Tongue Bite Despite Doing Everything Right
- Thread starter fishmansf
- Start date
I’ve found through trial and error some blends just don’t agree with me. And some do. So to keep it simple, and enjoyable, if a blend just doesn’t work for me after 2-3 bowls, I move on.
Try sipping cool water from time to time throughout the smoke. Works for me. You could even throw some of Jim Ink's "bergs" in it.
My experience is, the heating is not only depends on that, how slow you puffing, it's also how tight you pack, how moist is the blend and what you smoke, virginia nearly always bite ( what is actually good thing, cause that means your body pH is at good level) and burn hotter. Me Personally not a virginia lover, not cause of a bite but I don't like that grassy hay taste, newer was and probably newer will. Long cigarette rolling history behind me and can tell all my life avoiding that weed, although in cigarette is no bite, and after 12 year smoke free period, still can't stand it. In pipe can pass only as a condiment in small quantity.
The beauty of life is, that some love it. Cheers
Try to dry it a bit more and as many of others say try the filter.
The beauty of life is, that some love it. Cheers
Try to dry it a bit more and as many of others say try the filter.
Could be concentrating the smoke exiting the pipe onto the same area of your tongue. Try to let the smoke not hit the same area all the time. Also try to let the smoke fill your mouth without it hitting any area of your tongue directly. Just have the smoke flow over your tongue more like a fog than having it hit one place like an acetylene torch.
I kept getting tongue bite no matter what I tried, for a couple years. English blends treated me better. I eventually figured out what works for me.
I dry the shit out of my tobacco for Virginias, it doesn't seem to impact the flavor negatively for me.
I pack a lot looser than I used to, that "pack it until it feels like you're drinking out of a straw" was packed way too tight for me. I fill the bowl loosely tapping the bowl and let the tobacco settle in then very lightly pack it down with my thumb. 2 or 3 times filling it gets me in a good place. If you pack too loosely you can always tamp it down a little during the smoke. Check the draw, if it's too tight you can always empty the bowl and try again. When it's packed lightly and dry I find things stay lit better and burn more evenly and all you need is light tamping and maybe a relight or two.
And I accepted that I personally need filters on blends with a lot of VA. I use 9mm charcoal ones. They mute the flavor a little bit, I actually prefer it with Virginias, it seems to tame any harshness down completely and smooth things out and it tastes better overall. I don't like using filters with English blends though, it does something with the Latakia that I really don't like.
I find all this stuff helps me smoke a lot more slowly too. Virginias never appealed to me until I eventually figured all this out. With all this, it's just become part of my smoking routine, and I don't get any tongue bite at all anymore with any tobacco.
I dry the shit out of my tobacco for Virginias, it doesn't seem to impact the flavor negatively for me.
I pack a lot looser than I used to, that "pack it until it feels like you're drinking out of a straw" was packed way too tight for me. I fill the bowl loosely tapping the bowl and let the tobacco settle in then very lightly pack it down with my thumb. 2 or 3 times filling it gets me in a good place. If you pack too loosely you can always tamp it down a little during the smoke. Check the draw, if it's too tight you can always empty the bowl and try again. When it's packed lightly and dry I find things stay lit better and burn more evenly and all you need is light tamping and maybe a relight or two.
And I accepted that I personally need filters on blends with a lot of VA. I use 9mm charcoal ones. They mute the flavor a little bit, I actually prefer it with Virginias, it seems to tame any harshness down completely and smooth things out and it tastes better overall. I don't like using filters with English blends though, it does something with the Latakia that I really don't like.
I find all this stuff helps me smoke a lot more slowly too. Virginias never appealed to me until I eventually figured all this out. With all this, it's just become part of my smoking routine, and I don't get any tongue bite at all anymore with any tobacco.
I really think the 'slow smoking' thing is a bit of a misnomer. Really it's 'gentle smoking'. Rather than concentrating on speed, concentrate on barely drawing on the pipe at all, I think @cosmicfolklore explained this really well as just letting your throat muscles draw the smoke into your mouth. As @proteus said above, just let the smoke fill your mouth.
