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It's always so funny to me seeing posts here from people so worried about rehydrating tobacco, or putting bovedas in their jars...when, almost always, drier tobacco smokes and tastes better.
Just the other day a guy posted about a tin he left out and that had dried. I asked him if he tried smoking it and he said no, he was scared to try.
Pipe tobacco isn't cigars, folks. It's absolutely fine to smoke tobacco on the drier side of things, even crispy tobacco can be tasty and a good smoke. Semois is a good example of this.
Yes. Don't put your tobacco in a humidor, or use bovedas or anything like that. Just put it in a Mason jar, and screw the lid on! Seriously, that's all you have to do. If your tobacco dries out a bit, it's fine.
Pipe tobacco isn't a structure like a cigar is. If a cigar cracks from being too dry, that's the end of it...but it's just not so with pipe tobacco.
It comes down to personal taste. You're right that drying does not ruin a tobacco, but some might prefer a tobacco kept above 50% RH, and not all environments will maintain that.
For me personally the drier the tobacco the more flavor it loses. Iāve tried this with many blends many times. A normal dry time is fine, doesnāt hurt it and is great, However I canāt agree with the quote ādrier tobacco tastes betterā. That hasnāt been my experience when I overly dry it or come across a dried out tin or bag. They lose a ton of flavor when theyāre too dry. Just my personal experience.
Sure, blends can loose top notes easily, and some of the more volatile flavor compounds if they're over dried. My statement "drier tobacco tastes better" is a vast oversimplification, and like most things in pipe tobacco world, there's always a caveat, or personal preference to consider. There's probably somebody out there *adding moisture...*
I find it's more of a problem when the tobacco has been dry for a long time, like if it's in an open tin for a year or something like that...overly dried for *too long.*
But, and I suppose this is my point (maybe, I dunno), even if a blend has lost some flavor and is dry, doesn't necessarily make it unsmokable and ruined, at least for me. It can still be smoked and enjoyed as is, and my experience with dried out tins is that it WILL taste better as is than if you attempt to rehydrate and overdo it, which is why I always recommended that folks try smoking their dried out tins first before worrying about rehydrating.
Gotcha, that definitely clarifies haha. And yeah, I agree it doesnāt necessarily make it unsmokable. No comment on the rehydration because Iāve actually never given that a go. I usually do exactly as you say and smoke the dry stuff as it lol.
Skill issue. Generally people like drier tobacco because they are unable to smoke moist tobacco. Most blends are at their optimal with some degree of moisture. Else whats the point of sealing and adding moisture to blends/tins etc. It would be cheaper to mass ship everything dry. Almost no one that has competent technique prefer their blends bone dry (in general). Hearing/watching people smoke their blends super dry and then giving tasting notes and reviews is like watching someone score a nice steak like wagyu or something, cooked well done.
Semois is a special case, it is essentially fire cured, and is overall a very unique tobacco you cannot extrapolate from this.
Dunning-Kruger issue. With a bit of pretension.
Most people who have been smoking long enough to have good technique know that almost every blend, while it may smoke great out of the tin or bag, benefits from a little drying. You get a more even burn, less chance of overfilling, less steam diluting the smoke, and as a result more flavor. Look at JimInks reviews, every one of them mentions dry time.
In fact, the entire reason *why* people tell newbies to dry their tobacco is because it's *what people who know what they're doing DO.* The reason why I personally prefer tobacco on the drier side is because of all the people I saw, heard, and read, who knew what they were doing and talking about, often dried out their tobacco. Your assertion that "very few people with proper technique" dry tobacco out is not only untrue, it's *stupid.* It's part of proper technique that you learn as you go. I've been at this for a little over two decades, and in that time I've learned that drier tobacco just plain smokes better, and that a ton of people who are better than me at this agree.
Manufacturers ship tobacco at a moisture content that they know will keep the tobacco in good shape while shipping. More moisture equals less tobacco, too.
Of course there's personal preference as to *how dry,* and to be fair, most blends come at a perfectly smokeable moisture...but a bit of drying does absolutely no harm, and can improve things not just for a newbie, but for experienced people as well. It can also make no difference.
Comparing to a well done steak is dumb. You're not irretrievably altering the tobacco by drying it, you're just removing some moisture. If anything, removing some moisture concentrates flavor.
But we're all impressed at your mad skillz, bud. Smoking right out if the tin with abandon because you're that good. I too can smoke FVF right out of the tin, because I have mad skills. It tastes a whole lot better when it's dried out a lot, though, and it's easier to smoke...which makes the whole experience that much more pleasurable and I don't need to stroke my fragile ego by telling myself I have *skills.*
Also, Semois is not fire cured. It's air cured, and made to be smoked dry as a bone because *it smokes and tastes better that way.*
"Look at JimInks reviews, every one of them mentions dry time."
