Tobacco does not contain ammonia that needs to gas-off. Ammonia is chemically created when the leaf's oxidizing enzymes break nitrogen moieties off of the proteins they are degrading.
Bob
How I process my whole leaf
- Thread starter Juxtaposer-
- Start date
Bob
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
Irish Cake will be three years old in November. It was tested to check that the licorice root brought balance to the bitterness. It certainly did and the inverted sugars were noticed as well. Sour light fire cured, bitter earthy dark air cured both brought together and rounded out by red VA. Very high nicotine! The next time I smoke it I will be sure to withhold snuff and snus use beforehand.
Besuki Coin Wreckage is simply wonderful. The Perique and Besuki are amazing together. we’ll see how long I can stay away from the coins. I am a bit curios about the pennies having no centers.
Besuki Coin Wreckage is simply wonderful. The Perique and Besuki are amazing together. we’ll see how long I can stay away from the coins. I am a bit curios about the pennies having no centers.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
I don’t myself but many use pressure cookers. From what I have gathered it is a good way to make what one would call cavendish.
I guess I should rephrase that. I'd like to gently heat the tobacco in a press somehow. Perhaps ~120°F. I've made Cavendish a few times, and that's not quite the effect I'm looking for here. Maybe using a noodle press in a Ziploc on my dash this summer... even though that will get higher than 120.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
I have my noodle pressed plug screwed into a jar to be clenched by its lid. In this condition It can immediately be placed in an oven to preheat. I have gone as high as 200F for two hours. Higher temperatures should be managed with research. At 120F I would expect a cook time of four weeks. I have a few jars in an outdoor drawer that enjoy the warm weather here in the Mojave desert. On the dashboard is a common method. I do recommend protecting from sun exposure including the plastic and the metal if that is the hold container used. Mold growth is a concern for temperatures below say 125F. You may be interested in Kilning, or specifically, Jar Kilning. There is no adept information on kilning in this thread however this forum is full of experts and expert advice.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
Checking in on the Basma that has been under water for five months now. I don’t know why it gets so messy above the screen. I am glad the stink doesn’t surface. I gave everything a thorough treatment. I sieved the cover water and put it aside to put back in. Forked out the silage put it in a bowl and set it out side. It is still stinky but there is a distinct fruitiness that holds a promise. Washed and sprayed with alcohol both the pot and plunger. I am tempted to let the tobacco dry out completely as its smell seems to improve while it is out of the water but this batch is testing the necessity of complete airing with this type of processing. I did add a bit of distilled water when it was put back together.
A bowl of 2XO2 with some Drowned PA.
This Virginia is pretty good showing itself wonderfully in the first ten minutes. Somewhat suddenly the bowl became spicy, bitter, woody, earthy, and nutty in the same order strength wise. I had obviously put too much PA in this. As the bowl progressed the VA poked through minimally with some impressive flavors. Mid bowl the ghost of St. Bruno showed up. Damn that tonquin. It smoked just fine through this and maintained a reasonable balance. With the nicotine levels being very high I considered putting the bowl down but the flue cured flavors had me doing a relight. Lots of tunneling going on so I really can’t tell how scary the ghosting is. A smaller percentage of PA would make an excellent mixture of these tobaccos. I better check the cake I already made with this special PA.
Honey Red 175 VA/PAper 12/25 is how the label reads. It is loosely caked and long thin strands of shag pull off easily. I believe I have only smoked this once before right after its jarring. I recall noting both tobaccos were still in need of rest. Good Red VA flavors soon after lighting up. Some balancing bitterness and a building spiciness. A little after the half way mark the PA overpowers the VA and at the same time the bowl is noticeably wet. At three quarters down the ash is dumped and the tobacco stirred. Without tamping, I let it dry and cool in the breeze for a few minutes. Subsequent relights very spicy and slightly woody with some dark fruit and nuttiness below. A few juicy hits off the wet dottle leave me pondering the addition of some of the double pressed VA (2XO2). This mixture has twenty percent of the Perique style processed PA binder and as it is that is a little much. Still young, not even six months, I will leave it to age.
It has become obvious that I did not leave the PA under water for long enough. Although it has been improved, the spiciness is overwhelming. It was still smelling of ammonia when it was taken out indicating that the process was working but not complete. Putting it back under water would be the best solution in order to follow through on the experiment. I could try casing it although I don’t know if that would deal with the spice. I will try it in smaller amounts with the 2XO2 to see if the VA/PAper can be fixed. Otherwise the PA is what needs to be fixed.
Picaroon Mixture test #2 has the VAs in good proportions. The DAC gets kicked for test #3.
Test #3 has the 16.67% Picaroon Cavendish showing much more clearly without the DAC. Within the first ten minutes it is already noticed and it gets stronger throughout the smoke. Hot dirty diesel wood is what it could be called. I will be testing it at around ten percent after a quick check on the VAs by themselves.
60% Honey Hibiscus
20% Lemongrass Lemon
20% Stoved Red Flakes
Test results yield a stand alone straight VA mixture. I will continue using it for testing Picaroon percentages however this may be a valuable pure flue cured mixture to have.
Testing with smaller amounts of Picaroon have me rethinking its use. It seems that it does need another stronger tobacco to balance it, perhaps Perique.
Concerns for mold have me airing the jars of coins as well as the pigtails. Simply leaving the jar lids off for a spell. Put pigtails outside for summering.
18 VA/BUR was and aged twist that was more Burley than Virginia. Kentucky Burley specifically. The recently added citric acid did help smooth it out a bit. My notes say decide on the addition of licorice root by January of 2027. Well, having smoked a bowl of this has me saying no, right away. Intending on preserving the pleasant bitterness it has I will be simply adding more flue cured to it to achieve a more balanced flavor profile.
‘18 VA Cut plug Osmanthus tested with a pinch of VA Cavendish seems a worthy addition. A pleasant smoke on its own the othmanthus is evident throughout the bowl. It can only be identified by the attributes it adds. It certainly certifies the stone fruit of the plug. The notification of any floral aspect in the flue cured is also brought up by the elusive othmanthus. A mild bitterness that plays with woody notes can also be found in this mixture.
The combination of these mixtures with one third being Cut Plug is tasty enough to be the final iteration. The Kentucky Burley stands up throughout. The Virginias inject their own interest. Enough to confirm that this is a certified VA/BUR. Nuts and fruit with a top note of the bitter poison C10H19N2. The occasional floral note reminds me of the desire to develop a nutty floral mixture.
Done deal… I used the noodle press to put this mixture back in the jar. Very light pressure but this will insure more even pressures within the jar and a lower likelihood of moisture pockets than thumb pressing.
The talk regarding kilning has me opening up to supply fresh air the jars of Cube Cur Burley and Cube Cut Maryland. They are humid enough to handle quite a bit of air time. I may schedule this airing perhaps every three months. Both of these are not smelling great when opened to smelling fantastic after airing. I would consider these done when they smell fantastic when first opened.
