Ziploc Bagging vs. Jarring

[carcosa]

is double bagging your tobacco (in a ziploc bag) just as safe as jarring? I really don't have room for a lot of jars and I just picked up a quarter pound of St. James flake, and want to keep it in best shape, maybe even age it a little before I use it....
Edit: Corrected capitalization in title per Rule #9. L.

Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine

 

[shayde]

I haven't ever used jars and I've been fine, but at the same time I've never tried to keep a quarter pound of tobacco in them either. I would assume keeping say an ounce or two in a baggy would be fine if you smoke from it often. I would definitely go with a jar for that much tobacco though. Ziplocs develope tiny holes in the corners after a while and will probably dry it out a bit. For short term ziplocs are fine, however I would be warry when trying to store long term in them. Just a thought, I am in no ways an expert on the matter.

 

[dryseason91]

I actually started a thread recently on jarring and raised the question of whether zip-locs would do. The consensus was no. Mason or bail-top jars are the only way to go it seems.

 

[jkenp]

If you want to age it I find jars. You can wash out a sauce jar that has an intact lid and get by with that.
However, I don't age my tobacco and have gotten on well for months with just plastic baggies. The freezer ones are heavier but I don't have a problem with the regular ones. I use the ones with a slider to hold some for smoking -- makes it more convenient.

 

[woodsroad]

Coalsmoke is correct. The additional problem with standard PVC zip-top plastic bags is that they off-gas. Stuff your nose into a Ziploc and you will smell it. Those gases end up in your tobacco (or food, or whatever else you put into a plastic bag). There are Mylar zip top bags that should work just fine to seal in moisture without off-gassing, however they are not as cheap as regular ZipLocs.

 

[sfsteves]

Baggies are NOT the way to go ... as noted, they are not impermeable to air and will not keep the tobacco from drying out. Jars, on the other hand, will get the job done right.

 

[dryseason91]

Also a row of labeled bacca jars just looks cool.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Ok, here's my story. My wife and I quit smoking pipes back in the early 1990s. For some reason, I kept all the tobacco we had left. Some was in jars, and some was in bags. About a month ago we decided to start smoking them again. ( we just missed them, and she never liked cigars as much as I did ) I dug out all the tobacco I kept to see if it was usable. With the exception of one bag, all the bagged stuff was dry, dry, dry! The stuff in the jars was all usable, some a little dry, but most just as I left it. The only exception was a large bag of one of my favorites, Plumcake, from Poor Richard's Pipe Shoppe in San Bernadino, CA. I had put a 1lb. bag which was tied with twist tie, inside a zip lock bag and it was just fine. I have no explanation for this, other than it was a large amount. All this tobacco was at least 20 years old! I had LOTS! of little baggies of misc. tobacco types from all over So. CA, some had no name on them as they were just samples given to us from different shops. The only thing I knew, was that they were all aromatic. So I took them all and put them in a sealable plastic container with a wet sponge setting next to the tobacco, but not in it. After a few days of stirring it around it was fine and ready to smoke. So along with the Plumcake, the stuff in the jars, and my reconstituted mixture, I had over 2lbs, of tobacco to use!

After all is said and done, I'd have to say that for short term, baggies are fine. Long term, or larger amounts, I agree with the others, use jars. ( and oh yeah, I still ordered some fresh tobacco just the other day, I don't know, just felt the need for something new I guess ) Happy smoking anyway!

 

[petes03]

Most definitely go with jars! Either Ball Mason jars, or Kerr brand jars are what I've found to be the best, the kind with a two-piece lid. Don't buy the cheap Wal-Mart brand jars, I did once and they suck!

 

[tarak]

Oh my gosh no contest. Jars. Ziplock aren't even close. And if you want to age it- ziplocks are not, in my opinion, a viable option in any way.

 

[kashmir]

I never use plastic for anything (tobacco, food nor drink). Use glass, ceramic or steel.

 

[woodsroad]

Tobacco costs between $2 and $7 an ounce. The 1/2 pint screw-top canning jars, by the case of 12 at WalMart, cost 67 cents each. No brainer.

End of thread.

 

[judcole]

They answered that question, didn't they? ::

 

[carcosa]

Yes, jars it is!! Thanks for all the feedback, didn't realize the bags were air permeable.

 

[stbruno70]

Jars are the way to go.

 

[woodsroad]

Yes, we reached that conclusion already.

 

[jkenp]

I have some of the Iwan bags. They are silver and have done the job so far. They also deliver tobacco order inside such bags so I have a half dozen from past purchases. They are quite reusable. They fold over the ends and tape them lightly.

 

[cynyr]

As always, I have to be contrary. I put my tobacco in sandwich-sized Zip-loc bags, then stuff them into a Mason jar. Keeps everything clean and neat.

 

[woodsroad]

ZipLoc bags, and all similar types of soft, pliable plastic bags, are made from a form of PVC plastic. It is O2 permeable AND it off-gasses plasticizers.

There are other plastics, like mylar, that ARE O2 barriers. The bags that Starbucks and Esoterica come in are laminates of Mylar, polyester and aluminum foil. They are inpermeable and do not off-gas.
I would strongly encourage folks to not use ziplocs for long term storage.
Glass or mylar laminate bags are a better choice.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I jar all my tobacco except for my cellared tobacco which I leave in their tins, and any samples I get from friends etc. I leave my small samples in ziplock bags.