Spicy 2nd Half

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mumbles

Lurker
Jun 6, 2019
13
7
Hi I don’t get tongue bite caused by hot smoke and puffing too fast. However the 2nd half of my bowl tends to get very spicy. I usually give up and when I remove the left over tobacco, it is often quite damp, which I think causes the spice. Can anyone suggest what i can do? This happens to all tobacco I smoke and changing pipes doesn’t help, Some friends say i should just toss away the 2nd half or remaining 1/3 bowl. Am very envious of you folks who can smoke down a complete bowl till fine ash. Any advise is much appreciated!
 

kg.legat0

Lifer
Sep 6, 2019
1,028
10,408
Southwestern PA
Drying your tobacco a bit more may help, but there are so many factors ...that said, don't sweat a little dottle.

If you are getting half a pipe left over, I am thinking this would be due to how you are packing the pipe.

What type of blends are you smoking? I find flakes, virginias, and non-aromatics can hardly be smoked 'too slowly' or lightly and seem to provide the greatest flavor for a longer duration when you really almost over do the 'slow sip'

Lastly, if the pipe heats up and starts to taste 'off', just run some pipe cleaners through the stem and let it cool down...it'll usually mellow out and be tasty again (as long as it's not a tiny, small, sour wad that should just be dumped)

Good luck!
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Mostly I don't have this problem or don't experience it as an excessive spiciness. The most thorough even burns I get on a regular basis are with MM cobs. Often I will smoke them down so they don't relight and when i scoop out the ash, it is entirely white, with no deterioration of flavor. So, for starters, I recommend smoking a cob or two; I recommend the special editions with the acrylic stems so as not to have the expense and bother of replacing the soft plastic stems. They're about $27 or thereabouts. If you can get the cob to perform, then move on to your briars and see if you can follow the advice in earlier posts to make them work for you as well.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,913
RTP, NC. USA
This term always confuses me. What exactly is a " wet smoker"? Is it one who drools down the stem?
More or less, yes. Sometimes when I'm doing something while smoking, I drool down the stem and surprise myself. Then there are folks who's breath has more moisture. This happens to woodwind players. They just need to swab the instrument more often.
 
Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,086
New Jersey
More or less, yes. Sometimes when I'm doing something while smoking, I drool down the stem and surprise myself. Then there are folks who's breath has more moisture. This happens to woodwind players. They just need to swab the instrument more often.
yeah, this is my primary reason for using Balsa filters. My own moisture going down the stem.
 
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odobenus

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 15, 2018
728
2,567
Vermont
Mostly I don't have this problem or don't experience it as an excessive spiciness. The most thorough even burns I get on a regular basis are with MM cobs. Often I will smoke them down so they don't relight and when i scoop out the ash, it is entirely white, with no deterioration of flavor. So, for starters, I recommend smoking a cob or two; I recommend the special editions with the acrylic stems so as not to have the expense and bother of replacing the soft plastic stems. They're about $27 or thereabouts. If you can get the cob to perform, then move on to your briars and see if you can follow the advice in earlier posts to make them work for you as well.
Very solid advice from MSO as usual. Cobs are kind of foolproof (as well as often having smaller bowls) and easy to get a pleasant full-length smoke from.
 

mumbles

Lurker
Jun 6, 2019
13
7
Thanks everyone. I will try changing the way I pack my bowl. That seems to be the constant, regardless of the tobac or pipes I use. YouTube has Gravity / Frank / air pocket / Bob method. Really interesting hobby. Recently I discovered that 1) It’s easier to rekindle a bowl when I sip the pipe almost vertical - like holding a match horizontal vs Vertical (burns faster) 2) Sip when tamping down, works better then just tamping & staring at the bowl. Cheers!
 

B.Lew

Can't Leave
Jun 24, 2020
465
5,957
SE Michigan
I also have this experience towards the end of a bowl. Great thoughts, input and suggestions above. I’ve come to feel that regardless of the factors described by other folks, the 2nd half of a smoke will never be as smooth and clean as the 1st half. Learn to enjoy the progression or dump.
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
Thanks everyone. I will try changing the way I pack my bowl. That seems to be the constant, regardless of the tobac or pipes I use. YouTube has Gravity / Frank / air pocket / Bob method. Really interesting hobby. Recently I discovered that 1) It’s easier to rekindle a bowl when I sip the pipe almost vertical - like holding a match horizontal vs Vertical (burns faster) 2) Sip when tamping down, works better then just tamping & staring at the bowl. Cheers!
Now there’s a guy named bob? Quit listening to YouTube and experiment yourself. YouTube for the most part is full of half-wits.
 

chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
Thanks everyone. I will try changing the way I pack my bowl. That seems to be the constant, regardless of the tobac or pipes I use. YouTube has Gravity / Frank / air pocket / Bob method. Really interesting hobby. Recently I discovered that 1) It’s easier to rekindle a bowl when I sip the pipe almost vertical - like holding a match horizontal vs Vertical (burns faster) 2) Sip when tamping down, works better then just tamping & staring at the bowl. Cheers!
G'day Mumbles.

To add to some good advice already given [No. 1 tip; dry your tobacco]

Unless I missed it, you haven't shared what type of blends you're smoking.

If you're smoking overly moist aromatics then there's your problem.
If you're a clencher and drool into your pipe, well, that should be obvious [Use a pipe cleaner regularly]

The other thing that comes to mind that has not been mentioned, is that if you're a clencher, breath carries moisture so if you're breathing into your stem, that would also be at least a contributing factor.

Also, how many pipes are in your rotation and how much rest do they get in-between bowls?
 
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