Tobacco Moisture.

[johnnyrebel]

Recently i just tried to add some moisture to my tobacco, and i did the pinch test and it should be about right. The problem is now that i've added the moisture, it seems to bite me even worse than before? I've done this before where i've tried to change the moisture level for the better, and it provides a much worse smoke. I thought that the added moisture might give it some added flavor, but it only provided being more hot on my tongue. Should i just let it dry out again, any suggestions?

 

[pstlpkr]

I thought that the added moisture might give it some added flavor,

While I have always preferred my tobacco a bit on the moist side (a perceived freshness thing I guess) I don't really believe there to be any more flavor than the same tobacco would be if a bit drier.
However; your experience with the tongue burn is probably correct. The moisture produces steam and that can be pretty uncomfortable. And, you probably have to smoke it at a higher rate and temperature, relight more often as well.
Just let it dry for a bit.
Here is something that I do so I can taste the flavor more....

I smoke 1Q for several bowls, if not for days before smoking a bowl of a "boutique" blend. The 1Q sort of gives me a baseline or cleans the palate and the flavor of that special blend comes roaring through.

 

[johnnyrebel]

Thanks Lawrence. Youre completely right with the 'tongue burn' its not really a lasting thing, but during the smoke it is a bit uncomfortable, and seems like it takes away from the smoke. Im letting the blend dry right now as i write this, i'll have another go at it this afternoon when i think its right. It seemed to smoke fine, if anything it seemed like it was burning well. I thought that adding moisture might help bring out more flavor, i dont think i read that anywhere..i think i just assumed it.
I am with you that its a precieved freshness when the tobacco is full in moisture. I seem to be having better results when i smoke much drier. Also it seems like the base of the bowl is colleting moisture as well, as this hasn't happened in awhile. I'll give this a try and see where it is after that.
I'll try the blend cleansing. Sounds like a great idea. I'll let you know how that goes over.

 

[pstlpkr]

Johnny, the moisture in the bottom of the bowl is condensation and may have a couple-three causes.

1) the moisture content of the tobacco is too high.

2) the bowl is being smoke to hot and quickly.

3) the interior design of the bowl may be conducive to the collection of condensation.
I hope that helps.

 

[pstlpkr]

Quite right Baskerville...
So make that a thruple-four.

 

[jasongone]

when i first started smoking pipes i thought the tobacco was supposed to be moist, since that was how it came. i owned no computer, had no friends that smoked pipes, and every tobacco shop i had available to me was full of guys that smoked cigars exclusively. over time (and meeting other pipe smokers was invaluable) i came to the realization that drier than i thought it should be, and packed lighter than i thought it should be has brought me the most pleasure.

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

I've had the pleasure of talking with quite a few people since I've started pipe smoking. Everyone suggests letting a tobacco air out a little before loading a pipe and smoking, or even loading a pipe and letting it sit for 30-60 minutes before smoking.
It's kinda like the practice of opening a bottle of wine and letting the air mix with the wine for a little bit before pouring a glass.

 

[zunismoke]

I go by something I learned over the last 8 years. For starters, if you smoke a tobacco with a lot of moisture in it you create more steam. The steam mixed with the smoke can cause tongue bite. I smoke most tobacco fairly dry, but not quite crunchy. I have found that not only do I get less tongue bite, the tobacco has much more flavor as well when it has less moisture.

 

[marmal4de]

A little off topic, but moist, moisture, moistened, etc strike me as some of the most uncomfortable words to hear spoken aloud. Also doily.

 

[jankomatic]

While I have always preferred my tobacco a bit on the moist side (a perceived freshness thing I guess) I don't really believe there to be any more flavor than the same tobacco would be if a bit drier.

This is definitely what I used to think, if it was moist it must be fresher. If the tobacco was dry it reminded me of cigarette tobacco which was a mental turn off to me. I finally realized that taking a bowl full out first and letting it dry a little before I put it in the pipe made the smoke much better. As far as tongue bite, it seems to be that aromatic by far have the worst and are usually the moistest as well, so really let them dry out.

