Jonesy
Philippians 4:13
Re: AmaxB- Flue Curing Tobacco at Home my Wins & Fails
Heater and crock pot…? Please enlighten me
Heater and crock pot…? Please enlighten me
AmaxB- Flue Curing Tobacco at Home: Wins & Fails
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DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Re: AmaxB- Flue Curing Tobacco at Home my Wins & Fails
I have both set up to be able to better regulate humidity. Crock pot with water & heat adds humidity; ceramic (dry) heater removes humidity. Both are on separate controls without opening the kiln.
I have both set up to be able to better regulate humidity. Crock pot with water & heat adds humidity; ceramic (dry) heater removes humidity. Both are on separate controls without opening the kiln.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
First I am learning as are most of us.
Best settings am not sure there are any every thing revolves around the chamber and the batch of tobacco being flue cured. There are general settings or boundaries
you want to try to stay within.
Sub-Considerations
These effect the tobacco grown - leaf thickness - time to maturity - etc. and getting nitty-gritty stalk position, how mature, variety, and other factors can mean different
settings may be used to get the best cure. It goes on and can be a lot to wrap your head around so don't try it will come with experience. Keep it simple cure some tobacco
paying attention to what is going on - the real teacher - getting your hands dirty while keeping notes.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Photos AR cured I feel the African Red was a win took awhile but the result is good.
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Have started batch 4 and loaded the chamber up (2 tiers) with a mix have no idea how many leaves. Am leaving the interior light off the leaves block it so it can't light the chamber anyway.
Am holding Dry Bulb temp at 95F and Wet Bulb temp at 93F first 24 hours. Than will increase slowly 5F at a time over a few hours to Dry temp 103F and Wet temp 100 than let it finish out
the second 24 hours if it goes well all will be yellowed if not I will adjust until it is.
The leaf I loaded
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Smoked some of the African Red Oh Yeah very nice can't wait to finish it and smoke again. It is going to be some good STUFF...
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Have started batch 4 and loaded the chamber up (2 tiers) with a mix have no idea how many leaves. Am leaving the interior light off the leaves block it so it can't light the chamber anyway.
Am holding Dry Bulb temp at 95F and Wet Bulb temp at 93F first 24 hours. Than will increase slowly 5F at a time over a few hours to Dry temp 103F and Wet temp 100 than let it finish out
the second 24 hours if it goes well all will be yellowed if not I will adjust until it is.
The leaf I loaded
.
.....
Smoked some of the African Red Oh Yeah very nice can't wait to finish it and smoke again. It is going to be some good STUFF...
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
The photos are good photos of Ripe Leaf
Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
The African Red Looks Delicious
bonehead
Well-Known Member
i wan't to try that african red and silver river next year. that african red looks beautiful. you must be pleased with your results so far. i wan't to grow the african red for a tobacco with a good nicotine kick to mix in with what i use now. let us know how it smokes.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
The A.R. is good and is a good choice to grow (in my book) I shredded 3 leaves I'm not good at describing flavor but is kind of spicy, never smoked anything like it.
After I age it a little I am sure it is going to be one of my favorites and it does have nicotine.
It flavors my aged VA bright leaf nicely as it is on about a 50/50 mix..
After growing my own and smoking leaf tobacco it will be very hard to find anything from big tobacco to match it.
If you don't want to grow than buy good leaf and age it. If you don't and buy packaged cigarettes your foolish or lazy
After I age it a little I am sure it is going to be one of my favorites and it does have nicotine.
It flavors my aged VA bright leaf nicely as it is on about a 50/50 mix..
After growing my own and smoking leaf tobacco it will be very hard to find anything from big tobacco to match it.
If you don't want to grow than buy good leaf and age it. If you don't and buy packaged cigarettes your foolish or lazy
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
80 to 90 hours in the box trying to cut that in half. Some leaves have yellow and some don't before they go in, the real yellowing is done in the chamber.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Am hopeful leaves are turning yellow and have not hit the 24 hour mark yet. have increase dry temperature and is now 98F and wet is 95F in about 3 hours I will increase the dry temp to 100F and wet will stay at 95F.
