A dedicated thread for BLENDING?

[Blackhorse]

Seems to me that if there's an ongoing dedicated thread for snuff and cigars...there should be one for blending as well. Members could give advice from their own experience, try to re-create and test other's recipes, talk about future projects, list their own recipes, discuss the varying aspects of this or that componant tobacco...etc., etc., etc.

As an example:

Among several blends that I've been working on over the years is one I call "Frogjunk Black"...a stoved VA/Burley blend using Rare Breed and Black Seal Rum as moisteners...and finally pressed into a crumble cake. Interesting stuff.

Then there's my "BATF Burley Blend". It's a mix of a number of known and revered Burley blends from different sources...many containing VA's as part of their make-up...then a fair amount of blenders like
Carolina Ribbon, Tennessee leaf, Dark Fired Kentucky...then some straight Red VA...with just a little Perique mixed in...no Latakia or Orientals to speak of. Notable in there are a couple of ISOM's - the obligatory Monte and a large Siglo as well...both of which were sent to me and arrived in semi-destroyed condition. I thought, let's not make this a total loss...I can add them to 'the blend'. They added a very notable undertone of mello cigar notes...an excellent addition. They don't totally define the blend, but add noticable dimension. Condimental. Nice. Over the years, the recipe for this one has disappeared.

Now I need to start in on a new blend. With all the hype surrounding GLP's new JackKnife Plug, and my newfound affinity to dark and strong blends such as Gawith's Dark Plug (etc.) I'm convicted to develop a blend that is rooted in America with Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia...and with my requisit level of Burley for base...but now with a STRONG and DARK focus. I'll have to think on this one.

As always, taking suggestions.

 

[Frost]

I'll tell ya, despite the fact that this thread has no replies and that I really have nothing constructive to add since I haven't really tried any belnding, I do very much hope that it does get some more replies and information.

I would love to hear input from folks who have tried played around with designing their own blends and think it could be a very interesting and fun topic.

I do have a question that that may perhaps be somewhat along the lines of this thread, and that is...where does once source tobacco for blending? I know McC sells some blenders, but just one type of Va, Per, Lat, and Oriental as far as I know.
I suppose I could try to get in touch with a couple of the Lancaster area tobacco farmers, but I'm pretty sure they are mostly Amish and don't advertise their phone number in the yellow pages or have websites... :lol:

 

[Blackhorse]

Check this one out:

http://pipedia.org/index.php?title=Pipe_Tobaccos#Off_site_links

and this:

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/245885-pipe-websites.html

Now...there's GOTTA be places in all those that have blending tobaccos to sell you!

In addition to McClelland, I know that Cornell & Diehl have a variety of bulk and maybe even tinned items that are specifically for blending.

But the site that kind of led me into it, which I can't now get to come up, had recipes that guys had listed that were combinations of 'blends' - so there's THAT kind of thing as well.

 

[Frost]

Thanks. I did find a couple of threads in other forums that gave me some ideas and pointed in some potentially helpfull directions.

It also just occured to me that I have a significant amount of different varieties of RYO cigarette stuff that I no longer smoke, some of which I suspect might be worth experimenting with since I won't otherwise be smoking them. All are pretty readilly available to me at my local b&m as well.

Some of them have much more interesting flavors and aromas than the more familiar packaged cigarette stuff...I remember at one point when I used to roll cigs thinking that Stokkebeyes Amsterdam Shag might actually be half decent in a pipe if not for the cut, it's got a good fire cured kentucky flavor. The turkish export had a significant Samsun presence too if I remember right. I think the shag would be good for adding depth and bottom notes. The turkish export had kind of a mustiness to it...might be fun to mix with some brighter Virginias or something.

I think I will stop short of messing around with the menthol tobacco though!

 

[Carlos]

There is more to blending than just tossing certain amounts of tobaccos together. At least that is what I have found. On Greg's site he talks about how to do blending in a way to reproduce exactly what it is you are mixing. Working in small amounts.

I think what isn't discussed much anywhere is the experience blending teaches you. The pressing, aging, pressing again. Steaming. All these secret processes that go into making a blend. For us laymen, getting the same blending tobaccos has to be an art unto itself. Crops change from year to year. There is no guidebook.

I have talked with Craig and Keith about toasting tobaccos. But their operation is very different than what I am capable of. Taking a skillet and experimenting isn't something that will give them what they need for actual production. This is complicated because they speak a language that is very different than what I understand.

If I tell you that I love a twice toasted sesame seed bagel. That the toasting enhances that flavor and texture in a way that makes it more than what it is. Do you understand what I am trying to describe? Until we sit down together and I demonstrate what I mean, we can be talking about two very different things. So when I try to describe that toasted flavor I find in certain blends and that it enhances the blend, we may be thinking of different ways to achieve what we think I am talking about. We run in circles.