A Cube Cut Mixture was also opened up not smelling too bad. BRM 321 is its label representing the parts of tobaccos in the blend. Burley, Red(stoved), and Maryland at 3,2, and 1 part each respectively. Plenty moist it was microwaved for smoking a quick bowl. Not so quick as the cubes smoke rather slowly. Super tasty but very strong. It certainly could use the refinement that I hope an airing protocol might bring.
Taking this “airing” a bit further these small jars of cube cut were dropped into larger jars and not vacuum sealed to be breathed in three months.
Moving on with the VA/PAper the 2XO2 was used to bring the PA percentage down to 13.333%. The PA again steals the show at the ten minute mark. The suggestion of bitter nuts is carried around by the woody body. The fumes of diesel diligently try to hide the devil. In fact the cauldron was left to go out at the half way point. The DGT will hopefully reveal the value of the flue cured. Not too spicy now so this can certainly be salvaged. The Red base shows its youth so the older 2XO2 VA will be saved for elsewhere.
The second half of the bowl had not as much as I thought left in it. A bitter relight calms to find the special PA leaf still leading the way. The flue cured does not go unnoticed but a touch more is on order. I will drop a pinch of that Lemon Lemon in the test jar.
A suggestion to incorporate a mild brine to the Drowned PA to manage its spiciness was given at Speak Easy. Brine made with a fermented lemon half soaked in water. The lemons had been boiled in salt water before sun drying and jarring to age. Tried on the mixture with 17% PA. Worked extremely well. Will try the mixture as is at 20% and perhaps on the 100% Drowned PA.
A bowl of 2XO2 with some Drowned PA.
This Virginia is pretty good showing itself wonderfully in the first ten minutes. Somewhat suddenly the bowl became spicy, bitter, woody, earthy, and nutty in the same order strength wise. I had obviously put too much PA in this. As the bowl progressed the VA poked through minimally with some impressive flavors. Mid bowl the ghost of St. Bruno showed up. Damn that tonquin. It smoked just fine through this and maintained a reasonable balance. With the nicotine levels being very high I considered putting the bowl down but the flue cured flavors had me doing a relight. Lots of tunneling going on so I really can’t tell how scary the ghosting is. A smaller percentage of PA would make an excellent mixture of these tobaccos. I better check the cake I already made with this special PA.
Honey Red 175 VA/PAper 12/25 is how the label reads. It is loosely caked and long thin strands of shag pull off easily. I believe I have only smoked this once before right after its jarring. I recall noting both tobaccos were still in need of rest. Good Red VA flavors soon after lighting up. Some balancing bitterness and a building spiciness. A little after the half way mark the PA overpowers the VA and at the same time the bowl is noticeably wet. At three quarters down the ash is dumped and the tobacco stirred. Without tamping, I let it dry and cool in the breeze for a few minutes. Subsequent relights very spicy and slightly woody with some dark fruit and nuttiness below. A few juicy hits off the wet dottle leave me pondering the addition of some of the double pressed VA (2XO2). This mixture has twenty percent of the Perique style processed PA binder and as it is that is a little much. Still young, not even six months, I will leave it to age.
It has become obvious that I did not leave the PA under water for long enough. Although it has been improved, the spiciness is overwhelming. It was still smelling of ammonia when it was taken out indicating that the process was working but not complete. Putting it back under water would be the best solution in order to follow through on the experiment. I could try casing it although I don’t know if that would deal with the spice. I will try it in smaller amounts with the 2XO2 to see if the VA/PAper can be fixed. Otherwise the PA is what needs to be fixed.
Picaroon Mixture test #2 has the VAs in good proportions. The DAC gets kicked for test #3.
Test #3 has the 16.67% Picaroon Cavendish showing much more clearly without the DAC. Within the first ten minutes it is already noticed and it gets stronger throughout the smoke. Hot dirty diesel wood is what it could be called. I will be testing it at around ten percent after a quick check on the VAs by themselves.
60% Honey Hibiscus
20% Lemongrass Lemon
20% Stoved Red Flakes
Test results yield a stand alone straight VA mixture. I will continue using it for testing Picaroon percentages however this may be a valuable pure flue cured mixture to have.
Testing with smaller amounts of Picaroon have me rethinking its use. It seems that it does need another stronger tobacco to balance it, perhaps Perique.
Concerns for mold have me airing the jars of coins as well as the pigtails. Simply leaving the jar lids off for a spell. Put pigtails outside for summering.
18 VA/BUR was and aged twist that was more Burley than Virginia. Kentucky Burley specifically. The recently added citric acid did help smooth it out a bit. My notes say decide on the addition of licorice root by January of 2027. Well, having smoked a bowl of this has me saying no, right away. Intending on preserving the pleasant bitterness it has I will be simply adding more flue cured to it to achieve a more balanced flavor profile.
‘18 VA Cut plug Osmanthus tested with a pinch of VA Cavendish seems a worthy addition. A pleasant smoke on its own the othmanthus is evident throughout the bowl. It can only be identified by the attributes it adds. It certainly certifies the stone fruit of the plug. The notification of any floral aspect in the flue cured is also brought up by the elusive othmanthus. A mild bitterness that plays with woody notes can also be found in this mixture.
The combination of these mixtures with one third being Cut Plug is tasty enough to be the final iteration. The Kentucky Burley stands up throughout. The Virginias inject their own interest. Enough to confirm that this is a certified VA/BUR. Nuts and fruit with a top note of the bitter poison C10H19N2. The occasional floral note reminds me of the desire to develop a nutty floral mixture.
Done deal… I used the noodle press to put this mixture back in the jar. Very light pressure but this will insure more even pressures within the jar and a lower likelihood of moisture pockets than thumb pressing.
The talk regarding kilning has me opening up to supply fresh air the jars of Cube Cur Burley and Cube Cut Maryland. They are humid enough to handle quite a bit of air time. I may schedule this airing perhaps every three months. Both of these are not smelling great when opened to smelling fantastic after airing. I would consider these done when they smell fantastic when first opened.
A Cube Cut Mixture was also opened up not smelling too bad. BRM 321 is its label representing the parts of tobaccos in the blend. Burley, Red(stoved), and Maryland at 3,2, and 1 part each respectively. Plenty moist it was microwaved for smoking a quick bowl. Not so quick as the cubes smoke rather slowly. Super tasty but very strong. It certainly could use the refinement that I hope an airing protocol might bring.
Taking this “airing” a bit further these small jars of cube cut were dropped into larger jars and not vacuum sealed to be breathed in three months.
Moving on with the VA/PAper the 2XO2 was used to bring the PA percentage down to 13.333%. The PA again steals the show at the ten minute mark. The suggestion of bitter nuts is carried around by the woody body. The fumes of diesel diligently try to hide the devil. In fact the cauldron was left to go out at the half way point. The DGT will hopefully reveal the value of the flue cured. Not too spicy now so this can certainly be salvaged. The Red base shows its youth so the older 2XO2 VA will be saved for elsewhere.
