Dry or Moist Pipe Tobacco

[crawdad]

I prefer my tobacco be be just like a martini… dry.

 

[Boognish]

How do you guys dry when it's wicked humid like this summer? I would set out tobacco and come back to find it more wet than in the tin. I ended up just smoking straight from the tin but do prefer the burn of dry tobacco.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

How do you guys dry when it's wicked humid like this summer? I would set out tobacco and come back to find it more wet than in the tin. I ended up just smoking straight from the tin but do prefer the burn of dry tobacco.

I live in 100% humidity, Alabama, so I have to drive the moisture off with heat most of the year. They sell these coffee mug warmers also as candle warmers. But, I will put a tin or jar on one for a few hours till it has driven off most of the moisture. I hope this helps.


In a pinch, I will also just put a bowl's worth into a coffee filter and nuke it in the microwave for 8 seconds, and then let it set in the microwave for another 20 or so seconds after it stops. It works in a pinch, but I don't prefer this method. Just don't over nuke it, or it smells like shit.

 

[Boognish]

Just don't over nuke it, or it smells like shit.

Yeah I'm microwave shy from ruining non food items in the past. I like the hot plate candle thing. Many thanks

 

[EvertonFC]

In a pinch, I will also just put a bowl's worth into a coffee filter and nuke it in the microwave for 8 seconds, and then let it set in the microwave for another 20 or so seconds after it stops. It works in a pinch, but I don't prefer this method. Just don't over nuke it, or it smells like shit.

Perhaps an odd question. I too use a coffee mug warmer, but have been using an empty tobacco tin to hold the bowls worth. Is there any advantage to using a coffee filter or paper towel vs. a tin? Gracias.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Perhaps an odd question. I too use a coffee mug warmer, but have been using an empty tobacco tin to hold the bowls worth. Is there any advantage to using a coffee filter or paper towel vs. a tin? Gracias.

A tin will start a fire in the microwave. I only use the coffee filter when doing this in a microwave, but it has been a loooong time since I've done it, and it's not my preferred method.

I'd just rather dry out a whole tin, to keep from having to constantly dry bowls worth's of tobacco on the coffee warmer all day every day. I just dry the whole tin or jar at once, then I don't have to worry with it.
Once you've popped a tin or jar, that environment that was established with enzymes and aging magic stops. There's absolutely no reason to keep it moist any longer. Might as well just dry the whole thing and have it ready to pack at a moment's notice. It can stay dry indefinitely, so I have no reason to keep it moist and drive myself nuts drying it out a pinch at a time.

There is this fear of having your tobacco dry out, that somehow that equates staleness. But, before the guys at the tobacco making factory has gotten to that leaf, it has been dried, and rehydrated several times. Now, if you left it for several years, you might lose some of the essential oils, but I have yet to have tobacco go stale on me. It's a rather irrational fear, IMO.

Now, if you smoke aromatics, the wetness of the topping is what gives you the flavor, so aromatic smokers tend not to dry their tobaccos.

 

[EvertonFC]

Ahhhh. OK. So you're putting a full tin on the coffee warmer, until the full tin is at the appropriate dryness level. Is that right?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Paper towel, newspaper, napkins have all been use in my microwave, but it gets used only when I can't wait to try a new blend.

The rest is as cosmic does; drying a tin at a time. So I always have 10-20 oz of ready-to-smoke tobacco.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

So I always have 10-20 oz of ready-to-smoke tobacco.

You buy much bigger tins than me, ha ha.

 

[crawdad]

…or it smells like shit.

So it turns into an aromatic?

 

[anotherbob]

I like very dry. And I strongly support the theory that pipe tobacco is shipped moist so it is less likely to break down on shipping and that pouches are moister typically because they have less protection against crushing.

 

[anotherbob]

How do you guys dry when it's wicked humid like this summer? I would set out tobacco and come back to find it more wet than in the tin. I ended up just smoking straight from the tin but do prefer the burn of dry tobacco.

Leave more room in the jar. In the summer I'll only fill my jars half way at least for the stuff I want to smoke. It isn't a perfect system but it does cause it to get closer to ideal dryness when smoked. And it's a more passive wait time.

 

[Daydreamer]

I am sure this has been discussed before, but do you prefer your pipe tobacco to be dry or moist? I tend to like my tobacco on the dry side. Not crispy, but dry. I find that for me it burns cooler, less relights and with more taste. Many believe that pipe tobacco should be moist to get all the flavors that it has to offer. So many blends have so much PG on them that they may never dry out. I tend not to smoke them too often. I smoke a lot of "Codger" blends that for me are perfect right out of the freshly opened tub. What is your opinion?

I don’t have enough experience in this arena to have a preference at this point. For what it’s worth, I do know that my wife wraps my sandwiches for work in paper towel to keep them from getting soggy.

 

[UncleRasta]

I prefer dry. Living near the ocean I have some blends that take days to get dry enough. I like the coffee warmer idea very much.

 

[Ky pipemaster]

I pour out a pouch worth at a time in a pan and let it sit on the open oven door with the oven on warm for a couple of hours. I dry it just about bone dry and body heat from a leather pouch in my pocket softens it back to just right. By the way Granger is all I smoke and it's pretty moist fresh from the tin,I love the stuff.

 

[fMf Piper]

I am still experimenting, but I have quickly found I prefer it on the drier side. Seems like I let each new bowl of tobacco get a little drier than the last, and I enjoy it more.

They sell these coffee mug warmers also as candle warmers. But, I will put a tin or jar on one for a few hours till it has driven off most of the moisture. I hope this helps.

This is a great idea. Humidity is definitely an issue here in Kentucky as well, and I have one of these laying around that hasn't been used in a couple of years. Thanks for the tip.