Il Tempio
dell’Edonismo
- Hanno detto:
“Conservazione” -
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Tin Storage
1 ~ Should I pop my tins and seal
the tobacco in another container?
This is actually two questions in
one. The hidden other question is, "Does tobacco age as well if I just
re-seal a tin and hide it away for a while?" These results surprise people
new to the world of quality tobacco aging. Mr. Pease elaborates:
Open tins dry out quite quickly,
actually, which is not necessarily a bad thing if you are smoking it (some of
us prefer out tobacco in the dry range of the spectrum), but a terrible thing
if you are aging it. Part of the process seems to rely on a sealed environment,
in my experience.
GL Pease, 1998-07-09
Tinned tobaccos have a distinct
advantage over "bulk" tobaccos when it comes to aging, providing you
don't open the tin. The *lack* of oxygen exchange is actually beneficial to
some of the organic processes which are responsible for the "aging,"
and, as long as the tins are stored in cool, dry location, you don't ever have
to worry about the condition of the contents.
GL Pease, 1999-01-14
Once a tin is open, store it in a
cool place, sealed as best you can seal it. [Aging is] an amazingly complex
medley of carefully choreographed chemical and microbial dances. But, the
bottom line is, when you open the tin, it's over. Other changes will take
place, but it's never going to be the same again.
GL Pease, 2001-10-17
2 ~ Does the aging process
continue after I open a container?
A topic mentioned briefly above,
but which deserves elaboration. Not all aging is equal, friends! Thus:
Once air is reintroduced, the
anaerobes snuff it. If there are endospore forming, they'll sprorulate, and the
process *could* conceivably be restarted, *if* the correct environmental
conditions were made present. But, one of those correct conditions is the
absence of oxygen. So, either the tin would have to be fully evacuated, or some
aerobic bacterial process would, once again, have to consume the O2 that is now
in the tin. It's all a delicate dance of tiny life forms. Once you mess up the
ecology that's been carefully crafted over thousands, even millions of
generations of bacteria, it's tough to get it back "the way it was."
GL Pease 2001-10-17
If you buy tobacco with
significant age already, the picture changes. As soon as you open that tin, or
high-barrier bag, you introduce significant changes to the environment within
the container. From that point, all bets are off. Perhaps I shouldn't say that
the blend will no longer age, but it will age differently from that point
forward.
GL Pease, 2003-10-28
The aging process is a series of
both biological activities and organic reactions, some of which can be very
slow. Many of reactions tend to happen sequentially, so once the environment is
radically changed by introducing fresh air, all bets are off. Further, all
those lovely aromas that emanate from that freshly opened tin are volatile
organic products that, once shared with the angels, is lost and gone forever. There's
no way to reverse time and return things to the original state. Once you open
it, smoke it. It will certainly change, but it will not likely improve in the
same way that it will once it's sealed up.
GL Pease, 2003-11-11
3 ~ Once I open a tin, what are
some good short-term storage options?
An issue that can be of
considerable import to those who don't smoke at a heavy pace, or who have a lot
of irons in the fire simultaneously.
I have found spice jars to be
excellent containers for small amounts of tobacco. I'd recommend small mason
jars for storage, but once you open the mason jar, put it into a spice jar. Many
of the spice jars that you can buy from kitchen stores have a little plastic
shaker lid with a mylar-type liner inside. I keep these in place. Very
convenient, inexpensive, easy to organize and store, and they seem to hold
around 5 bowls' worth.
inquisitor, 2004-10-12
Once [a container of tobacco is]
opened, there are many options for storage, but, ideally, it should be consumed
within a month or two of opening.
GL Pease, 2003-05-06
I always transfer open tins to
half pint mason jars, then label the top. These make for excellent storage, and
they are easy to stack.
Joe LaVigne, 2003-11-01
An opened tin is good for a few
days (maybe, in the Mojave Desert) to a few weeks, and maybe several months if
relative humidity is high in your area. But don't count on much more than a few
weeks.
James Beard, 2001-02-04
Round tins with screw-down lids
can stay fresh for many months if the lid has a rubber/plastic gasket and you
make sure to tighten it properly. Mac Baren and JF Germain tins have the right
kind of gasket, and I have kept those tobaccos fresh for up to a year when I
screw the lid down tightly. Tins with plastic pop off lids, such as
McClelland's, Rattray's and GL Pease, will not stay fresh very long, maybe a
month or two at best. Either smoke these quickly or transfer the contents to
bail-top jars. Rectangular tins are the worst since their lids can't be
tightened. A few weeks after being opened, you'll find these tobaccos completely
dried out. I store rectangular tins in ziploc freezer bags, even for very short
term storage.
Tim Parker, 2003-11-01
There are volatile components
that dissipate to the air if not contained, and, once gone, they're never
coming back. When I open a tin of something I'm not going to smoke fairly
quickly, I usually either put the contents in a canning jar for longer term
storage, as has been suggested, or at least, in heavy zip-locks if shorter
storage is likely.
GL Pease, 2002-07-01
I have solved the problem [of
too-dry tobacco] by using small plastic bags. If I leave the tobacco uncovered
in the tin, it will dry up, especially the tobaccos that are moistened only
with water. So when I open up a new tin I always put the tobacco in a plastic
minigrip bag, press the air out and the I put it in the tin.
Jari, 2002-06-29
A simple way of keeping tinned
tobacco moist for a short period of time is to place a small plastic sandwich
bag over the open tin and then screwing the lid tightly down over the bag.
Max Kama, 2004-01-06 (via email)
Most of the round 50gm tins do an
admirable job of keeping blends fresh. I have an opened tin of Gordon Pym
that's been in very good shape since 1999 when I bought it (I smoke primarily
virginias). Of course, some don't seal as well as others, especially the
rectangular tins that many flakes come in. A very effective solution, I've
found, is to wrap the tobacco and paper liner in a plastic sandwich bag, close
the lid as tight as possible, and then put the whole tin inside one or two
freezer-grade zip-lock bags. I've found that this method will keep the tobacco
in very acceptable condition for over a year. With the Rattray's 100 gm tins or
the McClelland tins, just transfer the tobacco to a zip-lock bag and put back
in the can.
Clifford W. Woodward, 2005-08-21
4 ~ Can rust or corrosion be a
problem for metal containers when cellaring over the long-term?
The short answer is
"yes".
I recently opened a jar of
tobacco that I had canned last year. I had an impossible time getting the outer
ring to unscrew, and eventually had to cut it off with wire snips. When I did,
I discovered that the reason it wouldn't come off was because it and the inner
lid had rusted together. I guess there had been some water left inside the ring
from when I washed it beforehand.