The second half of the bowl had not as much as I thought left in it. A bitter relight calms to find the special PA leaf still leading the way. The flue cured does not go unnoticed but a touch more is on order. I will drop a pinch of that Lemon Lemon in the test jar.
A suggestion to incorporate a mild brine to the Drowned PA to manage its spiciness was given at Speak Easy. Brine made with a fermented lemon half soaked in water. The lemons had been boiled in salt water before sun drying and jarring to age. Tried on the mixture with 17% PA. Worked extremely well. Will try the mixture as is at 20% and perhaps on the 100% Drowned PA.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
Kentucky Burley cased with licorice root and molasses stoved at 175F for twelve hours and rested for six months. I will let dry out, re-case, re-press and rest for another six.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
Maryland 609 has been a challenge for me. Well worth it as it has a really good flavor. It’s one of the tobaccos that when stored in high case smells like a wet dog when the jar is opened but it smells good when in low case. At the two years mark the ‘24 tobaccos have me thinking about how, aside from toasting, I have never really tried a method that has been mentioned which calls for drying out fully then rehydrating as a curing function. When casing I don’t normally let tobacco dry out completely. So this was done with the Marji Cake. Dried out completely then rehydrated with some licorice root tea. It already smells better wet. We will see how it is after two weeks of rest packed unpressed in a larger jar.
Smoking some Irish Cake has me considering an airing protocol for this half caked jar as well. Other than questionable burning properties and a bit of unwanted vegetable notes this mixture is awesome so it will be left alone for now.
On ‘18 VA Cut Plug Othmanthus
Airing some Brazilian Flue Cured Cavendish. This will make a wonderful addition for an Othmanthus Mixture using the rest of the ‘18 VA Cut Plug. Perhaps a bit of the 2XO2 VA will be used as well. Then a mixture using the leftover 2XO2 VA should be made to showcase its own glory. Test jar #2 has the 2XO2 and some cav. The 2XO2 is somewhat dominating. Test jar #1 has no 2XO2 and is Cut Plug, Lemon Lemon, and BFC Cav at 7,3,1. Smokes OK. Try a red VA.. No reloading of test jar #1 for this but simply a commitment to put some great tobaccos together. The last of the VA Black Cavendish with an equal portion of Stoved Red VA are added to the cut plug. Revisit after two weeks.
Picaroon mixture is having some Light Fire Cured leaf added to it. Tested and yes this is a winning combination. Now to decide on what base tobaccos to feature them in. @80% VA is what test batches have been. The fragrant VA test mixture leftovers have been used so far but the plan is to use some of the younger flue cured leaf that I have ready for blending. I do have some Maple Twist light fire cured and some fire cured Foiano that should be tried here not to mention Latakia which should go with the Picaroon as well. Perhaps for testing a pinch of Picaroo could be added to an English. Obviously there is a lot of testing to be done here.
French Canadian Mixture would make a great base for a Bur/Tur, with a little Red added. Or perhaps the Flowered Burley I have been dreaming of. The French DAC is said to be the French Burley that was fermented. While it does have an amazing deep flavor it also has some of the bitterness of untamed Burley. Being mixed 50/50 with an Elder flower Lemon Leaf has it wanting some years to be ready. Already smokeable but I think it would be a good idea to use it as a blending component. In fact it has made it in the form of leftovers along with some Krurovgrad and I would guess the Canadian lemon as the VA base. This mixture was used to test the fig leaf tea. It did end up with old staves of Palo Santo in it. The fig leaf really works well to steer the incense in a wonderful direction and the mild palo santo rounds the scenting out for an enchanting smoke. There is only a few bowls of this Burley forward mixture but it sure gives me confidence to move forward using all of these ingredients.
Aged Kentucky burley was cased with cacao nibs with date syrup then re pressed for further aging.
Leaf only Burley dried and re cased with same.
Neither tested
2XO2 Chocolate re cased with same then re caked. This is now overly perfumed with the multitude of toppings used to try and deal with the unruly Broadleaf which remains untamed. Toasting this mixture should bring it to an acceptable surrender.
PA Cavendish aired re cased with same.
Toasted PA aired and cased with same.
Testing of PA Cavendish and Toasted PA show promises for a solution to harness this tasty leaf. Steamed it is very full flavored and balanced but still very high in nicotine. Toasted has flavors more pronounced including a spiciness that can overwhelm. I may choose either or both of these processes for the 2XO2.
Vanilla butter nut flavoring for testing on some Toasted PA. Flavoring undetected but for jar note. I will need to choose a more appropriate tobacco to test this on. A Burley seems right for this, but I will test with the MD cube cut that I have an abundance of. Obviously the Larann Vanilla Butternut flavor needs a carrier. I will use glycerin and an invert syrup to do the trick.
Steamed Brazilian flue cured finally tested on its own. Pleasant, not light, not sweet, cool smoking, but somewhat dull. Very slight sour and spice. Voluminous smoke. Perfect for testing fruity type toppings and for use in small amounts in mixtures. I am convinced that fermenting before steaming would yield superior results compared to steaming unfermented tobacco. This will be a good option in the future for some of the various VA plugs I have aging. It seems that steaming does get loosely called fermenting so the result would be called a Double Fermented VA Cavendish. AKA Black Cavendish. I will reserve the tittle Brown Cavendish to steamed air cured tobacco.
The testing of a Picaroon Mixture is going well, in fact too well. I have been busy smoking the intriguing test leftovers rather than moving towards a final iteration. The double pressed bright is so good with this that I’m afraid that testing its omission will be disappointing.
I have been using this interesting pipe for its wind cap on the breezy days.
Next
I just realized that PA may be read as Prince Albert by some. PA is Pennsylvania here.
MD cube cut baked, broiled, and toasted has the invert turbinado, glycerin, vanilla butternut flavoring added. Will need rest due to toasting. I think I am going to loose the some of the integrity of the cube cut with all this handling. I will call it Butternut Square Cut MD. The test before rest is wonderful. MD 609 is a rather complex tobacco with a moderate nicotine content. The topping shows well but is minimal as intended. Looking forward to future smokes. Re test on Toasted PA reveals carriers used are effective. A decision to do the same to some cube cut Burley to add to the MD was made. The MD itself was too mild on its own. Going a bit heavier on the butternut on the Burley. These will be mixed for the Butternut Square Cut jar.
Note; “airing” experiments where tobaccos are kept in jars not vacuum sealed with extra head room have some mold growth. A lower case or a vacuum seal with regular airing intervals should be considered for prevention. This has inspired confidence that vacuum sealing can prevent mold growth.
Hibiscus Mixture gets a new lid.
Lightly toasted 2XO2 Choc re cased with toasted cacao nibs, licorice root, invert jaggery, and vanilla extract. Re caked and jarred. Tested showing that the issue with the unfermented cigar leaf was resolved by toasting. The issue with the soapy cacao bean essential oil added still remains. Kept for topping experiments however if I am ever in need of an empty jar I will look squarely at this one. Lessons learned.