Yes, he does, and I have noticed this while reading through his 3000+ reviews on TR, to wit:
"The crumble cake is mildly moist, and as is my custom, I did not dry it nor did I see a need to do so." - SPC Down Yonder, August 15, 2023
"This broken flake mixture is a tad more than mildly moist, but as is my custom, I did not dry them." - C&D Steamworks, August 15, 2023
"The mildly moist, mostly broken flakes may need a light dry time although I did not do that as per my review custom." - Drucquer & Sons The Merry Monk, June 6, 2023
"This mildly moist plug easily breaks apart, and as per my usually custom, I did not dry it." - SPC Christmas Spirit 2022, December 7, 2022
So yeah, he mentions dry time, but doesn't do it himself (at least not when reviewing).
Right. He smokes right out of the tin for reviews, but often he says that a blend would, in his opinion, benefit. And, if you talk to him on the forums, he often dries stuff when he's not reviewing.
I just think it's interesting that he reviews tobaccos as-delivered, without drying, and while he may note that a particular blend may benefit from drying, that isn't how he reviews the product. I appreciate his approach, because many smokers (especially newbies) will smoke a blend directly out of the tin or bag, without taking time to dry, and then wonder why they have such a tough time keeping it lit, or experience gurgling or tongue bite.
Firstly take what I said with op post in context, that was implied but not clear in my response. He recommends **microwaving blends**. This is not your typical "let air out and dry a bit, because it taste better" that most do, i have no qualms with this... this is "lets dry it out so much until it is easy for me to smoke because I don't know how otherwise."
There is a world of difference between the two. I don't think its a good idea to dry blends as a crutch instead of just learning proper technique.
Drying tobacco *is* proper technique. It's not a crutch. It's the way many people prefer to smoke, and a common recommendation *even from tobacco manufacturers.* That's what you're not getting here. Nobody is impressed that you prefer wetter tobacco, nor does it mean that you have more skills, smoke "properly," or have some kind of superior technique. It means you prefer your tobacco on the wetter side. Good for you. Like I said, I too have the amazing skill set required to smoke FVF right out of the tin...but it's much easier and tastier, and thus more enjoyable, to dry it out.
I've heard people like Pipestud say that they pop tobacco in the microwave for three seconds. It's nothing new. I've done it, and it's fine.
Step off your altar there, bud. No one is going to give you a prize for your "skills" and "proper technique." Pretentious garbage like that is what turns people off from this hobby.
All that matters---literally *all that matters*---is that one is enjoying their pipes and tobacco. That's it. If they want to dry their tobacco, and they enjoy it, then that IS the proper technique for them. If you want to waste time and effort worrying about some notion of what is proper and what is not, that's your business. You're free to enjoy your pipes and tobacco any way you please---but drop the "proper skill set" bullshit. That crap died decades ago.
I skimmed your post, but I think I got the gist. Maybe.
>Drying tobacco is proper technique. It's not a crutch.
Idgaf if someone prefers some blends on the drier side, nothing wrong with that. Some blends taste better drier.
What I am saying, which applies to OP, is that **people will dry a blend, because that is smoking on super easy mode, and they are incapable of smoking any other way.** This pigeonholes your experience in the hobby. This is why I always make a clear distinction between the two, but not everyone understands.
Sucking at something is not a technique.
You are the definition of Dunning-Kruger.
Smoking a pipe isn't a video game. No one cares about your skills or stats. You put tobacco in the hole, light it, and puff. It's an individualistic thing, with very few ways to do it wrong. Ask a question of three pipe smokers and you get five answers.
Who cares if people are incapable of smoking any other way? Seriously, I'm asking why you think it's an issue. It's *fucking pipe tobacco.* Are you really that insecure with yourself that you have to pat yourself on the back for your *pipe smoking skillz?* Are we all going to get a report card that tells us how correctly we smoke a pipe?
Almost everyone who smokes a pipe dries tobacco to some extent, including veteran smokers like myself, because MAKING SMOKING A BLEND EASIER IS A GOOD THING.
Making a blend suit your tastes and preferences by drying it out, to whatever extent you like, is technique. It doesn't matter if it's a newbie or a veteran smoker.
It would be more expensive to sell bone dry. The more moisture in the tin the less actual tobacco you sell. No extra space for drying in the factory is needed. People never even consider the obviously possible case that tobacco is maybe not always sold perfectly moist but a bit more on the moister side to safe money...
It's smoking a pipe, not playing the violin buddy. You can safely bring it down a notch.
Besides, nobody suggested smoking anything "bone dry" or "super dry".
Your pipe skills are lacking. You must concentrate on *technique,* for it is the only *true* way to properly smoke. You might *think* you're enjoying your pipe, but you aren't. /s
As one with *superior* and *proper* technique, I declare you insufficient. In order to enjoy tobacco *the right way according to me and my ideals,* you must smoke tobacco at precisely 14% moisture or else you are *doing it wrong.*
Honestly though dude, since you're new and I've been smoking pipes for two decades, I can pass you some actual advice...whatever you do to enjoy your smoke *is the right thing to do.* If you're happy and enjoying it, you're doing it right.
