Storage for Shredded Tobacco (or whole leaf)

[deluxestogie]

Here is a quick video about a convenient, easily opened, sealing lid for a 5 gallon bucket. It's the Gamma Seal lid from US Plastics.

Although the lids cost a bit over $8 each. They should last a long time, and maintain the case of your shredded (or whole) leaf. The lid assembly comes in a number of colors.

Bob

 

[Watchmaker]

Bob,

Do you recommend storing whole leaf separately by variety? In other words would I need one bucket for lemon Virginia, another bucket for flue cured, another bucket for dark air etc...? It makes sense to store Latakia and fire cured individually and separately but I didn't know about the other varieties.

 

[deluxestogie]

Some cigarette smokers always stuff the exact same blend into their cigarettes every time. Some members have stated that after shredding large batches of leaf, they blend it according to their preferred cigarette blend, then store the blended shred in a tote or other large container. So a bucket could serve that same purpose, yet be more vapor proof.

If you keep leaf separated into individual bags within the bucket, then that works well too. I agree that Latakia and fire-cured leaf need special treatment. I've found that Latakia in a heavy, vapor-proof bag, enclosed within a second vapor-proof bag pretty well isolates the smoky aroma.

Bob

 

[burge]

i leave all min in the vapor proof bags Yes I could make virginia blends but the Canadian and the hand tied i feel would ruin the tobacco taste. I suppose I could try some but am holding off as this tobacco is too good to ruin.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I use those Gamma lids on a lot of buckets. As Tony the Tiger would say... They'rrrrrre Great!
I bought mine from Amazon but recently saw them at Home Depot.

 

[TrumpetMouf]

Do y'all use any kind of humidifier in the bucket? I just got one and I was curious... Also my bucket is off gasing plastic smell and as I've had trouble with this tainting my cigars in travel humidors I'm going to take some advice from another thread and put an activated charcoal pouch in there. I am mildly concerned about the charcoal drying it out. My tobacco will all be stored in separate plastic bags so it's probably a non issue but you never know if you don't ask, right?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Do y'all use any kind of humidifier in the bucket? I just got one and I was curious... Also my bucket is off gasing plastic smell and as I've had trouble with this tainting my cigars in travel humidors I'm going to take some advice from another thread and put an activated charcoal pouch in there. I am mildly concerned about the charcoal drying it out. My tobacco will all be stored in separate plastic bags so it's probably a non issue but you never know if you don't ask, right?

I've only used brewing primary buckets. I've never noticed "off gassing".

 

[Knucklehead]

Do y'all use any kind of humidifier in the bucket? I just got one and I was curious... Also my bucket is off gasing plastic smell and as I've had trouble with this tainting my cigars in travel humidors I'm going to take some advice from another thread and put an activated charcoal pouch in there. I am mildly concerned about the charcoal drying it out. My tobacco will all be stored in separate plastic bags so it's probably a non issue but you never know if you don't ask, right?

I store in the poly/nylon bags that WLT leaf is shipped in, plus a couple guys went in together and bought some from Uline.com of a couple different widths. (We grow so the larger size was helpful) I then store the bags in cardboard boxes or stick them on shelves. I personally like the idea of the container being breathable. Why? I’m weird and I just roll with it. I do need to occasionally mist a little bit of water in the bags for the aging to continue. If the tobacco becomes dry, dry the aging stops. Just a tiny tad of moisture and the aging resumes. Not a big deal, just don’t have such high humidity as to cause mold. Mold is the big issue with storage. Mine can dry out for months and I don’t get excited about it.

 

[TrumpetMouf]

I've only used brewing primary buckets. I've never noticed "off gassing".

Yeah when I bought my lid I saw an option with free/faster shipping that came with a "food grade" bucket. I'm sure it's fine it's just super new has a strong plastic smell (which is what off gassing is)