Are tins fit for ageing?

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
PipedJimmy

PipedJimmy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
239
Reaction score
0
Heya, just got a tin of Savinelli Aroma through the post, and I could smell the tobacco through the tin. It made me wonder whether tins are adequate storage devices. This tin has a screw-top lid, and despite the fact that it is an aromatic and therefore more pungent, I'm sure I've been able to smell Virginias through similar encasements. What do you guys think?
 
If the tin has been compromised you can usually tell by tapping on the top. If you get a hollow sound it is usually open and if you just get a thud or a dull solid sound it should be tightly sealed. I have tins that are over 25 years old and still perfectly sealed, and have others that have popped due to fluctuations in temperature. It's best to keep your sealed tins in a temperature controlled environment. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the link Dutch. I thought "I" was OCD about storing my tobaccos. I have nothing on Neill.

Not once have I worried about too much air being in a jar. :lol:
 
It has an effect. But as far as actual humidity goes, a long, slow exhale or two into the jar each time before re-sealing it (once it starts drying) keeps up with that. The glass will fog but, after a minute or two, disappear again.

:face:
 
DrumsAndBeer":zoemnj83 said:
Thanks for the link Dutch. I thought "I" was OCD about storing my tobaccos. I have nothing on Neill.

Not once have I worried about too much air being in a jar. :lol:
Click to expand...
DB, you will notice the same problem with cigar humidors. The tobacco acts exactly like a sponge, holding moisture, along with your humidity device. The fuller the tobacco jar or cigar humidor, the easier it will be to hold the ideal humidity.

However, since a cigar humidor is designed to breathe, it should be a little easier to maintain pipe tobacco in a mason jar, given that pipe tobacco doesn't need as high a level of humidity as a cigar humidor.

I haven't purchased any of the small Ball jars yet, but I plan to keep some on hand to rescue any 50 gram tins in my cellar that might lose their seal at some point down the road. As usual, Neill's advice is spot on and thorough.
 
Dutch":k6y0gwj9 said:
DB, you will notice the same problem with cigar humidors. The tobacco acts exactly like a sponge, holding moisture, along with your humidity device. The fuller the tobacco jar or cigar humidor, the easier it will be to hold the ideal humidity.

However, since a cigar humidor is designed to breathe, it should be a little easier to maintain pipe tobacco in a mason jar, given that pipe tobacco doesn't need as high a level of humidity as a cigar humidor.

I haven't purchased any of the small Ball jars yet, but I plan to keep some on hand to rescue any 50 gram tins in my cellar that might lose their seal at some point down the road. As usual, Neill's advice is spot on and thorough.
Click to expand...
Dutch, without a doubt. It makes perfect sense, I guess I just have never fretted too much over it. At the same rate, I am not storing 1-2 ounce portions of tobacco in 8 ounce jars, but I have plenty of 1 ounce samples in your typical 4 ounce jelly jars & I have never had a problem. I do however always use fresh lids and rings on all my jars. At the same rate, perhaps I am just not as discerning and also I most definitely have absolutely no rare or 50 year old tobacco on hand to fuss over, so I guess that helps a bit. :p I definitely agree with the issues with square tins, but I think the pull tops and coin tins are perfectly okay to use while smoking through a particular mixture (at least up to a certain point), especially if it's one that's a bit more on the moist side. I have had a tin of Embarcadero open for 3 weeks now and the smokes just keep getting better and better. I have tucked a little tin foil between the lid and can though. Nonetheless, it was a great article, excellent food for thought & it's always enlightening to read the rants of someone with a lot of long term experience.
 
DrumsAndBeer":eb2r67kn said:
Dutch":eb2r67kn said:
DB, you will notice the same problem with cigar humidors. The tobacco acts exactly like a sponge, holding moisture, along with your humidity device. The fuller the tobacco jar or cigar humidor, the easier it will be to hold the ideal humidity.

However, since a cigar humidor is designed to breathe, it should be a little easier to maintain pipe tobacco in a mason jar, given that pipe tobacco doesn't need as high a level of humidity as a cigar humidor.

I haven't purchased any of the small Ball jars yet, but I plan to keep some on hand to rescue any 50 gram tins in my cellar that might lose their seal at some point down the road. As usual, Neill's advice is spot on and thorough.
Click to expand...
Dutch, without a doubt. It makes perfect sense, I guess I just have never fretted too much over it. At the same rate, I am not storing 1-2 ounce portions of tobacco in 8 ounce jars, but I have plenty of 1 ounce samples in your typical 4 ounce jelly jars & I have never had a problem. I do however always use fresh lids and rings on all my jars. At the same rate, perhaps I am just not as discerning and also I most definitely have absolutely no rare or 50 year old tobacco on hand to fuss over, so I guess that helps a bit. :p I definitely agree with the issues with square tins, but I think the pull tops and coin tins are perfectly okay to use while smoking through a particular mixture (at least up to a certain point), especially if it's one that's a bit more on the moist side. I have had a tin of Embarcadero open for 3 weeks now and the smokes just keep getting better and better. I have tucked a little tin foil between the lid and can though. Nonetheless, it was a great article, excellent food for thought & it's always enlightening to read the rants of someone with a lot of long term experience.
Click to expand...
DB, I believe one reason that some folks would go to great lengths to ensure the preservation of specific tobaccos, is that certain 20 to 40 year old tins are worth a substantial amount of money. When a 30 year old tin is purchased for several hundred dollars, then cracked open, and upon inspection has some rust forming inside. it behoves the owner to transfer the contents to a proper container for long or short term storage.

Some of these vintage tobaccos will never be duplicated, and some collectors are willing to pay as much for a vintage tin, as they pay for a artisan quality pipe. It's really no different than purchasing high quality aged wine or liquor for eventual consumption. When viewed in that context, it is easier to comprehend the extra effort put forth.
 
50 year-old Virginia ?

Maybe.

50 year-old mixtures ?

The triumph of imagination over substance.

IMHO

:face:
 
Vacuum sealed tins are fine, minus the tins you'll lose over time due to vacuum seals failing. This is the cost of cellaring tobacco. Check your tins as often as is convenient and you might catch some of the failures in good enough time to jar and smoke them.
 
Yak":0ifwhqit said:
It has an effect. But as far as actual humidity goes, a long, slow exhale or two into the jar each time before re-sealing it (once it starts drying) keeps up with that. The glass will fog but, after a minute or two, disappear again.

:face:
Click to expand...
Well, that explains why my Boston Slices taste hauntingly like that bad garlic fettuccine I had two years ago.

Natch
 
Top