How Many Blends Do You Have Open?

[marcel]

I was conflicted wether to post this here or in the New Pipe Smoker section but I'm posting it here because I want to get an average from experienced pipe smokers. I'm not a newbie but have returned to pipe smoking after 12 years of not smoking at all. Having got all my mothballed pipes up from the basement I discovered I have unopened tins of G.L.Pease's Caravan and Barbary Coast to look forward to smoking. There was also an opened tin of Mac Baren's Mixture I'm trying to resurrect (actually it smokes quite well with a little humidification).
So the question I'm posing to the forum is how many choices do you have when you decide to smoke a bowl? As a returning smoker I disqualify myself because I'm still trying brands that smell like cat piss and burnt hair (and you know that's someones go to blend). But after the smoke settles as it were, and you know what you like, how many blends do you have open at one time.

 

[mcitinner1]

Hi Marcel, I have way too many! I've got about 40 blends open right now because I need to get more jars. I've been finding lately when going for a blend I haven't smoked for a while that it needs some rehydration. No big deal, it's just maintenance I figure. It's getting hard to find space for storing more jars with out TBH getting a frown though. Beware of TAD, it is addicting

 

[twoonefive]

I have about 25 open at the moment.

 

[elpfeife]

I think I have eight open currently, but usually I have around 4 or 5 going.

 

[beastkhk]

I keep 7-10 mason jars for blends bought in bulk, but for tins I don't like to have more than 3 open at a time.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Ten currently. I use a lot of honey, and these nice little jars accomodate a tin's contents quite nicely as well as keeping them fresh.
http://pipesmagazine.com/members/chasingembers/album/picture/15613

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I always have one aromatic, one strong blend to end the day with, a Virginia, a vaPer, and sometimes a Balkan or cigar blend to walk the dogs with, depending on the temperature outside. That's five, but I've also been known to have up to 12 blends open when some tend to not pique my fancy. But, I strive to only have five.

 

[mephistopheles]

I have three blends that I'm drawing from right now.

 

[shanelktown]

I have way too many open I just as of yesterday started taking jars of stuff into the cellar.... I usually have an aromatic for something sweet when I want it so I have a box of probably 18 aros to choose from.... Then I have 4 English blends I enjoy... One burley always one burley for me when I want a good nutty earthy taste.... I have 1 flake around as well.... The cellar well judging by others it's not as good but it's growing.

 

[menuhin]

Welcome back to the world of the smoky palate.

... how many choices do you have when you decide to smoke a bowl? ... and you know what you like, how many blends do you have open at one time.

I opened all those vacuum sealed tins that I bought quite quickly because I believe tobaccos need to breathe and certain aging processes will continue only when there is enough air. However, I keep monitoring their moisture level and put them all in air tight bags and boxes so they have just enough air.
For choice while picking up a pipe, one naturally have options as many as the number of tins opened or samples received, but the decision is probably more than just the number of choice. For me, English blends are my default blends that make me feel home, but I put more weight on some English blends over some others when I want to smoke English. And then if I want to take a break from that, I may want to enjoy some other blends such as aromatic or VaPer which in turns have some defaults I prefer more; or if I have time then I would try some flake be it VA / Burley / VaPer / aromatic; but in case I am in an experimental mood, I may actually go on to try some tobaccos that I have not yet managed to tame, such as how to make them burn well or taste better.
On top of that, there are multiple-threads about what that only one blend forum members would stick to, and for me I also have a to-go blend.

 

[warren]

3

 

[mso489]

I'm afraid over twenty, including samples I have jarred, or jarred in baggies. A few just in baggies or opened tins (not recommended). I try to keep most of them in jars so I can have them at their best. I must say, many blends have smoked well "too dry," like in a car pouch or OTC pouch.

 

[gloucesterman]

I keep my open blends in a humidor at around 70-75% humidity because I like to have a number of choices to select from. As a rule several of my favorite Vapers, English's' and burleys as well as a new blend or two I'm trying out. At any given time it's probably about 10 tins open and working. The controlled humidity of the humidor keeps them from drying out.

 

[ivapewithfire]

I keep my open blends in a humidor at around 70-75% humidity

That's pretty high. Shouldn't it be much lower for pipe tobacco?

 

[Chasing Embers]

This might help.
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/dust-in-the-wind-a-primer-on-tobacco-moisture/

 

[lochinvar]

I keep 5-8 open most of the time.

 

[dottiewarden]

Currently:
Peterson Irish Flake

Peterson Sherlock Holmes

Comoy's Cask No. 7

Frog Morton on the Bayou

Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake

Mac Baren Navy Mixture
That totals 6 but the Sherlock Holmes is not to my liking and the Irish Flake is too strong for everyday smoking. Ideally it would be 3 or 4.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I only keep one tin open at a time. When I crack a tin I try to just have that until the tin is gone. I will disperse a few bowls of regular bulk blends though. I have somewhere around a dozen or more bulk blends jarred up.

 

[peteguy]

8 for me which is about average.

 

[forest7]

I do always open one for VAPER, one for english, one for burley and one for ARO. so 4 is opened.

I do usually smoke 3 to 4 bowls a day and try to smoke different blend every time.