Open the Jar, Spoil the Broth?

[David_Lawrence]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9) - Bob

Not sure that title works but here's my question:

I've recently bought some Ball Mason jars as I should have when I started pipe smoking. I've transferred the contents of each of my tins to their respective jars and am astonished at the aroma that now greets me when I dip in, but that's neither here nor there.

I've since bought a second tin of my three favourites and was about to add them to the half full jars when I wondered whether what I ought to do is empty them into separate jars that I won't be opening until I finish the first one off. After all, every time I'm opening it, I'm letting in air.

I know the tobacco is being kept fresher in these air tight jars but is the brief opening once every few days going to make a difference or is it really the fact that they're not slowly constantly taking in oxygen that will keep them fresh?

Finally I wondered whether there's any benefit in opening the vacuum sealed round 50g tins at all if my intention is to store them in an air tight container. The fact that they smelled so much stronger in the jars led me to question whether they're in a preferable state upon being broken apart and poured out maybe? So maybe it was either here or there after all.

Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[scloyd]

Finally I wondered whether there's any benefit in opening the vacuum sealed round 50g tins at all if my intention is to store them in an air tight container.

I don't see a benefit. I leave the new tins unopened until I'm ready to smoke them...then I jar them.

 

[pappymac]

I'm with scloyd. Leaving the new tins sealed until you are ready to smoke it and then jarring it makes more sense. Unless you are just going to smoke that entire tin within two or three weeks.

 

[gervais]

Agree with above. Leave in tin

 

[judcole]

If the tin is sealed, why open it?

 

[Gubbins]

If you're going to put them in a jar and not peak at them then the aging will be different between leaving them in the tin and jarring them up, but not massively different. I would never add a newly opened tin to an already jarred tobacco though since they are at different stages of aging and have been aging differently. I do both, but when I leave it in the tin I use a vacuum seal bag around the tin since seals do fail sometimes.

If you're using jars make sure you boil the jars and lids to sanitize them and I suggest using food prep gloves when handling the tobacco. You can sanitize in the oven too. This will reduce your chances of getting mold.

I suggest reading what G.L. Pease says about storage - G. L. Pease - Some Frequently Asked Questions - https://www.glpease.com/FAQ.html - go down to the "On The Aging of Tobacco" section.

 

[jzbdano]

It is proper to store tobacco in tins until ready to smoke. It is acceptable to allow tobacco time to breathe before putting it in the jar. The proper way to maintain a jar in the rotation is to never allow the volume of tobacco fall below 3/16 full if the blend is to stay in rotation.

 

[shanez]

When you open a tin and every time you subsequently open the corresponding jar you will be loosing some moisture. If you're not storing a lot of tobacco for long term it might help if you think in terms of freshness rather than aging.

BTW, in my experience aging is not some magical process that can turn a bad blend into a good blend. Not all blends benefit from aging. For blends that do benefit from aging, the changes are somewhat subtle at best.

 

[mso489]

I'm not studious or technical at all about aging blends. My rule of thumb just from reading a lot of Forums posts is, leave a blend in a sealed tin until you are ready to use it, as number one. And number two, if you jar bulk or tinned tobacco, don't open and shut it regularly until you are ready to smoke it in rotation. The gist, as I understand it, is to leave it sealed as much as possible before smoking it up on a regular rotation. One of the professional blenders on here would have an authoritative answer on this, since aging is part of what would be controlled and varied in developing a blend. This is an excellent question and original post since the subject is mentioned a lot in passing.

 

[gervais]

When you open a tin and every time you subsequently open the corresponding jar you will be loosing some moisture. If you're not storing a lot of tobacco for long term it might help if you think in terms of freshness rather than aging.

BTW, in my experience aging is not some magical process that can turn a bad blend into a good blend. Not all blends benefit from aging. For blends that do benefit from aging, the changes are somewhat subtle at best.

I've seen many posts from reputable members say "x" blend was mediocre fresh, and sublime with years of age on it. I hope they are right, because I have alot of jars I plan on leaving alone for 5-10 years and I want magic dammit! Lol

 

[shanez]

I've seen many posts from reputable members say "x" blend was mediocre fresh, and sublime with years of age on it. I hope they are right, because I have alot of jars I plan on leaving alone for 5-10 years and I want magic dammit! Lol

In the posts I see like that they are usually starting with such good blends to begin with the fresh could pretty much be described the same way. Did the blend really improve that much? Probably not. Did it improve? Definitely (though this is a subjective statement). This leave the question: How much did it actually improve? Improving St James Flake or Penzance by 3-5% just takes them from over the top already to, well, over over the top.

Anyone that thinks they will get 100% or even 50% improvement is fooling themselves.

 

[wordheavy]

Yeah, I do tins until ready to smoke. I don't add to jars that are in rotation. I have tins with some age on them, but is mostly circumstance and I don't worry about that.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It is proper to store tobacco in tins until ready to smoke. It is acceptable to allow tobacco time to breathe before putting it in the jar. The proper way to maintain a jar in the rotation is to never allow the volume of tobacco fall below 3/16 full if the blend is to stay in rotation.

I've never heard the part I bolded before. What is the theory or science behind that statement?

My jars have anywhere from 16/16 full to 1/16, then used up until empty.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've never heard the part I bolded before. What is the theory or science behind that statement?

My jars have anywhere from 16/16 full to 1/16, then used up until empty.

I've never heard that one either. I just use them until they're empty.

 

[anotherbob]

Most blends ageing just seems to take away some harshness and that seems to accentuate some other flavors. I have noticed that the blends that seem to get the most from ageing are ones I like the least initially.

 

[jzbdano]

I've never heard the part I bolded before. What is the theory or science behind that statement?

My jars have anywhere from 16/16 full to 1/16, then used up until empty.

I've never heard that one either. I just use them until they're empty.

Less than 3/16 and the pipe smoker's brain sub consciously kicks into survival mode and TAD is inevitable at some point. Just think about it Embers, was it rational that you bought 50lbs in just a couple months time? Hell no! But there were probably empty jars laying around and well... Stay safe. No less than 3/16ths. It's proper.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Just think about it Embers, was it rational that you bought 50lbs in just a couple months time?

Actually in the same week during 20% off sales just after pipestud announced the possible disappearance of Latakia and the announcement of Gawith blends being less supplied versus Asia.

But there were probably empty jars laying around and well... Stay safe.

Nope, had to buy 50 jars as I never reuse them.


Neither event has to do with keeping jars topped off and I haven't bought any tobacco since. That finished my 340 pound goal.

 

[Bowie]

That finished my 340 pound goal.

Something in my weird brain wishes you would buy 10 lbs more and get this to the nearest 50-lb mark.

 

[BROBS]

Something in my weird brain wishes you would buy 10 lbs more and get this to the nearest 50-lb mark.

4x his weight ?

 

[Mr.Mike]

Ive been doing a lot of stuff over the years that folks here are saying never to do. No ill results. Not saying they are wrong, but sometimes the wealth of info available on the internet has overcomplicated things that should be simple. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!