Pipe Lighting

[pan1k]

I'm still having issues with tobacco flavor. I get a hint of flavor and try to snork as well. Do you hold the smoke in your mouth and slowly exhale? I am begining to be able to tell between different english blends now. I get  a vanilla flavor when I smoke Captain Black or a cherry flavor when I smoke Lord Methleys... but English, not much flavor. I love the taste of coffee and can tell the difference of blends, whast gives with pipe tobacco? Do I just need to keep smoking?? :arrow:

 

[Anonymous]

I have never been a serious English/Balkan user. I enjoy it occasionally for variety. It is tasty but not a serious love. I really break it down by mild, medium and strong. There is a similarity across the few I've tried. I never bothered to try to figure out component tobaccos.

One of the components in them is Virginia. It is there to sweeten and smooth things a bit. There are a lot of other, different tobacco flavors/genre out there you can sample and find differences. Virginia with some Perique is one. There are Cavendish mixes that take flavoring well. Burley blends can be a sweeter smoke in some incarnations.

Pipe tobacco is highly processed. So saying this is whatever can be 180 from the taste with different processing. So, it is not something that is easy to generalize about.

Some will study and discuss while others find what they like and just smoke it. Where you head is your choice. I'm closer to the later. Others here can answer the serious questions better.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Keep smoking. 8) . That seems to be the best solution. This is not an instant-gratification hobby/lifestyle. Fortunately, it is a relatively simple one. Therefore quite often user-complication or impatience is the source of many problems (we have all been there). Approach pragmatically, seek reasonable quality, and uncomplicated method (with a dash of flexibility) and suddenly, good things happen. Not a bad approach to life, come to think of it--wouldn't be the first time the briar has lent quasi-profound thoughts. :lol:

 

[pan1k]

I think the problem I might be having is slowing down. I need to slow the pace down a bit and quit trying to get as much smoke as I can..

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Swell idea.  Too many guys think "cigarette" or "cigar" in the sense that "the pipe MUST be lit at all times," and this is a fallacy.  If you manage to get a good smoke, and you have to set the pipe down a few times for a rest (sometimes this is even done on purpose for flavor, called "delayed-gratification  technique), or even have to spark a match or a lighter a few times--100% okay. 

Great hedonism is best enjoyed slowly. 

8)

 

[Harlock999]

Slowly exhaling is what I do for maximum flavor.
If you're doing this and still not tasting much, maybe things are
already too hot in the bowl, and you're getting too much steam.
What size pipes are you using for English blends?
If you are smoking lat blends in a smaller pipe, try using something with a larger chamber.
Some of the pipes you have listed in your profile sound like they might be smaller, or have thin walls, which may also be why your pipes get too hot, that and over puffing.

 

[Anonymous]

You say smoke; do you mean nicotine? If that is it, there are nicotine heavy blends that will slow you. If not, tongue burn should inform you the need to pace.

If you want more tobacco flavor, try a Virginia-Perique blend. A subgroup is "Navy Slices" or the coins that are rubbed out that are similar in flavor to a full tobacco flavor.

 

[pan1k]

I slowed down and enjoyed a bowl of Berkshire from Sutliff. I made sure it was packed good, damn thing lasted about an hour, got good flavor once I slowed down and sipped rather than trying to imitate a locomotive engine.

 

[Growley]

I didn't really "taste" my blends for years. I smoked too hot, too wet and too fast. I was trying to produce cigar type smokes with my pipe. But, you can't taste much with a burnt tongue. 

To prove I was a terrible smoker, I used to never smoke a pipe without a Coke or something to drink. That was because I always felt I needed something to cool my mouth. Now, with better packing, better pacing, and certainly better tobacco, I'm getting much better flavor, and I never need anything to "wash it down". 

Also, I always had the wrong idea of what pipe smoke taste was. It's not like eating chocolate cake, or lemons or sour gummy worms. It's subtle by comparison. It's very much there, and some have much more taste than others, but it's definitely not tasting like eating. It's a finer use of the sense in my opinion.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Glad you're making some progress, Pan.  8)

 

[monbla256]

I think the problem I might be having is slowing down. I need to slow the pace down a bit and quit trying to get as much smoke as I can..