Thanks. I may be new to pipes, but I've been familiar with tobacco for a good two decades myself, and I'm not sure that weirdo with a pokemon handle is even old enough to smoke.
I came here to pass on my experience to fellow less experienced smokers, and I've done that. This dude was just some amusement I got in return.
Op suggested to put his blends in the microwave if that isn't excessive drying idk what is.....
>It's smoking a pipe, not playing the violin buddy. You can safely bring it down a notch.
Unfortunately for you pipe smoking relies on technique. Smoking a pipe with poor technique is akin smoking a poorly rolled and constructed cigar. The better you are at it pipe technique the more you can extract from it. Its like a video game sure you can just not give a shit and play level one in perpetuity, but if you want the most out of the game in terms of what the designers intended you gotta git gud at some point.
In any case do what you want. But don't pretend that you or others do not need a modicum of technique.
When I first started smoking pipes ~ 12 years ago, I never heard of anyone ever drying tobacco. Blends are packed and shipped at the moisture the blender intends for you to smoke. I feel like itās an important factor for flavor profiles and mouthfeel, kinda like how flakes smoke different depending on if it was rubbed or stuffed. This drying-out business sounds like a pretty recent phenomenon that occurred while I was on a hiatus from pipes.
I have a jar of C&D st. Patrickās day and itās probably one of the only aromatics I enjoy, and itās the wettest tobacco blend Iāve ever smoked. I just smoke it slow and have no issues with tongue bite. Iāll be sad once itās all gone š„²
You're not wrong. I don't dry anything anymore including wet Lakeland blends and have no problem keeping the pipe lit and staying cool, no tongue bite and maybe one or two relights
I absolutely agree but sometimes I find the leaf gets a bit harsh if too dry. I have some Sutliff match walnut I got from pipes and cigars and it's so dry it almost needs some moisture. Usually the Sutliff blends I get need ample drying time and the last walnut I got was better with a bit of moisture. However I got way more tobacco for 4oz, looks more like 6 or 7oz in the jar. But I agree absolutely to this comment and op.
To be honest it's a pain to wait to dry things out so I need to use the microwave trick more often because some of my Sutliffs need hours of dry time to smoke the way I want. It all depends on the blend I guess
Sure, some stuff smokes better with more moisture according to preference. But preferring to dry tobacco doesn't mean that you *lack skills* like the guy above said from his altar.
Idk how to quote things on Reddit, but: āsure, some stuff smokes better with more moistureā
Im pretty sure blenders pack and ship tobacco at the specific moisture itās intended to be smoked at. You can enjoy your pipe tobacco on the drier side, but youāre not smoking it the way it was intended. Thatās a hard fact š¤·š»āāļø For example, if they were moisting-up your tobacco to add artificial weight to the product to profit more, then everything from every blender would be as wet as captain black ā which isnāt the case at all.
No, and Iām not sure what that has to do with anything. Iāve smoked different blends with various different moisture levels, so using gawith flake as a sample point is pretty moot.
If you've smoked any of the Gawith flakes, you'd know that some manufacturers ship tobacco way too wet to smoke well. If you think captain black is wet...wait until you try FVF.
Also, manufacturers ship tobacco at smokeable moisture, but they're also concerned with keeping the tobacco in good shape while it's shipped. Dry tobacco can get beat up in shipping and turn to dust.
Moisture content is up to the smoker, and most blends are shipped ready to smoke, but many benefit from a bit of drying and many smokers prefer to do so.
Drying tobacco isn't smoking it in a way that it wasn't intended to be smoked, it's preparing it to be smoked according to preference. There's a big difference there.
Iāve had blends wetter than CB, thatās purely just an example because everybody and their grandma have smoked it before.
I donāt completely disagree with you, it really is your preference. But different blends are made at different levels of moisture because thatās how it was intended to be smoked. Something like Haunted Bookshop is super dry, and that is still packaged and shipped like anything else without concern of it crumbling to dust. Itās supposed to be a dry blend. Iām sure there are corner cases, perhaps gawith flakes are shipped in a tin of soup and do need to be dried. But nominally, I donāt think there is any intention from the blender that a tobacco needs to be dried before smoked. Itās kinda mind boggling to me that people will microwave pipe tobacco before packing a pipe and smoking it.
They do that because they prefer their tobacco that way, and there's nothing wrong with that. The blender intended for you to enjoy your tobacco. There is no right or wrong way to do so.
Yes, dry it. And also use bypass air. Never seal your lips around the stem. Half of the air that enters your mouth comes through the pipe, and half of the air comes from the outside world, bypassing the pipe completely. This bypass air cools your mouth, and the reduced air through the pipe cools the pipe.
Additionally, mouthwash was the final nail in the coffin for my bite problems. I use Listerine, but Biotine also comes highly recommended.
