First smoke of Frog Morton was awesome, but then...

[pipenscotch]

Hi all! I'm a total noobie to this forum, and pipe smoking in general. Been about 4 months since I picked up the pipe, but have been loving it ever since! (My only regret is catching that dreaded PAD and TAD affliction :D)
So a little bit of background info first. The first blend I ever smoked was Lane 1Q (renamed as The Executive in my local shop), and it immediately became a staple of mine. I now identify it as my go-to-smoke, even though I've only sampled a few blends and tins. I've only ever dabbled in aromatics, never in englishes or non-aromatics in general.
So a couple weeks ago, I went out to my local shop, and picked myself up a 50g tin of Frog Morton (which consequently costed me $37!. :crying The night of purchase I had my first bowl of the Frog, in my newly acquired Peterson Donegal Rocky 999 shape (a lovely pipe if I might add), and upon first light experienced a wonderful smokiness, cured meat flavour, and tantalizing aroma that lasted the whole bowl. Smooth, cool, subtle yet full in taste, the Frog definitely impressed me as my first english blend. Consequently, I paired the bowl of baccy with Talisker 10 year, a wonderful combination.
So a few days ago, I had my second bowl of Frog Morton, and was giddily awaiting for the flavours to wash over my palate. But alas, my hopes and dreams were dashed when, upon smoking for the first ten minutes, the back of my throat felt like it had just been chopped at by a serrated blade. Oh the agony, the pain! (Obviously, im exaggerating a little, but I had high hopes for my second bowl!) The bowl then became extremely hot, the tastes turned bitter, and nothing I did stopped the experience from turning sour. (On a side note, it took my literally 30 minutes of smoking before I could tamp the tobacco down 1/8th of an inch past the starting point before the charring light.)
So, fellow pipe smokers, my question is, why did my second bowl of such a wonderful blend turn so sour so quick? Was it my packing method? (Could that explain why I had such an issue tamping down the tobacco?) (I use the three step method for packing my pipes) Could it be that I didn't dry out the tobacco long enough? Or could it be another completely different reason? I leave it up to you, the seasoned and experienced, to help a noob out.
pipenscotch

 

[ohin3]

Packing and humidity level seem to always be the culprit when a blend that you smoked once and loved now seems hot bloated, offensive and tasteless. Dry it out and pack it tothe point that it is a well formed plug yet still springy to the touch. Pack lighter than you think you should and dry more than you think you should.

 

[spartan]

It may even be that your pipe absorbed way too much moisture from the first smoke?
Let your wet tobacco dry out a bit. And don't forget to rest your briar pipes too.
I've never had the second back to back bowl taste so different from the first. Did you smoke them back to back?
What was the time inbetween smokes?

 

[barkar]

We can't know for sure what happened but we can guess. I think you packed to tight, so you unknowingly had to draw harder then before which burnt your throat. I like all the FROGS but I always let them dry before smoking them too.

 

[philip]

pipenscotch, welcome to the forum.
I find that 1-Q and Frog Morton cannot be packed the same way. They are different cuts.

The three step method works fine for me with 1-Q. Frog Morton almost falls into the bowl packed.

Maybe try using a "two step" method and barely press it down.

 

[mluyckx]

+1 with Barkar and Philip.... Looks like some drying time and a looser pack may help. Also, did you use 999 again? Some baccy's smoke different in different pipes.

 

[pipenscotch]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Spartan + Ohin: I let the tobacco sit out of the tin for about an hour and a half before I packed it, but the tobacco still seemed wet. Definitely going to have to let it dry out some more next bowl.
Barkar + Philip: Having just smoked a bowl of 1Q (which burned perfectly with the three step method), I'm realizing that FM can't be packed the same way. I'll have to try the two step method on my next bowl.
Mick: The 999 is going to be my reserved english pipe (until I get more :D).

 

[85royals]

Are you using the same pipe for 1-Q and Frog?

 

[disinformatique]

Do a separate pipe for Frog Morton, gravity fills are usually good than packing tightly.
Chris

 

[newbroom]

I think the packing of the chamber is the most important step to success. Moisture content can be compensated for at this stage of the process.

We don't want to have to pull too hard on a pipe to keep it lit because that results in negative consequence.

We don't want the pipe's contents to burn too quickly for the same reason.

It's about 'balance' and different tobaccos and their various presentations require their own specific methods.

Experiment and learn from trial and error, once you've got an idea of your objective(s).

If you want simple, thoughtless tobacco consumption, pipes might not be your thing.

If you are affected by failure to the point of despair, perhaps pipes are not your thing. (we all have failures, admit it!)

:: Damnit! a necro thread!

 

[dottiewarden]

The only time tasty tobacco tastes bad for me is when I've burnt out my tongue. This usually happens to me when I smoke too much Latakia or smoke Aromatics carelessly. Slow down the pace so you can get the most flavor out of your blend. Maybe you over did it on your Lane 1Q.

 

[hakchuma]

The back of your throat hurt in your original post. Are you inhaling?

 

[jackswilling]

^^^ since this Zombie thread is 4 years old, one can only hope the O/P has recovered.

 

[perdurabo]

LOL, if the Frog was canned, it's gonna taste like cardboard now. Not a fan of the Frog stuff. Loses flavor over time.

 

[dottiewarden]

I hadn't noticed how old the thread was originally posted, Apparently the OP hasn't even logged on in over a year and a half. He may have given up his pipe before even learning how to smoke it.

 

[minfarshaw]

I like both 1 Q and the Frog. 1Q is usually the first smoke of the day with coffee, although lately its been Luxury Bullseye Flake (its just been so yummy). I find that the frog does well in a big corn cob pipe. I almost always smoke it in my MM freehand. Sometimes I smoke it in a Mark Twain. Same shaped bowl I guess, on a smaller scale. One thing though, the Frog and Briars can't seem to get along in my book. To each their own.
Its pretty much trial and error. Every blend likes its pipe and its own packing method. You just gotta figure it out and experiment. Its part of the fun of pipe smoking.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The frog meat goes bad quickly after opening the tin. Should be smoked as quickly as possible.

 

[seagullplayer]

Wonder if he has made it to the bottom of the tin yet?
My experience was a tad different, my second bowl was every bit as bad as my first.
I am not a frog fan...

 

[minfarshaw]

I just had a bowl of Frog Morton that I opened about a month ago. Still good. I really enjoyed it.

 

[jackswilling]

^^^ Same here. I have had a tin of FMOTT rolling for a while and it is hanging in there.