Ideal Humidity For Tobacco Storage

[danimalia]

Hi all. I was wondering what you all thought would be a good ideal RH (relative humidity) for pipe tobacco storage.

Right now I have a ton od open bulk bags and tins. Rather than jar them up individually, I am thinking of doing a tupper-dor like I have set up for some of my cigars. Keep in mind, I am not necessarily looking for the ideal smoking RH, but a good figure for storing the tobaccos at close to their tin moisture. Basically, maybe a touch dryer than as tinned but wetter than perfect smoking humidity. Any ideas?

I have 65% Boveda packs that I use for cigars but have no idea if that's good for pipe tobacco as well, so I appreciate your help in advance.

 

[craig61a]

I don’t know how well that would work, especially if you’re going to leave the tobacco in tins and bags. I think that over time the flavors of the tobaccos would bleed over into each other.

I keep a bunch of “working” bail jars for what I smoke on a semi regular basis. The 7.75 oz. jars will hold 3-4 oz. of tobacco, and are easy to open and close maintaining humidity over a very long time.

Remaining tobacco I cellar in glass Mason jars, or Mylar bags. Until it’s needed.

Ideal moisture for tobacco is 20% (+/- 2%). You can store it in a container that is not absolutely air tight, and the recommended humidity is 55% in order to maintain the proper moisture level in the tobacco.

Properly jarring or bagging is maintenance free. A small investment in the proper storage medium, and keeping in a cool dark basement is a lot less hassle than trying to maintain the proper conditions where the moisture levels are apt to fluctuate.

 

[64alex]

[ if you’re going to leave the tobacco in tins and bags. I think that over time the flavors of the tobaccos would bleed over into each other.]

I concur with craig61a the concern that leaving opened tins and bags together would end up flavors mixing each other. If you want to keep in the tins you can reseal pretty effectively with aluminum tape, I do and it works very well. Otherwise jar them or, if space is of concern, use mylar bags. But don't leave them opened together. Regarding humidity if you reseal with aluminum tape or jar/put in mylar bags right after opening you are fine as you are keeping humidity levels very close to the one they are supposed to be in the tin.

About Boveda packs I use them for cigars and they work very well. I do not use them for pipe tobacco as I consider them unnecessary, in addition I heard that some aromatic blends could react with the pack and develop an unpleasant flavor.

 

[saltedplug]

Tobacco will not age absent water.

Jar, jar, jar everything. When I opened tins I would put the tobacco in a small jar. Thery say that as long as you smoke it up in 2 or 3 weeks, you're good. Never believed that, and in any case since I didn't know how long it would take me to smoke the tin, best to jar so I didn't have to worry about it. And when bulk arrived, it was jarred within 24 hours.