Pairing Your Drink With your Tobacco...Recommendations

[Natch]

Black coffee and anything NOT carbonated. I'll leave my distilled spirits for another post since they are verboten in this one.

I agree on the carbonated drinks, I've found out the first time I tried a soda with my pipe.
What a mistake that was, Immediate High Intensity Tongue Burn!
YMMV

And liquor, I don't know seeing I quit about 20 years ago.

 Another similar experience.  I'm not much of a soda (or is it pop, or coke?) drinker, and when I had a diet Coke with a pipe a while back it was awfull!  Thought my tongue was on fire.   My diernal routine doesn't change much, except occasionally on weekends.  A bowl of Guffy's Morning Blend (or other mild-ish latakia blend) with coffee every morning around 5:00, and if life allows, a bowl of a strong-ish Virginia or Vaper in the evening with a beer.  Although my favored brews are IPA's with enough hopps to perminently scar your mouth, with a pipe I much prefer a "softer" pilsner, or porter, slightly cool (not cold) in a good glass.  A hoppy IPA or pale ale does't work well with a pipe in my mouth.

Natch

 

[NorthernLights]

I too have been thinking about this lately.

Interesting to note that the most popular drinks listed are coffee and tea, which are both highly acidic. This makes sense, as pipe smoke is alkaline, which can contribute to tongue bite, burn, and general discomfort (read it in an article, pretty sure by GLP).

I use ice water, but taking that into consideration, I give it a shot of lemon juice. Adds nice flavour and the acidity helps, I think. I'm going to try some flavored water, by adding things like fresh cut strawberries, cucumber, etc, to it to see what works best.

 

[Northern Neil]

I would have to go with the coffee pairing as well. I only tend to drink water, coffee, beer and whiskey. I find coffee to be the best, as I am usually concentrating on other things when there is booze involved

 

[ftrplt]

Strong/thick coffee ( I roast my own beans) with my Lat blends & cigars and stronger/full-bodied teas (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, etc.) with ginny-weed, Va/Pers, Burleys plus the occasional Bob's/Mayors Chocolate Flake. No carbonated or cold liquids for me when smoking (we're NOT talking beer here, totally different subject!!). FTRPLT

 

[Storm_Crow]

Strong/thick coffee ( I roast my own beans) with my Lat blends & cigars

I do love a thick textured coffee...gotta be using the french press. 

 

[ftrplt]

Strong/thick coffee ( I roast my own beans) with my Lat blends & cigars

I do love a thick textured coffee...gotta be using the french press. 

You guessed it!!!!! :cheers: All our Java is 'French Pressed!!!!" Only way to go as far as we are concerned!!! FTRPLT

 

[scotties22]

Interesting that coffee seems to be the big winner. I don't keep any premium blends in the house anymore....my morning drink of choice is Folgers Country Blend. I'll have to pick up something special just for smoking when I go out today. Thanks, boys.

 

[Anonymous]

Average old grocery store coffee works. The good stuff (depending on what it is) can be a lot tastier, but doesn't work any better. Mixing GS junk-grade with darker Starbucks (or whatever) can be a nice, relatively inexpensive improvement.  

:face: 

 

[scotties22]

I drink the cheap stuff because I taint it (or so my husband says) with cream and sugar. I probably wouldn't do that with a pipe. I like me a good cup o' black coffee with the right accompaniment such as dessert. I think a pipe would be the same. I haven't pulled out the french press in a while and some premium coffee would give me an excuse.

 

[BigCasino]

honestly when you look at price per ounce of Starbucks its not that much more expensive , most whole bean bags at the grocery stores are 12 oz bags and at starbucks generally are 16oz bags not all of there blends but most of them, and when you do the math it's pennies per lb difference
but there are some good coffee blends at the grocery store too like 8 o'clock, one of my fav's,
I have pretty much broken my coffee addiction and have my self down to 1 cup a day in the summer 2 or 3 in the winter, altho I have more on the weekends during any season
but the one thing I agree on is nothing makes a better cup of joe than a french press!

 

[monbla256]

Interesting that coffee seems to be the big winner. I don't keep any premium blends in the house anymore....my morning drink of choice is Folgers Country Blend. I'll have to pick up something special just for smoking when I go out today.  Thanks, boys.

Try picking up some French Market or Community Coffee. They are N'Awlins type of chicory coffee and are great with cream and sugar as they do down in N'Awlins :twisted:

 

[ftrplt]

Another great Orleans Nouveau coffee is "Cafe du Monde" from the market on Jackson Square. Dark cafe plus chicory. Does extremely well in a french press :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[scotties22]

I too have been thinking about this lately.

Interesting to note that the most popular drinks listed are coffee and tea, which are both highly acidic. This makes sense, as pipe smoke is alkaline, which can contribute to tongue bite, burn, and general discomfort (read it in an article, pretty sure by GLP).

I use ice water, but taking that into consideration, I give it a shot of lemon juice. Adds nice flavour and the acidity helps, I think. I'm going to try some flavored water, by adding things like fresh cut strawberries, cucumber, etc, to it to see what works best.

Keeping this in mind, I had a glass of OJ before my pipe last night. It was by far the best smoke I have ever had. Maybe it was the blend (Cousin's Kelly's Blend, incredibly smooth and no bite at all) or maybe the way I smoked. Tonight I plan on having another glass before my pipe to see if I get the same results. I did keep a glass of water on hand to sip out of while I smoked.

I'm gonna have me some fun over the next few months getting my style down and deciding what blends I like best.  

 

[pepesdad1]

My favorite is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee with almost any tobacco....goes great!

 

[Briar Spirit]

When I smoked Lat blends I found sweet tea went extremely well with them, the sweetness of the tea really rounded off the smoky Lat taste, made them all very enjoyable indeed.

When I'm smoking Va or Va/Pers I prefer a good strong coffee, really draws out the sweetness of the tobacco, I found sweet drinks and Va or Va/Pers just doesn't work for me, but of course that is just my own personal preference.

You might find it of use to keep a little diary as a record of blends you smoke and what drink you have with them, get a better more solid idea of what you prefer with what, and of course what you don't like paired.

 

[scotties22]

Well I forgot to drink my OJ last night before I headed out to my work bench with my pipe. I got bit......not bad, but my tongue is a little sore this morning for sure. I am making note in my pipe journal as I go along. I really would like to be able to repeat the desirable results I get.

This is getting fun. Tonight I might try a cup of coffee with my pipe. I have to go to the store today and hopefully will remember to walk down the coffee isle :lol: 

 

[Briar Spirit]

No sugar with a splash of milk for the coffee I found to be best to bring out the sweetness of baccy mate, look forward to knowing how you get on with your experiments.

 

[AJ]

Due to dietary restrictions I can only have water or decaf tea so I keep a glass of decaf iced tea beside me all day as I smoke. I find that it goes well with about every tobacco. I have to admit that sometimes a good cup of coffee would be nice especially first thing in the morning. 

AJ

 

[scotties22]

I just picked up some French Market.....gonna try it tonight with my pipe.