tongue burn

[smg913]

I feel I am quite lucky in the fact that I work outside and can smoke my pipes all day (when its nice out.)
so some days I find myself smoking 3 to 5 pipes a day. my tongue an mouth have never really been an issue.
until now. I always bring a couple of cobs to work with me and two different tobaccos. yesterday I had C&D bayou night and just about an untouched tin of McClelland Christmas cheer 2013. I did not have a lot of BN left, maybe two pipes worth jar so it went quick. I was left with Christmas Cheer which I am not a huge fan of but I figured I would smoke it cause that was all I had left. well into my second pipe my tongue felt different, it was dry and it was very tender. I woke up this morning too one heck of some tongue burn. so I guess its biotene and warm salt water rinses for the next day or two. has anyone else had this problem with this blend?

 

[flyguy]

When one smokes outside, or in a cold room, your going to get more condensation. This could cause a steam problem which could cause a painful burn. I carry pipe cleaners and remove the condensation periodically.
Aside from that, I would recommend prelighting your pipe, preferably the previous evening (the Delayed Gratification Technique -DGT). I do this with all Virginia flakes to lessen bite.

 

[Northern Neil]

Straight Virginia's, like Christmas Cheer, demand to be 'sipped' slowly. Deep / frequent puffing will cause the tobacco to burn hot and potentially burn your tongue. Virginia's require a delicate technique, and until you find this technique, they will tend to bite.

Don't give up, as with everything in this hobby, practise makes perfect.

 

[smg913]

thanks,
I have been smoking a lot of Virginias as of late, and I do "sip" them they never seem to bother me. but this blend did.

 

[rothnh]

I snag a few cans of the Christmas Cheer every year and usually open an older can after Thanksgiving and smoke that in my rotation through the Holidays.  This year it's the 2003 vintage.

Your issue with your 2013 CC sounds like tongue burn to me.  I find that CC, especially fresh like this, needs some drying time.  I cube cut a bowlful and let it sit for an hour or so before packing it in a pipe.

The guys here also make some great points about smoking a pipe outside in the cold -- the moist tobacco, combined with the cold weather, can increase the condensation and when that happens, the condensate as it burns becomes steam.  That, combined with the CC being all virginia, likely combined to cause your unpleasant experience.

 

[smg913]

Thanks for the advice guys  

 

[rothnh]

Thanks for the advice guys  

De nada  

Please let us know how it goes with the rest of your tin of the 2013 CC -- that's great stuff IMO and I'm curious on how it works out for you

 

[05Venturer]

Virginias bite me like a rattler, for my all day smokes I stick with burleys mostly CH or lately Granger. I smoke anything with Va only when I can concentrate on the smoke and am just chillin'

 

[rothnh]

Virginias bite me like a rattler, for my all day smokes I stick with barleys mostly CH or lately Granger. I smoke anything with Va only when I can concentrate on the smoke and am just chillin'

Virginias are all about chillin'.

Sip slowly then slow down some more.

Not that long ago, I was into smoking mostly English blends. Before that, I smoked Carter Hall for years. I still smoke both, but Va's have taken the front seat for me.

Virginias are not easy to love, but IMO, well worth the time and effort.

 

[RDPipes]

I feel I am quite lucky in the fact that I work outside and can smoke my pipes all day (when its nice out.)
so some days I find myself smoking 3 to 5 pipes a day. my tongue an mouth have never really been an issue.
until now. I always bring a couple of cobs to work with me and two different tobaccos. yesterday I had C&D bayou night and just about an untouched tin of McClelland Christmas cheer 2013. I did not have a lot of BN left, maybe two pipes worth   jar so it went quick. I was left with Christmas Cheer which I am not a huge fan of but I figured I would smoke it cause that was all I had left. well into my second pipe my tongue felt different, it was dry and it was very tender. I woke up this morning too one heck of some tongue burn. so I guess its biotene and warm salt water rinses for the next day or two. has anyone else had this problem with this blend?