The lid had not rusted all the
way through, since it had been sealed only 12 months or so. Had I been more
patient, however, and let it sit for several years, I suspect the rust might
have eventually eaten through the lid. I always dip the top of my jars in
paraffin, though, so I guess even then it wouldn't have done too much damage. A
good point to remember in the "to wax or not to wax" debate, I
suppose.
Joe00637, 2004-12-10
My tins are internally coated, as
are most tobacco tins. The rust problem is generally a result of the tins being
stored in a humid environment; they rust from the outside in. I've had very few
tins rust from the inside, though it's not unheard of, and even a good coating
can fail occasionally.
GL Pease, 2004-08-27
Some tins fare better than
others. The worst tins seem to be thin aluminum ones, whose side walls can
become perforated with little pinholes from corrosion far too easily. The next
most likely thing to be effected is aluminum pull-tops. Examine these
frequently for signs of damage, which will normally first appear as a white
powdery area. If you see a problem area, wipe it off with a damp cloth, and
keep a close eye on it. If you shake and tap on a tin, and it sounds dry inside
(I don't know how to really describe this, but there is a difference in the way
dry tobacco "sounds" when it's dry...) it would probably be best to
transfer the contents into a glass container immediately. You'll lose some of
the "bottle bouquet" of the sealed tin, but you'll save the tobacco.
GL Pease, 2000-06-23
The rust won't hurt
you, but it will impart an unpleasant taste and smell to the tobacco, if
present in sufficient quantity.
GL Pease, 2002-11-23
5 ~ Can I store tobacco
containers in a freezer or refrigerator?
A topic which makes some people
scratch their head. Nip this one in the bud! Remember, we're not talking about
preserving tobacco, but aging it. Would you freeze wine?
No need to freeze tobacco. [...]
Freezing *might* damage the cell structure of the leaf, if the temperature is
low enough. The things you want to avoid are hot and cold cycles (can damage
the integrity of the tin's seal) and excessive humidity, which can rust some
tins.
GL Pease, 1994-12-27
Do NOT store tobacco in your
fridge or freezer [in a non-airtight container]. One of the purposes your
fridge serves is to remove moisture from the air inside of it. You will end up
with dry tobacco.
Michael D. Lindner, 1999-02-12
Storing in a refrigerator is not
a good idea unless you have absolutely air-tight bags to contain the tobacco. Tobacco
will readily absorb aromas and flavors from anything in the area, and in a
refrigerator there is a lot of stuff in the area that you might not want to
taste in the tobacco.
James Beard, 1996-09-08
[In a freezer,] the moisture in
the tobacco will become ice. When water becomes ice, it expands. When it does
this, it destroys the cellular structure of the tobacco. This must have an
influence on the character of the smoke.
Sailorman Jack, 2004-01-04
Bulk Storage
1 ~ Generally, which storage
containers should be used for aging?
This is a critically important
topic. I took some editorial license here and separated out Mr. Pease's
findings into this first "general" question because I believe that
they deserve to frame the discussion which follows.
I recently completed an
experiment wherein the same tobacco was cellared, after blending, in heavy
bags, glass jars and sealed tins. There is a slight, but perceptible difference
between the tobacco aged (a mere 6-months) in the jars and in the tins, but a
distinct difference between the bagged tobacco and the other two samples. This
supports a theory which I have posited in the past that gas exchange is not
advantageous to long term aging. The tinned/jarred tobacco had become much
richer, with a lovely complexity not found in the bagged sample, even though
the bagged sample had not lost significant moisture.
These results demonstrate that
plastic bags are not optimal for long term storage or aging of tobacco, but
that canning jars are nearly as good as tins, as long as they are left sealed,
and in an environment which is not hostile to the contents.
In any event, use quality jars
with good rubber seals. These seals do have a limited life expectancy, but that
life is several, if not many years. I recently bought a couple of antique jars,
and while I have no idea how old the rubber seals were, they were quite brittle
and useless as seals. I've kept some tobacco in modern jars for upwards of 7
years, with no sign of deterioration of the seals, so good quality rubber will
last at least that long, if kept in a cool location. High heat, extremely dry
conditions and UV from sunlight are definite no-nos.
GL Pease, 1999-05-04
For almost as long as I've been
smoking a pipe, I've bought nothing but tinned tobaccos. I like aged tobaccos,
and I'm too damn lazy to do anything else but cellar tins. I've certainly
experimented with mason jars, and other types of containers, but for me, the
2-oz tin is the ideal package. If stored in a cool, dry place, it should keep
the tobacco in perfect condition for many, many years. I've had tobaccos dating
back to the 1940s, and they were delightful.
Jars certainly work great, as
long as they are absolutely clean before you put the tobacco into them. If the
tobacco is tinned, though, leave it alone. Why take it out of one sealed
container just to put it in another?
GL Pease, 2005-08-20
2 ~ What kind of container should
I use for bulk tobacco?
A perennial topic of discussion
on ASP. A number of people have given their advice, and I replicate the best of
it here.
When it comes to bulk blends the
consensus seems to be to put the tobacco in an air-tight container. The main
concerns here are to keep the tobacco from drying out and to avoid mold. Understand,
that most "air-tight" containers are not completely air-tight, some
air exchange will happen. Again this is where a proper environment (as
mentioned above) will aide the process. I have also read that you should not
give in to the temptation to open these containers during the aging process,
doing so will prevent the magic that is "aging" and invite mold into
the equation. If you wish to sample them at different stages, I suggest
separate samples be put back for each stage that you wish to try them.
G. W. Fletcher, 2001-05-10
I've done some short-term
experiments with various forms of packaging, and will say that tobacco that's
been put away in heavy plastic bags for 1-2 years shows only a slight change,
while the same tobacco, from the same batch, aged in tins had undergone
significant change for the better. I'm quite convinced that sealed,
non-permeable containers, whether tins or glass jars, are essential for proper
aging.
GL Pease, 2001-01-18
If you buy fairly fresh tobacco,
no matter what the packaging, break it up, and repack into sealed jars, you're
good as gold.
GL Pease, 2003-10-28
Mason jars are the choice of
many, many ASPers.
For bulk tobacco storage mason or
Ball [brand] jars with good rubber seals work very well as they are air tight and
keep the contents from drying out. I would suggest keeping the jar in a dark
place (closet, drawer, etc.).
Bob Pelletier, 1997-11-23
I use Mason jars exclusively. I
use the large ones (Quart) for ageing, and I usually put 8 oz in these. You
could fit more with tight packing, but I like them at 8oz.
