How to Smoke a Pipe: Stuff&Things Guide Part 9: "Tobacco Moisture Content and Storage"

[@Spoegpoeg1]

Why I like your channel above other pipe channels, its because you actually light up on your idea's unlike Muttonchop, etc.

[@woopize]

Thanks for these videos! I'm a cigar smoker and I know quite a bit about cigars but I'm a new pipe smoker, always been interested in pipes since little and recently I started refurbishing my great granddad pipes and got curious. Few moments ago I finished smoking my first pipe with Peterson Sherlock Holmes tobacco while watching these series and I'm learning a lot. Thanks!

[@KuriousKevin]

Shocked, shocked I say at being the first commentator in 7 years, Bradley! So enjoying your “blend” of pragmatism and attention to detail. I have had fine luck simply misting with distilled water a canister, and closing it. Ever tried it?

[@KuriousKevin]

Oops! Three years!

[@jynxhaste]

As usual another great video. The one thing I definitely would make sure to mention is if you are going to use a paper towel, ensure that it is also moistened with distilled water . An interesting way I learned to do it was too use a Tupperware bowl like you had, put the tobacco on one side and heat up distilled water in something ceramic so that it was hot but not so hot that it couldn't be drank. Then you put the cup of distilled water inside the Tupperware bowl and seal it up and it creates a little bit of steam inside of the tupperware and that steam moistens the tobacco up. I've tried it once on tobacco that was as dry as a mummy and it worked alright. Its really easy to over moisten it like that though.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Good call! I think I mentioned distilled for the humidifier button but forgot to specify that for the paper towel. Hopefully people will read your comment!

[@oxlopez]

Great advice, Bradley. Always learn something on your channel.

[@joeybadabing4218]

Awesome. Thanks for another valuable video Bradley ! This has been an enjoyable series to follow, even for a seasoned smoker. I will be using these tips for sure. Kudos

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Cheers! I'm glad that someone who isn't a beginner can still get something out of this series.

[@Sergiox69]

I love this little series, it's helped out a lot as I started the hobby with little information. Wish I would have seen all these beforehand, but oh well. I think it would be useful to feature a video on outdoor pipe smoking and maybe even on how to distinguish tastes or form a palate. You'll definitely want a video on pipe deep cleaning. Keep up the awesome videos man, thanks.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll definitely try to incorporate them into future videos.

[@wadew9444]

Good advice and a joy to watch along with others in this great hobby. I find that certain tobaccos that I want to age in mason jars, do change a bit in time for the better. I have some aging for a good 12 years and check on them from time to time and they're doing great. I'm trying to re-hydrate a couple of blends that I didn't age properly, but even though I might bring them back to some moisture level, they no longer have the essential oils and won't be the same ever. Tonight is my ser Jacopo calabash with gawith hoggarth unscented dark flake. Thanks, Wade

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I appreciate the comment! I admire your self-control in allowing a blend to age so long. I'm far too impatient!

[@alphatango1358]

Thanks for sharing your feelings and thoughts ... experiences ... greetings from New York

[@Gamerlife-ci8jl]

thanks for these series of pipe smoking really good and intresting sorry for my bad english

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Gamer 4life - My pleasure! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos.

[@vols2467]

Great, thanks 👍

[@Femox360]

very useful, thanks

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

No problem!

[@borys2767]

I like the Allan Kerslake method it works great and easy too.

[@bartholomewfotheringay-phi5683]

Excellent tips, Bradley. Erring on the side of drier (rather than moister) is better IMHO. Do you agree? I've had good luck with round tins by pushing down while twisting, so you can feel the rubber seal engaging. Doesn't work with square tins since you can't twist the lids. I've got some old Plumcake which is still holding up in an opened tin after a decade. The MB rubber seals are top notch.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I think you're right (about erring on the side of drier), unless it's a coarse cut, then I usually like it just a tad more moist.