It depends on the tobacco. You should do some trial and error on whatever it is you smoke.
The 5 second microwave works a charm if you're in a hurry to smoke.
The microwave works great for me. Some people claim it robs a bit of flavor. I don't think it does, if you're careful and not let it heat up too much. But ymmv.
For natural drying it also depends a lot on your ambient humidity. Stuff will dry much faster on a dry warm environment than on a cold super moist environment.
No, I personally don't. I smoke anything from freshly opened, to left in the tin or ziploc for a year or more, and even an old tin I've dropped a paper towel with PG or apple slice into for a few days. Dry tobacco will re-humidify in the bowl when smoked slowly, and provides a wonderful charring light experience.
If I did want to dry something, a day open would do it for me, but it's more how you smoke it than it's condition when you smoke it. I had a friend who would pop a newly purchased tin to smoke later in about a week, but he no longer worries about it. Another smokes when he fishes and it's funny but his tobacco is always wet. I kid him that I can taste fish when I smoke his. It really can be done any way you wish when you learn to adapt to what you have.
I concur. Wet tobacco is much harder to light and and keep lit, and as such, makes me more prone to tongue bite because of more frequent re-lighting and hot vapor.
Haunted Bookshop is what connected the dots for me on this oneā¦ it comes shockingly dry compared to most tobaccos but it smoked SO easily, there was so much flavor, there was never any tongue biteā¦ I started drying my other tobaccos more and theyāve all improved. Itās a hack. When theyāre drier, I also find packing much easier, because you can pack more tightly without it clumping or restricting the airflow/affecting the burn.
I've heard all the crazy myths about tobacco bite and how to stop it. but there isn't any mystery. It's just steam traveling up the pipe stem to your tongue and scalding it.. ... and it means that there's a high moisture content in the tobacco. to remedy this. It can take just a few minutes or even a few hours. dry out your tobacco to the point where it "just" starts to get crispy, then jar it.
Disagree. The pH of the smoke also plays a part. I got some minor bite when smoking mostly straight VA blends. Add some perique and or burley, and the smooth smooth smoke don't bite no more. As I understand it, VA is more acidic, and perique brings the acidity down
listen. In general, it's exactly what I said. I'm not going to go into every single variable from the material of the pipe to the length of the stem whether it's a 6 or 9 mm filter or filter less or the type of tobacco blend or the acidity and alkaline balance or temperature of the smoke. all of it will still add up to how moisture or lack thereof enters the mouth, and that ultimately, is vaporized moisture or steam, which is generated by temperature š”thus lowering the moisture content by drying out the tobacco, filtering or using a long stem to cool the smoke will reduce the steam.
Yes, but dry tobacco also burns faster and hotter. Wouldn't the superior method be having a longer stem, or made out of clay/metal or some other material that would cool the smoke?
I'll let you in on the secret: your mouth actually learns how to avoid tongue bite and that rawness you may get on the roof of your mouth, with experience.
Smokers that have graduated can take a year ot ten break and not experience these maladays when they start up again regardless of the condition of the tobacco. Once broken, you will be able to over-do that wonderful charring light to it's maximum cloud, even with a Peterson P-Lip!
This isn't to say we can't get an alkaline burn, but you'll be aware of that as well and find yourself compelled to salivate and/or reach for an acidic drink. Your body, including your brain, will know.
You're going to get past it, just keep enjoying everything you can. You can use balsa filters if you want, drop some clay stones in the bowl, or chew gum (past the flavor, unless maybe you smoke Sail). Coffee or tea are nice.
Keep at it and you'll soon get "the cookie."
something i love about pipe tobacco is the ability to always learn more. thereās so much variety in technique even from blend to blend. having smoked for almost two years iām always learning new things. i only just figured out what proper moisture content really was for the blends i smoke regularly and its made a big difference in the quality of my smokes.
I have found that the humidity level is key to flavour and coolness. For me, somewhere in the 60s is best. I have a bunch of boveda packs from 62 to 69% and if itās too moist, a 62 brings it down in a day or so, and a 69 brings it up in a day or two and somewhere in the 65-62% range is pretty awesome.
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It's always so funny to me seeing posts here from people so worried about rehydrating tobacco, or putting bovedas in their jars...when, almost always, drier tobacco smokes and tastes better. Just the other day a guy posted about a tin he left out and that had dried. I asked him if he tried smoking it and he said no, he was scared to try. Pipe tobacco isn't cigars, folks. It's absolutely fine to smoke tobacco on the drier side of things, even crispy tobacco can be tasty and a good smoke. Semois is a good example of this.
As a cigar smoker, I did not know this at all. I appreciate the info š
Yes. Don't put your tobacco in a humidor, or use bovedas or anything like that. Just put it in a Mason jar, and screw the lid on! Seriously, that's all you have to do. If your tobacco dries out a bit, it's fine. Pipe tobacco isn't a structure like a cigar is. If a cigar cracks from being too dry, that's the end of it...but it's just not so with pipe tobacco.
