Fermenting cigar leaf without kiln

[deluxestogie]

Aging tobacco is the process whereby the lamina's intrinsic enzymes oxidize albuminous proteins and other chemicals. "Fermentation" of tobacco is the process whereby the lamina's intrinsic enzymes oxidize albuminous proteins and other chemicals. They are the identical process. It involves no microorganisms. It is temperature dependent. Pressure has no effect on this process. ("Fermenting" cigar leaf in pilones allows speedier fermentation only as a result of the thermal insulation of the huge pile. The applied pressure, maximal at the very bottom of a pilon, is trivial.)

My guess is that processed and pressed leaf is recruiting microorganisms that alter the end product. As with much of tobacco's traditional terminology, there are many confusing and ambiguous terms.

Bob

 

[E. Joseph]

I don't know about vacuums and glass. Cured tobacco, maintained in very low case (not bone dry) and habitable temperatures, seems to require a few months of rest to be "useable", a few years to adequately age, and a few more years to achieve its optimum.

A kiln pretty much eliminates the first year or three of aging. Building a kiln is a 1-weekend project. Growing sufficient tobacco to allow you to age it naturally (without a kiln) is time consuming, and requires storage space.

Bob

What would you say is be the best way to keep the leaf in a cellar/basement, (whether kilned or not), to keep it at low case without having to constantly mist it with distilled water? The kiln i have at the moment will only hold one plant's worth of leaf at a time, so I have a lot of leaf sitting in sealed vacuum bags (without the air sucked out).

 

[burge]

Leave in the bags or dry. Mold will only happen with moisture. Leaf will still age when it is dry

 

[deluxestogie]

I have a lot of leaf sitting in sealed vacuum bags (without the air sucked out).

That sounds reasonable.

Bob

 

[StoneCarver]

to keep it at low case without having to constantly mist it with distilled water?

I'd say don't bother misting it. I assume its color cured because then all you need to do is let it sit and be dry until it gets its turn in the kiln. You don't really need to bring it up to case until you smoke it (assuming pipe) or roll it into cigars.