You take very infrequent puffs and still be drawing on the pipe too much.
Could be a pH thing as others have said. Fortunately this isn't something I've ever experienced (maybe I've just turned my tongue to leather).
You take very infrequent puffs and still be drawing on the pipe too much.
Could be a pH thing as others have said. Fortunately this isn't something I've ever experienced (maybe I've just turned my tongue to leather).
Good points. What helped me was a combination of drawing slower and puffing less often. And I just get into a rhythm without thinking about it, letting the heat of the pipe and flavor let me know if I need to back off a little bit. It's become pretty automatic.
Yeah i never understood the whole "burley being the most mild/easiest beginner" thing. To me they smoke the hottest wettest and harshest of most. Maybe it's my reaction, who knows.
You'll get lots of advice but my main one as echoed here is a filter. People rag on them but it'll solve most of the problems I find with burley which is excessive moisture.
You'll get lots of advice but my main one as echoed here is a filter. People rag on them but it'll solve most of the problems I find with burley which is excessive moisture.
That was my early experience. I bought a bag of D&R Two Timer on recommendation that it's goooood Burley. It smoked like a barn fire.
Months later, I'm enjoying a bowl of it right now. It is good. What changed was I learned how to smoke a pipe.
I have a bag i bought about 5 or 6 years ago I'll have to break into. I'm sure the fact that most of the D&R blends are dry as mummy bones doesn't hurt too
Tabac Manil is even drier, and I prefer that over the D&R codger smokes.I have a bag i bought about 5 or 6 years ago I'll have to break into. I'm sure the fact that most of the D&R blends are dry as mummy bones doesn't hurt too
Youre a braver man than I. I'm so interested in them but everytime I read the reviews titled "hair on your chest" and see the pics of that dusty block and pipe-tobacco-bob-dylan on the label I shy away back to my cherry vanilla
I too am prone to tongue bite. I tried and failed to use the “breathe method” several times before it finally clicked. Since I’ve gotten used to it, I haven’t had as many issues. Rotating the pipe around the mouth is important. Packing on the lighter side also helps.
This is a real conundrum that many people think is an unbreakable barrier. I know because I was there. First things first get a filtered pipe. Use the insert that comes with it. Experiment with different types of filters for that pipe. If you feel you are getting the bite stop smoking immediately and pick up the pipe and continue later. Use the pipe with the adapter only if you feel no hint of an existing bite, otherwise be sure to use a filter. All the other comments apply. Slow down. Do not make yourself believe you need to smoke the entire bowl in one sitting to prove something to yourself. Listen to your tongue first and foremost.
Ive wondered this as well. What I surmise is that straight VA and any mixed blend with a high percentage of VA(not entirely sure yet which specific variety of VA) cause ample bite regardless of my pace, packing or dryness. I can steam train burley's for example and be fine. I smoke a VA and not put it down every few minutes and I feel like my tongue licked molten glass. I also couldnt smoke a VA blend but once a week because of the thrashing so Ive moved away from it and havent really had an issue since, and I have blends with VA in them. So all that to say that it could definatly be a PH thing.
This. I fought for a while and eventually went to the 9mm charcoal filters and it changed everything for me.
Youre a braver man than I. I'm so interested in them but everytime I read the reviews titled "hair on your chest" and see the pics of that dusty block and pipe-tobacco-bob-dylan on the label I shy away back to my cherry vanilla
Sammy Hagar, not Bob Dylan, and it's quite good. I don't think they are particularly strong blends. There's always Le Petite Robin, which i think is a bit tamer due to the addition of VA. So far my favorites are La Brumeuse and Reserve Du Patron. In any event, especially if you like burley, i'd give it a go!
Crazy idea just popped into my head. Eat some crackers and peanut butter right before smoking. See if the mixture coating will prevent tongue bite! I guess coating the tongue with honey might work too, as long as you don't leave the honey on the tongue instead of eating it.