8 oz jars for storage, 4 oz for blends I'm smoking, all the time. Anything less and the volatile essences (but no one seems to know what these are), and moisture are compromised. Other guys who calculate how much they smoke have a system for keeping tobacco in the tin, smoking it up before they find that it degrades. Tins are for keeping the tobacco best during shipping and before sale. Yes, I do wish that I could keep it the tin, as they are distinctive, but to me its smoking integrity is paramount.