I’ve been packing straight from the bag with moist blends. Should I be drying it first?
Drying the Tobacco?
- Thread starter PipeGarGuy
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If you are fine smoking like that and don't get tongue bite, why not? Give drying a chance and see which you like better. Dry them till it feels dry to touch. If the tobacco's cool to the touch, dry more.
It depends. Since I mostly smoke Virginias and Va/Per blends, drying the tobacco to just shy of bone dry gives me greater flavors and also smoother smokes. I also smoke a lot of British made blends and those are overly moist so that they don't dry out before being smoked,
Most aromatics benefit from drying, though not as dry as Virginias, and most English blends are OK when smoked straight from the tin, though they improve with some dry time. It's just that Latakia and Oriental blends pack more powerful flavors than Virginias, so the extra moisture doesn't render them tasteless.
It also depends on the manufacturer. Most Hearth and Home blends are tinned at their optimal smoking moisture, as are Daughters and Ryan blends. Other manufacturers benefit from drying.
Thanks sablebrush52! I’m very new to this. I currently buy my tobacco from a local tobacconist. It’s in large jars and I get each blend in a 1oz bag. I get to smell each blend and buy. So far the ones I like are the really moist blends but I’m not savvy enough to know much more than they are moist and I like how they smell and taste. I didn’t know about drying until I seen it mentioned in a post.
At this stage of the game, just try out different blends and experiment with different moisture levels to see if it makes a difference for you. Pipe smoking isn't exactly rocket science, but there is an art to getting the best from it.
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I'd add that it's very much an individual thing, the best for me might not be best for you. Enjoy the journey.
Another rough “is it dry enough?” test to know when it’s ready to pack in a bowl is to pinch it. If it sticks together solidly it’s likely still too moist. I personally like it very mildly moist but falling apart with that test.
In addition to drying it a bit, you can try packing it very, very loosely (basically just drop it in the bowl and only press down to move it downward but not “press” it). That can help with combustion if it’s a tad on the moist side.
A lot will depend on the tobacco itself because some blends burn much easier or much more difficultly than others. I personally find bone dry tobacco to be rougher on my mouth and lose a lot of flavor but others have the exact opposite experience, so there’s personal body chemistry and preference at play too.
In addition to drying it a bit, you can try packing it very, very loosely (basically just drop it in the bowl and only press down to move it downward but not “press” it). That can help with combustion if it’s a tad on the moist side.
A lot will depend on the tobacco itself because some blends burn much easier or much more difficultly than others. I personally find bone dry tobacco to be rougher on my mouth and lose a lot of flavor but others have the exact opposite experience, so there’s personal body chemistry and preference at play too.
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I sometimes like to pack a bowl the night before I plan to smoke it. Something to try...
Think Supertramp, “Some they will and some they won’t and some you just can’t tell.”
I smoke flakes all the time and I prefer them to have a bit of moisture so they are easier to fold and stuff. I also get a cooler more flavorful smoke using my system. When I tried drying out flakes they burn hot and I would lose flavor.
There is a fine line between to much moisture and too little, you will have to experiment to find what works best for you, everyone is different. If you do try a flake I would suggest Capstan Blue Flake as it comes at the perfect humidity and it is a soft sweet Virginia that doesn't burn your tongue or mouth if you pay attention to how you are smoking. I also pack my pipe so that there is a bit of resistance as too loose a pack burns hot and looses flavor. I never light my pipe without first checking the draw. Some times I might have to add more tobacco once in a great while I may have to pull some out. If you start with a bad pack, chances of getting a good smoke are not good.
There is a fine line between to much moisture and too little, you will have to experiment to find what works best for you, everyone is different. If you do try a flake I would suggest Capstan Blue Flake as it comes at the perfect humidity and it is a soft sweet Virginia that doesn't burn your tongue or mouth if you pay attention to how you are smoking. I also pack my pipe so that there is a bit of resistance as too loose a pack burns hot and looses flavor. I never light my pipe without first checking the draw. Some times I might have to add more tobacco once in a great while I may have to pull some out. If you start with a bad pack, chances of getting a good smoke are not good.
The drawback to that is the tobacco on top dries out some, but not the stuff below the surface.
Interesting. I'd think it would all get some exposure to the air this way, but I haven't unpacked a pipe the next morning to confirm. I'll try that.
Right now I’m enjoying some Wilke 71st Street. Yesterday I dried some for about 40 minutes and it was fine for about 90 minutes of slow sipping in my Meer. I left a good amount on the granite countertop overnight and now after 19 hours or so it is perfect in a briar that seems more fussy about moisture. This tobacco comes pretty moist and was far from “crispy” today, but a little more dry is making for an even more carefree smoke! The pipe prepacking as a sole drying measure doesn’t work as well for me with most blends.
Good stuff, thanks for the input @jpmcwjr and @HawkeyeLinus !
Unpacking may be difficult to measure the difference. But it's a matter of physics.
Didn't want to start another thread on the topic, so I searched & found this recent one...
I've been having a helluva time with my aro's, all of which are moist. Numerous re-lights & gurgling have been commonplace. I've been fiddling with proper packing procedures & it isn't going away. It needs mentioning I don't have these issues with the English I've been smoking. Last night I smoked a few through a straight Kaywoodie with the same results.
My question regarding drying is how long should I air it out to dry? I've thought about spreading some out in the morning before heading out to work so as I have cooperative baccy to puff at days end.
I've been having a helluva time with my aro's, all of which are moist. Numerous re-lights & gurgling have been commonplace. I've been fiddling with proper packing procedures & it isn't going away. It needs mentioning I don't have these issues with the English I've been smoking. Last night I smoked a few through a straight Kaywoodie with the same results.
My question regarding drying is how long should I air it out to dry? I've thought about spreading some out in the morning before heading out to work so as I have cooperative baccy to puff at days end.
I’ve tried drying but either don’t get it dry enough to make a difference or get it too dry and lose the taste and smell. Right now I’ve found dryer blends that smell and taste good and work on smoking the moist ones as is. I have found that if I get it packed right and smoke with the right cadence I don’t have more than one or two relights and only get a little gurgling at the very bottom of the bowl where it’s getting hot enough to stop anyway. Packing and cadence are the key to moist blends for me. Sometimes I get one or the other a little off but practice makes perfect. Meanwhile I change to the dryer blends every so often to change it up and compare. I’ve gotten good enough at packing and cadence to do away with screens as was predicted by many of our forum colleagues. I’ve also found that my $10 pipes smoke as well as my $250 pipes, also predicted by our peers! Hope this helps!