Requesting Advice for Preventing Ashy Taste

[bphilli75]

Hi All - Could you help me out here please? I find that often, about halfway through a bowl, I come to a point where I get a taste that seems like I just licked an ashtray. Bleck. This is most pronounced with 965, but I experience it with others as well. I keep my pipes clean, and most often smoke cobs from MM. I've been working on smoking as slowly and cool as possible. I have pretty much learned to avoid any sort of bite, but this ashy taste gets me far too often. Are there any common culprits for this sort of thing?
Kind thanks in advance for any help you can offer,

Bill

 

[dhizzy]

I often experience the same issue. I believe that it may be due to having a dry mouth. The more hydrated I am, the less I get that dreaded taste. I think (and I emphasize think) it is more an issue with your tongue and taste buds being dried out as opposed to a change in the tobacco I'm smoking.

 

[nsfisher]

I dump the ash in the bowl often. Some members don't dump until the end but I find relights are easier with frequent dumping and no ash taste.

 

[cigrmaster]

I am with nsfisher, I dump ash anytime I need to relight and never get an ashy taste. You also might want to think about the humidity of your tobacco if dumping ash doesn't work, you could be smoking it too dry.

 

[oklansas]

+1 to drinking something.
I only dump ashes with certain tobaccos, especially ones that burn to fine white ashes like FMC or Bacchanalia, because I've noticed those fine white ashes can slip down in the bowl and get into the draw (esp. Towards the bottom of the bowl).

 

[kashmir]

I'm an ash dumper myself. Preceding sometimes, but most usually following a tamp. A cleaner mid smoke also helps to clear anything from the draft. Make sure to thoroughly clean the heel of your pipe following each smoke. It should be bone dry down there prior to loading. I use folded paper towels for this or a bent cleaner.

 

[bphilli75]

Thank you all for the help. I have never dumped ashes. When you do this, is this where you would use a cork knocker, or do you just turn the pipe over and let gravity do its thing? I'm sorry if the question seems silly. I've just always tamped all ashes down.

 

[nsfisher]

I just turn it over an it dumps on it's own. Sometimes, depending on the baccy, I will use my finger to scrape the top of the baccy, to get it all.

 

[cigrmaster]

I use the pick end of my tamper to lightly stir the ash and then delicately tip the bowl and let it fall into the ashtray. I then will tamp and re light. I would not use the knocker to get rid of ash as you might end up dumping the whole bowl. I use this method anytime my pipe goes out.

 

[tjameson]

Dang I'm gonna have to become an ash dumper now too. I used to do it but I can't remember the last time I didn't just smoke through it so maybe ill get some better smokes this way. If the "serious multi-bowl a day brothers" are doing maybe it will work well for me.

 

[cigrmaster]

tjameson, you should definitely try it, I think you will be amazed at how much easier re lights are and I think you will notice a big difference in flavor. Let us know what you think.

 

[ssjones]

Hmm, I'm odd man out here it seems. I never dump, even it some of my larger pipes. The only time I had an ashy taste was with the new Sobranie, which smoke to such a fine ash it clogged my draft hole. I guess I should have dumped with that blend! I don't like pipes with too open a draw as sometimes I'll suck in a little piece of tobacco. But that is pretty rare and avoidable if the pipe is packed properly. Try adjusting your packing method.

 

[flyguy]

I am an ash dumper out of necessity. About half way through the bowl, I have a difficult time relighting. After I dump my ash, no more problems to the bottom of the bowl.

 

[Wellington]

I often dump the ash once or twice throughout a bowl, it relights better and tastes better IMO.

 

[durham270]

Thanks for all the good advice! I've often encountered this problem half way through a bowl.

 

[rigmedic1]

Tobaccos that taste ashy to me are Virginia forward, and I don't get that when I smoke them in a filter pipe. 965 doesn't ever give me that ash taste though, so I smoke that in an open pipe. If you have been using filters, then I guess I am not much help for you, but the draw in a filter cob without the filter will pull a lot of ash into the stem.

 

[andrew]

I find if the tobacco is too moist, it tastes horrible, maybe dry the tobacco more, I find 965 needs some drying time, the flavours really come out when it dries a bit. I find though the bowl just gets alot stronger half way though, just like a cigar. I always enjoy the first half more than the second half, I'll stop inhaling the second half as it gets really really strong.

 

[ciderguy]

I only dump if I get distracted and the pipe goes out and cools down. I almost never need to re-light in my cobs, unless the tobacco hasn't dried out enough. Ashy taste for me only seems to happen if I've been smoking way too much or haven't smoked for a few days.

 

[eduardonogueira]

If you experience any taste extra of those of the tobacco, it's likely not the ash.

I never dump the ashes, it has more to do with your packing method than ashes itself.

If you feel the taste of ashes is because you just burned all your tobacco, yes you wasted all tobacco relighting it several times.

Try the german method/frank method, or even air pocket method.
Pipe tobacco should burn from the top to the bottom, not the entire bowl at once.

what you might think it is ash, in reality, is over burned cake and perhaps wood.

I hope it helps

 

[jpmcwjr]

The OP hasn't posted for a year, and quite a few others aren't active.
However, minimize ash by wiping or rinsing out and drying the bowl after a smoke. It can be smoked right after if you choose