THIS ! Sip, sip, sip always! As Mies said "less is more" :twisted:

 

[Dutch]

Pan, it is not uncommon for a new pipe or cigar smoker to experience a 2 to 3 year journey, waiting for their palate to develop. Smoking daily can help to speed up the process.

Also, be cognizant of the condition of your sinuses. If you have any congestion, even congestion that you cannot feel, it can impede your ability to taste as well as smell. Investing in a cheap plastic Neti Pot could be all it takes, to open up your sinus cavities, and enable you to taste notes that you never before experienced.

Another aspect of smoking that can drastically affect your taste, is the moisture level of your tobaccos. Try drying your tobacco for different lengths of time, and you will definitely notice a difference in how that tobacco tastes with different levels of moisture.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Also, be cognizant of the condition of your sinuses. If you have any congestion, even congestion that you cannot feel, it can impede your ability to taste as well as smell. Investing in a cheap plastic Neti Pot could be all it takes, to open up your sinus cavities, and enable you to taste notes that you never before experienced.

The truth.

I have random bouts of awful allergies, and it makes smoking a chore...but often, I find it relaxes my inflamed nasal passages, oddly. Hey, good medicine.

I forewent the Neti Pot and now I just cup my hands and snort a few handfuls of warm water. Cheaper, anyway. Same concept, works like a charm. :whitetrashnetipot:

 

[Dutch]

Also, be cognizant of the condition of your sinuses. If you have any congestion, even congestion that you cannot feel, it can impede your ability to taste as well as smell. Investing in a cheap plastic Neti Pot could be all it takes, to open up your sinus cavities, and enable you to taste notes that you never before experienced.

The truth.

I have random bouts of awful allergies, and it makes smoking a chore...but often, I find it relaxes my inflamed nasal passages, oddly.   Hey, good medicine.  

I forewent the Neti Pot and now I just cup my hands and snort a few handfuls of warm water.   Cheaper, anyway.   Same concept, works like a charm.   :whitetrashnetipot:

Kyle, you might want to use some cheap distilled water, or at the very least boil your water before you snort it. There have been deaths associated with sinus flushing with standard tap water. Here is one of the write ups about it from the NYT.....






Neti pots — those odd teapotlike vessels used to wash out the nasal passage — have won legions of fans who rely on them for relief from allergies, congestion and colds.

But now, after two cases of a deadly brain infection were linked to neti pots, government health officials have issued new warnings about using them safely.

The Food and Drug Administration last month reported on two cases in Louisiana in which patients contracted infections after using neti pots filled with tap water. The culprit was an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, which is commonly found in lakes, rivers and hot springs.

This kind of infection is exceedingly rare, but it usually occurs when people get water up the nose after swimming or diving in lakes or rivers; Naegleria fowleri can travel from the nose into the brain, where it causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a disease that destroys brain tissue and is almost always fatal. In 123 known cases from 1962 to 2011 in the United States, only one person has survived, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last year, Louisiana state health officials reported on two unrelated deaths — of a 20-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman who were believed to have been infected by tap water later found to be contaminated with Naegleria fowleri. Both had used tap water in a neti pot. (Because stomach acid kills the amoeba, drinking contaminated water does not lead to infection.)

As a result, the F.D.A. has issued new warnings reminding consumers to use distilled or filtered water in a neti pot. They can use bottled water, or they can boil water and let it cool before using.

Doctors say the new warnings should not dissuade people from using a neti pot, which can be a safe and effective home remedy for allergies and congestion.

To use a neti pot, a person mixes water with a saline packet to create a mild saline solution. Leaning over a sink, the user inserts the spout of the pot into a nostril, allowing the water to wash up inside the nasal passage and flow out the other nostril. Nasal lavage bottles can also be used, although it is important not to squeeze the bottle too hard.