I've had some pretty good tongue burn from Burley's, like I had just pour acid on my tongue but, never had I woke with it. It's usually passes in a hour or two. Sounds like you had a major reaction or just smoked too long with a bite. Hope your tongue recovers with taste buds in tact my friend.

 

[idbowman]

Biotene mouthwash (widely available in drug stores/supermarkets these days) has always helped me speed the recovery from tongue bite/burn/fatigue...more than warm salt water, at least in my case.

Otherwise, everyone else's advice on slow/cool smoking (especially with VAs) is worth taking.

 

[pipe dreamer]

I have to dry va's and smoke them with a watchful eye, or
i pay.

 

[SpeedyPete]

I seldom get bitten these days. I smoke VA and VaPers most of the time. I light my pipe and then let it sit for maybe 20 minutes or so. On the re-light, the baccy is soft and without any sting.

 

[oldbear58]

Perhaps there are really TWO issues here:

Tongue burn might be from smoking too hot and literally scorching your tongue with steam. It certainly feels like you just sipped a too-hot cup of coffee and it feels exactly like that all day, often for two days.

But there might be a chemical burn that mimics a temperature burn and that might be produced by strong alkaline smoke produced by a too-hot pipe and certain mixtures. Since some tobaccos produce more burn than others this suggests that some are more acidic producing less alkali and produce more neutral smoke while others are more basic and make a tongue burning lye mixture.

Its certainly testable. Has anyone (besides R.J. Reynolds) done it?

Oldbear

 

[Estatepipeshop]

Found a nice remedy for soar tongue bite here in the Uk but I am sure you guy's In USA will have something similar its called Aloe Vera Juice used for digestive constitution sold in Holland & barret, get it as pure as possible it works wonders as a mouth wash

As a smoker of mostly VA's & vaper's for (cough)year's I still get caught out now and again normally when the baccy is too moist and I'm pushing it a bit too hard while concentrating on something else, it's so easy done

 

[balkan_boy]

Virginias do bite.
There's no way around. You either smoke 'em dry to the point you lose all the flavour, or your tongue suffers.

No matter how gently I sip, if not "crunchy" dry, they bite.

 

[SpeedyPete]

Virginias   do bite.
There's no way around. You either smoke 'em dry to the point you lose all the flavour, or your tongue suffers.

No matter how gently I sip, if not "crunchy" dry, they bite.

Maybe it depends on the kind of tongue you were issued with! I smoke VA's and VaPers all the time, fresh from the tin or bag, with no problems.

 

[balkan_boy]

Virginias   do bite.
There's no way around. You either smoke 'em dry to the point you lose all the flavour, or your tongue suffers.

No matter how gently I sip, if not "crunchy" dry, they bite.

Maybe it depends on the kind of tongue you were issued with!  I smoke VA's and VaPers all the time, fresh from the tin or bag, with no problems.

You may have a point here.

There isn't more frustrating thing for a pipe smoker then to be "gifted" with hyper sensitive mucose. I love VAs and VaPers, I just can't afford them with my tongue.
They make 10-15% of my rotation, that's as much as I can take.

 

[monbla256]

I've smoked both straight Burley blends and straight Virginia's and Virginia based blends and for ME. the Burley and Burley based blends do the bite thing for me. Va's nowhere near the bite so It's more than likely that your personal physiology is the culprit. There is and are tobacco types that work best for each of us and Va's just may not be "where it's at" for you . Ya can't make a generalized statement that Va's will always bite as that's just what they are GENERALITIES not FACTS. We all get caught up in this little game over time. Onward thru the Fog  :twisted: 

 

[Estatepipeshop]

Strange because it is opposite for me the dryer it gets the harder it is to control tongue burn, Direct out the tin if i'm rubbing it out it gets 10 mins tops ,if I'm going to roll the flake to pack bowl it may get 30 mins, but the pipe used makes a massive difference to tongue bite that's for sure, tapered thick walled pipe opening no more than 20mm size 4 max, My fav is a size 3 with a 19mm opening