[@bartholomewfotheringay-phi5683]

Stuff&Things One further remark about rehydrating with distilled water ... I keep my top 3 tobaccos in desktop humidors for ease of access. Living in a very dry region of southern Arizona, rehydration is a common occurrence. I was always strict about using distilled water, but forgot about it once and used tap water instead. And subsequently noticed that it made absolutely no difference in flavour or aroma. If your tap water smells or has an off flavour, then I'd definitely advise against using it to rehydrate. However, I'm beginning to think that the insistence on distilled water is a 'cult of purity' practice that makes little practical difference. Further, I doubt that huge blending houses (who perform massive hydration of their raw leaf) use distilled water. In any event it's an experiment you might want to try. Odds are you won't be able to notice a difference. And, over the long haul, simpler (and easier) is usually better. At any rate, more convenient and less tedious.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I always thought it had less to do with effecting the taste and more to do with leaving hard water deposits on your humidifier buttons. The tap water here isn't hard at all, so I would probably be safe. Good to know that your experience shows that the taste isn't effected either though!

[@darinvaughan2268]

I want to find you talking about your Savanelli Del Punto Oro . It's being sold for $261 on EBay. Was $275. 5% off. I put an offer for $61..

[@darinvaughan2268]

I see it's only being sold @ $195. The going price

[@tagheuer001]

I need to bring some C&D's Crooner back to life this way. That stuff is bone dry when new and puffs up out of the bowl on first light.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

I've had to do it with several blends recently. A little annoying.

[@adamcomedy5018]

It seems my tobbaco is doing well, as you said, there's a little bit of this moisture but not too moist. Can this effect be reached by sealing my tobacco tightly in a regular mason jar, then putting in in it those seal bags? I've also put it in a dark place which seems to be fairly cool, since it close to the floor, where it tends to be the flows cooler. I had my first pipe today. I like how you can taste the slight bitterness with a hint of the smell. Mac Baren's original smells surprisingly different than when I tryed cigars. Haha, I used the labels on the package, they come off really well. I don't know how about tins, I only gotthe smaller bag version.

[@Sogeking995]

I buy these same locking storage jars at my local grocery store. I'm a little disappointed to hear that they won't preserve the tobacco as well as canning jars. I have to ask though, how do you make those spiffy labels? They look really classy.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

+TheGrayBox - I can't remember the brand, but I just purchased the blank labels to use with a printer, and the software for making the labels came with it.

[@vols2467]

How about multiple aromatics in the same pipes? Sorry for all the questions I'm fairly new to pipe smoking

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Vols24 - That shouldn't be too much of an issue. I just make sure not to mix aromatic and non-aromatic pipes.

[@kenken8765]

How do I dry my tobacco? Recently I have been trying to smoke a pipe as a hobby like how I do with cigars but I find pipe tobacco very moist. I have no idea how to dry it. Putting it on a plate and exposing it to air doesnt really help since air here is very humid where I come from (good for cigars but not for pipe tobaccos apparently). Whenever I try to smoke it, it taste like wet socks and burns like hell. what should I do?

[@UFO4X]

Picked up a lot of extra little tips on this video, great work, guys like you are well appreciated! Question. I'm assuming, that pipe tobacco storage, is unlike cigars, in the way that it needs a specific humidity range, that is, stored in new unopened tins, or sealed mason jars. So, is there a danger with certain humidity levels. The temperature in my tobacco cellar is, 72-75 degrees, and the humidity is anywhere from 50-58%. It's out of the sunlight. Is this okay? Thanks for the video. Keep em coming!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

With pipe tobacco, air-tight is what you're going for. As long as you have it stored in an air-tight container such as an unopened tin or canning jar, the humidity of the storage space shouldn't matter. And yes, out of direct sunlight is a good idea too. Thanks for watching!

[@Gjoa1906]

Cheaper than the button, small carrots are ideal - they release moisture at a proper rate with the advantage of seeing when they're dried out.

[@francomigliore1558]

Hi Bradley! Thanks for an amazing series, I've found it extremely useful. One question though, ive just bought my first ever tobacco (orlicks golden sliced as you suggested). Should I transfer the tobacco into a jar immediately or should I allow it to dry a little first? Thanks again from London!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Well, it depends on it's current moisture content. In my experience, Orlik usually comes pretty good out of the tin, so it certainly wouldn't hurt to jar it up right away. If you find that it's still a bit moist, you can always take a couple of flakes out to dry for a couple of hours before you smoke.

[@francomigliore1558]

Thanks for the tips and keep the videos coming!