“Initially it’s a weird sensation, but if you’re congested and it washes out some of that stuff, you’re much less miserable,” said Dr. Rohit K. Katial, a professor of medicine and allergy specialist at National Jewish Health, a respiratory hospital based in Denver. “People end up really liking it because they feel refreshed — it’s wellness with water.”

Several studies show that regular nasal irrigation can reduce symptoms of allergies and congestion. One 2008 study found that children with severe allergies were less reliant on steroid nasal sprays if they regularly rinsed their nasal passages.

“One of the primary functions of the nose is filtration,” Dr. Katial said. “That’s where you capture all the pollens and particulates. Irrigation is the way to wash some of that out, and we think it’s very beneficial and we use it fairly extensively in our patients.”

Doctors say it’s important to keep the risk of Naegleria fowleri contamination in perspective. Most cases are in the South, although some have been documented in the Midwest and as far north as Minnesota. Millions of people swim and dive in lakes and rivers each year, yet from 2002 to 2011 there were only 32 reported Naegleria fowleri infections, according to the disease centers. By comparison, from 1996 to 2005, the most recent period with available data, the United States had more than 36,000 drowning deaths.

With neti pots and other forms of nasal lavage, the greater risk comes from improper cleaning. Bacteria or fungi can form on the spout of a used neti pot or in a partly used nasal lavage bottle. Regular use of an improperly cleaned neti pot or contaminated lavage bottle can lead to chronic irritation or allergies.

And like toothbrushes, neti pots shouldn’t be shared with anyone. People with a compromised immune system should consult a doctor before using a neti pot.

While the two recent cases of amoebic infection may be terrifying, the public should not be alarmed or fearful about freshwater swimming or neti pot use, said Dr. Philip T. Hagen, vice chairman of the Mayo Clinic’s division of preventive medicine.

“If you talk about the general population, there are more common things to be aware of and worry about than a scary amoebic infection,” said Dr. Hagen, who is also the editor of “The Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies.” “It’s an opportunity to remind people to be cautious and use good cleaning approaches and maintenance of their neti pot.”


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/03/rare-infection-prompts-neti-pot-warning/?_r=0

 

[pan1k]

I also own a neti pot. There is reason why they have you disinfect the pot, and use clean, purified water.

I also noticed a few things last night while smoking:

My tobacco has been toooo moist. Hard to keep lit and it creates steam which is unpleasant.
Packing makes a difference.
Don't worry and enjoy.

I let the tobacco dry out for about 20 minutes, it was an aromatic, Lord Methleys. It packed different. While moist, the charring light didn't raise the tobacco. When let to dry, it did. I tamped it down, puffed real slow and retamped. Sipping gave great flavor. Slowing down and getting a nice even burn with no steam was worth it.

What's the best way to dry the tobacco out a bit? I keep 1-2oz bags of my bulk tobacco. Should I leave the baggie open for a day or so? I would hate having to go out and try to dry tobacco on a counter at a friends house, or can I pack the pipe and just let it sit? I'm getting better at this, which is why I like pipe smoking. Anyone can pick up a cigar or cigarette and puff away but pipe smoking took some determination! :shock:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I ain't worried about it, Dutch.   Nevada is serious about its water, for we have precious little.   Our soil, snow runoff sources (shallow "rivers" exposed to miles of high-altitude sunshine and UV--which does a great job at purifying) and surprisingly modern treatment plants rate pretty gosh-darned high.   People often don't realize they're more exposed to such infections through their eyes--in public swimming pools, local watering holes (lakes, rivers, etc) and even their own showers and baths.  

Much of that is the media doing its job keeping people addicted to fear.   Any of those rare instances are likely to be in very wet areas with problems with groundwater stagnation, questionable treatment infrastructure or the kind of climate to support diversity in water-borne pathogens and other critters.

Now, if I were to travel to some unknown place or were even slightly suspect of the water quality, I'd be likely buying my own water anyway, distilled included--not for fear of brain-eating amoeba, but because of particulate matter that can cause at the very least a frustrating sinus infection and terrible-tasting city gin.

