Jarring: Vacuum Pack - Or Not?

[jhowell]

When you jar tobacco do you vacuum pack or not (and why)?

 

[Chasing Embers]

When you jar tobacco do you vacuum pack or not (and why)?

No. Absence of oxygen would prevent aging and as anaerobic activity takes place in the tobacco it creates it's own vacuum.

 

[BarrelProof]

No. Absence of oxygen would prevent aging and as anaerobic activity takes place in the tobacco it creates it's own vacuum.

Can you elaborate?

 

[didimauw]

You can tell when you open a jar that's years old. It's hard sometimes. Makes its own vaccum effect.

The whole anerobic stuff, it's beyond my knowledge lol

 

[rmpeeps]

When you jar tobacco do you vacuum pack or not (and why)?

There’s often a question of semantics here. Pulling down a pressure differential does not remove oxygen.
That is not necessarily a “vacuum” , but does ensure a good seal on a jar of tobacco.
Here’s my procedure; never had an issue:


Jarring Tobacco

I’ve had good luck with long term jarring, so here’s what I’ve always done.

Granted, this is best when jarring up pounds at a time, but is also simple for smaller volumes.

I prefer using 1/2 pint Kerr/Ball/Mason jars; they are perfect for 2 ounces of ribbon or 100g of Flake.

Twenty years ago I used a fair number of Quart jars, but it’s nicer to not feel like I’m opening & altering 12-16 ounces of leaf.

Wash the jars and lids well in hot water & Dawn liquid.

• Rinse well using warm Distilled water, then microwave the damp jars for 2.5 minutes. The water will evaporate. Don’t go poking around inside the jars with dishrags or paper towels. Just shake the lids dry.
• While all this is going on I preheat the oven to 450F.
• Fill the microwaved jars fairly tightly with tobacco, leaving about 1/2” headspace.
• Place the jars in the oven for 5-7 minutes, remove and apply the lids & snug the rings down fairly firmly.
• By the time you can prepare labels the lids will pull down as the airspace cools.
• Apply the labels and check the rings again.
• Rack & stack the jars in a relatively stable room environment and just let thesit for 5-20 years.
• Enjoy the whoosh upon opening, knowing a special treat is inside.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Don't you mean aerobic? Bottom line, the cellular reaction that results in tobacco aging properly requires the presence of some oxygen. The aerobic reaction results in fermentation. Once the oxygen is consumed, it ages anaerobically. At least that is my understanding.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Don't you mean aerobic?

Yes I do. Autocorrect is giving me fits.

 

[mingc]

When you jar tobacco do you vacuum pack or not (and why)?

Around Y2K, Toren Smith performed a 3 year experiment in which he compared tobaccos stored in evacuated plastic pouches and mason jars with those stored in unevacuated jars. He wrote about it on alt.smokers.pipes: Google Groups - https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/alt.smokers.pipes/toren$20smith/alt.smokers.pipes/j7BA8juoyf4/st-zckqpkGcJ. Bottom line: if you want your tobacco to age, store them in jars with air in it. If you don't want it to age, use a vacuum.

There's a wealth of information on ASP. There were some very scientifically minded folks on it. I guess it drew the technologically adept, since it involved the early use of the internet, and it was the only game on the internet those days, so everyone congregated there. A lot of what people repeat as given these days were established by those early posters.

 

[BarrelProof]

Yes I do. Autocorrect is giving me fits.

That’s why I asked for the clarification. No longer needed. Carry on.

 

[boston]

I use a vacuum seal, to assure a tight seal. All of the commercially available tins (I think) are vacuum sealed... I hear air go into the tin when I crack them. I believe the tobacco's will age well.

 

[jhowell]

Around Y2K, Toren Smith performed a 3 year experiment in which he compared tobaccos stored in evacuated plastic pouches and mason jars with those stored in unevacuated jars. He wrote about it on alt.smokers.pipes: Google Groups - https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/alt.smokers.pipes/toren$20smith/alt.smokers.pipes/j7BA8juoyf4/st-zckqpkGcJ. Bottom line: if you want your tobacco to age, store them in jars with air in it. If you don't want it to age, use a vacuum.

There's a wealth of information on ASP. There were some very scientifically minded folks on it. I guess it drew the technologically adept, since it involved the early use of the internet, and it was the only game on the internet those days, so everyone congregated there. A lot of what people repeat as given these days were established by those early posters.

WOW - lots of good research - THNX! -jeff

 

[jhowell]

Thank everyone who contributed. That is exactly what I was looking for. This forum (and it's members) is the best!