How do I solve this problem: Sometimes a bowl of tobacco starts out tasting bitter but then the bitterness fades. I've noticed this occasionally happens after I've soaked the inside of the pipe with alcohol. Is it the pipe, the tobacco or both?
How do I Ensure a Sweet Smoke
- Thread starter jazzlover
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With respect to soaking the inside of a pipe; I do it whenever a pipe begins to taste bitter. Also, I use the alcohol you recommend, usually 91 percent isopropyl. I've also tried a 151 proof sugar cane liquor called "aguardiente" (Spanish for firewater) made by Oggun. It seems to work fine. I posted the question about bitterness after cleaning out a pipe that tasted bad. I soaked the inside with isopropyl for a day, gave it another day to dry and smoked a bowl of Bayou Morning by Cornell and Diehl. It tasted great. The second day I smoked the same pipe with the same tobacco and it gave me bitter taste but the taste faded as I continued smoking.
I would suggest resting the pipe for a day or two after a smoke or two in it. Sometimes that works for me. I just give 'er a rest and reach for another in the rack.
I'm not sure what you mean by "soaking" the bowl. With a funky smelling bowl, which is infrequent but
happens from time to time, I find a cotton swab with a little bourbon on it, swabbed around inside the bowl,
then letting the pipe rest for a day or two, does the trick. I prefer not to use anything on my pipes that I
wouldn't ingest (drink). This works fine and solves the funky problem. Usually, you can avoid that stale
smell/taste by cleaning a pipe right after use, scoop it out with a pipe tool scoop, wipe it out with a tissue,
and run a pipe cleaner through it to remove the dampness. Let it rest for two or three days if possible, a
day at the least. That should solve your problem.
happens from time to time, I find a cotton swab with a little bourbon on it, swabbed around inside the bowl,
then letting the pipe rest for a day or two, does the trick. I prefer not to use anything on my pipes that I
wouldn't ingest (drink). This works fine and solves the funky problem. Usually, you can avoid that stale
smell/taste by cleaning a pipe right after use, scoop it out with a pipe tool scoop, wipe it out with a tissue,
and run a pipe cleaner through it to remove the dampness. Let it rest for two or three days if possible, a
day at the least. That should solve your problem.
The same blend can vary from smoke to smoke sometimes, depending on ambient conditions, packing, and our smoking technique. I noticed once that just being windy changes the game - keeps the tobacco stoked and burns hot
Did you clean the pipe after that first smoke? I don't mean another alcohol regimen, but a basic pass of a pipecleaner through the stem and perhaps a paper towel to the bowl ..... personally I pull the stem and swab out the mortise after a couple smokes and before letting the bowl rest.
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