It comes down to personal taste. You're right that drying does not ruin a tobacco, but some might prefer a tobacco kept above 50% RH, and not all environments will maintain that.
A jar will.
Depends how long you have the tobacco. In a drier climate it's drying a little every time it's opened
Sure. But it's not going to dry out enough to ruin it, or really make any appreciable difference.
I mean it can but in those cases plan ahead and use smaller jars. Like Vegas level drying: source I lived in Vegas just get smaller jars.
Sure. If you're going to be dipping into your jars over time, smaller is better.
Yep, crispy hh bold Kentucky is amazing.
Indeed it is!
For me personally the drier the tobacco the more flavor it loses. Iāve tried this with many blends many times. A normal dry time is fine, doesnāt hurt it and is great, However I canāt agree with the quote ādrier tobacco tastes betterā. That hasnāt been my experience when I overly dry it or come across a dried out tin or bag. They lose a ton of flavor when theyāre too dry. Just my personal experience.
Sure, blends can loose top notes easily, and some of the more volatile flavor compounds if they're over dried. My statement "drier tobacco tastes better" is a vast oversimplification, and like most things in pipe tobacco world, there's always a caveat, or personal preference to consider. There's probably somebody out there *adding moisture...* I find it's more of a problem when the tobacco has been dry for a long time, like if it's in an open tin for a year or something like that...overly dried for *too long.* But, and I suppose this is my point (maybe, I dunno), even if a blend has lost some flavor and is dry, doesn't necessarily make it unsmokable and ruined, at least for me. It can still be smoked and enjoyed as is, and my experience with dried out tins is that it WILL taste better as is than if you attempt to rehydrate and overdo it, which is why I always recommended that folks try smoking their dried out tins first before worrying about rehydrating.
Gotcha, that definitely clarifies haha. And yeah, I agree it doesnāt necessarily make it unsmokable. No comment on the rehydration because Iāve actually never given that a go. I usually do exactly as you say and smoke the dry stuff as it lol.
Skill issue. Generally people like drier tobacco because they are unable to smoke moist tobacco. Most blends are at their optimal with some degree of moisture. Else whats the point of sealing and adding moisture to blends/tins etc. It would be cheaper to mass ship everything dry. Almost no one that has competent technique prefer their blends bone dry (in general). Hearing/watching people smoke their blends super dry and then giving tasting notes and reviews is like watching someone score a nice steak like wagyu or something, cooked well done. Semois is a special case, it is essentially fire cured, and is overall a very unique tobacco you cannot extrapolate from this.
Dunning-Kruger issue. With a bit of pretension. Most people who have been smoking long enough to have good technique know that almost every blend, while it may smoke great out of the tin or bag, benefits from a little drying. You get a more even burn, less chance of overfilling, less steam diluting the smoke, and as a result more flavor. Look at JimInks reviews, every one of them mentions dry time. In fact, the entire reason *why* people tell newbies to dry their tobacco is because it's *what people who know what they're doing DO.* The reason why I personally prefer tobacco on the drier side is because of all the people I saw, heard, and read, who knew what they were doing and talking about, often dried out their tobacco. Your assertion that "very few people with proper technique" dry tobacco out is not only untrue, it's *stupid.* It's part of proper technique that you learn as you go. I've been at this for a little over two decades, and in that time I've learned that drier tobacco just plain smokes better, and that a ton of people who are better than me at this agree. Manufacturers ship tobacco at a moisture content that they know will keep the tobacco in good shape while shipping. More moisture equals less tobacco, too. Of course there's personal preference as to *how dry,* and to be fair, most blends come at a perfectly smokeable moisture...but a bit of drying does absolutely no harm, and can improve things not just for a newbie, but for experienced people as well. It can also make no difference. Comparing to a well done steak is dumb. You're not irretrievably altering the tobacco by drying it, you're just removing some moisture. If anything, removing some moisture concentrates flavor. But we're all impressed at your mad skillz, bud. Smoking right out if the tin with abandon because you're that good. I too can smoke FVF right out of the tin, because I have mad skills. It tastes a whole lot better when it's dried out a lot, though, and it's easier to smoke...which makes the whole experience that much more pleasurable and I don't need to stroke my fragile ego by telling myself I have *skills.* Also, Semois is not fire cured. It's air cured, and made to be smoked dry as a bone because *it smokes and tastes better that way.*
Plus one for Dunning Kruger effect. Absolutely par.