Joe LaVigne, 2004-10-11
Jars are a better choice, as
glass is less permeable than any plastic. The best thing is to fill the jars
nearly full, as minimizing the air will improve the aging. So, press that
tobacco into the jars, and put those lids on tight! If you warm the jars before
putting on the lids, it will form a slight vacuum, which is also beneficial,
both to keeping the lids tight and aging the tobacco.
GL Pease, 1997-10-14
Glass is also kinda neat in that
you can see how the color has changed over the years. The tobacco in the jar
I'm referring to was golden brown when new, but now is almost black.
Greg Sprinkle, 1997-11-23
A reminder from Mr. Pease that some
bulk containers from aging-sensitive producers will work just fine!
[The GL Pease 8oz] bags are
designed for aging, and for storage, they will be fine for years, though for
long term, I still recommend the tins, for a couple of reasons. First, the tins
*may* age more quickly, in the same way that wine in fifths ages faster than
wine in magnums. While I've done some testing of the bags, that testing
represents no more than two years of aging.
Once you open the bag, the
process pretty much stops. The bag can be resealed, and will hold the contents
in good condition for a long time, but transfer to jars is probably the safest
thing.
As an aside, I put some tobacco
in one of these bags, folded it over several times, and taped it up, just to
see what would happen. Even without a true seal, the contents aged, and were in
perfect condition when I opened it 18 months later. It's a darn good bag.
GL Pease, 2003-02-11
3 ~ How well do bail-top jars work
for long-term storage?
In addition to mason-type jars
with their familiar two-piece lids, these kinds of cannisters have their own
sets of advantages and disadvantages which have been thoroughly discussed.
I have a half dozen of these,
that have held various blends for more than 6 years, without ill effect.
Terry Hagley, 2000-05-12
The bail top jars are better
suited to being opened frequently since the gaskets on the canning jars are
very thin. For long term storage I (so far) prefer the canning jars. I've had
at least one bail top gasket split in many places (over time), and no longer
trust them where I can't see them.
Fred Latchaw, 1999-08-21
I use the wide mouth jars that
have large rubber gaskets and wire cages. Based upon my experience with some
Gawith and Hoggarth Dark Birdseye Shag, tobacco is good for more than a decade
in the aforementioned containers.
Irwin Friedman, 1997-11-32
I once did an experiment in which
I took the same tobacco, tinned 2oz, put 2oz in a bail top jar, put a bunch in
a double-thick, heavy plastic bag. The tinned and jarred tobaccos aged nicely
after just six months, while the stuff in the plastic bag showed only the
improvement one can expect from melding, even though the moisture content was
unchanged.
GL Pease, 2001-07-04
One thing to keep in mind is that
the rubber gaskets used with [wire cage] jars will deteriorate. If left alone,
they'll probably last 20 years. If opened after about five years, the re-seal
may not be reliable. The current rubber gasket material used for Mason jars
seems to be a very durable rubber compound. I have some that are about 20 years
of age and they're still functional.
Buddy, 1998-11-05
A comment on the bail top jars. I
have been using them to cellar tobacco for the past few years. The tobacco I
have stored seems to be picking up the smell of the rubber gasket.
Jim Kooy, 2000-05-08
There are a couple of different
sorts of gaskets available, and I have noticed that some seem to possess more
"rubber smell" than others. A couple of the jars I have have a
silicone gasket which has little detectable aroma to it, though I don't know
where these would be available individually.
GL Pease, 2000-05-08
4 ~ How well do vacuum-sealed
plastic bags work for long-term storage? Why are vacuum-sealed tins different?
Now this... this has been the
subject of much experimentation and debate over the years. Recently, debate has
subsided more often in strong favor of the "aging needs air"
contingent. Nevertheless, there remains a contingent of people who still have
all that vacuum seal equipment laying around and use it to seal up their bulk. They
seem to find it beneficial.
Fully evacuated plastic pouches:
Up until about two years, these work fine at sealing the tobacco. However,
minimal aging takes place, probably due to the lack of oxygen. The pressure
compacts the mass into a fairly firm block, nothing like a real pressed flake,
but pretty solid as the pressure continues over a period of years. I found the
apparent effects of this "pressing" the best aspects of the method of
storage. Unfortunately, somewhere between two and three years, enough H2O vapor
escapes to begin a drying process, usually noticable around the edges of the
tobacco mass, which begin to feel crispy through the plastic. Note that the
vacuum remains tight--the plastic used apparently passes H2O more easily than
O2, N2, or other atmospheric gasses. Bottom line: not recommended if you want
to age the tobacco. I recommend double bagging and double sealing.
Toren Smith, 2001-07-25
No problems, just less real
aging. Some air is necessary to start the whole process off. It's been shown
that sucking out the air will "preserve" the tobacco in its current
state, and that little or no change will take place over time. So, while it may
be fine for storage, it's not going to provide the advantages of age. Toren's
experiments, interestingly, also demonstrated that vacuum sealed tobacco can
dry out, while still maintaining the seal! Apparently, the plastic used in the
vacuum sealers is somewhat permeable to H2O, but less so to atmospheric gasses.
Different materials provide a good barrier to different types of molecules,
while being permeable to others. Not knowing what material the bags are made
from, I can't comment on why this happened, but Toren's experimental methods
are quite sound.
GL Pease, 2001-08-16 (revised
2003-12-23)
Vacuum sealing is a bad idea. (I
read an ancient Rattray's catalogue on tobacco, in which was presented a short
discourse by Charles himself. Old Chuck had some pretty strong words to say
against vacuum packing, and experiments conducted by myself and others, notably
Toren Smith's recently published findings, bear this out.)
GL Pease, 2001-08-15
There is a difference between an
air tight tin and a vacuum sealed bag with all the air evacuated out. A sealed
tin still has a small amount of air left in it. This allows the tobacco to age;
the chemical reactions that take place in aging require some air to get going. A
plastic bag with all the air removed will not have enough air left for the
reactions to start.
Mark Hogan, 2003-05-21
The vacuum used to seal tins is
minimal. Foodsaver type vacuum pumps are quite weak, but they do a very good
job of evacuating a great deal of the air from the bags they use [which
therefore prevents substantial aging from occuring].
GL Pease, 2003-07-06
None other than Charles Rattray
himself first wrote, in his "Disquisition for the Connoisseur" that
vacuum sealing tins is NOT ideal. Prior to the more recently common flat tins,
such great old brands as Balkan Sobranie, Rattray, McConnell, Drucquer &
Sons, and many others were put in tins similar to what we use today. All the
old knife-lid tins were sealed at normal atmospheric pressure, not vacuum
packed. Still today, quite a few producers continue with the "old
school" method of atmospheric sealing. Vacuum sealing is the new fangled
method that is done by producers who rely on assembly line techniques to speed
production and reduce costs.
