AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Has anyone tried pressed blocks or blocks of tobacco in a kiln?
If so how did it go and what was your result?
If so how did it go and what was your result?
This thread has been here awhile....Yea mate saw yours and looks surprisingly like mine. Have only one drip from the vent hole in the ceiling, would have vented through the wall had I known. The first compressed block and pile I done were because I was using an oven for a kiln and did not have much space. They came out very dark and sweet. A lot like cavendish I was told.
I have kilned pressed blocks many times. There is no difference from the same tobacco kilned as loose leaf. The same has been true of tobacco kilned as a tied hand.
Bob
Stemmed leaf pressed 24 hours under ~100 pounds.Fisherman said:How tite a brick did you use...
My thought on the block is, If pressed moisture can affect the outer portions of the block but does it reach the inner area. Isn't it required to cause the aging / fermenting along with the appropriate temperature?
Or is it that the moisture is already there and is preserved by that of the ambient within the chamber / kiln as the brick is subjected to temperature? I also question the quality of the smoke through out the brick.
I can't help to think it would very.
As far as going to mush I don't think so, I do think it would swell.
If a box 18" x 14" x 12" were filled at start it will hold about 5 pounds after in the kiln a day or two another 3 to 4 pounds could be added. it settles.
No I don't think it is complicated...Just have not done it. I don't doubt that it works am sure it does I just have this terrible tendency to wonder about the hows and whys.I think Bob already answered your questions: It kilns just fine, there is no difference in quality from the outside to the middle, but you may want to add a day or two up front to get the block uniformly humid. The humidity and temp values don't have to be super exact. as long as they stay in the range it will be fine. This isn't chemical engineering, it's just aging tobacco.
Was not thinking huge blocks the box thing was just to point out what a box might hold in pounds in relation to it's size.I'm not sure what you get with a huge block of tobacco. The humidity for aging just needs to be somewhere around 60% for it to progress. If the kiln is running between 120-130ºF, with a measured humidity in the 70-80% range, then apparently sufficient moisture makes it to the center (of my small books of leaf).
My take on the chemical situation is that it needs sufficient moisture to age, with higher not necessarily making it faster, but the process does go faster with increasing temperature (starting at about 60 or 70ºF, up to the mid 140's). The oxidase enzyme is destroyed at ~149ºF. Once it's gone, it's gone. My impression is also that temps above ~135ºF tend to darken the leaf color more than staying below 130ºF.
Bob
I made a 7 1/2" x 12" x 1 1/2" brick which weighed in at 4 1/2 pounds. Wrapped in a pillow case and strapped with fishing line.
I think I can get 3 such bricks in my little unit . Oh yeah I de-ribbed them also. This would be almost 1/2 my years needs for ciggerettes. Will post results soon . Machine is set for 124 deg F and moisture is not adjusted yet but have unit in mail for that . Will run at 75%??????