I’m giving the air cured Virginia another chance. The collection of apices that were ribbon cut I toasted and cased with soaked raisin water and a bit of rum. This will be pressed and jarred to age. Test before press and rest has me liking this leaf for smoking again. Now considering toasting the small amount of cavendish that was made using this leaf.
Picaroon Mixture iterations have all wonderfully showcased whatever VAs are used. Happy to report excellence in the flue cured blending tobaccos I have on hand. Now considering Burleys for this Picaroon / light fire cured condiment.
Arapiraca is delicious in a pipe. Here at 1-1 with Brazilian flue cured it makes a nicely balanced smoke. I would like to get some Mata Fina from Brazil to try as well.
Snus project was eagerly devoured leaving me confident that snus made from pipe tobacco can be easily done and is worth doing.
Smoking some Irish Cake has me considering an airing protocol for this half caked jar as well. Other than questionable burning properties and a bit of unwanted vegetable notes this mixture is awesome so it will be left alone for now.
On ‘18 VA Cut Plug Othmanthus
Airing some Brazilian Flue Cured Cavendish. This will make a wonderful addition for an Othmanthus Mixture using the rest of the ‘18 VA Cut Plug. Perhaps a bit of the 2XO2 VA will be used as well. Then a mixture using the leftover 2XO2 VA should be made to showcase its own glory. Test jar #2 has the 2XO2 and some cav. The 2XO2 is somewhat dominating. Test jar #1 has no 2XO2 and is Cut Plug, Lemon Lemon, and BFC Cav at 7,3,1. Smokes OK. Try a red VA.. No reloading of test jar #1 for this but simply a commitment to put some great tobaccos together. The last of the VA Black Cavendish with an equal portion of Stoved Red VA are added to the cut plug. Revisit after two weeks.
Picaroon mixture is having some Light Fire Cured leaf added to it. Tested and yes this is a winning combination. Now to decide on what base tobaccos to feature them in. @80% VA is what test batches have been. The fragrant VA test mixture leftovers have been used so far but the plan is to use some of the younger flue cured leaf that I have ready for blending. I do have some Maple Twist light fire cured and some fire cured Foiano that should be tried here not to mention Latakia which should go with the Picaroon as well. Perhaps for testing a pinch of Picaroo could be added to an English. Obviously there is a lot of testing to be done here.
French Canadian Mixture would make a great base for a Bur/Tur, with a little Red added. Or perhaps the Flowered Burley I have been dreaming of. The French DAC is said to be the French Burley that was fermented. While it does have an amazing deep flavor it also has some of the bitterness of untamed Burley. Being mixed 50/50 with an Elder flower Lemon Leaf has it wanting some years to be ready. Already smokeable but I think it would be a good idea to use it as a blending component. In fact it has made it in the form of leftovers along with some Krurovgrad and I would guess the Canadian lemon as the VA base. This mixture was used to test the fig leaf tea. It did end up with old staves of Palo Santo in it. The fig leaf really works well to steer the incense in a wonderful direction and the mild palo santo rounds the scenting out for an enchanting smoke. There is only a few bowls of this Burley forward mixture but it sure gives me confidence to move forward using all of these ingredients.
Aged Kentucky burley was cased with cacao nibs with date syrup then re pressed for further aging.
Leaf only Burley dried and re cased with same.
Neither tested
2XO2 Chocolate re cased with same then re caked. This is now overly perfumed with the multitude of toppings used to try and deal with the unruly Broadleaf which remains untamed. Toasting this mixture should bring it to an acceptable surrender.
PA Cavendish aired re cased with same.
Toasted PA aired and cased with same.
Testing of PA Cavendish and Toasted PA show promises for a solution to harness this tasty leaf. Steamed it is very full flavored and balanced but still very high in nicotine. Toasted has flavors more pronounced including a spiciness that can overwhelm. I may choose either or both of these processes for the 2XO2.
Vanilla butter nut flavoring for testing on some Toasted PA. Flavoring undetected but for jar note. I will need to choose a more appropriate tobacco to test this on. A Burley seems right for this, but I will test with the MD cube cut that I have an abundance of. Obviously the Larann Vanilla Butternut flavor needs a carrier. I will use glycerin and an invert syrup to do the trick.
Steamed Brazilian flue cured finally tested on its own. Pleasant, not light, not sweet, cool smoking, but somewhat dull. Very slight sour and spice. Voluminous smoke. Perfect for testing fruity type toppings and for use in small amounts in mixtures. I am convinced that fermenting before steaming would yield superior results compared to steaming unfermented tobacco. This will be a good option in the future for some of the various VA plugs I have aging. It seems that steaming does get loosely called fermenting so the result would be called a Double Fermented VA Cavendish. AKA Black Cavendish. I will reserve the tittle Brown Cavendish to steamed air cured tobacco.
The testing of a Picaroon Mixture is going well, in fact too well. I have been busy smoking the intriguing test leftovers rather than moving towards a final iteration. The double pressed bright is so good with this that I’m afraid that testing its omission will be disappointing.
I have been using this interesting pipe for its wind cap on the breezy days.
Next
I just realized that PA may be read as Prince Albert by some. PA is Pennsylvania here.
MD cube cut baked, broiled, and toasted has the invert turbinado, glycerin, vanilla butternut flavoring added. Will need rest due to toasting. I think I am going to loose the some of the integrity of the cube cut with all this handling. I will call it Butternut Square Cut MD. The test before rest is wonderful. MD 609 is a rather complex tobacco with a moderate nicotine content. The topping shows well but is minimal as intended. Looking forward to future smokes. Re test on Toasted PA reveals carriers used are effective. A decision to do the same to some cube cut Burley to add to the MD was made. The MD itself was too mild on its own. Going a bit heavier on the butternut on the Burley. These will be mixed for the Butternut Square Cut jar.
Note; “airing” experiments where tobaccos are kept in jars not vacuum sealed with extra head room have some mold growth. A lower case or a vacuum seal with regular airing intervals should be considered for prevention. This has inspired confidence that vacuum sealing can prevent mold growth.
Hibiscus Mixture gets a new lid.
Lightly toasted 2XO2 Choc re cased with toasted cacao nibs, licorice root, invert jaggery, and vanilla extract. Re caked and jarred. Tested showing that the issue with the unfermented cigar leaf was resolved by toasting. The issue with the soapy cacao bean essential oil added still remains. Kept for topping experiments however if I am ever in need of an empty jar I will look squarely at this one. Lessons learned.
I’m giving the air cured Virginia another chance. The collection of apices that were ribbon cut I toasted and cased with soaked raisin water and a bit of rum. This will be pressed and jarred to age. Test before press and rest has me liking this leaf for smoking again. Now considering toasting the small amount of cavendish that was made using this leaf.
Picaroon Mixture iterations have all wonderfully showcased whatever VAs are used. Happy to report excellence in the flue cured blending tobaccos I have on hand. Now considering Burleys for this Picaroon / light fire cured condiment.