 

[johnnyrebel]

I may be packing a little bit too tight, i had another bowl this afternoon and it was uncomfortable on the tongue as well. Its pretty dry as well. So I'll have to experiment with it until i figure this out. My aromatic is the coolest smoke i get actually. Im thinking youre right Jason, im going to need to pack lighter and a little dryer than i think i should be. I'll have another bowl tonight and see how it goes over.

 

[rafterman]

In my brief pipe smoking career, I've discovered that I like my tobacco to be pretty dry. My usual choice of weed is Mac Barens. My method is to set out an amount of tobacco I before leave for work. When I get home, 10 hours or so later, she's nice and dry, ready to go. I will concede that this method may make my tobacco a bit crunchy, but I always get a nice dry and cool smoke, with very robust flavor.

 

[nsfisher]

When I get home, 10 hours or so later, she's nice and dry, ready to go. I will concede that this method may make my tobacco a bit crunchy, but I always get a nice dry and cool smoke, with very robust flavor.
I have several Macbarens here that I simply cannot smoke. Vanilla Creme and Virginia #1. If yours is smoking cool, I am thinking that perhaps I should give that a try. Perhaps if I set it out for a like amount of time, the bite will dissapear. How do you find it if you do not set it out for that long mate?

 

[rafterman]

My experience has been wet steamy smokes, with bitter flavor if I dont give Mac Barens enough time to dry.

 

[whitebriar]

while having no real proof, i believe that what most folk call tongue bite is actually steam burn--
i had to learn this the hard way--today i dry my weed to a really dry status--seem to get good flavor and VERY dry cool smokes--i fear that if i passed my tobac jar to most folk they might refuse it as being too dry; but it has worked for me for some time--
but then i'm a codger, and i smoke Bur/Va/Per almost exclusively--YMMV--

 

[captainbob]

Ok, for what it is worth, 15% moisture is ideal. Good luck in figuring that one out! You would have to weigh the tobacco dry and untreated. Then, weigh it after the moisture has been applied. Don't bother! If the tobacco is just beginning to clump when pinched, it is probably perfect moisture. There has been a lot of good advice here, already. I'll just add that to moisten tobacco, do it indirectly, not directly. For example, if you have an air-tight container, get yourself a spray bottle that emits a fine mist and simply moisten the inside of the lid of your container with tap water or, if your water is high-mineral, I suggest you use distilled water. Do not apply to the tobacco directly. Test your moisture level the next morning with the "pinch & clump test". If it clumps, it is too moist. If it doesn't clump at all when piched tight between your thumb and fore-finger, it is too dry. If it partially or just begins to clump, you got it right-on! That is my humble opinion. And, I will add, dryer is better than wetter!

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[justanotherdude]

Old thread but think it is pointing me in the right direction. Not getting tongue bite much because I think I'm smoking slow enough (quite a few relights). Flavor-wise all I'm getting is a blob with nothing distinct standing out. Could just be my numb palette but this is over half a dozen different blends (both aro's and VA's). Letting some (Burly blend) dry in a bowl and will try later this evening to see if things improve. Here's fingers crossed. ::

 

[trouttimes]

I agree with everyone who likes it dry but unlike the Capt. I like mine at 13.7%. Just kidding Capt. the other big thing is when you think you are smoking slow cut that in half and smoke even slower.

 

[lightxmyfire]

This is one of the biggest Ah-Ha moments I've had since getting back into pipe smoking more recently and reading a lot of advice here and on Tobaccoreviews.
I first tried just a little drying 15 to 20 minutes and thought "well that's ok, not much of a difference" until one day I decided ok let me really leave something out for "longer than I think" I left some Full Virginia Flake to dry for about an hour and a half and my god the difference was amazing! I did it again with Stonehenge Flake and I was blown away, no bite, stayed lit, tasting amazing, tasted things I hadn't before, that's when I decided I'm drying everything all the time! haha
Really let something go, it will open your eyes and tastebuds!

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's like ice in a drink. As the ice melts, the flavor of the drink becomes diluted. In tobacco, less moisture equals more flavor. I smoke mine bone dry.