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Really Easy Perique Press

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chillardbee

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There we go. Ok, Thats media for ya. But that clearly shows the barrel with no wax paper during the curing process. I would think that they use the wax paper after the fermentation is done and they putting it into storage.

I apologize to bob for taking the 'really easy perique press' thread and complicating the heck out of it. In the case of perique, after taking a season to grow it and then taking the next year to press and ferment it, I believe that it'll be worth while to try to achieve some of the similarities the the Martins use so we can get a product as similar to what they get. If my final result is, and this is my hope, to get a baccy that is as good as the Martins worst batch, then I will consider myself successful.
 

deluxestogie

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That "wax" paper may not be coated with wax (which I would not want against my tobacco). It could be a type of butcher paper that is either uncoated, or coated with air-permeable, food-grade plastic on one side. Since, with my Lexan jar, I want to see the Perique in all its gooey black glory, I'll leave out the paper.

Bob
 

chillardbee

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That "wax" paper may not be coated with wax (which I would not want against my tobacco). It could be a type of butcher paper that is either uncoated, or coated with air-permeable, food-grade plastic on one side. Since, with my Lexan jar, I want to see the Perique in all its gooey black glory, I'll leave out the paper.

Bob

In that video where they are unwrapping the decade series, That doesn't look like wax paper to me. I've seen that stuff before but I don't know the name of it. I think you might see it between panels or stuff like that. It's a rather tough material.
 

deluxestogie

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Perique Press in Action

Continued from the 1[sup]st[/sup] post of this thread.

I had 50-60 Bolivia Criollo Black mud lugs that had fully color-cured, so I decided that the time had come to do a trial batch of Perique.

The leaf was stemmed, then weighed: ~1/4 pound of stemmed leaf. If we assume that the final product will also be about 1/4 pound, then it would be enough to make up a 1 pound batch of pipe tobacco.

Perique20130723_823_leafAndDisks_300.jpg


I sawed (with a bow saw) 3 disks of varying heights from the wood fence post. They came out a bit lopsided, but it won't matter.

As leaf is added to the Lexan jar in handfuls, it is heavily misted. So as it goes in, the leaf is wet.

Perique20130723_824_addLeafToJar_300.jpg
Perique20130723_826_mistingLeaf_300.jpg


Using the follower (or you could just use the tall wood disk), the added leaf is pressed down, then more leaf added.

Perique20130723_827_handCompressing_300.jpg


With all 1/4 pound of leaf strip tamped down, I added the (optional) plastic grid.

Perique20130723_828_gridAdded_300.jpg


The plastic follower, then the appropriate height wood disk are inserted on top of the grid. The upper arm of the press is raised out of the way, and the jar positioned on the twin feet of the clamp.

Perique20130723_829_positionJarOnClamp_300.jpg


The upper arm is lowered, with the clamping screw retracted. Then the screw handle is turned to firmly compress the wet leaf.

Perique20130723_830_lowerClampArm_300.jpg


The bubbles seen in the image below indicate that the leaf has been squeezed. Really, all I did was tighten the clamp a lot, until it was difficult to turn.

Perique20130723_832_bubbles_300.jpg


The final touch is a scrap of Agribon, which will serve as a bug shield. It is held by a rubber band above and below. (I don't think this is actually needed.)

Perique20130723_833_AgribonBugShield_300.jpg


Since the double-head clamp with the jar in place stands up on its own, this can be placed in any convenient location. I'll tighten the clamp daily, then release it in about a week, and maybe remove and replace the leaf.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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During the 2 days since I set up the Perique, I have tightened the screw handle a bit, maybe twice a day. This morning, I added just enough water to insure that the tobacco remained beneath it.

When the nicotine in the solution is exposed to air, it oxidizes, becoming dark brown. Today, I released the pressure until the liquid was reabsorbed by the leaf(a few minutes), then re-tightened the press. As you can see below, the liquid has darkened significantly from the initial photo of the bubbles. The leaf color is unchanged.

