Storing VS. Aging

[dongreyface]

I was wondering where the line between aging a tobacco and simply storing it would be. Or more simply, how long would a tobacco have to be 'sealed off from the outside world' in order to be considered aging. I understand that it will most likely vary somewhat from type to type. But would I have to leave a tobacco untouched for months before it starts aging, or does it start in a few days, or technically as soon as I jar it? And if I were to open a jar every so often, does that slow the aging process?

 

[photoman13]

another related question (don't mean to hijack)
How can you rehydrate 20 year old tobacco that was in pouches. Is it just bad or can it be restored.

 

[matchstickman]

I was wondering where the line between aging a tobacco and simply storing it would be. Or more simply, how long would a tobacco have to be 'sealed off from the outside world' in order to be considered aging.

This is one of those things that you could ask 100 different people and get 100 different answers. In my own personal opinion, for what it's worth, if I'm not going to smoke a tin of something right away, I consider it aged. Aged, for me, could be 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, etcetera. There are probably some people out there that will tell you that they don't really consider a blend "aged" until it hits the 2 year, 5 year, or 10 year mark. It just really all depends. The entire time that a tobacco sits in a sealed jar or tin, it is going through the process of aging. How long it takes for you to experience a difference in taste between a fresh blend and an "aged" blend is all going to depend on your taste buds and body chemistry.

How can you rehydrate 20 year old tobacco that was in pouches. Is it just bad or can it be restored.

It can most definitely be restored as long as it is not moldy. Put the tobacco in question into a bowl, dampen a couple of paper towels with some water (some say distilled water is preferable but some of the other fellas around here say that they use their tap water), and cover the tobacco. Check it every couple of hours to see where it is at. Shoud be remoistened in no time.

 

[captainbob]

DonGreyface,
Putting tobacco loosely into a mason jar or any "air-tight" container and storing it in a place without direct Sunlight and normal temperature range (65 to 75 degrees F) will result in aging. The original moisture level is a time factor. Opening from time to time (as in every six-months) will not hurt the process of fermentation. Tobacco only ages if it has air in its container. That is why I say pack loosely. Or, if packed tightly, leave some airspace in the jar. No need to seal the jar. It must be air tight. If in doubt, hold your container under a sink full of water. If no bubbles, it is air tight. Mason jars will be air tight. Cautions: Aromatics do not necessarily improve with age as the aromatic sauce it is topped with will degenerate and fade. Any OTC (over-the-counter blend) is likely loaded with PG (Propylene Glycol) a preservative to extend shelf life for years. It will never age significantly, so don't waste your time. If possible, age in the original tin. Once the tin is opened, put it in mason jars. Be patient. It may take 2 and one-half years to notice any difference at all.
photoman13,
Any tobacco can be re-hydrated. However, twenty-year old tobacco may be very brittle. Always hydrate indirectly. Use a spray bottle and apply moisture to the inside lid of the container on a regular basis until the tobacco is just beginning to clump when pinched. Stir once in a while after moisture is beginning to restore. Rushing the process may only cause the tobacco to become crumbs. Not a whole lot to be gained by this experience. Keep in mind that the tobacco manufacturer releases the tobacco ready-to-smoke and considers it at its intended peak when you purchase it. While aging is ok for some blends, it is no advantage for others as explained above. However, the tobacco manufacturer will be pleased to sell you as much as you want and they do not care if you store it or not! C&D does not vacuum pack their tins because of the popularity of aging. That is because air is essential for aging. That being said, do not leave any tobacco exposed to air except what you may wish to dry before smoking. Air is tobacco's enemy!

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[cortezattic]

Greg Pease touched on this topic in his Ask G L Pease column from Sep. 2011.
Also this thread on Cellaring has much useful information, including a link to a wonderful online FAQ.
I cellar for storage, not for aging. Aging tests I've made didn't prove too worthwhile in any tobacco except McClelland 5100.

Maybe a lot of my tobaccos aged, but they didn't make me ga-ga.
The only other tidbit of wisdom I want to impart is that distilled water is probably best to use,

but the tobacco probably came to you with more sporulated mold than you'll introduce with tap water.

In fact, if your tap water is chlorinated it may be more beneficial than distilled water!

 

[crpntr1]

I think it might also depend on the baccy itself, I had 2 7oz packs of millionaire blend. Put both in jars but sealed one because didn't know how long it would take me to smoke the other. I opened the second jar last week (aprox 2 months after sealing) and it has aged...flavor changed, for the better, quite drastically. That was only two months. I put up some pa when I first started smoking, not to age intentionally, that was almost a year ago. I opened it the same time, no change at all.

 

[judcole]

I put up some pa when I first started smoking, not to age intentionally, that was almost a year ago. I opened it the same time, no change at all.

From everything I have read: Burleys don't really change much with aging, since their sugar content is so low. Virginias age the best, because of the higher sugar content.
I have tobaccos I am deliberately "cellaring",or planning to smoke somewhere down the road - 5 years or more. Then I have the stuff I just haven't gotten around to yet. ::

 

[echopipe]

Really good question. I have always wondered the samething.

 

[05venturer]

http://web.archive.org/web/20080121054646/http://agingfaq.nocturne.org/jarhowto.php#q4

 

[teufelhund]

Very cool post I'll have to give this a try sometime.

 

[doctorthoss]

Captain Bob wrote:
"DonGreyface,
. Keep in mind that the tobacco manufacturer releases the tobacco ready-to-smoke and considers it at its intended peak when you purchase it. While aging is ok for some blends, it is no advantage for others as explained above. However, the tobacco manufacturer will be pleased to sell you as much as you want and they do not care if you store it or not! C&D does not vacuum pack their tins because of the popularity of aging. That is because air is essential for aging. That being said, do not leave any tobacco exposed to air except what you may wish to dry before smoking. Air is tobacco's enemy!"

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For the most part I think you are right, but GL Pease blends his products with aging in mind. When he releases a blend it is MEANT to be aged for awhile, although he does say that hopefully they will be good smokes right away. I believe he's the only blender who does so, but I think it's worth pointing it out. If nothing else, I've noticed a lot of people criticize his products because they're too "green" or because they just don't want to bother aging them. That's okay (it's their money, after all) but it's a little like criticizing a bottle of high-end wine that you've refused to cellar and instead insisted on serving a couple of months after it's bottled. It kind of misses the point.