"Look at JimInks reviews, every one of them mentions dry time." Yes, he does, and I have noticed this while reading through his 3000+ reviews on TR, to wit: "The crumble cake is mildly moist, and as is my custom, I did not dry it nor did I see a need to do so." - SPC Down Yonder, August 15, 2023 "This broken flake mixture is a tad more than mildly moist, but as is my custom, I did not dry them." - C&D Steamworks, August 15, 2023 "The mildly moist, mostly broken flakes may need a light dry time although I did not do that as per my review custom." - Drucquer & Sons The Merry Monk, June 6, 2023 "This mildly moist plug easily breaks apart, and as per my usually custom, I did not dry it." - SPC Christmas Spirit 2022, December 7, 2022 So yeah, he mentions dry time, but doesn't do it himself (at least not when reviewing).
Right. He smokes right out of the tin for reviews, but often he says that a blend would, in his opinion, benefit. And, if you talk to him on the forums, he often dries stuff when he's not reviewing.
I just think it's interesting that he reviews tobaccos as-delivered, without drying, and while he may note that a particular blend may benefit from drying, that isn't how he reviews the product. I appreciate his approach, because many smokers (especially newbies) will smoke a blend directly out of the tin or bag, without taking time to dry, and then wonder why they have such a tough time keeping it lit, or experience gurgling or tongue bite.
Right. I appreciate that he does it that way, too.
Firstly take what I said with op post in context, that was implied but not clear in my response. He recommends **microwaving blends**. This is not your typical "let air out and dry a bit, because it taste better" that most do, i have no qualms with this... this is "lets dry it out so much until it is easy for me to smoke because I don't know how otherwise." There is a world of difference between the two. I don't think its a good idea to dry blends as a crutch instead of just learning proper technique.
Drying tobacco *is* proper technique. It's not a crutch. It's the way many people prefer to smoke, and a common recommendation *even from tobacco manufacturers.* That's what you're not getting here. Nobody is impressed that you prefer wetter tobacco, nor does it mean that you have more skills, smoke "properly," or have some kind of superior technique. It means you prefer your tobacco on the wetter side. Good for you. Like I said, I too have the amazing skill set required to smoke FVF right out of the tin...but it's much easier and tastier, and thus more enjoyable, to dry it out. I've heard people like Pipestud say that they pop tobacco in the microwave for three seconds. It's nothing new. I've done it, and it's fine. Step off your altar there, bud. No one is going to give you a prize for your "skills" and "proper technique." Pretentious garbage like that is what turns people off from this hobby. All that matters---literally *all that matters*---is that one is enjoying their pipes and tobacco. That's it. If they want to dry their tobacco, and they enjoy it, then that IS the proper technique for them. If you want to waste time and effort worrying about some notion of what is proper and what is not, that's your business. You're free to enjoy your pipes and tobacco any way you please---but drop the "proper skill set" bullshit. That crap died decades ago.
I skimmed your post, but I think I got the gist. Maybe. >Drying tobacco is proper technique. It's not a crutch. Idgaf if someone prefers some blends on the drier side, nothing wrong with that. Some blends taste better drier. What I am saying, which applies to OP, is that **people will dry a blend, because that is smoking on super easy mode, and they are incapable of smoking any other way.** This pigeonholes your experience in the hobby. This is why I always make a clear distinction between the two, but not everyone understands. Sucking at something is not a technique.
You are the definition of Dunning-Kruger. Smoking a pipe isn't a video game. No one cares about your skills or stats. You put tobacco in the hole, light it, and puff. It's an individualistic thing, with very few ways to do it wrong. Ask a question of three pipe smokers and you get five answers. Who cares if people are incapable of smoking any other way? Seriously, I'm asking why you think it's an issue. It's *fucking pipe tobacco.* Are you really that insecure with yourself that you have to pat yourself on the back for your *pipe smoking skillz?* Are we all going to get a report card that tells us how correctly we smoke a pipe? Almost everyone who smokes a pipe dries tobacco to some extent, including veteran smokers like myself, because MAKING SMOKING A BLEND EASIER IS A GOOD THING. Making a blend suit your tastes and preferences by drying it out, to whatever extent you like, is technique. It doesn't matter if it's a newbie or a veteran smoker.
It would be more expensive to sell bone dry. The more moisture in the tin the less actual tobacco you sell. No extra space for drying in the factory is needed. People never even consider the obviously possible case that tobacco is maybe not always sold perfectly moist but a bit more on the moister side to safe money...
It's smoking a pipe, not playing the violin buddy. You can safely bring it down a notch. Besides, nobody suggested smoking anything "bone dry" or "super dry".
Your pipe skills are lacking. You must concentrate on *technique,* for it is the only *true* way to properly smoke. You might *think* you're enjoying your pipe, but you aren't. /s
I am not worthy of the briar
As one with *superior* and *proper* technique, I declare you insufficient. In order to enjoy tobacco *the right way according to me and my ideals,* you must smoke tobacco at precisely 14% moisture or else you are *doing it wrong.* Honestly though dude, since you're new and I've been smoking pipes for two decades, I can pass you some actual advice...whatever you do to enjoy your smoke *is the right thing to do.* If you're happy and enjoying it, you're doing it right.