Perique20130725_836_bubbles_2da_300.jpg


I believe that these bubbles (in both photos) are simply the result of pressing air out of the leaf, and not the result of any chemical process at this point. At the end of the first week, I plan to remove all the leaf from the press, and spread it out (to expose it all to air), with the expectation of significant darkening of the leaf itself. Then it will go back in.

My suspicion is that the only purpose this serves is to alter the leaf color.

Something that I've failed to mention is that this jar, which currently holds only 1/4 pound of leaf strip, could probably be filled with about 4 or 5 pounds of leaf.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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How long do you think it's going to take to get your final result?
I'm guessing about 3 months, maybe longer. The time required probably depends on the ambient temperature.

The see-through Lexan is more fun than looking at the outside of an opaque, oak barrel.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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At 1 Week

Today (one week after starting), I extracted all the leaf from the Perique press, using a pair of kitchen tongs, after releasing the pressure and allowing all the liquid to be absorbed (though not well distributed). It was tightly packed in there. I spread the leaf strips about a large sheet of aluminum foil, then used my fingers to pull apart any of the denser wads.

Perique20130731_855_airingLeaf_1wk_400.jpg


I teased it apart a bit more after taking the photo.

The aroma is delightful. It has the faint odor of alcohol, and a richer aroma of over-ripe fruit--like walking beneath a fruit tree that has recently dropped fruit. I find nothing unpleasant in the aroma. The liquid is not tar-like, that is, it's not viscous--only a deep coffee brown water. I suspect that the alcohol aroma is from actual fermentation of the scant carbohydrates remaining in the leaf juice.

The texture of the leaf is similar to that of finished, high case Perique--very thin, stretchy, and tough as leather.

I've decided to leave out the plastic grid disk, since it seemed to create tiny pockets of less-compressed leaf. (It fit the jar so perfectly that it was a pain to lift it out.) After airing for about 1 hour (on this humid day) the leaf was heavily misted again, then returned to confinement.

I'll pull it out again in a month or so. Meanwhile, I'll add only enough water to keep the leaf blocked from air.

Bob
 

Jitterbugdude

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Glad to see you were able to seperate the leaf. Using my 20 ton shop press I obviously use waaaaaaay to much pressure because mine comes out as an inseperable block. Still smells and smokes nice, I just can't get the individual leaves apart. In about 2 weeks I'll be starting my Turique Perique in my plug press I made. I will be using Turkish Bitlis hence the term Turkique Perique.
 

LeftyRighty

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Jitter...... When I did my perique press a few years ago, I used several C-clamps, hand torqued as tight as I could. I kept lots of added water to it, and the first month or so I couldn't separate the leaf either. After a couple months, I could remove the 'brick', bend, twist, work the brick for a few minutes, then the leaf would separate. Was not easy but did seperate. When finished, about 5+ months, was able to separate the leaf to shred.
I'm guessing that you have to wait until the sticky-gooey stuff breaks down.
Give it time, and it may work for you too.
 
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workhorse_01

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Bob, What temperature are you storing it at while under pressure? I ask because certain things ferment better at different temps.
At 1 Week

Today (one week after starting), I extracted all the leaf from the Perique press, using a pair of kitchen tongs, after releasing the pressure and allowing all the liquid to be absorbed (though not well distributed). It was tightly packed in there. I spread the leaf strips about a large sheet of aluminum foil, then used my fingers to pull apart any of the denser wads.

Perique20130731_855_airingLeaf_1wk_400.jpg


I teased it apart a bit more after taking the photo.

The aroma is delightful. It has the faint odor of alcohol, and a richer aroma of over-ripe fruit--like walking beneath a fruit tree that has recently dropped fruit. I find nothing unpleasant in the aroma. The liquid is not tar-like, that is, it's not viscous--only a deep coffee brown water. I suspect that the alcohol aroma is from actual fermentation of the scant carbohydrates remaining in the leaf juice.

The texture of the leaf is similar to that of finished, high case Perique--very thin, stretchy, and tough as leather.

