Blend Recommendations for WLT Sampler + Latakia

[deluxestogie]

Its almost like you guys know what you are talking about!

Almost. Each of us has different taste buds, with different sensitivities. (To me, arugula greens taste like sucking the bottom end of a dandelion stalk—bitter latex! I can taste flavors in many types of cigar glue.) And for each of us, the things that we put into our mouths (toothpaste flavoring, coffee, corn flakes, etc.) prior to smoking a pipe will impact perception of the tobacco blend. So, like tightening shoe laces, coming up with an "ideal" pipe blend is literally personal.

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

If you have time, you might enjoy skimming my thread following my early attempts at blending with my own successes and failures. Also my DIY tobacco presses! https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/beginners-pipe-blending.8538/

 

[ProZachJ]

I ran out of encyclopedias the stack bags under so I resorted to a take on the carotte method. The bags definitely will not survive the unwrapping but seems like I can get them just as compressed as being under the books...and they fit pretty nicely in my desk drawer. ....Fingers crossed

 

[ProZachJ]

I asked bard to generate some images for bright and Burley ...these are fun...I think the last one wins

 

[ProZachJ]

Blends in Blends

I mixed up two simple blends

Oriental Blend is equal parts Izmir and Samsun
Virginia Blend is equal parts lemon, bright, and red

Then I used as follows

Latakia: 4
Oriental Blend: 2
Virginia Blend: 9
Dark Air: 1

I will see how it goes in the morning. Happy Friday folks!

 

[ProZachJ]

Change of plans

After taking Bright n Burley out of the tape after a few days I decided to get creative...

just put it in the smallest mason jar that will hold the volume you blended, press it down with your thumbs (clean hands) with some pressure, and jar it up.

I did this, but then I put a seedling heat mat in an igloo and put the jar on top of it. After a few hours the air temp is the cooler stays around 90 but my infrared thermometer shows the tobacco in the jar at 115. After 24hours like this, the smell of the blend had changed a lot mellower...sweeter.

I decided to do the same with the blend from last night. This morning the new blend had a pretty grassy aroma but the BnB smelled amazing so I decided to give it another go. I'm encouraged by it. No more rawness, definitely sweeter and I can taste the dark and Burley much more thanks before.

Y'all let me know if this is a terrible idea or pitfalls I could encounter. I'm thinking to try this for a week on the new blend.

 

[deluxestogie]

pitfalls I could encounter

Below 122°F, mold growth may become an issue.

Bob

 

[ProZachJ]

Below 122°F, mold growth may become an issue.

Bob

Noted, I'll be sure to check on it and air it out regularly. I assume it being fairly dry would help reduce the risk? When I put it into the jar it was in nearly smokeable case.

 

[deluxestogie]

I assume it being fairly dry would help reduce the risk?

"The vast majority of mold species require “water activity” levels that are equivalent to material equilibrium moisture contents corresponding to relative humidities of at least 70%."

Mold Growth - FSEC®

There are four critical requirements for mold growth: available mold spores, available mold food, appropriate temperatures, and considerable moisture. The removal of any one of these items will prohibit mold growth. Mold can be managed effectively in most cases and this guide will help you do that.

energyresearch.ucf.edu

You get to find out.

Bob

 

[ProZachJ]

"The vast majority of mold species require “water activity” levels that are equivalent to material equilibrium moisture contents corresponding to relative humidities of at least 70%."

Mold Growth - FSEC®

There are four critical requirements for mold growth: available mold spores, available mold food, appropriate temperatures, and considerable moisture. The removal of any one of these items will prohibit mold growth. Mold can be managed effectively in most cases and this guide will help you do that.

energyresearch.ucf.edu

You get to find out.

Bob

I think I'm having too much fun. The RH in my room is kept at 50-55% by a dehumidifier. No idea about the inside of jars inside a heated ice chest though. Stay tuned for another episode of Zach's experiments flirting with mold growth!