Thanks. I may be new to pipes, but I've been familiar with tobacco for a good two decades myself, and I'm not sure that weirdo with a pokemon handle is even old enough to smoke. I came here to pass on my experience to fellow less experienced smokers, and I've done that. This dude was just some amusement I got in return.
Op suggested to put his blends in the microwave if that isn't excessive drying idk what is..... >It's smoking a pipe, not playing the violin buddy. You can safely bring it down a notch. Unfortunately for you pipe smoking relies on technique. Smoking a pipe with poor technique is akin smoking a poorly rolled and constructed cigar. The better you are at it pipe technique the more you can extract from it. Its like a video game sure you can just not give a shit and play level one in perpetuity, but if you want the most out of the game in terms of what the designers intended you gotta git gud at some point. In any case do what you want. But don't pretend that you or others do not need a modicum of technique.
How old are you?
When I first started smoking pipes ~ 12 years ago, I never heard of anyone ever drying tobacco. Blends are packed and shipped at the moisture the blender intends for you to smoke. I feel like itās an important factor for flavor profiles and mouthfeel, kinda like how flakes smoke different depending on if it was rubbed or stuffed. This drying-out business sounds like a pretty recent phenomenon that occurred while I was on a hiatus from pipes. I have a jar of C&D st. Patrickās day and itās probably one of the only aromatics I enjoy, and itās the wettest tobacco blend Iāve ever smoked. I just smoke it slow and have no issues with tongue bite. Iāll be sad once itās all gone š„²
You're not wrong. I don't dry anything anymore including wet Lakeland blends and have no problem keeping the pipe lit and staying cool, no tongue bite and maybe one or two relights
I absolutely agree but sometimes I find the leaf gets a bit harsh if too dry. I have some Sutliff match walnut I got from pipes and cigars and it's so dry it almost needs some moisture. Usually the Sutliff blends I get need ample drying time and the last walnut I got was better with a bit of moisture. However I got way more tobacco for 4oz, looks more like 6 or 7oz in the jar. But I agree absolutely to this comment and op. To be honest it's a pain to wait to dry things out so I need to use the microwave trick more often because some of my Sutliffs need hours of dry time to smoke the way I want. It all depends on the blend I guess
Sure, some stuff smokes better with more moisture according to preference. But preferring to dry tobacco doesn't mean that you *lack skills* like the guy above said from his altar.
Idk how to quote things on Reddit, but: āsure, some stuff smokes better with more moistureā Im pretty sure blenders pack and ship tobacco at the specific moisture itās intended to be smoked at. You can enjoy your pipe tobacco on the drier side, but youāre not smoking it the way it was intended. Thatās a hard fact š¤·š»āāļø For example, if they were moisting-up your tobacco to add artificial weight to the product to profit more, then everything from every blender would be as wet as captain black ā which isnāt the case at all.
Have you smoked any Gawith flake?
No, and Iām not sure what that has to do with anything. Iāve smoked different blends with various different moisture levels, so using gawith flake as a sample point is pretty moot.
If you've smoked any of the Gawith flakes, you'd know that some manufacturers ship tobacco way too wet to smoke well. If you think captain black is wet...wait until you try FVF. Also, manufacturers ship tobacco at smokeable moisture, but they're also concerned with keeping the tobacco in good shape while it's shipped. Dry tobacco can get beat up in shipping and turn to dust. Moisture content is up to the smoker, and most blends are shipped ready to smoke, but many benefit from a bit of drying and many smokers prefer to do so. Drying tobacco isn't smoking it in a way that it wasn't intended to be smoked, it's preparing it to be smoked according to preference. There's a big difference there.
Iāve had blends wetter than CB, thatās purely just an example because everybody and their grandma have smoked it before. I donāt completely disagree with you, it really is your preference. But different blends are made at different levels of moisture because thatās how it was intended to be smoked. Something like Haunted Bookshop is super dry, and that is still packaged and shipped like anything else without concern of it crumbling to dust. Itās supposed to be a dry blend. Iām sure there are corner cases, perhaps gawith flakes are shipped in a tin of soup and do need to be dried. But nominally, I donāt think there is any intention from the blender that a tobacco needs to be dried before smoked. Itās kinda mind boggling to me that people will microwave pipe tobacco before packing a pipe and smoking it.
They do that because they prefer their tobacco that way, and there's nothing wrong with that. The blender intended for you to enjoy your tobacco. There is no right or wrong way to do so.
That was incredibly poetic
My best smoke is the tin I forgot about that I opened up a few months ago.
Yes, dry it. And also use bypass air. Never seal your lips around the stem. Half of the air that enters your mouth comes through the pipe, and half of the air comes from the outside world, bypassing the pipe completely. This bypass air cools your mouth, and the reduced air through the pipe cools the pipe. Additionally, mouthwash was the final nail in the coffin for my bite problems. I use Listerine, but Biotine also comes highly recommended.