[@vols2467]

Totally off subject but do you recommend smoking multiple kinds of tobacco out of the same pipe? Thanks, I enjoy the videos

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Vols24 - I smoke any sort of blend EXCEPT for aromatics in most of my pipes. Aromatics will leave their flavor behind.

[@nickcage3703]

you da man bro

[@tsaikevin348]

May I suggest a little more info about short term storage, for example I tend to buy smaller jar to keep the air ratio to minimum. from my experience ,tho I transfer the tin to my mason jar for daily smoking. due to open & closes. It still dries the tobacco rather quickly. then I switched to smaller jar with one of those Humidifier disc. and it worked pretty well along with the smaller jar. would like to hear more thoughts on this matter.

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

+Tsai Kevin - My normal procedure is to leave the tobacco in the tin if it's a little too moist. If I haven't finished it by the time it's at the "proper" moisture level, I put the rest in a small canning jar. I tend not to use the mason jars anymore.

[@tsaikevin348]

+Stuff&Things i'm a little confused about the canning jar you have mentioned. i'm using a ball mason jar. it looks just like the canning jar you have . two piece of lids. i thought mason and canning jar are the same thing? please help me out here. thx

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My nomenclature may be wrong, but I refer to jars that have a metal latch and a rubber gasket as a "mason jar" and jars that have a flat disc and threaded ring as a canning jar.

[@tsaikevin348]

+Stuff&Things right. the one with metal latch and rubber gasket are bale jars. mason jar has flat disc and threaded ring . which you refer to as '' canning jar''. appreciate your help !!

[@pabloblackbird3155]

Ime scared mine will go dry :( i want my jars now !!! Lol thanks for the info brother its will come in handy

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

My pleasure!

[@mattbenz99]

Can you just leave your tobacco in a cigar humidor? Would that work for keeping it fresh?

[@timeisahumanconstruct9251]

indeed it works

[@dsfnaj3357]

Hey Bradley, what size would You recommend for mason jars (8oz or 12oz) and which one would You say is neccessary to fill 50g / 100g tobacco in them? And also, do You press the tobaccos or do You just store it in there very loosely? Thank You and have a good day!!

[@gardnerwebb3749]

Helps to hear if you give a pause before moving ahead.

[@Gamerlife-ci8jl]

hi i wonder if i store me Tobacco in those jar will it dry out if im opening and closing every time i smoke a pipe lets say twice a day

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Gamer 4life - Just opening and closing a jar shouldn't make too much of a difference. Thanks for watching!

[@snitchhunter]

Hey Bradley , I just bought a ton of Denmark tinned dunhill nightcap, but it's bone dry!! I watched your rehydrating video , do you recommend I do it the exact same way you showed ? In a tub with a moist paper towel? I did pay a lot for this tobacco so any advice would be appreciated :) thank you @stuff&things

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

snitchunter - That method should work just fine. I'd recommend doing it in smaller batches though. It's easier to achieve a more uniform moisture content. Do 50-100g at a time.

[@snitchhunter]

@stuff&things thanks for the reply!! I only have 2 tins, so do one tin at a time? Also how long do you recommend leaving it in the Tupperware to moisten up? Last time I used a method from another fellow youtuber, big mistake!! Tobacco was way over moist I had to toss it out :(

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

1 at a time should work well. I usually start the process in the morning and check the moisture level in the afternoon.

[@justinwilson3653]

I did not know that tidbit about how its not a good idea to leave the humidifier buttons in the jars. I was totally under the impression that it was the same as cigar storage. You sir probably just saved me a ton of moola and I thank you!!!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

Justin Wilson - It's my pleasure! I'm glad you found the information useful.

[@thelowmein9143]

So I take it that you don't recommend storing pipe tobaccos in a humidor then lol. I wonder why cigar tobacco needs humidors and pipe tobaccos don't?

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

It's just the nature of two different tobacco products. Cigars need a constant relative humidity of 60-70% and pipe tobacco just needs to be in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

[@ramezqubain8177]

Does light affect the long term storage of tobacco?

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

+Ramez Qubain - It's usually best to keep your tobaccos out of direct sunlight. A cool, dry place out of the sun is best.

[@Ebolson1019]

Just found tobacco that is at least 15 years old and not properly stored