Arapiraca is delicious in a pipe. Here at 1-1 with Brazilian flue cured it makes a nicely balanced smoke. I would like to get some Mata Fina from Brazil to try as well.
Snus project was eagerly devoured leaving me confident that snus made from pipe tobacco can be easily done and is worth doing.
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
Hi ! I am writing from Italy, this is how I process my tobacco leaves
Casing of tobacco leaves (Marco's method)
To case 100 grams of leaves:
Add 3 teaspoons of regular sugar to 100 ml of demineralized water and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
Then, let the mixture cool to 70–80°C.
At this point, add 3 teaspoons of white wine vinegar—specifically, vinegar made from organic wine fermented using a "mother" culture.
Stir briefly and let it sit for 5 minutes, then bring the entire mixture (water, sugar, and vinegar) back to a boil; this 100 ml solution must be used immediately and not stored.
Meanwhile, the tobacco leaves—de-stemmed and cut into strips—should be steamed (using a steamer, a german Bimby, or, if nothing else is available, by placing them in a sieve over a pot of boiling water). As soon as they warm up, spray them with the aforementioned water-sugar-vinegar solution (ensure the liquid has cooled to 40°C first) while mixing continuously by hand (wear gloves!).
After mixing for fifteen minutes, seal the leaves in an airtight jar (such as a Bormioli jar) for 2 days. Then, return them to the steamer and steam for another fifteen minutes. Without delay, while still hot, place the tobacco in a press; increase the pressure daily to expel the liquid. Every 2–3 days, open the press, remove the plug, and drain away the thick liquid that would not otherwise flow out on its own.
I continue pressing until I obtain a dry plug; this generally takes at least ten days. Remove the resulting plug; if the moisture level is high, wrap it in brown paper for a couple of days, then decide whether to store it in a glass jar or—preferably—vacuum-seal it for at least two months.
I am not fond of flavored tobaccos; therefore, I have so far worked with flue-cured Virginia leaves, without any flavor, processed according to the formula described above. What surprised me is that the resulting plug is highly aromatic, with a lingering scent of orange and plum.
Any comments would be appreciated
Casing of tobacco leaves (Marco's method)
To case 100 grams of leaves:
Add 3 teaspoons of regular sugar to 100 ml of demineralized water and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
Then, let the mixture cool to 70–80°C.
At this point, add 3 teaspoons of white wine vinegar—specifically, vinegar made from organic wine fermented using a "mother" culture.
Stir briefly and let it sit for 5 minutes, then bring the entire mixture (water, sugar, and vinegar) back to a boil; this 100 ml solution must be used immediately and not stored.
Meanwhile, the tobacco leaves—de-stemmed and cut into strips—should be steamed (using a steamer, a german Bimby, or, if nothing else is available, by placing them in a sieve over a pot of boiling water). As soon as they warm up, spray them with the aforementioned water-sugar-vinegar solution (ensure the liquid has cooled to 40°C first) while mixing continuously by hand (wear gloves!).
After mixing for fifteen minutes, seal the leaves in an airtight jar (such as a Bormioli jar) for 2 days. Then, return them to the steamer and steam for another fifteen minutes. Without delay, while still hot, place the tobacco in a press; increase the pressure daily to expel the liquid. Every 2–3 days, open the press, remove the plug, and drain away the thick liquid that would not otherwise flow out on its own.
I continue pressing until I obtain a dry plug; this generally takes at least ten days. Remove the resulting plug; if the moisture level is high, wrap it in brown paper for a couple of days, then decide whether to store it in a glass jar or—preferably—vacuum-seal it for at least two months.
I am not fond of flavored tobaccos; therefore, I have so far worked with flue-cured Virginia leaves, without any flavor, processed according to the formula described above. What surprised me is that the resulting plug is highly aromatic, with a lingering scent of orange and plum.
Any comments would be appreciated
Welcome to the forum, @marcolino. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.
Bob
Bob
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
@marcolino This is a great post. The detailed methodology shows that there is definite reasoning behind the processing. It would be interesting to hear how you think about specific theories… What do you think about the liquid that is pressed off? I think for stronger tobaccos this may help to eliminate some harsh spiciness but for flue cured I would have been concerned about loosing some of the leafs soul. It’s good to hear that this may not be the result. Because your method has been presented so clearly and would be easy to follow I would recommend it to be attempted by anyone interested. Thank you for sharing!
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
The boring Brazilian Flue Cured Cavendish is being cased with fresh blackberry, glycerin, honey water with drops of Davana. Surprisingly I have yet to smoke any blackberry cased tobacco yet completely relying on the smells produced when the Brazilian Flue Cured Blackberry Plug was made… preliminary testing has this Cavendish no longer boring but not quite “flavored”. The experimental addition of glycerin was a little over done but it shouldn’t be a problem and may help if a topping gets added. I do wish it was sweeter but it is tasty enough and smokes cool with voluminous smoke and it does have an interesting and pleasant room note. The spiciness of the Brazilian Flue Cured has been accentuated by the Davana that I am still learning the wonders of. This will work well to smooth out some of the eccentric condiment combos I use. Looking forward to finding how it is after some rest. Now vacuum packed in a squat half pint with a little bit aside for testing. Some effort was made to preserve the cavendish cut of this “pressed to cut” tobacco but I certainly could have left more leaf stuck together. See picture. I am leaning towards leaving future cut plugs as flakes or likely broken flakes. This will require better drying before jarring and perhaps a more attentive mold protocol but will leave me with more final cut options.
Testing the Picaroon/Light Fire Cured condiment combo with 50% LO Burley. The Burley brings a bitter and dry introduction to the bowl. Its nuttiness is not bothered by the condiments at all and the retrohale loads the sinuses with nicotine. Surprisingly the bitterness fades quickly as well as the nic shock revealing a full flavored smoke with a lot of depth. Still plenty of nicotine heat though. The last third was the biggest surprise. I expected progression towards harshness instead I’m getting flavors that build into full complexity. Having some left in test jar #3 has me considering adding a little flue cured. First I will try adding some Turkish. I think this would help the first part of the smoke a bit… and yes it does. The Burley Samson combo is a winner and will be a good lead to follow. The Picaroon has a top note I don’t like in this. It had been easy enough to ignore with VAs. This will need to be addressed. Toasting and re-casing is the leading option. The air cured Virginia had a similar top note. I may wait until the Rum Raisin that was made with the toasted ACVA gets tested to see if toasting is a solution. This puts a Picaroon Mixture on the back burner.