I am all for talking about blending. But those actually in the business may not wish to let out an exacting process they use to achieve a certain result. It's a business secret.

 

[Blackhorse]

Carlos -

I'm sure we all respect and certainly take advantage of the knowledge, expertise, dedication and of course the results (!) of master blenders like Greg (as well as others). That would seem to be a given.

The tone of your comments seem to indicate that because we mere mortals can't hope to achieve the same results due to the lack of proper methodology or access to 'secret' stuff...be it a process, certain knowledge or perhaps equipment...that all we're doing is making a tossed salad...we're not really blending in the true sense of the word. Well, OK. So we're talking about a handful of Michaelangelos doing Sistine Chapel ceiling level work vs. guys who love to paint garden gnomes out in the back yard. It's my opinion that every garden needs a well painted gnome! lol

Three points:

1) Greg wasn't always a blender extraordinaire. At some point in his life, he started...from a love a pipes and pipe smoking he developed into the master he is today. Where is the next GLP going to come from? Might even be one of us.

2) Amature hobbyists can and often do add incredible increments or leaps to their various fields. Just one example would the field of astronomy, where amatures all over the world add knowledge and 'finds' to a growing body of knowledge every day! Sure, it's a different field, but the concept is relevant.

3) Whether it's 'up-adjusting' the amount of Perique in a blend to suit a different muse...trying to get the dark stoved aspect of one blend into another...adding a little flue cured smokiness to something...or starting from scratch looking to design that grail bend to call your very own...it should all be not only OK, but encouraged and supported...especially here of all places.

OK - enough yappin' from me...the Super Bowl Pre-Game insanity awaits!

God Bless America!!!

 

[Carlos]

I didn't mean to sound like a "Debbie Downer". I did say I am all for it. But do expect some head-scratching when we describe something that doesn't translate as we meant it. Could be that I assume that there is secrets to blending. And that is part of the secret. "Make them think there is hidden processes."

 

[CPl_A]

I don't know if this would fall under this, but I know I can't be the only one who does this. What I like to do is when I finish a tin and there isn't enough left for a bowl, I put the scrapes in a big mason jar and give it a good shake. This way when I don't have enough cash, I can fill a bowl with this stuff. Sometimes its great and other times its nasty. But when I'm strapped for cash, its good enough for me.

 

[innovador]

Blackhorse,

Great initiative and I am all for it. Actually, I have been experimenting on my own without much knowledge from the tobbaco makers. Thanks for the references. According to Greg, almost all tobaccos are cased ones. It was really a surprise to find out that the flavors were put directly on the tobacco. I was experimenting steaming the tobacco using water with added flavored ingredients like rum and honey. But for actually soaking the tobacco in some kind of syrup I would have to do a little more of studying. But anyway I will keep on trying to do great blend on my own and I will share the results as soon as I get it.

 

[CLRV]

This is a fantastic topic, one which I will now spend the rest of my day looking into.

What would be really helpful, imo, is if we all post what we find and the links as Blackhorse has already begun doing. That way you don't have multiple brother's doing the same research trails etc.

I imagine, just off the top of my head, that this is very similar to classic cooking techniques; essentially what we have to do is take our 'recipes' in the form of proportions. For example, if a portion is 3.5g (1/8th of an ounce) then it would be fairly similar (barring product abnormalities in the actual base tobacco's used) to replicate the blend.

At the very least, those of us who start playing with this will develop a much better understanding of the process of blending, along with the potential outcomes of tin descriptions. At the most we might come up with, collectively or individually, a "BoB Blend" or some other concoction that really tickles our taste buds.

Regardless I think it's an awesome topic and can't wait to progress.

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Here's a link to a website with blending info that's been around a while--
Tobacco blending

One of my favorite blends is 1/3 each of Marlin Flake, McCl 5100, and McCl 2015.

regor (a member of this and the Knox board) had a favorite blend of equal parts of Marlin Flake and 2015, I think though my memory isn't what it used to be.

Jim..my ha'pence

 

[sand18f]

Let's do it.

 

[SpeedyPete]

I love my pipe but I also use a lot of snuff, at present I have more than 160 different snuffs. About 3 years ago I started making my own snuff by using damaged cigars and pipe tobacco. Then followed getting hold of some seed and planting my own tobacco. Today I can proudly say that I have some snuff which is unique, no one else has got something like it.

As for pipe tobacco I've been mixing for more years than I can remember. Now "mixing" and "blending" are totally different things for me. I like a pure tobacco taste in my pipe. Strong, but not TO strong, smelling good but not TO sweet. My problem is that once I've got the mixture just right, I don't know anymore what's in the mix and how much of each blend! Happens with snuff too.

I love working with tobacco and blending will be something totally new for me. I'm looking forward to it, so please let's continue with this "program".

