Jarring Flake Tobacco, Rub or No

[sparroa]

I would never rub them out before jarring because, in my opinion, flakes are far better for cellaring. I suspect that there could be a slightly different fermentation process going on within those dense slices.
Either way, you could always rub out the jar in full when you are ready to smoke it after a few years of aging.
I simply rub out my flakes before every bowl, but I don't smoke as often as some of you gents.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I would never rub them out before jarring because, in my opinion, flakes are far better for cellaring.

Please, on what is your opinion based? Experience? Physics? Other?

 

[sparroa]

It is based on my experience and personal preference. I don't have the scientific background to conclusively prove what is going on behind the scenes but I sense a difference and I like the results better with aged flakes.
They also are much neater and easier to quantify and they fit nicely in vertical jars so there is an additional practical preference that goes along with it.

 

[sablebrush52]

I don't rub out flake that I'm jarring to age. I just pack it as tight as I can, while retaining the ability to pull a flake or two as needed. For stock I'm going to be smoking now, I don't see why rubbing out and drying before jarring should be a problem.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It is based on my experience and personal preference. I don't have the scientific background to conclusively prove what is going on behind the scenes but I sense a difference and I like the results better with aged flakes.

OK, but does that mean you've jarred the same blend in both flake and rubbed state for several years and then did side-by-side testing?
BTW, I don't have a dog in this discussion. I jar everything in the state in which it comes, drying down a bit where needed. So I age my flakes whole, it's just I don't see any physical reason why they'd taste "better".

 

[weezell]

I've done both. I suspect most here will say the flakes will age better if you don't rub them out.

Absolutely YES...

 

[jpmcwjr]

I am sure that's what most will say. But inquiring minds want to know why! (And I see the benefit in having the flakes whole at smoking time, as you then have a choice to rub out or smoke whole.)

 

[panamacharlie]

I jar mine as they come. Also, I once got a couple of the boxes of PS flakes when I was out of jars. I just sealed the unopened boxes in mylar bags.

 

[sparroa]

I did not run full studies or anything but I have aged similar flake and ready rubbed tobaccos for the same duration of time and observed that I prefer the flakes.
I also prefer Samuel Gawith's thicker tinned flakes over the thinner sliced bulk because it seems to age better IMO.
Of course, there can be other causes I think the reduced amount of exposed surface area counts for something. I think flakes retain moisture and oils a little better and it likely allows for a slightly different fermentation dynamic than loose tobacco.
Notice that I did not say that whole aged flakes necessarily tasted better. I think they taste and perform differently in a way that I prefer, but it probably isn't universal.

 

[shanez]

Thank you for all of the responses. Very informative so far.
So far, what I have been doing is ordering tins or 2oz loose bags of various tobaccos to try. Upon receipt, I split the tobacco into 2 4oz jars. 1 for aging, and 1 for smoking. Since I don't smoke but a bowl or 2 per week, the jars allow me to have a dozen or so different tobaccos on hand for enjoyment. If I particularly like a tobacco, I order more and repeat the process of jarring. At second order, I now have 2 jars aging but only 1 open for enjoyment. And so on and so on. I haven't rubbed any flake until I'm ready to smoke it so far.
What I'm learning is:
1) I like my jarring process and will stick with it for now.

2) I've got a lot to learn about ways to enjoy various flakes, IE: rubbing, cubing, folding, etc.

3) If I prefer a flake rubbed, I'll probably rub it and then jar it for convenience but only for my enjoyment jar and not aging jars. I might decide I want it another way other than rubbed in the future so having the option will be nice.

4) If I start smoking more often or really enjoy a particular tobacco, I might order in greater quantities and age in bigger jars in the future but I'm having fun learning and enjoying for now.

 

[timt]

Sounds like you have a good grasp of things. Sampling small batches at a time is a smart thing to do. Some of us can get a little carried away with trying to fill a cellar too soon. I bought a little too much latakia in the beginning before I had a chance to really discover what I liked. I'll hang on to it to sample from time to time but doing what you're doing is the way to go.

 

[exbenedict]

Being a novice to this hobby still, I have mixed feelings when it comes to flakes. Some days I like them, some days I hate them, some days I wish everything was ribbon cut. That being said, I wouldn't rub it out when storing for the simple fact that the flakes and coins I do have are smoked both ways depending on my mood. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[cortezattic]

I might order in greater quantities and age in bigger jars in the future ...

It sounds like you've come up with a sensible strategy, but bigger jars are probably not the best way to go. Many small jars, opened one at a time, allow for the uninterrupted aging of the remaining stock. Also, as large jars are emptied over time, the moisture in the remaining tobacco will equilibrate with the ever-increasing volume of air in the jar, and the tobacco will become progressively drier. (If you'll forgive a bit of exaggeration, keeping a few flakes in the bottom of a large jar is scarcely better than no jar at all.)

 

[mso489]

I rub out about as much as I'll smoke in the next few days or week. If any of the flake will be around longer than that, I will leave it in flake form to keep better and perhaps age a little, depending on how soon it's smoked. Don't lose the benefit of the residual moisture and compacted flavor by rubbing flake out too early.

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

If it were me, in my limited experience with flakes, I would personally store them as they come. I go through moods where I like it one way, then I might want to change it up, or try it differently in a different pipe. Maybe one pipe smokes it cube cut better, but another pipe smokes it folded and stuffed better. So for me, I would jar mine intact and then worry about the prep on it later on, just because I don't get to it often enough to keep it in three different jars for the three different variations. Just my preference.

 

[unkleyoda]

I store them as they come. When I more some to my usage jars, I will pre-rub them. I use 1/2 pint jars for usage jars. I may have 2 jars of the same thing for usage, one pre-rubbed, the other not rubbed.
But long term storage is always in flake form.

 

[captpat]

I store them as they come, rub them out to smoke. No particular reason. Same practice applied for ropes and plugs