What to do with old (not aged, that is) tobacco...

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the madadh

the madadh

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Usually I buy a bag of baccy from my local shop (love to support those guys) and they have some terrific blends. Those bags usually don't last all that long :) . But once in awhile I splurge and buy a tin of some finer (I guess), imported stuff; or more likely it is gifted to me... Point is, I just don't have the time in the day to smoke all of my favorite blends AND venture into these wonderful exotics! :D Good problem to have, if you ask me.

I have experimented with re-saturating them with a moist towel set over the lid of a container overnight. And that works well. It moistens the tobacco and allows me to continue to slowly work my way through them. I should add here that I don't really like overly dry tobacco. I mean, not just the stuff that crumbles to dust in your fingers, but dryness in general bothers me. I smoke them too hot, and there is a change in the taste (to my perception) that isn't as full or smooth. All a preference thing to be sure.

Moving on, I've taken to adding a few pinches of pure latakia to these aging tins, because, well, I love latakia. This works like gangbusters as far as moistening my blend and I love the taste... BUT. I feel a little guilty. I feel like the guy at the restaurant who orders the house specialty, then tells the chef to prepare it broiled and not fried, with no butter and extra cheese. You get my point (maybe).

So, how do you keep your tobacco fresh? I have a homemade humidor that isn't really all that effective, but as I said, I usually don't need it since I move through my stores so quickly. Do you all use humidors to keep your stock fresh? Is this just part of the human condition? Thoughts, preferences, and advice are all welcome

Thanks,

Tim
 
I also open the tin/box/bag and transfer it to mason jars,,,
 
What everyone has said transfer to a mason jar and your good for the long haul.
 
May I suggest Mason jars? The little fancy ones are great for small quantities.
When I know that I'm putting a jar of tobacco away for awhile (you decide), I make sure jars a slightly warm, slightly...then when you seal them hand tight, they will seal when they cool...you can hear the little pops. Slightly warm not hot.

I'm sure others will have a much better technique.

Bill
 
So, what I think you're all saying, is mason jars... Correct me if I'm wrong. :lol:

That sounds pretty solid. But where to store them in my apartment? Same place as the potatoes I guess...

Thanks for the input guys!

Tim
 
the madadh":lh2tj0zl said:
where to store them
Click to expand...
For small-ish quantities, I just use ziplock bags, as storage around the house can be an issue. If it's long term bulk storage, the jars sound like a good idea.
 
What everyone else has said: mason jars. Upon opening, transfer contents of the tin to mason jars.
 
So, because of the small quantities involved I used the ZipLock method... I do, however, like the idea of a shelf full of mason jars filled with my favorite tobaccos.

Thanks everyone

Tim
 
I use Mason jars for the majority of my tobacco. I also have a lot of open tins. Naturally they tend to dry out. I keep about 3 small bulbs filled with filtered water available. When I come upon a tin that is too dry, I count out about 20 drops depending on the amount of tobak left in the tin. I then close the tin and shake it a little and let it sit for several days. I find that I prefer most tobacco on the dry side. Not crunchy, but not at all moist. I tend to put off smoking a pipe if the tobak is too moist. I spread it out on a sheet of paper and lower an adjustable desk lamp down over the top of it and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Does a good job of flash drying the tobak, but not too much.
 
Man, I can't believe nobody's mentioned mason jars yet. Those are definitely the way to go. ;)

I keep all of mine in my closet or in a drawer. The essentials here are: keep your baccy in a dark and cool place and all will be well.
 
I too use jars, jelly jars or 1/2 pt. or 4 oz. When I open 50g or 2 oz tins, I immediately transfer the contents; thus I know that whatever moisture the tobacco has will be preserved; moreover, I know that the flavors will also be preserved. Also, 100 g tins of of whatever cut, if forcefully packed, will fit. Recently I got 4 ozs of flake to fit.
 
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