 

[innovador]

Check out this site. It seems very interesting:

http://www.bpipaclub.com/tabac2.htm

A lot of recipes and advises in how to blend pipe tobacco.

 

[scottbtdmb]

This is a great topic and one that I just touched on regarding my Full Virginia Flake/Perique blend that turned out to be a great success. I was fortunate to receive a whole bunch of old Perique from a guy I traded with awhile back. Besides the FVF mixture, I also find that mixing GLP Abingdon and MacBaren HHVS half and half, then adding some perique, makes for a very complex full-bodied English blend. For some of my friends that smoke aromatics, I like to mix in high quality Burley/VA blends with the aromatics just to give them an idea of what the higher quality blends taste like. On a camping trip last year, I filled a friend's pipe with Somerset Slices on the bottom, his fave cherry blend in the middle, and more SS on top. He claims it is the best pipe that he ever smoked. Definitely a lot of fun things can be done with blending. A lot of trial and error mind you, but I find the end results are rewarding!

 

[Blackhorse]

It would be really cool if Admin could 'sticky' this thread. That would be most helpful.

Other than that, to keep the links easy to find and access, I'll try to put them all in a list that can be copied and then regularly put into the last post either I or some other poster makes...kapeesh?

The idea of doing a BoB Blend is really exciting - and I would recommend doing a set of two or three blends...development to be done on a team basis...work on whichever team you want to...design a blend the team agrees on, after having tried it out...then let's jury the things!!!

I would think that:

1) a VA base blend, and
2) a Burley blend.

...would be a good start. We could 'choose up sides' and the teams can then connect and work out what they want to work toward...trying for goodness, uniqueness, and distinction. It would be cool for teams to do a step by step process...each team member being able to follow along with their own batch. That means that the tobaccos used would have to be already in hand with each member, or obtainable at a reasonable cost, or a team member that's 'holding' would be willing to send out components to other team members...it's all pretty logical and could be worked out within the team. Also, any processes...i.e. 'stoving' or 'pressing' would also have to be duplicated by each team member.

Anyway...

Here's a start on the background data...feel free to add to it.

When adding a new link re-copy the entire list and place it at the bottom of your post, so it all goes forward at once, etc.

Copy-able links:

Websites for more info on blending

http://www.tobaccoblending.com/tobacco_blending_hybrid_blends.htm

http://pipesmokemag.com/0697/feature.htm

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t3618-kilted1-s-blends

http://cornellanddiehl.com/blending_tobaccos.htm

http://www.bpipaclub.com/tabac2.htm

 

[N7COF]

Great thread & links!

Been blending on occasion when mood strikes for years, some hits and some horrible misses over the years.

 

[SpeedyPete]

Can we continue with this topic please?!! :lol:

 

[Natch]

I've tried my hand at this over the years with mixed success. Back in the late 90's I jarred up a blend of 7 parts Rattray Old Gowire to one part Esoterica Blackpool. I like the "licorice" casing on the Blackpool and thought the two would meld together nicely. I packed a quart Mason jar as tightly as I could and didn't open it for 10 years. Over the the last year + I've been smoking it on and off and to be honest, it doesn't taste that different than the OG I jarred up at the same time. A good smoke, but not very different than ten year old straight OG.

That same year (1999) I blended up: 12 parts McBarron Va. # 1 to 5 parts McBarron Golden Extra (burly) to 1 part perique that I bought from the grower down in St. James Parrish. If you've ever smoked MB Va. #1 you know that it can be a real flamethrower if not handled right. After ten years, the blend still smokes quite hot unless it's in a small bowl and smoked extra slow. I named this blend Dragon's Fart, because if you puff too fast, that is what I assume it would taste like. :lol:

So the two experiences I've had, both with a decade of aging, were one moderate success and one moderate failure. But I've already got a few "new" blends aging and I enjoy the experimenting. Instead of making larger batches in quart jars, though, I'm blending in the smaller 8 oz. jars. Easier to make variants on the blend, and they can be packed even tighter than the larger jars without fear of breaking. Wish I had the tools/skills to make pressed cakes or flakes.

Natch

 

[Blackhorse]

Actually, pressed cakes are pretty easy to make. All you really need is a couple of smooth pieces of wood that are fairly stout (I've used melmine covered shelving and also a 2X6 cut to a 1 ft. length) and maybe four good C clamps. My blend started out fairly damp. I laid down a sheet of aluminum foil and then a sheet of waxed paper on one piece of the wood (or whatever)...then the tobacco...then waxed paper and foil...and finally the 2nd piece of wood. Once I squared it up I put a C Clamp a little in from each corner and clamped 'er down good. Real good!!! I let mine sit a week, which I don't think was enough...I think longer would be better...that, and checking the torque on the clamps once in a while and keeping them down really tight!!! That's about it...wood and clamps. A poor man's tobacco press. Worked OK.