I've explored the virtues of aged
tobaccos throughout my 25 years as a pipe smoker, having been introduced to
aged tobacos by Robert Rex during my pipe smoking infancy. While many wonderful
experiences have come from well-aged tobaccos vacuum-sealed in hockey puck
tins, the most memorable have always come from the old-time,
"conventional" containers. Vacuum sealing is certainly not necessary,
and I'll stick to the notion that it is not ideal. After all, who am I to argue
with Chas?
GL Pease, 2005-04-18 on Knox
Cigar Boards
Vacuum sealing, while quite
popular, is simply a waste of time, and may actually be detrimental to the
overall aging potential of the tobacco. Certainly the plastic materials that
are used with home-vacuum sealers are NOT high-barrier films, and while they'll
keep most of the water in, they'll let much of the goodness out.
GL Pease, 2005-08-20
5 ~ How well do commercial opaque
tobacco pouches work for long-term storage?
Not many high-grade,
cellar-worthy tobaccos are sold in this form (in the USA, anyway) these days,
but it's an interesting question.
I have some english blends that
are 5 yrs old in pouches and they are fine.
Ben Ciccarelli, 2005-04-05
The other evening, I opened a
sealed pouch of vintage Amphora which has to be at least eight years old. This
is the old Amphora pouch prior to the USA ban and it was just slightly dried. It
smoked wonderfully.
Fleep, 2005-04-05
The problem with pouches is they
are not completely air-tight.
Whether the tobacco will dry out
or not depends on the humidity where it is stored. If relative humidity is 65
percent or somewhere near that, the tobacco should not become dry out much. If
you live on the edge of the Mojave Desert, you will likely have a problem
unless your storage area is humidity-controlled.
The second potential (and often
real) problem is that tobacco will absorb any aromas in the air that comes in
contact with it. Pouches allow some ambient air to enter, and the tobacco will
pick up whatever aroma is in that air. If you store a half dozen or dozen
tobaccos in the same place, they will all acquire a little taste of all the
others. And if the aroma in the area is not real tasty when mixed with tobacco,
you will have a problem.
The Mason/Ball canning jar with a
lid that will keep a near-perfect seal for many years is best for long-term
storage.
On the other hand, there are a
number of drugstore tobaccos that contain enough humectant they will never dry
out, and the chemical flavoring is so stable and strong you will never notice
admixture of anything short of skunk oil. It is not uncommon to read of someone
"losing" a pouch of Borkum Rif or Amphora behind the couch for a
decade, and finding it to be just as good (or as bad!) as when new.
James D. Beard, 2005-04-05
6 ~ Is there any advantage to
storing bulk tobacco in one large container, or many small containers?
An issue of practicality,
preference, and your puffing pace.
One of the reasons, probably the
most important one, that I recommend smaller packaging for long-term aging, is
that, in my opinion, the delicate flavours that result from the aging process
begin to dissipate as soon as the package is open. Volatilization, oxidation,
other chemical processes take place, and the stuff changes. My belief is that
once an aged tobacco is opened, it should be smoked fairly quickly, to enjoy it
at its best. So, buying the 8oz bags, breaking them up into smaller quantities,
and sealing them in jars is a reasonable alternative to the tins.
GL Pease, 2003-10-28
Keep an eye on things once you
put it up. Better to do lots of small jars than a few large ones, so you can
taste them over time. Keep notes. You'll learn a lot about the aging process
this way. It's great fun.
GL Pease, 1998-03-08
7 ~ I have a large pack of
tobacco I would like to sub-divide into smaller containers. Should I do this
sooner or later?
A fine question in the age of 8
oz. tins and bags.
Your best bet would be to
re-package it now, as once you open an "aged" tobacco, the little
biosphere in the package will be forever changed, and things just won't be the
same afterwards. It won't be BAD, but it will certainly be different.
[Very occasional smokers] might
even consider repackaging into smaller than 2-oz quantities. Personally, I find
that aged tobaccos deteriorate rather rapidly once opened. Again, they don't
get BAD, but they lose a lot of the beautiful aroma they've developed over the
years. Personally, I have always found the first bowl out of an old tin to be
the most delightful. (Others feel that even a well aged tin must breathe a
little before it's smoked. To each his own.)
That said, the bags are actually
quite good for storage, and for keeping the tobacco in good shape after you've
opened them. Refold the top several times, compressing the leaf somewhat, and
put a rubber band around the whole thing to hold it tight, or use a binder clip
on the folded part of the bag. I've got a bag of Robusto from the first run
that I dip into every once in a while. It's not the same now as a freshly
opened tin from the same vintage, but it's still very nice.
GL Pease, 2005-01-07
8 ~ What can I do to prevent mold
contamination when jarring my own bulk tobacco?
The dreaded mold! A lot of
folkore surrounds this topic. Read the following responses and perceive some
general guidelines. Some people have resorted to sacrificing chickens and
goats, but the jury is still out on those "advanced" techniques. Meanwhile,
the wisdom of ASP:
Mold spores are literally
everywhere. Whether or not they begin to bloom is a bit of a mystery. I've lost
a jar of Balkan Sobranie, some Penzance, a jar of Perfection and a tin of
F&P Templar to mold. Just use very clean (boiled) jars and pray for the
best. The only 100% sure way to get spore/mold free tobacco would be to use a
heavy dose of gamma radiation, but it sounds a bit overkill. ;-)
Tapio Pentikainen, 2000-10-22
Actually, there are enough mold
spores around that any tobacco not in an air-tight sealed container will have
some in it. But mold requires free water to thrive. The spores can survive for
eons in a dry environment, but they cannot grow. Just let there be free water
(not chemically glomed onto something else) and the stuff flourishes. [...] I
would suggest drying the tobacco until it is at the low end of the acceptable
moisture range for you, and then store it far, far from your other tobaccos
(just in case). It may be you will be able to smoke all remaining before the
mold gets enough water to wreak havoc.
James Beard, 2000-07-26
Vinegar won't disinfect [jars]. It'll
kill alkalophiles, in sufficient concentration, but that's just not enough. Try
bleach. (Another reason not to use plastic containers - they'll hang on to the
bleach "aroma," and be nearly forever tainted.) Just add a little
bleach to your hot, soapy water, and wash with that. Rinse thoroughly, and
allow the container to air dry. (The last thing you want is to transfer
whatever is on that dishtowel to the jar once you've gone to all the trouble to
make it disease-free.) The bleach smell will dissipate, and the jars will be
quite mold-free. You could also heat-sterilize the jars, using a pressure
cooker, but that seems like SO much effort.