I also own a neti pot. There is reason why they have you disinfect the pot, and use clean, purified water.

I also noticed a few things last night while smoking:

My tobacco has been toooo moist. Hard to keep lit and it creates steam which is unpleasant.
Packing makes a difference.
Don't worry and enjoy.

I let the tobacco dry out for about 20 minutes, it was an aromatic, Lord Methleys. It packed different. While moist, the charring light didn't raise the tobacco. When let to dry, it did. I tamped it down, puffed real slow and retamped. Sipping gave great flavor. Slowing down and getting a nice even burn with no steam was worth it.

What's the best way to dry the tobacco out a bit? I keep 1-2oz bags of my bulk tobacco. Should I leave the baggie open for a day or so? I would hate having to go out and try to dry tobacco on a counter at a friends house, or can I pack the pipe and just let it sit? I'm getting better at this, which is why I like pipe smoking. Anyone can pick up a cigar or cigarette and puff away but pipe smoking took some determination! :shock:

First issue--aromatics. They smoke often hot and wet for various reasons from too much humectant (propylene glycol being one that is unavoidable--it will not evaporate), and the excess of included sugars.

Secnod issue: Packing--too loose can give you a pipe full of tinder, too much oxygen and fast-burning equals excess heat. Combine that with puffin' too hard, and may you have mercy upon your tongue.

Drying in general is a tough game. Sometimes it works, depending on where you live, fairly quickly, to the point of over-drying if you aren't careful. With aros, you may never get them dry enough. Regarding non-aromatics, too dry can be as detrimental as too wet, and not all tobaccos respond to being dried out or left wet, your taste being they key to this--not to mention tobacco performance.

Pipe smokin' ain't easy--that's why not many people who like tobacco take the challenge.

8)

 

[Jers]

:lol!:

Fraternally

Jers

 

[Dutch]

What's the best way to dry the tobacco out a bit? I keep 1-2oz bags of my bulk tobacco. Should I leave the baggie open for a day or so? I would hate having to go out and try to dry tobacco on a counter at a friends house, or can I pack the pipe and just let it sit?

Pan, I use a ceramic bowl to dry my tobacco. The pipes I smoke today, were prepared the day prior. If I need to speed up the process, I will sit the ceramic bowl in front of my floor fan, which rapidly speeds up the process.

Also, if I am leaving the house, and want to take one of my prepared pipes along with me, I wrap the entire pipe in Saran Wrap, and slip it into one of my pipe socks.

As Kyle mentioned, tobacco with a casing can be more difficult to dry. When I smoke Frog Morton Cellar, sometimes I let the tobacco sit out for 3 to 4 hours before I am satisfied with it's moisture content.

 

[pan1k]

Thanks Dutch for the good idea. I smoked a bowl of some local tobacco last night, I dried it out for ~20 minutes in front of a fan. I still had dottle at the bottom, I guess it was cased.

 

[Anonymous]

OTC aromatics like Captain Black are going to cause trouble.

A cob may be more forgiving and you have the option for using the paper filter. With a regular briar, keep a pipe cleaner handy to fish out moisture. The absence of gurgling doesn't mean there's not moisture building up.

With most tobaccos the flavor changes as you progress through the bowl but if you start with good flavor then it stops... you're probably sucking steam. Set the pipe down for a while. Go do something else. I sometimes let it sit overnight again if I hosed my drying time. I then pack a bowl of Carter Hall in my trusty beater cob and go on with whatever I'm working on. If a bowl gets too hot for me to touch comfortably, I put it down for a while. If it's too hot to touch, it's making steam. Steam is bad. Don't suck steam.

If you've been taking it slow, your tobacco was dried and your dottle is really wet. Maybe try a different pipe.

Try to make an average bowl (1.5" deep x .75" wide) last 60 minutes. When I first started I could burn through a bowl in 15 minutes. Bad idea.