Storing Flakes

[phatmax]

Originally Posted by strider72

They apparently don't see the Search icon... It ain't just here. You can go through the gunforums and the same question will be posted every so often even though there are a 1000 threads/replies about it if someone would search.

AR15

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by KinnScience

Anyway, there is no way I could get all the air out.

I'm no scientist, but I don't think you want all the air out. I think there has to be some air in the jar and even vaccuum sealing only removes about 50%. There should be some air circulating but not "new" air. Tobacco needs a little bit of air to age and mature.

At any rate, I do not heat seal my mason jars and I'm currently smoking tobaccos that are 15 years old. No ill effects other than the drooling I do when I see those beautiful jars all lined up.

Incidentally, aromatic tobaccos do NOT age well! I opened an old mason jar of Lane's 1-Q and it's really, really nasty. And that's just one of three examples. I think aromatics should be smoked quickly. It's doubtful that the added flavoring ages in the same way as the tobacco it is infused into. Live and learn. Thank goodness it was only 4 ozs x 3 tobaccos. Do NOT cellar aromatics! I don't know how many times you've all heard this already but just in case you haven't, resist the temptation to age your aros!

[phatmax]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

I'm no scientist, but I don't think you want all the air out. I think there has to be some air in the jar and even vaccuum sealing only removes about 50%. There should be some air circulating but not "new" air. Tobacco needs a little bit of air to age and mature.

At any rate, I do not heat seal my mason jars and I'm currently smoking tobaccos that are 15 years old. No ill effects other than the drooling I do when I see those beautiful jars all lined up.

Incidentally, aromatic tobaccos do NOT age well! I opened an old mason jar of Lane's 1-Q and it's really, really nasty. And that's just one of three examples. I think aromatics should be smoked quickly. It's doubtful that the added flavoring ages in the same way as the tobacco it is infused into. Live and learn. Thank goodness it was only 4 ozs x 3 tobaccos. Do NOT cellar aromatics! I don't know how many times you've all heard this already but just in case you haven't, resist the temptation to age your aros!

When you say and "old jar", how long are we talking. It is going to take me about a year or more to burn through what I have.

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by strider72

They apparently don't see the Search icon... It ain't just here. You can go through the gunforums and the same question will be posted every so often even though there are a 1000 threads/replies about it if someone would search.

True but the new rules say that "use the search option" isn't an acceptable response to questions which in my opinion is just as well since repeat questions sometimes lead to friendly banter and if it wasn't for some of those questions we wouldn't have any posts at times. I always have the option of answering or ignoring but not being hostile in the process. Sometimes reading an old thread doesn't completely answer an individual question but if you bump it to get an expanded explanation you may or may not get an answer. I'm really surprised the forum hasn't been modified to delete old threads after X amount of idle time to save storage space.

Anyway, at least the repeats are pipe related and not some bonehead starting a new thread to show off his new car when there are subforums for that sort of thing.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by phatmax

When you say and "old jar", how long are we talking. It is going to take me about a year or more to burn through what I have.

Are your tobaccos all aromatics? Mine were considerably older than 1 year so you might be ok. I don't really know. But with aros, a high moisture content is necessary unless they contain humectants (artificial preservatives) so I guess I'd store them in regular jars with some form of moisturizer in the jar such as those clay discs. That's what I do with the few aros in my regular rotation. The jars are those "candy jars" from Wal-mart with the plastic seal, which does a decent job but isn't air tight. The clay discs have a metal case and I got mine from www.frenchyspipes.com.

To sum up, I think aros shouldn't be "cellared" but can be ok if they have a constant stream of fresh air and moisture. But that's just my opinion. Hopefully, someone else can chime in here.

[phatmax]

Yeah, pretty much all aromatics, but I do have a tin of Milonga that I opened a couple years ago then forgot about that seems fine. Of course the quality difference between Lane and Dan...

A bunch of my stuff is Altadis, so I might get bitten on that.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by phatmax

Yeah, pretty much all aromatics, but I do have a tin of Milonga that I opened a couple years ago then forgot about that seems fine. Of course the quality difference between Lane and Dan...

A bunch of my stuff is Altadis, so I might get bitten on that.

If it's the Altadis stuff I got free in the mail, it has enough humectant in it that you could drink it if you were lost in the desert. Just keep your stuff moist. I do not expect any benefits from aging aromatics; the trick is to make sure it doesn't go belly-up on you. Make sure it's well hydrated.

[phatmax]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

If it's the Altadis stuff I got free in the mail, it has enough humectant in it that you could drink it if you were lost in the desert. Just keep your stuff moist. I do not expect any benefits from aging aromatics; the trick is to make sure it doesn't go belly-up on you. Make sure it's well hydrated.

All of it is in sealed Ball glass or Ball plastic jars. Nothing is bagged, so hopefully that will protect the moisture content. And my basement stays at least 50% humidity all the time if not a bit more. At worst I get a few smokes out of each before it goes to heck. I did not spend too much.

[brianwalden]

I apologize for taking this thread even further off topic. But about aromatics going bad over time - does that include ones that are in unopened tins and/or vacuumed sealed pouches. I just ordered the free Altadis sampler, but I don't smoke every day so it's going to take me a long time to get through all of them. I know from reading that a lot of them are aromatics - I'm assuming they come in some kind of sealed pouch. Will I be ok if I only open one or two at a time and keep the rest sealed for later?

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by brianwalden

I apologize for taking this thread even further off topic. But about aromatics going bad over time - does that include ones that are in unopened tins and/or vacuumed sealed pouches. I just ordered the free Altadis sampler, but I don't smoke every day so it's going to take me a long time to get through all of them. I know from reading that a lot of them are aromatics - I'm assuming they come in some kind of sealed pouch. Will I be ok if I only open one or two at a time and keep the rest sealed for later?

I have no experience with tinned aromatics other than a tin of Momoyama that I bought and smoked right away. Sorry. Perhaps I'm just smarting from my bad experience but my guess is they won't "go bad" real fast - they'll just dry out, and then you can rehydrate them. The aromatic that doesn't dry out should be ran... not walked... away from. If yours start to dry out, I'd put them in the candy jar type I described and put one of those clay humidifying discs in there. Yeah, I'd think if you only opened one or two at a time, you'd be fine.

I should point out that my experience after a year is that the aromatics were moist enough but that apparently the tobacco aged differently than the flavoring, and they turned to something horrible tasting.

[Darth Smoker]

It's all marketing. Take a 1# tin was tinned a month ago, and fill 4 pint mason jars and seal. Five years from now it won't make a difference.

Originally Posted by DubintheDam

It is said by the more experienced oldies of long ago...that...once a tin is 'popped' the aging process pretty much stops. The chemical reactions that cause's the crystalisation slows way down......SOOOH....what happens when the baccy is no longer in its 'made at factory vacum'...is similar to airing a red wine, albeit airing it for 2yrs or 20yrs.

I read this on GL Pease's website I think. But it was a sound source. There should be no need or major advantage in re-vacuming a baccy.

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by phatmax

I have put my 4 oz bags into 16 oz jars. A little tamping, but they fill up the jar, I found some Ball Platinum jars at ACE hardware that hold a 2 ounce bag really well and they are flat and wide.

Maybe I should be crushing the leaf more, but it seems no looser then the jar at the shop.

I also use the Ball Platinum Jars, partially because they're pretty cool looking, but mostly because they seal great!