GL Pease, 2002-01-11
Containers can definitely contain
mold spores. Once mold is in a container it must be sterilized very
aggressively. With glass containers its easier to accomplish. I would just toss
a plastic container if it were me. Not worth taking a chance. They are more
permeable, or absorb aromas and spores.
Terry McGinty, 2000-06-22
Propylene glycol will prevent
mold growth. It's possible a small amount in distilled water will serve the
purpose without affecting the smoking quality. I routinely use a very small
amount when rewetting moistening disks, and I haven't noticed any bad effects
in English-type blends.
Buddy, 1998-09-11
Everybody keeps blaming the
climate at the point of storage for causing mold. Not so. While climate
conditions can accelerate or discourage mold growth, the real question is how
heavy a live mold spore burden the tobacco carries. Sterile tobacco will never
grow mold, no matter what the storage conditions are. Most people do not store
or handle their tobacco in such a place/manner that would introduce a lot of
new mold spores, so my guess is that the spores are almost always already
present when the tobacco is purchased. It also makes sense that people are
reporting particular blends as being more suspectible to spoilage; between
differences in final moisture content and handling conditions during production
and packaging, you would expect that particular blends (and especially
particular batches) would experiences more problems than others. You would
probably find a good correlation with the geographic region and/or the
particular wholesaler if you cared to do enough research. I smell a PhD thesis
here!
L.M. Spitz, 2000-10-19
Too much moisture seems to be the
culprit; that and being in an enclosed environment. I had mold in years past,
but not recently. I am inclined to let my tobacs dry a bit if there is any
feeling they are too moist. [...] Since I prefer my tobacco a little on the dry
side, I have a habit of letting the tin set with the lid off for awhile before
I put it in the humidor. Perhaps this helps. I think it is because mold was
more a problem for me years ago, before I watched the moisture level.
Terry McGinty, 2000-10-23
Distilled water makes no
difference. In fact, most municipal water is chlorinated to some extent, which
MIGHT help to minimize mold. Did you get the tobacco too wet? Probably, but
mold can even form on pretty dry substrates.
GL Pease, 2002-02-26
Step 1 ~ Prepare the Jars
The upshot here is to use common
sense and be thorough. Details follow.
1) Sterilize the jar (boiling
works, but I just put it in the dishwasher at the highest possible heat). 2)
Dry the tobacco to [your desired] smoking moisture, or just a tiny bit moister.
3) Put #2 in #1.
Inquisitor, 2000-10-26
Heat the jars in hot water (close
to boiling but careful, boiling could crack the glass if you don't allow them
to temper in the water properly), pour in the tobacco and then seal the jars. The
heated jar will create a vacuum as it cools.
Jeff Schwartz, 2000-10-27
Put the stuff in the jars, after
a through washing (the dishwasher works well, but run an extra rinse cycle, to
rid the thing of any aromas from the detergent, and don't put the rubber gasket
in there), and, assuming the moisture level of the tobacco is right to start
with, it will stay right. Then, put the jars in a cool, dark place, and forget
about them until you are ready to sample the delightful contents.
GL Pease, 1999-08-19
The jars should be sanitized
before use--running them through the dishwasher is best, but if you don't have
one, the usual techniques used for beer-making are fine. Also sanitize all
surfaces and containers you'll be working with, and wash your hands well and
often. Mold sucks.
Toren Smith, 2001-07-25
Step 2 ~ Pack the Tobacco
Both the condition of the tobacco
and the method of packing can be important.
The tobacco should be moist. Not
dripping, of course, but pop the lid on a tin of GLP tobacco and check it out. That's
the way you want it. Water is as necessary as oxygen to the aging process, and
you can always dry it out to your preferred level when you [open] the jar. [...]
Don't pack it in too tight. Remember, oxygen is your friend in the aging
process. I never pack it any tighter than I'd pack a pipe for smoking.
Toren Smith, 2001-07-25
I'm far from an expert, but in
the short time I've been "canning" tobacco, I typically find I can
fit about 1/2 as much tobacco as the jar size given (i.e. 4oz of tobacco in an
8oz widemouth jar).
Kip, 2004-04-26
The [2:1 ratio is] pretty close,
though I've found the fit depends on the cut of the tobacco, and the humidity
level. There are some tobaccos which, if I attempted to fit in that 2:1 ratio,
would be way too tight. The good thing about wide-mouth canning jars is they
are dirt cheap, and allow me to store bulk - purchased tobaccos affordably, yet
they are nice and tight, and stay sealed forever, even if they are opened on a
regular basis.
Steve Lawrence, 2003-04-26
How tightly you pack it seems to
be a matter of preference.
I pack it tight. [With English
blends] I will use something with a wide flat bottom to pack it tight as tight
as possible. For VA flakes and such, I just stuff it as tight as possible but
not so tight it ruins the flake. For the 6-inch flakes, I will fold a couple
over length-wise and alternate packing the jar until its as full as it can get.
Michael Peebles, 2005-04-04
I gravity feed, and leave it
loose.
Stephen Lawrence, 2005-04-04
I pack as tight as I can, not due
to some belief that it affects the aging process, but because I have so much
tobacco space is an issue.
Steven Fowler, 2005-04-04
I jam it in there, then use a can
of butane to pack it down, re-fill, and repeat until I can fit no more.
Joe LaVigne, 2005-04-04
Step 3 - The Heat-Vacuum Method
After wide use in the community
for many years, this method promises solid results if performed correctly.
You are going for a seal, not
sterilization. You can use a shallow hot water bath to heat up the
tobacco-stuffed jars or even a short time [15-30 seconds] in the microwave. The
slight heating shouldn't seriously affect the tobacco, and all you need to do
is create warm air in the jar so when you put the lid on, the warm air cools,
contracts and seals the lid.
Robbie, 2001-06-08
The jar should be immaculate and
dry when you put the tobacco in it. The tobacco should be of proper moisture
content for smoking, or perhaps slightly on the dry end of the proper range. The
seal on the lid should be in good shape. If you wish to "vacuum
seal," prepare the jar by putting it in a pan of near-boiling water for
maybe 15 minutes and then [fill with tobacco,] put on the top, and tighten
well.
