tongue bite

[Aaron]

Hey everyone, I was just wondering what y'all's experience with tongue bite is? What sort of tobaccos do you get it from and what are some of your treatments, if you have any, and ways of preventing it.

For me it seems to happen with most aros and a few virginias. Haven't realy noticed it with englishes which is why I am moving in that direction.

Any thoughts?

 

[paddy-boy]

I can't smoke anything with burley in it.
If I do I get wicked tongue bite. Sound weird I know considering burley is one of the coolest burning tobaccos.

 

[wojtekpastuch]

I get tongue bite with some heavy latakia englishes. It's because latakia has a lot of flavor but not that much body/strength so sometimes I puff too hard because I want to get more a "intense" smoke. It usually happens with new blends I try, once I get to know a tobacco I adjust the puffing pace so that I keep the smoke cool. Strangely enough I've never had tongue bite with virginias... One of the coolest smoking tobaccos ever is Samuel Gawith Kendal Plug. I can pack it tight or loose, in a big or a small pipe, puff fast or slow, it never bites. That's one of the reasons why I really like it. ipe:

 

[kilted1]

Tongue bite may be caused by a great many things, I'll list the most common factors:

1. Smoking Technique (too fast, puffing too often, drawing too hard)
2. Packing Technique (too loose, too tight)
3 Pipe 'engineering' not drawing cleanly
4. Tobacco type (Virginias seem sto give many folks more troubles than most)
4. Sugar content of tobacco mixture
5. Chemicals added to a tobacco mixture (sugars, alcohols, humectants, preservatives, flavorings, toppings, casing agents et al)
6. Individual body chemistry
7. What you are eating (hot peppers or spicy foods can contribute)
8. What you are drinking (alcohol in particular, may somewhat deaden senses which might otherwise warn you that tongue bite is happening)

For treatment I highly recommend Biotene a mighty (and somewhat pricey) mouthwash. For me, strong iced tea also works wonders, the tannins seem to neutralize the burning both in temperature and chemically.

I highly recommend that you search google groups ASP archives for posts on 'tongue bite' you'll find many threads devoted to the subject.

 

[LL]

Tongue bite may be caused by a great many things, I'll list the most common factors:

1. Smoking Technique (too fast, puffing too often, drawing too hard)
2. Packing Technique (too loose, too tight)
3 Pipe 'engineering' not drawing cleanly
4. Tobacco type (Virginias seem sto give many folks more troubles than most)
4. Sugar content of tobacco mixture
5. Chemicals added to a tobacco mixture (sugars, alcohols, humectants, preservatives, flavorings, toppings, casing agents et al)
6. Individual body chemistry
7. What you are eating (hot peppers or spicy foods can contribute)
8. What you are drinking (alcohol in particular, may somewhat deaden senses which might otherwise warn you that tongue bite is happening)

You left off the worst single cause (in my experience): Too many re-lights. Once I finally learned how to pack a bowl so it smoldered by itself, none of the stuff on that list mattered... bite simply disappeared.

(#1 and #2 imply definitely imply relights, but don't cause tongue bite directly.)

 

[kilted1]

You left off the worst single cause (in my experience): Too many re-lights. Once I finally learned how to pack a bowl so it smoldered by itself, none of the stuff on that list mattered... bite simply disappeared.

(#1 and #2 imply definitely imply relights, but don't cause tongue bite directly.)

You may have a very valid observation LL. Smoking styles vary greatly, mine in the evening is very similar to your own, as few re-lights as possible. During my working days however, frequent re-lights are the rule for me, I just don't have a choice. I take a break and smoke for 5-10 minutes, then return to work, take a break a few hours later, repeated several times per day. This may be different from what you meant, it is however a 'reality' and quite unavoidable for me at least.

For me sometimes, several factors at once (or through out a day) may combine, trying to cover all the suspects, I've probably over looked a few. ipe:

 

[Mikem]

Tongue bite for me usually involves Virginia's and smoking to fast.

 

[ftrplt]

I have to be very careful smoking straight Vas. Burley, cavendish, perique, and most any aromatic bite the hell out of me. I just don't care for'em. That said, I can tolerate a few English blends that have small amounts of burley, cavendish, or perique as long as they are masked by the vas, orientals, and latakia! I do not care for aromatics at all :evil: FTRPLT

 

[Wet Dottle]

For me, tongue bite comes from a few burley-based blends. Also from a few Virginias, very few. I tried everything I could, but never found a cure for it, so I just stay away from the culprits. The only one I really like that bites is Mac Baren's London Blend, which I partake on occasion, very moderately.

I have been able to reduce the effects of a few sharp blends by humidifying them a little, but it only works for burleys, not Virginias. I think that all the Virginias that bite me have some sort of fruity flavoring. I was never able to mitigate those.

 

[JJPHOTO]

Aaron, I battled this when I first picked up the pipe not long ago. I researched and researched... and came to the conclusion that I was smoking too fast and packing the pipe improperly, plus was breaking in new pipes. I worked on this for a while and finally came to the conclusion after smoking many different blends that it was certain aros that were doing it to me.

C&D aros for some reason are fine for me, but if I put something that is heavily cased in my pipe it's bad news. For instance, I had some Blue Note that was instantaneous tongue bite for me. My tongue would be on fire right after the charring light.

