Tobacco Drying

[evan]

Well I got a tin of McBaren's London Burley and a container of Frog Morton on the Bayou. I opened both and have left them in their original containers. Of the two I thought McBarens was a tighter container, but now it seems a little dry, but the Frog Morton is still damp. I'm trying to decide if the McBaren's just wasn't always like that (it isn't bone dry) or do i need to transfer it to a mason jar or ziplock?

[drastic_quench]

Yes - unless you're going to finish them in a couple weeks, or you don't care how dry they get.

Don't bother with ziplocks. They're permeable. Mason jars are cheap, and function like a perfect tin, never letting the tobacco dry out.

[Mad Hatter]

Depends on what you prefer. If your tin is a little on the dry side you don't need to dry each bowl before you smoke it. I only use mason jars for bulk. Tinned tobacco stays in the tin and gets refilled from the bulk. And yes, the bean cans do maintain their freshness better once opened than the all metal tins whichhave a heat activated bead of sealer on them.

As an afterthought, if you choose to leave the tobacco in the tins, don't keep them near a heating source. The tobacco won't get any drier than the humidity in your house and if that's relatively constant your tobacco will be too. I prefer mine dried in the tin this way but I'm not a super picky kinda guy.

[ghe]

Some people put a sheet of aluminum foil across the tin before putting the top back on to provide a little more protection against drying out. I'm not sure how well it works, though it obviously couldn't hurt.

[indigosmoke]

Originally Posted by evan

Of the two I thought McBarens was a tighter container, but now it seems a little dry, but the Frog Morton is still damp.

I have no idea about the McB's as I've never seen or smoked it, but the FM blends are somewhat noted for their ability to remain most in an open tin. This may have something to do with what you are experiencing. If you check out the online reviews you'll see a minor debate rages on this topic with the FM blends. Some see this as a good thing, others the function of PG being added to the blend and therefore a bad thing. I have a 100g tin of FM. Love the stuff. It has been open for several days and is more or less just as moist as when I opened it.

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by indigosmoke

I have no idea about the McB's as I've never seen or smoked it, but the FM blends are somewhat noted for their ability to remain most in an open tin. This may have something to do with what you are experiencing. If you check out the online reviews you'll see a minor debate rages on this topic with the FM blends. Some see this as a good thing, others the function of PG being added to the blend and therefore a bad thing. I have a 100g tin of FM. Love the stuff. It has been open for several days and is more or less just as moist as when I opened it.

Funny you mention that, as I always thought PG was reserved for cheap aromatics, dunno what to think now though. I have a tin of FM I've been working on for the past five months & it's still as moist as the day I opened it, very suspicious.......

[indigosmoke]

I believe PG is found in trace or higher amounts in most tobaccos made in the US. Certain blenders like Greg Pease never add it themselves and try to source base tobaccos without PG but this is impossible in practice as growers and other processors add it as well as the blenders themselves. For example Greg Pease says trace amounts have been found in his blends even though he does not add it. C&D does not add PG to their english blends but they do use it as a vehicle for flavorings in their aromatic blends. As for McClelland's blends, I've read a lot of speculation on PG and other additives in their blends but facts seem to be lacking. I can't seem to find anything from anyone directly associated with McClellands (unlike GLP and C&D). I haven't even been able to find a website for their company if one exists. Of course, quality blends seem to use a deft touch on the PG and don't load it up like the cheap brands, resulting in fewer negative effects in the taste/smokability and maybe even some positive ones in keeping the tobacco moist in an open tin and providing a vehicle for the flavoring. Also, I believe blends made in England prior to the mid 1980's were restricted in the use of additives such as PG, but those laws were relaxed after insistance by the US that they formed an unfair trade barrier. Some tobaccos produced in the UK now include PG and some UK producers who don't include it in their domestic tobacco distribution do include it to inhibit mold in blends they ship to the US.

There is an excellent thread on PG here.

Propylene Glycol (PG) In Pipe Tobacco: Pro or Con

[keenween]

Originally Posted by evan

Well I got a tin of McBaren's London Burley and a container of Frog Morton on the Bayou. I opened both and have left them in their original containers. Of the two I thought McBarens was a tighter container, but now it seems a little dry, but the Frog Morton is still damp. I'm trying to decide if the McBaren's just wasn't always like that (it isn't bone dry) or do i need to transfer it to a mason jar or ziplock?

I used to close up the tin and then put the tin in a ziplock, instead of transferring. Kept it from drying out as quickly.