James Beard, 2002-01-29
My method that has worked very
well, providing an air tight seal yet allowing for aging, is to store in mason
jars, and then process in a hot water bath to seal the jars. I just put the
jars in a pan of boiling water until the temp inside the jars is high enough to
expand the air inside, then I tighten the rings on the jars and allow the jars
to seal. There is a slight negative pressure inside the sealed jars, but there
is still enough air in there to allow for aerobic aging. My Cajun Half and Half
stored in this way keeps getting better and better with every passing month. The
hot water bath also provides some light stoving to the tobacco.
Stephen E. Williamson, 2004-01-19
When putting the tobacco into
jars, heat/vacuum sealing is not only not necessary, it's probably not optimal,
as air is an essential component in the aging process. Just make sure the jars
and lids are CLEAN, and seal-em up. To clean the jars, I recommend a couple
drops of bleach along with hot, soapy water. Rinse them thorougly, and let them
air dry, inverted, to minimize the risk of mold spores finding their way in. It
may take a while for the bleach smell to completely leave the jars, so give
them a sniff before you bottle up the baccy.
GL Pease, 2003-02-11
Step 4 ~ Apply Sealant for Extra
Security (Optional, but Recommended)
Short answer: yes. Some people
would make this an emphatic "yes!" But it's certainly an advanced
technique, given the process.
Unevacuated sealed mason jars
(bands/lid dipped in paraffin after sealing). This gave by FAR the best result,
with excellent and sometimes surprising amounts of aging. A recently opened
sample of McClelland 5115 smelled utterly delectable and smoked like a dream
[after 3 years] -- it was *vastly* superior to identical samples packed on the
same day using methods 1 [fully evauated plastic pouch], 2 [unevacuated plastic
pouch], and 3 [evacuated mason jar].
Toren Smith, 2001-07-25
If you don't seal with wax you
run the risk of air migration into (or out of) your [canning-style] jars. I use
paraffin, which my local grocery stocks. It's cheap, fast and easy, and if I'm
careful, it requires no cleanup.
Over the years, air pressure
changes along with temperature changes can cause a vac-sealed jar to lose its
seal. Gasses may be released by the aging tobacco that negate the vacuum; which
combined with the above mentioned outside forces, may cause leaks. And if
you're only relying of hand-tightened threaded seals, even with rubber gaskets,
you're just asking for trouble. Why go to all the trouble to jar up tobacco for
aging if you aren't willing to take the final step to be safe?
Tim Parker, 2003-05-29
As an alternative to the above,
freevito recommends a certain kind of lid with a self-sealing agent:
Metal Lids with Plastisol Seals. Plastisol
is a relatively inert, very forgiving material that will form an excellent
long-term airtight seal without the need for additional sealing procedures.
I'm sure the paraffin procedure
is very effective. In fact, it might even be necessary if you are using jars
with rubber seals. However, if you use the stuff I've recommended, the
Plastisol seals are all that you need. They will form a reliable seal without
the need to take any additional steps.
The 6 oz. jars are perfect for
storing the contents of a 50 gram or 2 oz. tin of tobacco. They make other
sizes as well. Whichever sizes you get, be sure that you get the accompanying
lids with Plastisol seals. They are the food-grade seals that ensure a positive
long-term airtight seal.
freevito, 2005-12-16 (on the
Knoxville Cigar Bulletin Boards)
Step 5 ~ Label the Jars
If you're going to go through the
bother of labeling (and you should), use a good labeling scheme which meets
your needs of today and tomorrow, after you've lost all your hair and half your
marbles.
I write with an indelible marker
on the metal lid.
Chris Keene, 2004-01-25
Economy Solution: Dymo Labelmaker
- less than $10 for the little one. Fancy Shmancy Solution: Brother P-Touch
Label Maker. Overkill Solution: Custom label stock for your computer printer. Affix
label to jar and then stick in place with wide, clear shipping tape. I use the
economy solution for baccy jars. The labelmaker material sticks to the glass
like glue.
Tim Daneliuk, 2003-01-25
You need two things: 1) Sharpie
marker, extra fine point. 2) Clear package tape. Write directly on the
container's surface, cover with a patch of tape. Indelible markers only work on
absorptive surfaces (cloth paper, etc.) - the ink will abrade / flake off glass
or polished metal. The purpose of the tape is to provide a protective cover. Semi-caveat:
Block print your letters, there is a tendancy for the ink to absorb into the
tape adhesive over time, blurring the edges of your pen strokes. If you tend to
print with a "small hand" you'll need to size it up a little. 3/16 or
1/4 inch capitals (proportionate sized lower case) done with a extra fine point
are legible decades later.
Dave Keever, 2004-01-26
I print "labels" from
my computer, then use packing tape to attach them to the jars. Works every time
for me.
John Offerdahl, 2004-01-26
Instead of labeling the jars, I
purchase small lightweight, cardboard tags (about $2-$3 for a 100), the kind
with a looped string attached. I write the blend and date on the tag then loop
the tag through itself on the lid, similar to attaching a luggage tag on a
suitcase. This method works for Ball jars and should work for bail jars by
attaching the tag to the wire on the lid. The string on these tags is long
enough to hold the tag on the bottom of the 4 oz. jars when dipping it into
paraffin if this is your method. The tag can be held on the side with your
fingers for larger preserving jars. When cooled, I place the jars back in the
original box (with flaps removed), placing the tags, face up, on top of the
jar. This eliminates the need to remove each jar from the box to see what the
contents are. One quick glance will tell me what's in a box of a dozen jars. I
stor my tabaky in an old, four drawer file cabinet.
If you are sealing the jars with
paraffin, writing or affixing anything to the slippery wax becomes problematic.
If you are not sealing the jars with paraffin, then writing on the lids or
using an Avery label of the appropriate size would work just fine.
Mark Z., 2004-01-26
Whenever I buy a pouch of tobak,
I transfer it immediately to a clean mason jar and cut out the logo from the
pouch which I tape it to the front of the jar for identification. Not the
classiest thing I've ever seen but it does the job admirably and very cheaply.
KMFDM, 1997-01-13
Complete Examples
Tim Parker's description:
After sterilizing and filling the
jars, I screw the lids down firmly. Then I melt the paraffin wax in an old
sauce pan. After the wax has melted completely, I allow it to cool somewhat so
that it thickens a bit, at which point I invert the jars and dip them into the
wax. The idea is to get the wax thin enough to easily cover the top of the jar,
yet keep it thick enough so that it won't drip all over the place. Your aim
should be to allow the wax to completely cover the top of the jar to a point
well below the lid. After the wax hardens, I usually repeat the process,
dipping each jar into the wax a second time to insure a good seal.
