How dry should it be?

[Travis K]

I wounder how dry the tobacco should be to have its full taste and flavor? Does it relates to the type of the blend or maybe its brand?

Many folks on YTPC like it wet but at the same time some others promise you don't get the full taste until you make it pretty dry.

I have had very confusing experience with aromatics and Virginia blends, but it seems English blends don't care.

 

[fireground_piper]

Up to the smoker’s preference.

I usually dry down when time allows, but I’ve been smoking a tin of vanilla loose cut the past few weeks straight from the tin. Just takes a bit more flame to get it going in the beginning.

 

[ashdigger]

It’s needs to be dry enough to reference it as dry, yet moist enough it’s not dry.

The reference for dry is Mojave Desert dry, not Atacama Desert Dry, think Antarctica dry. The Gobi is also too dry, whereas the Sahara is technically not too dry.

Now that that’s cleared up, let’s address blends, are they homogenous or heterogeneous blends. Did the blend or leaf originate near one of the above referenced “dry’s” because that’s the ideal dry per leaf specs.

Now let’s address relative humidity, which is much different than family reunion humidity and altogether different from step-brother relative humidity.

The final piece of the puzzle is packing techniques. Popcorn Styrofoam packing, Cornstarch Popcorn packing, bubble wrap packing or injection foam packing? Size matters

I hope this simple reference comes in handy, feel free to screenshot this and share with other curious pipers.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Up to the smoker’s preference.

I usually dry down when time allows, but I’ve been smoking a tin of vanilla loose cut the past few weeks straight from the tin. Just takes a bit more flame to get it going in the beginning.

I find the same thing. If it's fresh it just takes a bit more time lighting at the beginning. Once you get it going it's fine.

 

[didimauw]

I dont touch fresh tobacco usually. If it hasn't dried for an hour, its probably too wet for me.

 

[xrundog]

It’s subjective. I used to smoke pretty dry tobacco. Then I bought some aromatic that resisted drying. It burned okay though once kindled. Some tobacco I find bitey fresh. So I dry it by feel. Duration varies by ambient humidity.
Experiment with small quantities. You’ll eventually get a feel for it to where it won’t take much thought.

 

[lukifer]

I tend to smoke straight out of the tin with no dry time, mostly because I can't be bothered to wait. Most of the time, I feel I get less flavor as it dries. However, I have noticed that if it's too wet, it tends to be so harsh it nullifies some of the flavor.

Sorry for the unhelpful answer but it tends to vary considerably depending on the blend and the cut and it is ultimately something you will have to experiment with on a case by case basis to fit your own personal preferences.

 

[Brad H]

I like it to be dryer. Less relights. More flavor. YMMW
The wetter it is, it’s like steam cooking your tongue.

 

[Sigmund]

I want it flexible but not wet to the touch. No sticking together, just on the dry side

 

[sablebrush52]

I wounder how dry the tobacco should be to have its full taste and flavor? Does it relates to the type of the blend or maybe its brand?

Many folks on YTPC like it wet but at the same time some others promise you don't get the full taste until you make it pretty dry.

I have had very confusing experience with aromatics and Virginia blends, but it seems English blends don't care.

Generally speaking, I consider the YTPC crowd to be in serious need of a cerebral enema. There are a couple who are helpful, but the majority are barely sentient.

It comes down to “do what works best for you” after experimenting with moisture levels. There’s no shortcut.

Because I smoke Virginias 95% of the time, I prefer to dry my tobacco down to get the most flavor from it. In general, I get the best results when the tobacco feels dry to the touch when squeezed, no cool sensation of moisture welling against my skin from the squeezed tobacco, yet still pliant. That’s my sweet spot for flavors. Yours might be different.

And, that sweet spot can vary a little from blend to blend. Experimentation is the key to success.

Aromatics are trickier to get right. Dried too much and the flavorings fade a bit. Too much moisture and the tobaccos are muted. I dry them a bit less than straight Virginia, but not a lot less, enough to make the sauce a reduction. That’s what works for me, you might find a different balance works best for you. Experiment.

Last, English, Balkan, Oriental blends are the easiest and most forgiving because the leaves are flavor bombs. They will generally be enjoyable straight from the tin, but they also benefit from being dried down to reveal flavors. Again, experiment.