LO Burley with 20% Samson was a delightful smoke with coffee in the morning. Still young, the LO Burley only has a little over a year in my possession. I can’t say that there are any rough edges but it is awfully strong. Musty burley on the first third, a well rounded burley taste hides under the notable nicotine bite in the middle, and the last third has incense and sour leading the way backed up by the full flavored light air cured leaf. No problems with bitterness. Adding Light Fire Cured to this seems like a winning move. Starting with near ten percent and this mixture is complete. I realize I jumped in to this without actually smoking the LO Burley on its own. It is actually noticeably hygroscopic. I may want to use some of it for other mixture and topping tests so it’s likely I will only make a small batch. This might be how I will be moving forward with mixtures so I will need to secure more jelly jars. It seems I should start a recipe book so that the favorites can be reproduced. Until now I have always thought of my mixtures as one offs. I’m finding cigarette recipes very useful. Not just for casing ideas but for the ratios of tobaccos that are used. I have also found AI useful just now bouncing off having more Samson in this mix. I might be on the way to getting my “Samson Mixture” sooner rather than later. Except another smoke of the 721 ratio shows the Burley starting to marry and not stand out as much. This aspect of mixtures and specifically of burley is now demanding more attention in my decision making for adjusting ratios. I will make another test batch and give it more rest time.
Desiring to have snus available 24/7, plans have been made to use my bottom shelf mixtures mixed with my instant alkalizer sauce. The 2XO2 Chocolate which has been rejected for smoking has been found to be perfect for eating. It has a great taste and sits pleasantly for hours without developing any off flavors that would otherwise need to be cooked out. I will eventually do some cooking with other raw tobaccos and likely try to mix in the stem flours that I have so much of.
cavendish cut
Testing the Picaroon/Light Fire Cured condiment combo with 50% LO Burley. The Burley brings a bitter and dry introduction to the bowl. Its nuttiness is not bothered by the condiments at all and the retrohale loads the sinuses with nicotine. Surprisingly the bitterness fades quickly as well as the nic shock revealing a full flavored smoke with a lot of depth. Still plenty of nicotine heat though. The last third was the biggest surprise. I expected progression towards harshness instead I’m getting flavors that build into full complexity. Having some left in test jar #3 has me considering adding a little flue cured. First I will try adding some Turkish. I think this would help the first part of the smoke a bit… and yes it does. The Burley Samson combo is a winner and will be a good lead to follow. The Picaroon has a top note I don’t like in this. It had been easy enough to ignore with VAs. This will need to be addressed. Toasting and re-casing is the leading option. The air cured Virginia had a similar top note. I may wait until the Rum Raisin that was made with the toasted ACVA gets tested to see if toasting is a solution. This puts a Picaroon Mixture on the back burner.
LO Burley with 20% Samson was a delightful smoke with coffee in the morning. Still young, the LO Burley only has a little over a year in my possession. I can’t say that there are any rough edges but it is awfully strong. Musty burley on the first third, a well rounded burley taste hides under the notable nicotine bite in the middle, and the last third has incense and sour leading the way backed up by the full flavored light air cured leaf. No problems with bitterness. Adding Light Fire Cured to this seems like a winning move. Starting with near ten percent and this mixture is complete. I realize I jumped in to this without actually smoking the LO Burley on its own. It is actually noticeably hygroscopic. I may want to use some of it for other mixture and topping tests so it’s likely I will only make a small batch. This might be how I will be moving forward with mixtures so I will need to secure more jelly jars. It seems I should start a recipe book so that the favorites can be reproduced. Until now I have always thought of my mixtures as one offs. I’m finding cigarette recipes very useful. Not just for casing ideas but for the ratios of tobaccos that are used. I have also found AI useful just now bouncing off having more Samson in this mix. I might be on the way to getting my “Samson Mixture” sooner rather than later. Except another smoke of the 721 ratio shows the Burley starting to marry and not stand out as much. This aspect of mixtures and specifically of burley is now demanding more attention in my decision making for adjusting ratios. I will make another test batch and give it more rest time.
Desiring to have snus available 24/7, plans have been made to use my bottom shelf mixtures mixed with my instant alkalizer sauce. The 2XO2 Chocolate which has been rejected for smoking has been found to be perfect for eating. It has a great taste and sits pleasantly for hours without developing any off flavors that would otherwise need to be cooked out. I will eventually do some cooking with other raw tobaccos and likely try to mix in the stem flours that I have so much of.
cavendish cut
Juxtaposer:"...I think for stronger tobaccos this may help to eliminate some harsh spiciness but for flue cured I would have been concerned about loosing some of the leafs soul"
In my experience, I found that it’s not like that; I used my casing method with Virginia, Orientals, and Burley, and with my great surprise I discovered that without adding any other flavoring the tobacco came out of the press with a pleasant smell of grass, plum, and orange (IMHO !)
In my experience, I found that it’s not like that; I used my casing method with Virginia, Orientals, and Burley, and with my great surprise I discovered that without adding any other flavoring the tobacco came out of the press with a pleasant smell of grass, plum, and orange (IMHO !)
Juxtaposer-
Well-Known Member
For post on FTT
AI notes
“Pore Space: Dried burley leaves contain high intercellular pore space that lets ambient air and moisture move freely through the leaf tissue.
Cellulose and Pectins: The structural walls of the plant cells are rich in hydrophilic (water-loving) polymers that naturally capture vapor.
Low Sugar / High Absorbency: Because air-curing consumes most of the plant's natural sugars, burley lacks heavy natural leaf oils or dense sugar coatings. This open structure makes it exceptionally absorbent compared to tighter, oilier leaves.
Six month check ins
French Dark Burley chamomile licorice and Canadian flue cured elder flower inverted turbinado. 50/50
I’m leaving the jar open to air for a few hours. This is an unbelievably flavorful Burley mixture.
Arapiraca shines with the Brazilian BFL support. I noticed the specific spiciness that the BFL has combating that of the Arapiraca. A fight well worth following. Otherwise a tasty classic cigar flavor dominates in this Brazilian Mixture.
Besuki Wrapper/4VA Mixture is smoking a little thin but full flavored. The intriguing Besuki tastes like an Oriental and Dark Burley cross. The flue cured tobaccos in this hardly have a say but I do expect some changes as this ages.
While I do consider these three mixtures complete, I do remain open to adding condiments.
4/24 Marji cake has the metallic herbal taste of marjoram bothering me. I’m going all in and toasting it then casing with a strong citric acid solution. Some invert sugar and a heavy dose of valerian were also included because it is that kind of intervention. Testing before resting has confirmed my choices were good ones. Toasting has been really working out well for mellowing out flavors. It smells chocolaty but smokes nutty. I was unable to pick out any valerian scents which is great because I take that to mean that it won’t create any conflicts once this mixture develops its character after the rest. I predict the valerian along with now subdued marjoram will ultimately be a point of interest in this Burley mixture.
While I was being so bold I took a tiny bottle of prickly pear vodka and dumped it on my Brazilian flue cured cavendish. Dried and tested it does taste good but this cavendish obviously has had too much glycerin added to it so I added water and squeezed some liquid out with a noodle press. Already less sticky this really smells great. We’ll see what else was lost along with some of the glycerin squeezed out. Testing proves desired results. Prickly Pear is notable but the spice of the Brazilian BFL does dominate. This is a unique spice that borders on incense and is well supported by a full bodied VA taste which occasionally leans towards a sweet/sour tang. Judging by how other tobaccos have responded to being steamed this one should develop very nicely in the coming months.
