SmokeStack
Well-Known Member
I have read that a good way to store tobacco is to dry it to a crisp and let it age. The question I have is how can tobacco age if it is completely dried. I am assuming the aging is mediated through the action of enzymes. My crude understanding of enzymes is that a substrate must bind to an active site where the chemistry is taking place. If there is no water (solvent) present, then how can substrates "travel" to the active site (or vice-versa). It seems that storing tobacco in dry (crispy) state would slow down or stop the aging process. Wouldn't it be better to store tobacco in a "hydrated" form?
I place my tobacco in 2 gallon snap-lid jars that have a rubber seal to lock in moisture. If the tobacco is too dry, I mist it with water - only enough so that they leaf is limp. It is even easier to handle the leaf when hydrated as it will not crack and crumble. The only downside of this is that these jars hold no more than a pound and a half of tobacco leaf and each jar costs about $12.00 each - so I store only my most valuable leaf in these jars. I will have to construct a large wooden box with a humidifier for the rest of my tobacco.
I place my tobacco in 2 gallon snap-lid jars that have a rubber seal to lock in moisture. If the tobacco is too dry, I mist it with water - only enough so that they leaf is limp. It is even easier to handle the leaf when hydrated as it will not crack and crumble. The only downside of this is that these jars hold no more than a pound and a half of tobacco leaf and each jar costs about $12.00 each - so I store only my most valuable leaf in these jars. I will have to construct a large wooden box with a humidifier for the rest of my tobacco.