 

[deluxestogie]

Some years ago, I used all that remained of a particular variety of tobacco that I had grown, to make a sizeable batch of Cavendish. Once it had been allowed to dry down to a case with a "feel" comparable to commercial Cavendish, I placed it into a Ziploc bag, and stored it in my humidor, which remains at about 61% RH. A few weeks later, my bag of special Cavendish was all mold.

Since that awakening, I have come to store tobacco either dry, or in specific curing arrangements (higher temps or in anaerobic conditions) that minimize the risk of mold. I may be overreacting.

Bob

 

[ProZachJ]

I may be overreacting

Probably just wisdom gained from experience

Given the extreme humidity levels (90%+) in my area for the majority of the year I feel like I'm going to have to become an expert in fighting mold.

Given I have neither wisdom nor experience, I'll consider this a jumpstart for that learning

If I loose this small batch it will be a slightly less than a minor inconvenience.

 

[ProZachJ]

When I took it out this evening after 24hrs on the heat it definitely felt more moist, especially the bottom portion of the jar. I'm airing it out for a couple hours before tucking it back in for the night. The smell has improved a decent amount from this morning. Less grassy, still a bit, but I'll probably be convinced to sample it in the morning.

 

[Ycc]

1.我玩得很开心。
2. 我的整个房子闻起来像拉塔基亚。对我来说还好，但对我的另一半来说没那么好：D
3.我很难保持切割的一致性，需要更好的刀。
4. 我想如果我要按重量混合，我需要尝试让品种之间的水分含量更加接近。似乎有些品种的一克是一堆，而另一些品种的一克则很少。也许我应该按体积混合？
5. 现在我想我只需等待这些混合物发挥作用一周左右？我把它们放在一大堆书下面。

Mixing science by volume or by weight?

 

[ProZachJ]

I am mixing by weight using a gram scale, but taking a little more care to get all the ingredients close in their level of case by letting them air out in my humidity controlled room before jaring them up.

 

[ProZachJ]

Well, two nights in the "blend Incubator" was enough to remove the raw grassy smell from the jar but not enough when smoked. The first 1/3+ of the bowl was similar to other first morning attempts. After that, great, just needs more time.

I'm now suspecting that having the BnB taped up for a few days before putting it into the jar may have been the primary reason for the improvement. Luckily I still have some SB And SHB rolled up from that batch so I can test that theory by trying them straight out of the untaped roll.

I think for now I'll be smoking the BnB in the mornings while I keep experimenting with and aging the other blends.

 

[ProZachJ]

For Science

Because of my slightly confused method of having left the BnB in the carotte for three days and then immediately putting it into the blend Incubator overnight, I had no way of knowing which treatment caused what change to the flavor. I mean I know heating is enhancing the jar aroma, but kinda no brainer that heat makes things smell more... Good thing I had left many of my other batches well alone.

Tonight I took out some Smyrna Half Bright that has been in the carotte for 5 days and put a couple bowls aside before packing the rest into a jar.

From smoking the carotte only bowl, I'm pretty certain that it is responsible for the VAST majority of the flavor change. This stuff is already an absolute dream. For Science I'll incubate the rest for 24hrs and see if anything else changes, but Jimmie, this is really really good as is.

 

[ProZachJ]

I think tonight's comparison confirms the above conclusion. 24hrs in the low heat jar didn't change anything detectable. Carotte for the win. Now I can't wait to retry the other blends that have been wrapped up since the 24th of Jan

 

[ProZachJ]

I took the blend of blends, that for strange reasons got labeled "Smyrna 13", out of the blend incubator after 5 days and 6 nights. It was very good, rawness gone. Compared to a similar amount of time in the carotte method though not quite as mellow or sweet.

The good news though is that I now have about 5 ounces of excellent morning smokes between Smyrna Half Bright, Bright n Burley, and Smyrna 13.

Thanks all for the advice and encouragement.

 

[ProZachJ]

A sampler kit ready for a good month rest. An ounce of each packed as tightly into the pint jars as my fingers can press.