Afterwards, I apply self-stick
labels to each jar noting the contents and date sealed, and put the jars back
in their box, which then goes straight into the cellar. I store the excess
paraffin wax in the same sauce pan that I use to melt it. The hardened wax can
be kept indefinitely in the pan and reused many times.
When the time comes that you wish
to open a wax sealed jar, I've found it's best to run the jars under the hot
water spigot for a few minutes, which will soften the wax enough so that you
can easily wipe it away or peel it off with a dishrag or paper towel.
Tim Parker, 2005-12-11
And Steven Fowler from a couple
years ago:
After I fill the Mason jar with
tobacco, I tighten the lid, turn the jar upside-down and dip the top (to just
below the lid) in paraffin. I have had a couple of jars over the years where
the top didn't seal perfectly. Of course, the tobacco will dry out. Also, it
doesn't provide the anaerobic environment that facilitates the aging process. The
tobacco inside is not affected by the paraffin on the outside. The paraffin is
just insurance, and in most cases is not necesssary.
I melt paraffin in a double
boiler and allow it to cool. Just before it turns solid I dip the lid under the
paraffin. You can tell it's ready to become solid when the wax starts to turn
opaque. When it's really hot the wax is tranparent. BE CAREFUL: PARAFFIN IS
FLAMMABLE.
Heating the tobacco and jar in
the microwave is not necessary. Simply, boil the jar for 10 minutes. Take the
jar out of the boiling water with tongs and turn upside-down. The big drops of
water will empty by gravity and the rest will evaporate in a few seconds. While
the jar is still hot, stuff the tobacco in and seal. It cools within a couple
of minutes. The cooling promotes a vacuum. Cool air takes up less volume than
the previously warm air. Even after a few days, the lid of the jar is indented
on top, due to the vacuum.
I know it sounds like a pain in
the ass, but it's not that bad. Actually, I kind of enjoy it. It's become a
ritual.
Steven Fowler, 2003-05-29
Cellaring
1 ~ What should I use as my
actual tobacco cellar?
No, nobody has built an elaborate
wine cellar-like to furnish your 200-2000 tin tobacco cellar. You may be
horrified to learn that just about everyone (including the pros!) improvise. Witness:
As for storing unopened tins, I
just pile them in a large plastic cooler, no humidification, in my basement.
JHowell982, 2001-02-26
I love my cellar - it's a large
ice chest with a handle and wheels, like a wagon. I've moved twice since
starting to collect and age tins, and it's been both rugged and
temperature-stable. I only age tins and sealed bulks, so I don't need much more
than that.
Mike Jacobs, 2001-08-22
My cellar consists entirely of
cardboard U-Haul boxes, as well as the cartons the mason jars come in. I have
boxes dedicated to tins of Pease blends, Rattray blends, Butera/Esoterica, and
the rest.
Fred Latchaw, 2001-08-22
I keep mine in boxes in a closet.
GL Pease, 2001-04-03
I use coolers of various sizes
and dimensions -- perfect accommodations for tins and bags of bulk. The coolers
are kept in a closet.
Jeff Schwartz, 2001-04-03
When we built our house, we had
one of the rooms converted into a den. The closest was converted into my
"cellar" by placing a bookcase in it. Most of my jars are on this
bookcase (around 40 or so bail tops) with the rest of the shelves stacked with
tins.
Stanmed, 2002-02-05
I store my tobacco in a two door
metal cabinet (typical storage cabinet like those used for office supplies). It
is a cheap one from Office Max (US$100 or so). It has a lock to keep the
kiddies out.
Charles Perry, 2004-08-02
Part of my cellar consists of a
couple of CD/DVD racks purchased from an office supply store and one from IKEA.
With a minimal amount of cannibalizing, I was able to "rework" them
both to fit into the unused corners and wall space in my smoking den. They're
ideal for both tin and bail-top jar storage, as the units are between 6"
and 10" deep and the shelves are usually very adjustable, allowing for
efficient organization. The IKEA "Billy" unit can be adjusted to
perfectly fit the 1000 mll bail-tops sold at ebottles.com. As I keep about
fifty tins open at any one time (I like variety), the CD/DVD rack is ideal.
I also was fortunate enough to
purchase an old custom-built pipe cabinet that was made from a quality china
closet; the bottom is home to about 250+ tins. Additionally, I also use the two
deep bottom drawers of my desk as storage for the overflow (makes the desk
smell great). "Out-Of-Print" tins are stored in an antique
Pennsylvania Dutch inlayed box (10" X 12" X 18") and everything
else goes into a metal two-drawer large-format index card filing cabinet.
And finally, I have my eye on a
1940's-era maple gun cabinet that, with the addition of some properly crafted
shelves, could hold a couple of hundred tins.
Clifford W. Woodward, 2005-08-21
2 ~ What is the optimal
environment for my cellar?
To the extent that we can control
our environment, we should, is the upshot. Discussion:
Cool and dry is best. If you can
keep it between 55 deg F and 70 deg F, you're doing well; perhaps a 65 deg F
upper limit is better still.
Heat, despite the apparent
popularity of some of the "Dashboard Stoving" techniques, is not your
tobacco's friend. Among other things, you increase the probability that dormant
mold spores will germinate. Freezing is also a bad idea.
Of course, moist environments
will do nothing other than contribute to rust development, so dry is better. (Remember,
the tins are sealed. Moisture inside the tins will stay there, irrespective of
the external RH.)
GL Pease, 2005-03-29
If you are comfortable, the
tobacco will be comfortable.
James D. Beard, 2005-03-28
The main concern is to keep them
in an environment that will keep the tins from rusting. The idea is an
environment that does not fluctuate in temperature or humidity.
G. W. Fletcher, 2001-05-10
The stuff should be stored in a
cool, dry place. Dry is important. Tins, while coated on the inside to prevent
rust from within, are susceptible to rusting from the outside in. There's
nothing worse than opening a tin of something you've been looking forward to
for years, only to find a dry, rusty mess inside. Rust does have a flavour of
its own. It's terrible.
GL Pease, 2001-08-15
Cool, but not cold, storage
conditions will allow your tobacco to mature in a slow, even manner. The proper
range is slightly less than room temperature (55 F to 65 F) for slow, steady maturation
of tobacco. Tinned tobacco that is stored at a slightly warmer range, say 75 F,
will mature quicker with only a slight loss in the overall final product. Remember
that heat is used with steam, some types of pressing and stoving of tobacco,
but these processes are used during manufacturing rather than the long term
maturation of the "finished product".
R.C. Hamlin, 1995 Pipes Digest
DO NOT put sealed tins in the
humidor! Tins are actually made of steel, and pull-tops are aluminum, and
corrosion is their worst enemy. I've lost some remarkable old tobaccos to the
dreaded rust.