AI notes
Next
The Lemon Lemon is darkening
Some test leftovers of Turkish mixtures have been in a jar over a year now with all the agar wood sticks I have. The contents are dry and the scent has faded. I have been always impressed at how good the leftovers have been so far. This one was a test as well for finding out how oud works with Turkish. I like it but this will be an expensive scent to move forward with and wading through the counterfeits does not sound like much fun. I’ll be fine with an occasional smoke of this. Besides, the palo santo scenting is more to my tastes.
The Butternut Square Cut obviously not rested yet with burnt smells from the toasting still hanging on. I smoked a bowl any way. A few of the draws had me wishing it was sweeter. The idea of using scotch to create a Butterscotch Mixture rears up. The Butternut test on the toasted Pennsylvania could be incorporated and perhaps some flue cured for balance.
Test jar #2 has the 7/2/1 Burley/Samson/Light Fire Cured married for about a week now. I’m finding it having more bitterness this time. I like the recipe enough but the LO Burley is still in its “sick period” as AI has called it. It is smokeable but I was focusing on the bitterness to try and relate it to what is described as the taste of ammonia. The taste is not bad but it is strong. I do think the Burley has had a bit of sick time mitigated by the 12hr at 175F stoving but I would guess only by one third. A hopeful guess is that it will only need another year of aging. I am considering trying longer bake times at 175F. Not on this Burley but perhaps on some of the Burleys that are being summered out doors if that is not successful. I’ll probably break into those in late October.
Vacuum sealing my tightly packed whole leaf tobacco has proven an effective way to prevent mold. I also see this as valuable for anaerobic aging especially for flue cured tobaccos. Air cured tobacco that is not fermented is a different story as the ammonia sickness of its first few years needs oxygen to cure. While kilning certainly accelerates this process I am intentionally avoiding it for various reasons. This has me having jars with more head space that do not get vacuum sealed. These jars have a much higher risk of mold so the tobacco must be kept at a much lower case (moisture). They also need occasional opening (burping) to allow oxygen that will get used to be replaced. This burping also creates an opportunity to check for mold. In this condition temperatures would also need to be kept around 77F as to not encourage mold growth. This creates a high risk section ( airing protocol) in some of my cabinets.
PA binder and Red Tip Burley quarter pound thumb pressed disks of stemmed leaf halves now moved into larger jars with headspace and not vacuum sealed.
KY mol/lic 175/12 12/25 Plug was cut and now is being put into an airing protocol.
So far all of the air cured tobaccos that have not been fermented and that were vacuum sealed in high case smell like wet dog. A question arises regarding the value of anaerobic aging before sickness healing in these types of tobaccos. It is common knowledge that these air cured leaves do not change much stored (aged) anaerobically after the sick period but do they develop before this period when there are more proteins available as a microbe food source? The aged twist I have says yes but perhaps a few of the tobaccos I’m working on might confirm this.
Frog Eye Chai was much better before I became hyper focused on sussing out ammonia sickness scents. It’s a bitter spice for sure. This cake will go into a larger jar and be put in the “ medicine cabinet” section. It would be ideal to have every thing at high mold risk and in want of burping at the same place. I only have a few more jars to look at.
2018 BUR/VA Twist Mixture proves the benefits of anaerobic aging while still infected. The featured Kentucky Burley shows such agreeable character after well over ten years sealed that any ammonia taste is easily overlooked. Now under scrutiny It has also proven to still present a few symptoms.
Thinking back to a recent smoke of the French Canadian Mixture I believe that the supposedly fermented French Burley might also benefit from being put on an airing protocol. I feel I’m getting a clearer picture of how air cured tobacco can be handled and nursed through the sick period. The goal should be an all day smoke but I don’t smoke all day so I can afford a little leeway and with skillful masking these mixtures are already able to quell any Burley hankering.
Options for handling ammonia sickness;
1-3 years of aging with available oxygen.
4-6 weeks of kilning with strict air flow, temperature and humidity guidelines.
Other options that offer partial results or masking;
-Stoving, in vacuum sealed jars with temperatures ranging from 80F to 145F and no higher than 149F to preserve oxidase enzymes or up to 190F as to preserve other intrinsic enzymes. Times based on temperatures.
-Steaming, for 5-12 hours or more in direct contact with humidity and heat.
-Toasting, including evaporation of most or all humidity and beyond without burning then rehydrating.
-Drying, at lower temperatures then rehydrating.
-Casing, to mask bitterness
-Topping or Scenting
-Blending, with other tobacco types.
-Pressing, to break cell structure
-Drowning, in liquid for months to years as Perique is
Any combination of these preferably including the important special aging/kilning methods.
My hypothesis that unpasteurized filtered fruit juice with high amylase content would help with oxidase activity could stand some testing. This would add an extra risk for mold especially in a jar without a vacuum and really should be done in a kiln.
Looking at hydrogen peroxide/ammonia cold spray patents and developing a tentative plan. Here is my outline of a process that might work.
Chill air cured dry tobacco in refrigerator
Spray with chilled bakers ammonia (ammonium carbonate) solution
Spray with chilled food grade hydrogen peroxide
Refrigerate cased tobacco for three hours
Dry in oven at 175F
Steam to rehydrate
All of these steps are particular to this process and should not be substituted for best results. There are some safety issues to consider.
Expected results are lighter color, lower nicotine, bitterness moderation i.e. sickness cured.
This idea is still a little sketchy but it’s too easy not to try. It certainly needs more deliberation. It might slowly move up the “to try” list.
AI notes
“Pore Space: Dried burley leaves contain high intercellular pore space that lets ambient air and moisture move freely through the leaf tissue.
Cellulose and Pectins: The structural walls of the plant cells are rich in hydrophilic (water-loving) polymers that naturally capture vapor.
Low Sugar / High Absorbency: Because air-curing consumes most of the plant's natural sugars, burley lacks heavy natural leaf oils or dense sugar coatings. This open structure makes it exceptionally absorbent compared to tighter, oilier leaves.
Six month check ins
French Dark Burley chamomile licorice and Canadian flue cured elder flower inverted turbinado. 50/50
I’m leaving the jar open to air for a few hours. This is an unbelievably flavorful Burley mixture.
Arapiraca shines with the Brazilian BFL support. I noticed the specific spiciness that the BFL has combating that of the Arapiraca. A fight well worth following. Otherwise a tasty classic cigar flavor dominates in this Brazilian Mixture.
Besuki Wrapper/4VA Mixture is smoking a little thin but full flavored. The intriguing Besuki tastes like an Oriental and Dark Burley cross. The flue cured tobaccos in this hardly have a say but I do expect some changes as this ages.
While I do consider these three mixtures complete, I do remain open to adding condiments.
4/24 Marji cake has the metallic herbal taste of marjoram bothering me. I’m going all in and toasting it then casing with a strong citric acid solution. Some invert sugar and a heavy dose of valerian were also included because it is that kind of intervention. Testing before resting has confirmed my choices were good ones. Toasting has been really working out well for mellowing out flavors. It smells chocolaty but smokes nutty. I was unable to pick out any valerian scents which is great because I take that to mean that it won’t create any conflicts once this mixture develops its character after the rest. I predict the valerian along with now subdued marjoram will ultimately be a point of interest in this Burley mixture.
