I have personally been on both ends of drying pipe tobacco over the years but nowadays I dont worry about drying at all and just smoke it as it comes in the tin or bag and simply adjust my pack/cadence to suit the moisture level, including the goopiest aromatics Sutliff produces or Gawith's flakes. It's all good, even the soggiest sauced up, PG laden aromatics can smoke cool and fairly dry once you get the knack of it . I do think we pipe smokers tend to over think and obsess over these things, but I guess it gives us something to contemplate over a bowl!
The Virtue of Dry?
- Thread starter tolstoyevsky
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I agree, so many of us myself included just need to light the damn thing up and relax
Also the correct equipment. I know there's a cadre that like to whine about filters but I've yet to find a better system in my life than the Brigham Rock Maple (Medico/Grabow 6mm runner up) for drying out a wet aromatic smoke without making one bit of difference to the flavor.
I just found an open pouch of Amphora Full Aroma in the back of my cabinet - long forgotten about, but with a few bowls out of it. It was dry, not quite crispy. More dry than I would have aired it out to smoke. These last few bowls have been the best that I can remember of this blend. I believe I'll finish this pouch, as the flavor is hitting all the right buttons now.
Interesting how things work out.
Interesting how things work out.
I've smoked the same blends in the same pipes with and without pipes and I honestly can't tell a difference in any way, but I still use filters on all my pipes that take them to minimize intake of tar and such
There are a lot of blends that need to maintain some level of humidity, but everything is also a personal preference, whatever anyone likes.
Some blends, depending on the casings/toppings, when drying out, these casing/toppings can loose flavors.
Straight leaf too, VAs, Burley, Kentucky, etc., depending on someone’s tastes, might not like these as dry, and sometimes they can be better drier.
So it really depends on the blends and what someone enjoys.
You just have to experiment to see what works for you.
Well, dry is the essence of the sport. It’s the most exciting of takes. Historically there is a school of thought that says if you’re not on the dry you aren’t part of the club. Sure you’ll be more successful if you use wet, after all it’s estimated that 75-85 percent of consumption happens below the surface.
Heck, three quarters of the sources life cycle is wet. The dun lays its eggs which float down to the rock bed. The larva stage transitions into the nymph stage where it spends the majority of its life cycle clinging to the underside of rocks and substrates before making its way to the surface and emerging to its aerial form for the purpose of mating. This is the stage most of us are excited about. To catch a trout on a dry….. nothing beats it.
Heck, three quarters of the sources life cycle is wet. The dun lays its eggs which float down to the rock bed. The larva stage transitions into the nymph stage where it spends the majority of its life cycle clinging to the underside of rocks and substrates before making its way to the surface and emerging to its aerial form for the purpose of mating. This is the stage most of us are excited about. To catch a trout on a dry….. nothing beats it.
Yeah I personally don't know if it makes a difference in the level of tar in the smoke that passes through but it definitely helps me keep my smoke dry which is my biggest issue.
Idk, I may just be stupid but even though I can pack a pipe to a perfect draw and keep it going cool enough to not burn my tongue yet consistent enough to not require one relight I still don't see/manage how any of these other people claim to be able to smoke aro's in non-filtered pipes without pre-drying with no gurgle or mouth juice lol.
I don't know either but I doubt it makes the amount of tar worse, I see how nasty filters get after a few bowls so I think they do something
Local store tells me I can partially rejuvenate slightly dry tobacco by breathing on it.
Now I'm wondering why I seldom see garlic flavored tobacco.
Thanks, I'll see myself out.
Now I'm wondering why I seldom see garlic flavored tobacco.
Thanks, I'll see myself out.
Even though I will NOT ask, I am intrigued that your doctor gave you emphatic blessings to resume indulging in pipe tobacco!!!! Seems like a wonderful fellow to me.
Retired General. Only doc that cusses at me and to me. VA can be...an odd environment.Even though I will NOT ask, I am intrigued that your doctor gave you emphatic blessings to resume indulging in pipe tobacco!!!! Seems like a wonderful fellow to me.
I used to be a cigarette smoker, and my doctor (30something youngster) told me if I was going to smoke, I would be better off smoking a pipe. I lost the congestive cough within months of learning how to actually smoke a pipe and have less bronchial issues anymore.Even though I will NOT ask, I am intrigued that your doctor gave you emphatic blessings to resume indulging in pipe tobacco!!!! Seems like a wonderful fellow to me.
Some people claim that dry for every blend is something that makes the tobacco better. It may smoke drier and have less relights, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to a better smoke. It’s really blend dependent. A lot of Virginia’s will do better on the dry side, whereas I’d never dry something out like Margate, which already smokes perfectly wet. It just depends on the blend. Some Englishes/Orientals and Kentucky blends will become too harsh and lose flavor IMHO.
Ouch..... Cosmic, I don't see how you and Funk can smoke dry cigars..... For me they fray at the ends and burn unevenly. I don't like them too wet either but I want them around 68 - 70%, slightly firm and with a good draw. While we are at it, do you prefer a maduro, natural or more of a Connecticut leaf?
I like both, but keep in mind that Alabama has an average of 95% humidity in the summers. They can’t dry out too much.
Yeah, the climate of the area makes a huge difference. I have to really stay on top of my humidor during the winter when the air is dryer. But, during the summer it is more forgiving.