Lastly, you get your best flavors when you can manage to keep your tobacco simmering at the edge of going out. Drier tobacco helps make that process easier to manage.

Experiment to find out what works best for you. For some people, it’s straight from the tin regardless of moisture. For most of us it’s drying down the tobacco to extract the strongest and most detailed flavors.

There’s no substitute for experimenting to see what works best for you.

 

[Hillcrest]

I wounder how dry the tobacco should be to have its full taste and flavor? Does it relates to the type of the blend or maybe its brand?

Many folks on YTPC like it wet but at the same time some others promise you don't get the full taste until you make it pretty dry.

I have had very confusing experience with aromatics and Virginia blends, but it seems English blends don't care.

Leave some tobacco out overnight in a dish or coffee filter and try it the next day. Adjust from there. It really depends on what you are starting with - aromatics can be moist.

 

[Hillcrest]

It’s needs to be dry enough to reference it as dry, yet moist enough it’s not dry.

The reference for dry is Mojave Desert dry, not Atacama Desert Dry, think Antarctica dry. The Gobi is also too dry, whereas the Sahara is technically not too dry.

Now that that’s cleared up, let’s address blends, are they homogenous or heterogeneous blends. Did the blend or leaf originate near one of the above referenced “dry’s” because that’s the ideal dry per leaf specs.

Now let’s address relative humidity, which is much different than family reunion humidity and altogether different from step-brother relative humidity.

The final piece of the puzzle is packing techniques. Popcorn Styrofoam packing, Cornstarch Popcorn packing, bubble wrap packing or injection foam packing? Size matters

I hope this simple reference comes in handy, feel free to screenshot this and share with other curious pipers.

 

[ThermionicScott]

When you're still learning the ropes, it's not a bad idea to dry it to crispy. Then, it'll stay lit better and you can work on relaxing and doing the minimum to keep it going. (As a newbie, I was constantly frying my tongue with relights and puffing to keep it going. Learn from me.)

From there, you can try drying it less and less. The masters can fold-and-stuff a wet flake and smoke it all the way down on one match. I aspire to that... someday.

 

[JOHN72]

You should try out different state levels of tobacco. From moist to very dry and crispy. That way you can see what suits your tastes best. Although, as my colleagues here say, there are other determining factors too. Climate, type of pipe, type of blend, tobacco, fresh or aged tobacco, slow or fast smoking, etc., etc., etc, etc, etc......................

 

[Brad H]

Dry some out a bit, pack a bowl, then let the bowl sit a day or two before you smoke it.

 

[lawdawg]

Depends on the type of tobacco.

For Virginia (or blends where Virginia is the main component), I like them just short of crispy. All else, at least dry enough that it doesn't stick together when pinched, maybe a little drier depending on the blend. For example, I smoke Carter Hall and similar codger-style burley blends undried right out of the tub. However, I like latakia-forward blends a little bit drier, but not as dry as I like Virginia.

For aromatics, smoke them wet and goopy.

It's all about experimenting and figuring out what works for you and your blends.

 

[PaulRVA]

Virginia’s the drier the better being crisp but still flexible for ribbon cuts and slightly moist or spongy on flakes.
Aromatics as dry as they can possibly get!

 

[Eireprof]

Up to you. I like it almost crispy.

 

[Pypkė]

Up to the smoker’s preference.

Ultimately, this is what works the best. You find out just be experimentation.

I usually end up drying tobacco very much. For instance, I set out a few flakes of HH Burley Flake on Friday. By this Tuesday morning they were pretty crispy. It smoked very nicely with no relights on the way to work. Dry works for me.

 

[sardonicus87]

Up to the smoker’s preference.

I usually dry down when time allows, but I’ve been smoking a tin of vanilla loose cut the past few weeks straight from the tin. Just takes a bit more flame to get it going in the beginning.

I find the same thing. If it's fresh it just takes a bit more time lighting at the beginning. Once you get it going it's fine.

Just reiterating these points. I have tried drying out tobacco even over night and the only difference I have ever found between straight from the tin vs varying levels of dry, is wetter is slightly more difficult to start, but the flavor was mostly no different with the exception of some aros which, while had the same flavor, actually became less strong in flavor.