I've decided to leave out the plastic grid disk, since it seemed to create tiny pockets of less-compressed leaf. (It fit the jar so perfectly that it was a pain to lift it out.) After airing for about 1 hour (on this humid day) the leaf was heavily misted again, then returned to confinement.

I'll pull it out again in a month or so. Meanwhile, I'll add only enough water to keep the leaf blocked from air.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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Good question about the temp.

The Perique press is sitting in a corner of my front porch, so it is subject to whatever the outdoor temp happens to be. It is not in direct sunlight, and is shielded from rain. While I'm sure there exists some ideal temp, historically the Perique sheds in St. James parish, Louisiana were not climate controlled.

As with many of my projects, one of my goals is to ignore any complexities that can be ignored. The Perique may be finished by the end of October, but regardless, it will come indoors to the enclosed back porch if freezing temps occur.

Bob
 

johnlee1933

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As with many of my projects, one of my goals is to ignore any complexities that can be ignored. The Perique may be finished by the end of October, but regardless, it will come indoors to the enclosed back porch if freezing temps occur.Bob
Do you apply that to cheese making as well?
 

deluxestogie

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Do you apply that to cheese making as well?
While basic cheese making is simple, making a specific cheese, with a specific texture, taste, aroma and appearance often comes down to differences measured in a couple of minutes or a few degrees at various stages. If I will be happy with "a cheddar-like cheese" or "a Perique-like tobacco", then life is easy.

Bob
 

BarG

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It's the simple things in life that can make you happy. "Kill yourself with kindness" as my old man used to say.
 

chillardbee

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Having that cheese clothe around the press might be a good idea Bob. I don't know if fruit flies would be attracted by the fermentation of baccy the way they are with wine, but if one did get in there it might just ruin your batch. fruit flies carry a bacteria that, when it eats the alcahol, turns it into acetic acid (vinegar). It's well worth the precaution.
 

deluxestogie

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Department of Corrections

As you may have read earlier in this thread, my batch of Perique was started with Bolivia Criollo Black lugs. Since, after 3 weeks, the color is dark, but not tar black, I wondered if the Bolivia lug contained too little nicotine and other resins to make a good Perique.

Last night, as I was about to go to bed, I made my rounds of the indoor tobacco happenings (kiln, Cozy Can, and enclosed back porch), and inspected some of the curing leaf. My working theory about hanging leaf in the porch is that it tends to maintain a lower relative humidity than the shed. Once leaf has at least fully yellowed, I move strings from the shed into the back porch, to minimize the risk of mold during prolonged humid weather. It also makes more hanging room in the shed for green leaf. The humidity has been high all week.

Unfortunately, I discovered that a string of about 50 Bolivia Criollo Black leaf (mid-stalk, prime stuff) had begun to mold along the succulent stems--some as thick as my little finger. The lamina had acquired a lovely reddish, light brown. The molded stems were still yellow.

When Good Leaf Goes Bad

I carried the blighted string into the kitchen and inspected each leaf individually. Those with any sign of mold (it was all a white mold) were lightly sprayed with a 50% solution of distilled vinegar down the stem on both sides. The entire string was then taken to my front porch and hung on the iron railing. A box fan was set up beside it, blowing on the leaf through the night.

By morning, there was hardly a hint of the vinegar odor. The leaf was damp. I stripped it all, discarding just a few scraps of soggy lamina. The pile of leaf strip was then added helter-skelter to the Perique press, and squished down.

Perique20130814_896_closeUp_3wks_300.jpg

Possible issues:
  • Will adding leaf 3 weeks after starting create a problem with the process?
  • Will the residual acidity of the vinegar be enough to affect the process?
  • Will the added mold grow within the press?
  • Do I restart my 3 month timer?
Perique20130814_895_moreLeafAdded_3wks_300.jpg

Perique press at 3 weeks, with newly added leaf.

Bob
 

DonH

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If Perique fermentation is a yeast-sugar-alcohol on the problem will be that by adding vinegar you might turn into a vinegar fermentation. Unless the distillation process kills the vinegar microorganisms which is likely.
 
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