2nd Batch of Homemade Flake

[Bruck]

Tnx to all who read and commented on my first thread about homemade flake. With a new chamber gifted from a BOTL on the Puff forum, I made a 2nd batch over the weekend. I posted a similar thread over on Puff BTW, for those of you who read both forums, and get a feeling of deja vu

This batch is a mixture of cigar scraps and VA flue cured. A few posters suggested flavorings, but for this batch I wanted to see how straight tobacco would taste.

Here's the chamber as it's being filled. I applied alternating layers of VA flue cured and cigar scraps, slightly moistened with DW for pliability.

Here's a pic of the whole setup - the floor plate is a piece of 1x8 pine with a layer of waxed paper on top. Also, I coated the chamber and pressure plate with vegetable oil to minimize rust and interaction between the tobacco and the steel.

Here's the setup in action. Approx. one plastic grocery bag of loose cigar scraps plus a little less than 1/4 pound of VA flue cured with stems removed pressed down to about 1".

Not sure how much pressure I applied - I squeezed it till I heard the wood cracking. I left it in the press for 24 hours & removed the brick:

Here's a pic of a slice from the brick, and some that I crumbled:

Result: flavor is pretty good, although not as good as commercial VA flake (what was I expecting?). Burned pretty well - nice and cool, only requiring 1 relight in the 45 minutes that it burned, and no gurgling

 

[Planter]

...Burned pretty well - nice and cool, only requiring 1 relight in the 45 minutes that it burned, and no gurgling

In that regard I find the homemade superior to most commercial pipe tobaccos.

Commercial VA flakes normally do have casings/flavourings, even the seemingly most natural ones.

There are some I enjoy, and I do not try to "imitate" them. Because in the meantime I can make stuff which is not buyable, for example pipe tobacco based on cigar leaf. I just had a bowl of that mixed with a similar amount of Oriental (cube cut, too). The aromatic spectrum of that is similar to a rich cigar, but sweeter. Perhaps not to everybody´s taste, but it agrees with me (i.e. no tongue bite no matter how long or fast the draws).

 

[quo155]

I think it looks great and I can only imagine that is smokes all the better than commercial flake. It's amazing to me of just how much I love all of the many commercial pipe tobaccos...when I smoke something that is homemade...its even that much better.

Great new setup!

 

[Bruck]

In that regard I find the homemade superior to most commercial pipe tobaccos.

Commercial VA flakes normally do have casings/flavourings, even the seemingly most natural ones.

There are some I enjoy, and I do not try to "imitate" them. Because in the meantime I can make stuff which is not buyable, for example pipe tobacco based on cigar leaf. I just had a bowl of that mixed with a similar amount of Oriental (cube cut, too). The aromatic spectrum of that is similar to a rich cigar, but sweeter. Perhaps not to everybody´s taste, but it agrees with me (i.e. no tongue bite no matter how long or fast the draws).

One of my favorite mixes ("blends" would imply that I had any idea what I was doing) is 1/2 English Latakia and 1/2 Cavendish made from cigar scaps.

 

[quo155]

One of my favorite mixes ("blends" would imply that I had any idea what I was doing) is 1/2 English Latakia and 1/2 Cavendish made from cigar scaps.

This one sounds really good...

 

[Bruck]

This one sounds really good...

It's one of my go-tos
Another one I like to do is homemade flake + one of my several commercial/aromatic blends - puts "corners" on the flavor for me.

 

[quo155]

It's one of my go-tos
Another one I like to do is homemade flake + one of my several commercial/aromatic blends - puts "corners" on the flavor for me.

Very cool...and helpful!

 

[Jitterbugdude]

One of my favorite mixes ("blends" would imply that I had any idea what I was doing) is 1/2 English Latakia and 1/2 Cavendish made from cigar scaps.

What is "English Latakia"? I thought the only Latakia available was Cyprian.

 

[Bruck]

What is "English Latakia"? I thought the only Latakia available was Cyprian.

Heck if I know
That was the label on the big jar at Wild Bill's (in Clawson, MI) where I bought it. & it's the only Latakia I've tried so far, so I don't have any basis for comparison.
It's pretty tasty though, either by itself or mixed with VA flake.

 

[DirkReids]

Well I must say you have done awesome job.. I need to learn and try it ASAP.. I am getting very excited..Thanks

 

[Bruck]

Well I must say you have done awesome job.. I need to learn and try it ASAP.. I am getting very excited..Thanks

Tnx vm!
Not a whole lot to the mechanics of it. I'm still working on developing a good flavor.

I made another batch over the weekend, this time with abt 2/3 VA flue cured, 1/3 burley, and a smattering of cavendish made from cigar rolling scraps, cased or topped (not sure of the difference) with a mix of diluted molasses and vanilla extract.

It turned out okay, texture was good, burned well, but it's a little on the bland side, at least the few flakes I scraped off of it a couple days ago. I'm pressing the rest of the brick under a 25# plate right now, and will shave off a slice or two every week or so to see if the flavor changes over time.

 

[quo155]

Purdy!

 

[rustycase]

i could put in my 2 cents??

instead of the veggie oil, you could add a tad bit of PG and/or glycerine to the water you use bringing up to case for the pressing.
both have no flavor, and are commonly used as humectants.
Less is definitely better!

...and a 2x with a scrap of ply set on it would be far superior to that 1x pine!

Looks great!
rc

 

[Bruck]

Tnx, Rusty.

Q re glycerine - I've never used it basically bcs I don't know what to buy. Is is just the glycerine skin moisturizer, like from CVS?

Re the wood - the brick is between a couple pieces of plywood with a weight plate on top. I put wax paper on either side of the tobacco to keep it from absorbing any wood flavors. Is that what you're talking about?

tnx.

 

[Bruck]

Here's my latest batch of flake, fresh out of the press:

It consists of abt 1/2 VA flue cured, 1/4 burley, and 1/4 VA something or other that a BOTL in southern VA sent me. It was topped with a mix of some kind of liquor, vanilla, and simple sugar. I moistened the whole batch with a mix of DW, Irish whiskey, vanilla, almond extract, and molasses.

I pressed it at ~750 psi for about 24 hours, then extracted it and put it under a 25# plate where it will rest and "marry" for a few weeks, although I'm sure I'll be trying slices of it periodically.

I'm attempting to produce something along the lines of MacBaren VA Flake. Smells like it so far, we'll have to see how the flavor and burn go.

 

[Knucklehead]

What is BOTL and DW?

 

[DGBAMA]

What is BOTL and DW?

DW . Distilled Water
BOTL . Brother Of The Leaf

 

[Bruck]

Just now having a bowl of the flake I made in early June. The flavor has pretty well set in now, so I sliced and jarred the remaining portion. It's not bad, but a little too tangy/citrusy for my tastes - the effect of the predominant VA flue cured. It's kind of like a conventional VA flake with a dash of lemon Burn is excellent, though; it's been burning for about 45 minutes and only required one relight.

And as a side note, it makes a halfway decent chaw, which is good bcs I don't like smoking in my truck and I have a longish commute

 

[Craig Mad Bricky]

Good to see you Bruce!

 

[craigmadbricky]

I must say that I have really enjoyed the product of your press @Bruck I am keenly interested in making a better press for VaPer!