While I was being so bold I took a tiny bottle of prickly pear vodka and dumped it on my Brazilian flue cured cavendish. Dried and tested it does taste good but this cavendish obviously has had too much glycerin added to it so I added water and squeezed some liquid out with a noodle press. Already less sticky this really smells great. We’ll see what else was lost along with some of the glycerin squeezed out. Testing proves desired results. Prickly Pear is notable but the spice of the Brazilian BFL does dominate. This is a unique spice that borders on incense and is well supported by a full bodied VA taste which occasionally leans towards a sweet/sour tang. Judging by how other tobaccos have responded to being steamed this one should develop very nicely in the coming months.
AI notes
- Protein breakdown: High temperatures in tobacco bulks (or pilónes) cause plant proteins to undergo proteolysis into amino acids.
- Gas release: These amino acids further break down into volatile compounds, creating ammonia (\(\text{NH}_{3}\)) as a primary byproduct.
- Purging harshness: A primary goal of tobacco fermentation is to drive out and evaporate this pungent ammonia so the final product is smooth.
- The "sick period": If tobacco is under-fermented or rushed to market, residual ammonia remains trapped in the leaves.
- Smell and taste: This leftover byproduct causes an unpleasant, sharp, or sour ammonia odor and taste when the product is smoked.
Next
The Lemon Lemon is darkening
Some test leftovers of Turkish mixtures have been in a jar over a year now with all the agar wood sticks I have. The contents are dry and the scent has faded. I have been always impressed at how good the leftovers have been so far. This one was a test as well for finding out how oud works with Turkish. I like it but this will be an expensive scent to move forward with and wading through the counterfeits does not sound like much fun. I’ll be fine with an occasional smoke of this. Besides, the palo santo scenting is more to my tastes.
The Butternut Square Cut obviously not rested yet with burnt smells from the toasting still hanging on. I smoked a bowl any way. A few of the draws had me wishing it was sweeter. The idea of using scotch to create a Butterscotch Mixture rears up. The Butternut test on the toasted Pennsylvania could be incorporated and perhaps some flue cured for balance.
Test jar #2 has the 7/2/1 Burley/Samson/Light Fire Cured married for about a week now. I’m finding it having more bitterness this time. I like the recipe enough but the LO Burley is still in its “sick period” as AI has called it. It is smokeable but I was focusing on the bitterness to try and relate it to what is described as the taste of ammonia. The taste is not bad but it is strong. I do think the Burley has had a bit of sick time mitigated by the 12hr at 175F stoving but I would guess only by one third. A hopeful guess is that it will only need another year of aging. I am considering trying longer bake times at 175F. Not on this Burley but perhaps on some of the Burleys that are being summered out doors if that is not successful. I’ll probably break into those in late October.
Vacuum sealing my tightly packed whole leaf tobacco has proven an effective way to prevent mold. I also see this as valuable for anaerobic aging especially for flue cured tobaccos. Air cured tobacco that is not fermented is a different story as the ammonia sickness of its first few years needs oxygen to cure. While kilning certainly accelerates this process I am intentionally avoiding it for various reasons. This has me having jars with more head space that do not get vacuum sealed. These jars have a much higher risk of mold so the tobacco must be kept at a much lower case (moisture). They also need occasional opening (burping) to allow oxygen that will get used to be replaced. This burping also creates an opportunity to check for mold. In this condition temperatures would also need to be kept around 77F as to not encourage mold growth. This creates a high risk section ( airing protocol) in some of my cabinets.
PA binder and Red Tip Burley quarter pound thumb pressed disks of stemmed leaf halves now moved into larger jars with headspace and not vacuum sealed.
KY mol/lic 175/12 12/25 Plug was cut and now is being put into an airing protocol.
So far all of the air cured tobaccos that have not been fermented and that were vacuum sealed in high case smell like wet dog. A question arises regarding the value of anaerobic aging before sickness healing in these types of tobaccos. It is common knowledge that these air cured leaves do not change much stored (aged) anaerobically after the sick period but do they develop before this period when there are more proteins available as a microbe food source? The aged twist I have says yes but perhaps a few of the tobaccos I’m working on might confirm this.
Frog Eye Chai was much better before I became hyper focused on sussing out ammonia sickness scents. It’s a bitter spice for sure. This cake will go into a larger jar and be put in the “ medicine cabinet” section. It would be ideal to have every thing at high mold risk and in want of burping at the same place. I only have a few more jars to look at.
2018 BUR/VA Twist Mixture proves the benefits of anaerobic aging while still infected. The featured Kentucky Burley shows such agreeable character after well over ten years sealed that any ammonia taste is easily overlooked. Now under scrutiny It has also proven to still present a few symptoms.
Thinking back to a recent smoke of the French Canadian Mixture I believe that the supposedly fermented French Burley might also benefit from being put on an airing protocol. I feel I’m getting a clearer picture of how air cured tobacco can be handled and nursed through the sick period. The goal should be an all day smoke but I don’t smoke all day so I can afford a little leeway and with skillful masking these mixtures are already able to quell any Burley hankering.
Options for handling ammonia sickness;
1-3 years of aging with available oxygen.
4-6 weeks of kilning with strict air flow, temperature and humidity guidelines.
Other options that offer partial results or masking;
-Stoving, in vacuum sealed jars with temperatures ranging from 80F to 145F and no higher than 149F to preserve oxidase enzymes or up to 190F as to preserve other intrinsic enzymes. Times based on temperatures.
-Steaming, for 5-12 hours or more in direct contact with humidity and heat.
-Toasting, including evaporation of most or all humidity and beyond without burning then rehydrating.
-Drying, at lower temperatures then rehydrating.
-Casing, to mask bitterness
-Topping or Scenting
-Blending, with other tobacco types.
-Pressing, to break cell structure
-Drowning, in liquid for months to years as Perique is
Any combination of these preferably including the important special aging/kilning methods.
My hypothesis that unpasteurized filtered fruit juice with high amylase content would help with oxidase activity could stand some testing. This would add an extra risk for mold especially in a jar without a vacuum and really should be done in a kiln.
Looking at hydrogen peroxide/ammonia cold spray patents and developing a tentative plan. Here is my outline of a process that might work.
Chill air cured dry tobacco in refrigerator
Spray with chilled bakers ammonia (ammonium carbonate) solution
Spray with chilled food grade hydrogen peroxide
Refrigerate cased tobacco for three hours
Dry in oven at 175F
Steam to rehydrate
All of these steps are particular to this process and should not be substituted for best results. There are some safety issues to consider.
Expected results are lighter color, lower nicotine, bitterness moderation i.e. sickness cured.
This idea is still a little sketchy but it’s too easy not to try. It certainly needs more deliberation. It might slowly move up the “to try” list.
