Hello! fix for harsh tobacco

[poskoz]

Hello! im new to the forum but few years back I read and study a lot howtogrowtobacco.com .
my name is posko and I like to ferment and shred my own baccy
thanx a lot for this forum, every little helps
I have a small problem let me explain:
Where I live I don't have much space for a crop and therefore I went to a local farmer to get some raw tobacco
the firs time the farmer gave me some upper leaves ,which are supposed to be stronger , of flue cured bright leaf virginia
and it was fine! at home with a kiln for a month and sometimes I have added some alpha amylase to get it with a more pleasent taste.
now that tobacco has finished and the farmer retired.. that tobacco lasted two years for 50bucks!
so I went to another farmer,this time he gave me some middle leaves of flue cured virginia.
this is the second attempt but the tobacco is somewhat harsh, it has been almost two months in a kiln 122 / 130 F and 75 / 80 humidity
now I 'have shredded it, do you know anything that I can do to make it smokable?
I have now took one part and press it tight inside a mason jar while still humid.. in this way I think that without oxigen it will not form mould but will it ferment?
I can try maybe to toast it or try in a kiln for another month?
thanx a lot!
posko

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Wholeleaftobacco.com offers 3 different casing blends.

Cigarette Tobacco Casing for Air Cured Types

These are the same casings we use in our Whole Leaf Tobacco Blends. This particular casing is chocolate based and best suited for correcting the raw aspects of Light & Dark Air Cured types of tobacco…

wholeleaftobacco.com

Under the heading "Accessories" you can find all three. Perhaps other members can provide more help.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by harsh?

 

[poskoz]

By harsh I mean raw taste, a bit bitter as if you are smoking unprocessed baccy.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

By harsh I mean raw taste, a bit bitter as if you are smoking unprocessed baccy.

I think it just needs more time, then. Sorry.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

What color is it? Can you provide a photo?

 

[poskoz]

What color is it? Can you provide a photo?

Hi, yes is brown colour.. And it was yellow before the kiln..

 

[poskoz]

So maybe another month in the kiln will make it better? Maybe inside a hemp bag so the air will pass thru..

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I'm not sure what can be done because I'm not sure if it's low in sugar, high in sugar, or just needs more time to rest. If it's high in sugar, it will smoke acidic and have a slight sourness which might burn the tongue. In this case I would add burley or perique, or dark air cured. If it's low in sugar, the harshness will hit the nose and/or it will be bitter and seem high in nicotine. In this case, I would add bright Virginia, or spray it with sugar water, or spray it with citric acid water. If it's actually just fine, but wasn't cured properly, perhaps dried too early, it simply needs more time, like a couple months to a year with enough moisture for it to age without molding, not in the kiln.

 

[poskoz]

Thank you china vodoo, I have sprayed allready with some honey and water, plus with the amylase the sugar is high i suppose... My concern to make it age without kiln is always the mould is there a way that i can tell the right humidity for aging and not mold when is shredded? And if is pressed in a mason jar it will not mould even if humid but maybe it will not ferment.. What do you think?
Thank you very much!

 

[poskoz]

Another way that I was thinking is to make an oak box and press it inside there in semi humid state and theorically it will ferment but not make mould as perique and leave it for a couple of months..

 

[deluxestogie]

Another idea, instead of constructing a press box:
With the tobacco just moist enough to be pliable, not damp, place it into a sturdy, plastic bag (like a freezer bag), and press it against the floor or a counter, using a cutting board or large book. Weight it with anything heavy. I have done this with a 5 gallon (19 liter) bucket filled with water for the weight over a 1 quart (1 liter) freezer bag of tobacco. [5 gallons of water = 40 pounds or 18 kg] Press it for at least 3 weeks.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Knowing moisture content by touch is a learned skill. But, if you think it might crumble, but surprisingly doesn't, that's the safest condition for storage.

Vacuum sealing also protects the tobacco from mold.

 

[poskoz]

Knowing moisture content by touch is a learned skill. But, if you think it might crumble, but surprisingly doesn't, that's the safest condition for storage.

Vacuum sealing also protects the tobacco from mold.

Thanx a lot guys! So i will do that for few weeks! I suppose that it ferments even without oxigen thanx I always tought that it ferment less in a anaerobic enviroment. I will let you know how it goes

 

[Oldfella]

By harsh I mean raw taste, a bit bitter as if you are smoking unprocessed baccy.

You could take some of the baccy and put in strainer, Bud bags are good. Put into boiling water and dunk(the wash water
Makes a good bug spray.) It may work for you or may take two or three attempts. I have only used a couple of times and it's worked out O K. I have read that it will wash off goodies on the outside of the leaves you are the guinea pig give it a try

 

[deluxestogie]

Put into boiling water and dunk

That approach dissolves nicotine and flavorants from within the leaf tissue.

Bob

 

[Oldfella]

That approach dissolves nicotine and flavorants from within the leaf tissue.

Bob

Hi Bob, I knew you would, as I said I have only tried a couple of times. My niegbours use it all the time and are happy with it. So each to own I guess. Me I make Bug spray.
But I have tried and it was a lot less harsh.
Oldfella

 

[poskoz]

nice one for bug spray it works..but it is better with rustica for now I prefer leave it to ferment pressed inside ziplock bags.
I took a part of it lets say to smoke a month or two and toast it very well in the oven to the point that when I opened the oven a big cloud came out!
now is far more pleasant to smoke it.. I always take a bit at time and keep it in a container with some pear or apple and a drop of hazelnut extract.
that will be fine for now untill the rest ferment and become more appreciable.

 

[poskoz]

Hello thanx for everything guys! After a month of keep it pressed now is much better and no harsh at all! Superb!

 

[vilbertob]

In your opinion, how is it possible that a commercial blend in which the manufacturer declares Virginia, Cavendish and 5% of Perique to be present does not make the tongue burn?