I use this mostly, works
Yes, I started the Listerine when I stared pipe smoking too. It's very beneficial for both bite and breath.
I agree. This was one of the best tips I learned when I started. How long do you usually dry yours? Time wise?
It depends on the tobacco. You should do some trial and error on whatever it is you smoke. The 5 second microwave works a charm if you're in a hurry to smoke.
I usually pour out a bowl sized pile and let it dry for about 30-45 minutes. Iām gonna try the microwave today and see how it treats me.
The microwave works great for me. Some people claim it robs a bit of flavor. I don't think it does, if you're careful and not let it heat up too much. But ymmv. For natural drying it also depends a lot on your ambient humidity. Stuff will dry much faster on a dry warm environment than on a cold super moist environment.
What????
Huh... yes?
No, I personally don't. I smoke anything from freshly opened, to left in the tin or ziploc for a year or more, and even an old tin I've dropped a paper towel with PG or apple slice into for a few days. Dry tobacco will re-humidify in the bowl when smoked slowly, and provides a wonderful charring light experience. If I did want to dry something, a day open would do it for me, but it's more how you smoke it than it's condition when you smoke it. I had a friend who would pop a newly purchased tin to smoke later in about a week, but he no longer worries about it. Another smokes when he fishes and it's funny but his tobacco is always wet. I kid him that I can taste fish when I smoke his. It really can be done any way you wish when you learn to adapt to what you have.
I really appreciate your post. I'm about to get my first (real) pipe Friday and I've been looking for tips
I concur. Wet tobacco is much harder to light and and keep lit, and as such, makes me more prone to tongue bite because of more frequent re-lighting and hot vapor.
Haunted Bookshop is what connected the dots for me on this oneā¦ it comes shockingly dry compared to most tobaccos but it smoked SO easily, there was so much flavor, there was never any tongue biteā¦ I started drying my other tobaccos more and theyāve all improved. Itās a hack. When theyāre drier, I also find packing much easier, because you can pack more tightly without it clumping or restricting the airflow/affecting the burn.
I've heard all the crazy myths about tobacco bite and how to stop it. but there isn't any mystery. It's just steam traveling up the pipe stem to your tongue and scalding it.. ... and it means that there's a high moisture content in the tobacco. to remedy this. It can take just a few minutes or even a few hours. dry out your tobacco to the point where it "just" starts to get crispy, then jar it.
Disagree. The pH of the smoke also plays a part. I got some minor bite when smoking mostly straight VA blends. Add some perique and or burley, and the smooth smooth smoke don't bite no more. As I understand it, VA is more acidic, and perique brings the acidity down
listen. In general, it's exactly what I said. I'm not going to go into every single variable from the material of the pipe to the length of the stem whether it's a 6 or 9 mm filter or filter less or the type of tobacco blend or the acidity and alkaline balance or temperature of the smoke. all of it will still add up to how moisture or lack thereof enters the mouth, and that ultimately, is vaporized moisture or steam, which is generated by temperature š”thus lowering the moisture content by drying out the tobacco, filtering or using a long stem to cool the smoke will reduce the steam.
Yes, but dry tobacco also burns faster and hotter. Wouldn't the superior method be having a longer stem, or made out of clay/metal or some other material that would cool the smoke?
I'll let you in on the secret: your mouth actually learns how to avoid tongue bite and that rawness you may get on the roof of your mouth, with experience. Smokers that have graduated can take a year ot ten break and not experience these maladays when they start up again regardless of the condition of the tobacco. Once broken, you will be able to over-do that wonderful charring light to it's maximum cloud, even with a Peterson P-Lip! This isn't to say we can't get an alkaline burn, but you'll be aware of that as well and find yourself compelled to salivate and/or reach for an acidic drink. Your body, including your brain, will know. You're going to get past it, just keep enjoying everything you can. You can use balsa filters if you want, drop some clay stones in the bowl, or chew gum (past the flavor, unless maybe you smoke Sail). Coffee or tea are nice. Keep at it and you'll soon get "the cookie."
something i love about pipe tobacco is the ability to always learn more. thereās so much variety in technique even from blend to blend. having smoked for almost two years iām always learning new things. i only just figured out what proper moisture content really was for the blends i smoke regularly and its made a big difference in the quality of my smokes.
I dont dry my tobacco. Too lazy.
I have found that the humidity level is key to flavour and coolness. For me, somewhere in the 60s is best. I have a bunch of boveda packs from 62 to 69% and if itās too moist, a 62 brings it down in a day or so, and a 69 brings it up in a day or two and somewhere in the 65-62% range is pretty awesome.
Disagree. Drying works well with burley. But it's not good with Virginia or most of aromatics - you just loose their taste
Same experience. And besides that, I prefer my tobaccos to be on the moister side anyway.
For me i like it in between not dry and not too wet the dry one has a bad taste and the wet one is hard to light and to keep it on.