I am convinced the trick is to run hot and wet enough to invoke yellowing while avoiding scold, rot, and sponging all three are due to heat with to much moisture and or prolonged timing.
I am convinced the trick is to run hot and wet enough to invoke yellowing while avoiding scold, rot, and sponging all three are due to heat with to much moisture and or prolonged timing.
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Win: first run that was handed had some green/grey leaves i just figured did not yellow properly.....after 5 days rest, they have nearly taken on the finished gold color of the nice hands. Maybe i don't need to obsess so much about perfect yellowing.
Fail: i can say conclusively over-yellowing is bad. A few leaves in batch 2 were nearly yellow when put in. AS i went into wilt those leaves had turned into light brown paper Mache'. Appears over-yellowed leaf gives up moisture AND substance. s
Fail: i can say conclusively over-yellowing is bad. A few leaves in batch 2 were nearly yellow when put in. AS i went into wilt those leaves had turned into light brown paper Mache'. Appears over-yellowed leaf gives up moisture AND substance. s
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
from what I am seeing the fail was to much moisture and heat - to long or to much moisture with rapid temperature climb. Seen in my second batch.
The Win the green gray I believe was sponging.
This forth batch I am running now, I am using the simple schedule workhorse posted this the other day. I've had it but not tried it till now.
Seems to be working... I tossed the 1F an hour out the window and will only be using the 2 steps for yellowing with dry/wet bulb
seems to be working I'll not go to 105F am staying at 103 second half with the 95F wet bulb.
Am running mixed varieties and opened the door a few seconds about 20 minutes ago and it is looking good.
If around noon tomorrow I am seeing to much green I will than advance temperature but hold the wet bulb.
[FONT=&]Recommended Curing Schedule[/FONT]
| [FONT=&]Hours[/FONT] | [FONT=&]Dry Bulb Temp[/FONT] | [FONT=&]Advance Rate[/FONT] | [FONT=&]Wet Bulb[/FONT] |
| [FONT=&]0-24[/FONT] | [FONT=&]90[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]-100[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] | [FONT=&]1[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]/HR[/FONT] | [FONT=&]95[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] |
| [FONT=&]24-48[/FONT] | [FONT=&]100[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]-105[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] | [FONT=&]1[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]/HR[/FONT] | [FONT=&]102[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] |
| [FONT=&]48-72[/FONT] | [FONT=&]105[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]-120[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] | [FONT=&]1[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]/HR[/FONT] | [FONT=&]105[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] |
| [FONT=&]72...[/FONT] | [FONT=&]120[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]-165[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT] | [FONT=&]1[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&]/HR[/FONT] | [FONT=&]105[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&] Lower Stalk[/FONT] |
| [FONT=&]108[/FONT][FONT=&]°[/FONT][FONT=&] Upper Stalk[/FONT] |
Do NOT leave 120° Dry Bulb until the tobacco is yellow
If you use curing gas, do so during 24-48 hour period
This schedule is tested and proven, some variation may occur depending on your tobacco
To attain proper Wet Bulb reading change wicks every cure
Proper Wet Bulb reading is critical to maximize fuel efficiency
Periodically check Wet Bulb accuracy with a hygrometer
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking we are stuck thinking in terms of phases. Instead should be going by the leaf to a greater degree. If at 48 hrs there are still leaves with heavy green but going yellow those leaves need more heat to yellow. While those that have gone yellow need to dry out more to minimise browning so more heat is needed here to. I feel advancing the heat here is needed while not going so high as to set green color.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
I totally agree with you. My green leaf that was left went yellow after the advance.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
I did a mixed batch so it is a hard one ... this helps
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Oh and the Samsun X breed PHYB is curing out brown and thick
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Batch 4 VA Bright Leaf
This is close almost there.....
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This is close almost there.....
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AmaxB
Well-Known Member
It is looking sort of Tan in the photos - but is not it is Gold
Almost there? What's wrong with it. It looks good enough to eat. Or smoke.
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