Infused Black House is Awesome!

[hfearly]

Just had my first bowl of my freshly Infused Hearth & Home Black House.

After marrying with some Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum for 3 days (inside in a glass jar in the sunlight), the tobacco which I had before dried to a crisp state, has beautifully rehydrated and absorbed the spiced rum volatiles. A total delight to smoke!

 

[ghost]

Did you use soaked cotton balls? I'm curious to try that method...

 

[bigboi]

Yeah I am very curious about the method you chose to infuse the tobacco with.

 

[hfearly]

Well, first off, I dried about 4 oz of Black house on a large newspaper page spread out thinly, for about 24 hours (these days with the heating running its extremely dry indoors). The tobacco got Really crisp, made sure not to crumble it, so had to treat it like a raw baby egg.
Then, I put about 2 oz in an 8 oz glass Mason jar. I cut a Sundae ice cup into half, well cleaned, filled in a shot glass with of rum, and put the thing into the bed of tobacco in the jar, sealed it up, and put the jar on the windows sill in the sun. Every morning, I opened the jar, took out the rum cup, gave the tobacco a good shake to mix it, and put then cup back, seal it back up, and back to the windowsill.
This morning when I was checking on progress and giving it a shake I realized that the tobacco had rehydrate to the original moisture. Time to smoke; -)
I've prepared two jars, one with spiced rum, one with Makers Mark.

 

[ghost]

Very cool! I'll have to try that. Thanks!

 

[teufelhund]

That sounds......... AWESOME! 8)

 

[lumberjakpipester]

Now I HAVE to try this!

 

[pstlpkr]

Oh great.... Something else to try. :?

:D

Definitely have to give this a spin.

Thanks

::

 

[spartan]

What's the reasoning for involving the sun?
To expedite evaporation of the liquid?

 

[hfearly]

I am not a master tobacconist by any means but the drying out aspect bothers me in that it may remove some of the flavor and quality of the tobacco's characteristics to be infused. drying the tobacco out so much prior to infusion seems to lose the volatile oils and other essences of the actual tobacco. Yes? No?

Can't say it did - awesome tobacco flavor. More mellow for sure, but still full-bodied.

What's the reasoning for involving the sun?
To expedite evaporation of the liquid?

Yep. They just mix faster with a little sunshine Also, as GL Pease state in the article referenced by Kevin, heat activates the volatiles, aka. the "good smell" and "taste" of the Bourbon and Rum.

How many people want to smoke dried out tobacco?

Not dried out. Take away the water and glycol alcohol (aka. humidifying agents), and add rum vapor. To put something in you gotta take something out first, eh? After the procedure, the tobacco is as springy and moist as in the original form.

 

[hfearly]

Okay, so I've had both infusions brewing for over a week now and I gotta say that Makers Mark Bourbon works a hell lot better with Black House than the spiced rum.
The Bourbon imparts a very nice malty, toffee flavor to the blend and rounds it out extremely nice.
Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum on the other hand adds a little sharpness from the Cinamon, and also a weird bitter/sweet flavor, like burned caramel.
The Makers Mark infusion is actually so nice, compared to the original blend, that I will jar up the rest of my "raw" Black House tin with that stuff. Greatly improves an already awesome blend, I like that, very much indeed.

 

[tjameson]

Glad to hear these experiments have worked out well for you!

 

[blendtobac]

I'm always glad to hear about people experimenting with our blends; this one in particular sounds like fun. I do agree with freehand, though, that drying out the tobacco to that degree could cause the loss of volatile oils, which would have a big impact on the flavor.

The idea of using the sun in the infusion process actually serves another purpose. The heat will also allow the leaf to absorb the moisture a little better.
Russ

 

[pipinho]

is this your first time infusing tobacco with alcohol? If not, where did you get the idea to start infusing alcohol?

 

[hfearly]

Thanks Russ. i tried to offer my little experience and knowledge but he seemed to blow it off. Glad yo know I am half on the page. By the way your Fusilier's ration blew me away today. I hesitated - but cracked open a tin. Maaaa tha s nice stuff and pretty smooth too.

Yeah, you know it all, I stink (insert selection of :clap:, :crying:, :worship:, or :nana: smilies here). Good thing you came right back to do some good old "told ya so" finger-pointing. Bottom line, the infusion came out more than wonderful, so can't be all crap, eh? :puffpipe:

 

[oklansas]

"...put the jar on the windows sill in the sun."

Bit like making sun tea, but with tobacco.
Now, this has got me curious what strong gin flavor would do. I've got some gin aromatics sitting around anyhow... 8O I'm weird and love juniper in all things. I'm really looking forward to trying Fusiliers ration, it's of my list of tobaccos to get next - I'm doing a military themed list, Fusilers, Brigade campaign (if i can ever find it), some navies, etc.

 

[gnatjulio]

I've got to try this.........
What about infusing a virginia with a peaty scotch, like Laphroaig??? Hmmmmmmm.....