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by keenween

I used to close up the tin and then put the tin in a ziplock, instead of transferring. Kept it from drying out as quickly.

I do that.

Screw top tins (Escudo) are pretty airtight. A month, maybe, but my Escudo don't last that long

Square tins (Samuel Gawith) leak like the proverbial sieve. Push down plastic caps (GL Pease) is also not very airtight. For these, I take a double layer of aluminium foil, lay over open tin, jam the lid on. Not my idea, GL Pease posted it some time ago. Then for good measure the whole tin goes into a ziplock. Can't have too much air-proofing. I haven't had a dried out tin yet, then again, the life span of open tins around here isn't much

[indigosmoke]

Originally Posted by RJpuffs

I do that.

Screw top tins (Escudo) are pretty airtight. A month, maybe, but my Escudo don't last that long

Square tins (Samuel Gawith) leak like the proverbial sieve. Push down plastic caps (GL Pease) is also not very airtight. For these, I take a double layer of aluminium foil, lay over open tin, jam the lid on. Not my idea, GL Pease posted it some time ago. Then for good measure the whole tin goes into a ziplock. Can't have too much air-proofing. I haven't had a dried out tin yet, then again, the life span of open tins around here isn't much

Nice tip on the foil and plastic top containers. Thanks for passing it along!

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by indigosmoke

I believe PG is found in trace or higher amounts in most tobaccos made in the US. Certain blenders like Greg Pease never add it themselves and try to source base tobaccos without PG but this is impossible in practice as growers and other processors add it as well as the blenders themselves. For example Greg Pease says trace amounts have been found in his blends even though he does not add it. C&D does not add PG to their english blends but they do use it as a vehicle for flavorings in their aromatic blends. As for McClelland's blends, I've read a lot of speculation on PG and other additives in their blends but facts seem to be lacking. I can't seem to find anything from anyone directly associated with McClellands (unlike GLP and C&D). I haven't even been able to find a website for their company if one exists. Of course, quality blends seem to use a deft touch on the PG and don't load it up like the cheap brands, resulting in fewer negative effects in the taste/smokability and maybe even some positive ones in keeping the tobacco moist in an open tin and providing a vehicle for the flavoring. Also, I believe blends made in England prior to the mid 1980's were restricted in the use of additives such as PG, but those laws were relaxed after insistance by the US that they formed an unfair trade barrier. Some tobaccos produced in the UK now include PG and some UK producers who don't include it in their domestic tobacco distribution do include it to inhibit mold in blends they ship to the US.

There is an excellent thread on PG here.

Propylene Glycol (PG) In Pipe Tobacco: Pro or Con

Originally Posted by RJpuffs

I do that.

Screw top tins (Escudo) are pretty airtight. A month, maybe, but my Escudo don't last that long

Square tins (Samuel Gawith) leak like the proverbial sieve. Push down plastic caps (GL Pease) is also not very airtight. For these, I take a double layer of aluminium foil, lay over open tin, jam the lid on. Not my idea, GL Pease posted it some time ago. Then for good measure the whole tin goes into a ziplock. Can't have too much air-proofing. I haven't had a dried out tin yet, then again, the life span of open tins around here isn't much

Great advice guys.

[accorddude]

I always put my tins in a plastic bag. It seems to keep them pretty moist.

[MarkC]

I just use whatever lid comes with the tobacco, and I haven't had anything dry out yet, unless it was just in a baggie. I don't think the plastic bag does much to help.

[Jack Straw]

I've been double-ziplocking tins, seems to work great.

[RJpuffs]

A footnote on Ziplock bags and storage/aging/drying of baccy. I've read here, there, and elsewhere - "real" ziplock bags (not the generic grocery chain knockoffs) are great but are not truly "air-tight". Assuming the seams and zip seal are working (i.e. use NEW bags, not reused after storing your kids halloween candy). Air molecules DO pass through the plastic sheet as the particles are small enough. Hence aging will not occur in a ziplock bag. However, water molecules do NOT pass thru as they are fatter (like me). Hence, moisture level will stay constant within the bag. In a perfect universe.

In reality, seams and zips do give way over time/use. So moisture will in fact seep in/out. Double bagging only insures against one of the bags failing, it does not improve the overall porous nature of the plastic. Zippy-doo-dahs are great for short term storage, convenient, cheap, easy to handle. But thats the extent of their function.

And another note on the "bulk bags" sold, such as Stonehaven. These are laminated - layers of different materials are used to provide both moisture retention - AND air-tightness. Its not a simple plastic or foil wrapper, some brain work went into their creation.