GL Pease, 1998-11-16
3 ~ I would like to stock up a
cellar. Any good rules of thumb?
Mr. Folloder offers the
definitive answer:
How big is your cellar?
Jeff Schwartz, 2000-10-28
Answers with more words, and
possibly philosophies more easy on your bank account, follow.
As much as you can get my hands
on, or at least as much as you can afford. [...] When I empty a tin, I don't
open anything from the cellar, I order more; typically in a one-to-five
relationship, where I buy one to open and five to stash.
Fred Latchaw 2001-04-03
Every time you buy a tin to
smoke, buy one to "lay down" for a while. Better yet, buy two to
cellar for a while, so you can build your sampling stash.
GL Pease, 2001-08-15
Might I make a tiny suggestion? Start
to think of yourself as a "tobacco collector", and those feelings of
mild trepidation you're having will be transformed into immense pride.
Mark Shelor, 2003-05-12
It took me a couple of years
before I knew for sure which blends I wanted to cellar, and which blends cellar
well. Until recently, I still had dozens of open tins - tins that eventually
dried out as I began to smoke others regularly. I probably blew a few hundred
dollars in tobacco over three years experimenting, but that's part of a hobby. I'm
happy I found some personal favorites, and now I'm "investing" with a
plan. I would have had no idea what to buy before I identified my ideal blends.
Mike Jacobs, 2001-11-19
My objectives are: 1) never smoke
anything that's less than five years old, and 2) to hedge against
discontinuation of my favorites. Hedging against inflation is a nice side
benefit but there's also a lot of economic risk associated with it - I don't
mind the risk, but for me the opportunity cost just about balances any
likelihood of tin appreciation.
Mike Jacobs, 2001-11-17
4 ~ What's a good way to
determine the age of the tobacco in my cellar?
Down this road lies
obsessive-compulsive disorder. But at least you'll have good data!
For me, writing the date on the
top of a jar, or a tin, is really just a way to keep track of stuff. I actually
keep a log book of what I cellar, when I cellared it, where it came from, and
eventually, when I dip into it, and how much (relatively) I have left in the
tin/jar when I seal it up again.
FatMax, 2002-05-20
Buy twice as much as you smoke,
and put the extra away in a closet. Label each tin with the date you purchased
it, and realize that its age is indeterminate when you buy it. After a year,
try some of your fresh stuff, which you have been continually smoking, and know
and love, and some of the aged stock. Try again after two years. If you are a
Virginia or Latakia mixture smoker, you'll be glad you did!
GL Pease, 1997-10-13
Make sure that you date the tins
in your cellar with the month and year of purchase. This can be done by writing
on the label or using a marker on the underside of the tin. [...] I would
suggest that you month/year date all tobaccos you decide to cellar. [...] As a
final step in tracking the progression of tobaccos that you cellar, you should
keep a log. Your cellar log can be as simple as a 3x5 card with dates and
tasting comments or as complex as you like. Your log should list the dates that
you added to your cellar, by type and brand of tobacco. You will also find if
very helpful to keep tasting notes based on either a point scale (taste, bite,
sharpness, softness, sweetness, etc) or just a text based reaction to each
tobacco as they mature. This written history will serve you well when you track
the other tobaccos in your cellar. A cellar log will help you learn to
recognize the progression of various types of tobaccos, especially those that
you decide to add to your cellar selection in the future.
R.C. Hamlin, 1995 Pipes Digest
5 ~ Should I keep track of my
cellar inventory?
Surprisingly few people seem to
keep track of the contents of their cellar, for fear of cataloging the full
range of tinned temptations available, which time has forgotten. Probably wise,
I guess.
I started to do an inventory,
once. Counting things, sorting things, putting things in columns is not
something I'm particularly fond of, so after filling a couple pages of a legal
pad with the miscellany, I gave up, and settled for getting a "feel"
for what's stored in the cellar.
GL Pease, 2001-05-07
I have put together a Microsoft
Access database with pictues of my pipes and information about them. I also
have a section of the database for tracking the tobaccos I purchase as far as
date, type, impressions, etc. I haven't maintained it faithfully, but can see
the potential in it for someone so inclined.
Fred Langer, 1998-06-28
You may wish to check out the Online Pipe
Tobacco Cellar developed by Ryan Vanderbijl and I.
6 ~ Besides aging, are there
other reasons to cellar tobacco?
Yes, there are some people who
seem to collect tobacco for other reasons. Weird, huh?
There is, to me, another
compelling reason to have a tobacco cellar, and include in it blends that you
enjoy but might not expect to do any more than taste at least as good to you as
they do now: future availability and cost. Tobacco taxes seem to know only one
direction-- up. There are a ton of new products on the market, and not all of
them will survive. The return on investment from being in the pipe tobacco
business has been deemed too low to justify staying in it in the past by some
very prominent makers. Only a few years ago, things were disappearing right and
left because of "bean counter" decisions. If the economy goes south,
product liability insurance premiums go up, fashion trends change, whatever,
then you will start to see those kinds of "bean counter" decisions
being made again.
Daniel L. Merriman, 2000-10-06
If I find something I don't like,
I cellar it. As tastes changes, what I don't like now may be quite enjoyable to
me later. And if I don't change enough, the tobak may.
Bill Triplett, 1999-08-18
Some ASPers are convinced that
tobacco is going to be increasingly regulated, taxed, or outlawed - and find
this trend a compelling reason to cellar their favorite blends in quantity.
Maybe tobacco will be outlawed,
maybe not. I'm not taking chances. Pick up a few years worth, whatever that
means to you. If you smoke a pound of tobacco per year, hit your favorite shop
and order 10-20 pounds of McClelland, Rattray, Esoterica, Dunhill, C&D,
GLP, or whatever tobaccos you like. Seal them in some large mason jars. Worst
case scenario is that you will have some primo tobacco to smoke in 10 to 20
years, or you will be able to pay for your kid's tuition [down the road].
Inquisitor, 2004-01-14
While a total [tobacco] ban in
the US is possible, I think that the probability is very low. What does score a
perfect 1.0 in probability is taxation beyond the reach of many of us. This is
why I've curtailed buying pipes for the last two years and have been buying
tobacco like it's going out of style - it is. After two years I've built up
enough poundage to supply my smoking rate for about 10 years.
Dave Keever, 2004-01-14
Cellar Gallery
Bob
(Budman)
Robert Donnelly
Drew Mills
Jason
Newquist (planetary)
Buddy Springman
"ufg8r93"