One Pound in a Ball Jar

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Sig

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 18, 2023
544
2,537
Western NY
Just a suggestion from my own experience, don't pack an entire pound into a jar.
Once you open that jar, you need to smoke it up quickly, or rejar it into smaller jars. Opening the jar 3 times a week will dry your tobacco, and no "aging" will take place.
I personally use 4 ounce Ball jars with the 2 piece lids. I get 15-20 bowls from a jar when packed just springy, like you pack your pipe. You can use slightly larger jars if you prefer....6oz or 8oz.....I personally would not go bigger. An 8 ounce jar holds 30-40 pipe loads on average.
This way, you can have some open while the rest keeps aging. And if you have several blends, you can have several smaller jars open, while the rest stays mellowing and aging. I usually have 6-8 jars open, these take me through weeks of diverse smoking.
Unfortunately I have several pounds of "out of production" McClelland blends and others in big jars holding 8 ounces of tobacco. They are between 6-18 years old.
I know many pipers who regretted opening an entire pound that has been aging for a decade.
Again, once opened, you need to smoke it quickly or it will dry out if you repeatedly open the jar.
Just something I learned over the last few decades.
As far as how tightly to pack the jar.....just lightly firm, not too lightly, not hard packed. Tobacco needs oxygen to age properly. The oxygen left in a lightly firm packed jar has enough oxygen to happily age for many years, no need to burp the jars.
In my opinion. :)
 

Richmond B. Funkenhouser

Plebeian Supertaster
Dec 6, 2019
5,484
24,846
Dixieland
I use small jars, but I pack them as much as possible.

I don't burp any jars either. There's no telling what you're letting in and sealing back off.

I regret a bunch of big jars that are sitting in my closet.
 
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ofafeather

Lifer
Apr 26, 2020
2,814
9,127
51
Where NY, CT & MA meet
I don’t understand. When a tin is sealed it has a % of air, minimal I’d say but don’t the micro flora use that air and then the aging starts so based on this the less air in a jar is the same premise as a tin. What am I missing 🤷‍♂️
There is both aerobic and anaerobic activity going on. Both contribute to aging in different ways. It tight packed vacuum sealed round tin of a ribbon cut blend has very little air and ages one way. Loose canisters have like C&D or Rattray 100g tins have a lot more air. In both cases aging starts right away. Just different processes. Even tobacco in the open will age. And the debate on the end result continues…
 

yohanan

Lifer
Oct 1, 2011
2,136
4,214
Old Belt/U.S.A.
My Exhaustive Research!

After jarring 6# of C&D blenders, my research has led me to this conclusion over the question of What Size Jar for One Pound of Tobacco:

You are all correct.

Most ribbon and cube cuts fit 8oz/Qt. Ball Jar with varying amounts of compression.
Fit also depends on moisture content of the tobacco, with moister blends being much more compressible.

Rubbed flake like C&D Virginia Flake fits 16oz to a quart jar with minimal compression.

Thank you for your contributions. You will all be named as co-authors once this paper is accepted for publication.

View attachment 376274
That's all Fine and dandy, but what did the Cat have to say about the situation, that's who I would be listening too.
 
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Sig

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 18, 2023
544
2,537
Western NY
I thought aging was an anaerobic process, no air needed 🤔
Yes and no.
Tobacco needs oxygen to initiate the fermentation process, which creates the changes we like . The oxygen is used up over months or years depending on how firmly packed your jar is. This is why packing your jars super tight will cause your tobacco to not "age" as well as looser packed jars and the changes will be less with tighter jars. When the oxygen is gone, the tobacco doesn't change much. This is why there is an aging limit. Most pipers believe that after 10-15 years your tobacco doesn't improve much more.
Ive seen this many times.
I have jars of the same blends, some 20 years old, others 10 years old and the flavors are about the same. But, the difference between 2 years and 10 years CAN be significant depending on the blend.
Not all tobacco improves with age. And this can differ between smokers.
Some may like 15 year old FVF, but some may not.
Ive found several blends that didn't change much in a decade, and some that got worse in my opinion. The ones that get worse are usually Latakia based blends......but some get better.
I have some MacBaren Vintage Syrian between 6-15+ years old, it is sublime. I have some 10+ year old PS Balkan Supreme that is also very good. But I have some older G&H and Murrays Dunhill Latakia blends that seem "sour" to me.
 

Sig

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 18, 2023
544
2,537
Western NY
There is both aerobic and anaerobic activity going on. Both contribute to aging in different ways. It tight packed vacuum sealed round tin of a ribbon cut blend has very little air and ages one way. Loose canisters have like C&D or Rattray 100g tins have a lot more air. In both cases aging starts right away. Just different processes. Even tobacco in the open will age. And the debate on the end result continues…
Absolutely.
Blenders like SG, G&H, Solani.....and all the other "tight" packers don't care if your tobacco ages. They care more about consistency of flavor. They want your 5 year old tin to taste like your brand new tin. Fortunately, their tobacco does change.
But it doesn't change like the loose packers tobaccos. Blenders like C&D/GL Pease who pack looser, plan on your tobacco changing.
Just take a look.....
Many C&D/Pease blends tin descriptions mention the great aging potential of certain blends.
You won't find those claims on many tight packers tins.
In my experience. :)
 
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