For me, the only remedy I had was to lay off the aros for a day or two.

 

[Cruiser]

Tongue bite may be caused by a great many things, I'll list the most common factors:

1. Smoking Technique (too fast, puffing too often, drawing too hard)
2. Packing Technique (too loose, too tight)
3 Pipe 'engineering' not drawing cleanly
4. Tobacco type (Virginias seem sto give many folks more troubles than most)
4. Sugar content of tobacco mixture
5. Chemicals added to a tobacco mixture (sugars, alcohols, humectants, preservatives, flavorings, toppings, casing agents et al)
6. Individual body chemistry
7. What you are eating (hot peppers or spicy foods can contribute)
8. What you are drinking (alcohol in particular, may somewhat deaden senses which might otherwise warn you that tongue bite is happening)

For treatment I highly recommend Biotene a mighty (and somewhat pricey) mouthwash. For me, strong iced tea also works wonders, the tannins seem to neutralize the burning both in temperature and chemically.

I highly recommend that you search google groups ASP archives for posts on 'tongue bite' you'll find many threads devoted to the subject.

I can eliminate tongue bite by regulating smoking and packing technique. I haven't had any tongue bite in years but the last I remember was from MacBaren's Plumcake years ago. I don't go near it but might find better results now.

 

[Sasquatch]

I agree with a lot of what's been said, but I haven't seen anyone specifically mention moisture content in tobacco. Certainly some Virginias and certain chemically doused tobaccos are more prone to biting me. But for the most part, I find that smoking wet tobacco hurts me more than anything. I dry most of my tobaccos to almost crispy before I smoke them, and it allows them to burn with hardly any heat. The steam created in trying to burn a wetter tobacco is a part of tongue bite - tongue bite = tongue burn in many instances.

The feared Mac Baren bite can be totally controlled by drying the tobaccos a bit before smoking them. Same goes with some bitey aromatics - Peterson's Luxury Blend is gorgeous if you dry it a bit, but just a killer right out of the tin.

FWIW water being a product of combustion, I find that tobacco within a certain moisture range will self-humidify or self-dessicate once you light it up. Tobacco that is "too dry" will be so for about 2 puffs, and then it quickly absorbs steam from the smoke and becomes user friendly.

 

[kilted1]

I'd like to turn everyone's attention to another thread where the Dark Lord has opined on the subject of tongue bite, correcting some of my own erroneous thinking ...


Aged Straight VA Bite in The Tobacco Jar

 

[Justpipes]

IMHO there are three main factors; moisture content of the tobacco, packing and body chemistry.

If you intend to always smoke the tobacco right out of the tin or bag regardless of the moisture content, then you must be able to adapt your packing technique to the moisture content. I personally like my tobacco somewhat dry compared to how a lot of tobaccos are right out of the tin. As LL stated once the packing technique is somewhat perfected to reduce the number of relights or the heat from having to relight too often, it greatly reduces tongue bite. I personally believe most tongue bite is derived from steam which is a combination of heat and moisture, i. e. to much heat from relights because the tobacco is too wet. Packing the bowl too tight is a big factor and will only exacerbate the situation if the tobacco is too moist. You will be much better off packing too loose and tamping to compensate than vice versa.

As for body chemistry........I guess you just have to live with it.

 

[glpease]

You left off the worst single cause (in my experience): Too many re-lights. Once I finally learned how to pack a bowl so it smoldered by itself, none of the stuff on that list mattered... bite simply disappeared.

(#1 and #2 imply definitely imply relights, but don't cause tongue bite directly.)

Add to this, too few relights. Not to be too much of a smartie pants, not that I can help it, but it seems to me a lot of people get stung by trying to rekindle the ember without the benefit of a freshly applied match. But, your point is well taken.

-glp

 

[glpease]

I'd like to turn everyone's attention to another thread...

Aged Straight VA Bite in The Tobacco Jar

He means here.

-glp

 

[Justpipes]

You left off the worst single cause (in my experience): Too many re-lights. Once I finally learned how to pack a bowl so it smoldered by itself, none of the stuff on that list mattered... bite simply disappeared.

(#1 and #2 imply definitely imply relights, but don't cause tongue bite directly.)

Add to this, too few relights. Not to be too much of a smartie pants, not that I can help it, but it seems to me a lot of people get stung by trying to rekindle the ember without the benefit of a freshly applied match. But, your point is well taken.

-glp

In other words, having to puff too hard. Makes sense also...............

 

[davearob]

Great information for one new to briar. How long does it usually last? Last night I tried Escudo navy de luxe. I also had a few glasses of red wine with this. The combination was wonderful but unfortunately this morning my tongue feels like leather. I guess I may have to stick with cigars if I am going to have a glass or two of wine. Maybe just until I get more experience with the pipe. Any thoughts.
Thanks
Dave

 

[nyed001]

I'm far from being an expert but most of the time I get bitten is when I don't dry out an aromatic enough.This usually means that I have to re-light what I'm smoking too much and puffing too hard to try to keep it lit.I guess it's just a combination of things....... ipe:

 

[Pseudo Nim]

Dry your tabak, smoke it slow, avoid aro's and carefull packing, Good Luck.