

Here is an article that I wrote awhile ago that shows a few different methods of re-hydrating pipe tobacco: How to Rehydrate Pipe Tobacco

pipesmagazine.com

 

[Architeuthis]

This is quick and easy. Dump your tobacco on a small plate and spread thin. Put a bowl with a little bit of water in the bottom into the microwave and heat until boiling- 3 minutes usually does it. You want it to boil for a bit to hydrate the air in the microwave. Quickly open the microwave door and slide your plate in (leave the bowl in there) and close it up. Let the tobacco sit in there and suck up the moisture in the air. The hot water in the bowl will keep replenishing the water vapor for awhile. 10-15 minutes and you are all done. If its too moist, you risk mold growth when you jar it back up. So you can take the plate out of your DIY hydration chamber (microwave) and let it sit out until it dries back down to your desired texture.

 

[Dan-o$]

How dry is it? Some blends, drying out to crisp is not too much of an issue. Other, too dry and it's harsh and flavor isn't there. Va type of blends do better being dried out to crisp and very forgiving. English/Balkan, to me, does best right before being crisp with just a bit of moisture. Aromatic, I don't usually smoke 'em.

seeing a few that mostly prefer it dry...though it would appear to make them a bit too hot IDK!

 

[Dan-o$]

This is quick and easy. Dump your tobacco on a small plate and spread thin. Put a bowl with a little bit of water in the bottom into the microwave and heat until boiling- 3 minutes usually does it. You want it to boil for a bit to hydrate the air in the microwave. Quickly open the microwave door and slide your plate in (leave the bowl in there) and close it up. Let the tobacco sit in there and suck up the moisture in the air. The hot water in the bowl will keep replenishing the water vapor for awhile. 10-15 minutes and you are all done. If its too moist, you risk mold growth when you jar it back up. So you can take the plate out of your DIY hydration chamber (microwave) and let it sit out until it dries back down to your desired texture.

Micro sort of toast it as well lol?

 

[Dan-o$]

seeing a few that mostly prefer it dry...though it would appear to make them a bit too hot IDK!

I mean like really, blow away dry. Can be saved though right.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...though it would appear to make them a bit too hot IDK!

Smoked slow it reduces how much steam is released by the tobacco, so it actually smokes cooler. Adding water is adding steam. But if you are talking about an aromatic, then the topping needs moisture for you to taste smell that. You might get some of the topping flavors if you rehydrated it, but I just throw them away.
Folks that like a little steam, probably have lots of techniques they use to rehydrate them in that link Python posted.

 

[Architeuthis]

Micro sort of toast it as well lol?

The microwave is not on while the tobacco is in there. You are just putting it in there in an enclosed chamber with the heated water so it can absorb moisture out of the humidified air.

 

[philobeddoe]

If the tobacco is too dried out, I’ll put it in a Ball jar with a small 58% Boveda pack to rehydrate the tobacco.

 

[Dan-o$]

The microwave is not on while the tobacco is in there. You are just putting it in there in an enclosed chamber with the heated water so it can absorb moisture out of the humidified air.

fast way of doing it!

 

[Dan-o$]

fast way of doing it!

I know, should look that product up

 

[Dan-o$]

How dry is it? Some blends, drying out to crisp is not too much of an issue. Other, too dry and it's harsh and flavor isn't there. Va type of blends do better being dried out to crisp and very forgiving. English/Balkan, to me, does best right before being crisp with just a bit of moisture. Aromatic, I don't usually smoke 'em.

like so dry if you rub it, it will turn in to powder.

 

[Dan-o$]

like so dry if you rub it, it will turn in to powder.

I know still a way to get it back to its original state kind of like re-hydrating brown sugar when it turns in to a rock in the pantry

 

[Dan-o$]

I mean like really, blow away dry. Can be saved though right.

Yep. I use a wad of rolling papers dipped until dripping...almost.

 

[Dan-o$]

Yep. I use a wad of rolling papers dipped until dripping...almost.

Forgot to mention most important part...always, always use distilled water, or it will taste like, well pretty yucky lol.