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Cased Tobacco Pipe Blend Recipes

GWLee

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Are vape flavors safe to be used on pipe tobacco? If so how are they applied?
Also, forgot to note that sometimes, just spritzing the liquid on the tobacco and letting it sit for a while to absorb is another way. Typically doing it this way, I spread my tobacco blend out on wax paper on my workbench and then using a spray bottle, will squirt anywhere between 10 to 50 times per one side, then flip the tobacco over and repeat, then gently mix up the tobacco so that the flavoring touches as much tobacco as possible - inside to out, outside to inside, bottom to top, top to bottom, left to right, etc. Just like when blending the tobacco, just mix it all up. I then let it sit for a bit to let the moisture sort of evaporate, then I'll put the blend into a ziplock type bag but will not seal it, and let it "mellow" overnight. The next day, I'll mix the bag contents and let it again sit unsealed, but not totally open to the air either. Every so often I'll mix the contents again, the goal is to reduce the moisture as much as possible in a slow manner before it is sealed up in a jar.

Using the above is how I first started flavoring my tobacco, and it was sort of hit and miss, hence the reason I went to a more aggressive method as described in previous post.

Either way, it's always an enjoyable adventure with many turns and twists. Sometimes I hit where I was aiming, lots of times I don't though. HOWEVER the BIGGEST thing that I have learned is to keep a written log of EVERYTHING I do so that it can be repeated. That starts from mixing the blending tobaccos, to mixing the flavors and then all the final steps prior to test burning. I'll then go and analyze what I think I taste and smell from the test burn and see how I may need to adjust.

I don't think that there is per se a set way of doing something, more just general and what I enjoy, many folks would not and vice versa, everyone has their own vision of bliss in regards to their tobacco flavors.
 

logs

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@GWLee The dazzling array of vape flavors seem like a promising area to be used in pipe tobacco as casing or topping, provided they're safe to smoke. Ernie Q has mentioned using them too but hasn't gone into detail.
What specific flavors have you tried that worked well?
 

GWLee

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@GWLee The dazzling array of vape flavors seem like a promising area to be used in pipe tobacco as casing or topping, provided they're safe to smoke. Ernie Q has mentioned using them too but hasn't gone into detail.
What specific flavors have you tried that worked well?
Thanks!

To date I have used butterscotch, butter pecan (my favorite), brown sugar, caramel and vanilla for flavor liquids, have cinnamon, butter rum and a couple other flavors that I will be trying in the future. Have also used Christian Brothers Brandy and Wild Turkey for liquor. The brandy turned out really spectacular, but still tweaking for perfection.

I have used all of the above in various recipes using both methods I mentioned earlier, but have found that letting the tobacco sit in the liquid over time as a cavendish effect to be better. I took out some Sunday and put it in the press and will be aiming at making crumble cake from it. I use a piece of 3" PVC with a couple of hockey pucks on each end to press, saw that on here somewhere, adapted it and came up with a working solution along with a hydraulic press. Throughout the day as I walk by, will give the press one more pump or two more. Plan to leave it in there for a week or so. The last crumble cake that was pressed for about three days came out really good.

Caution: there have been chemicals identified: diacetyl, cinnamaldehyde, acetyl propionyl and acetoin that have been found in various flavorings which are felt to be dangerous, possibly causing popcorn lung and other issues. But some of these chemicals are also found in other treats that we enjoy such as microwave popcorn, caramel, etc. They say ingesting them is ok, inhaling could be problematic.
It is up to each person to weigh risks associated or supposedly associated with using anything, and act as THEY see fit.

Cheers
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Throughout the day as I walk by, will give the press one more pump or two more. Plan to leave it in there for a week or so. The last crumble cake that was pressed
I made 9 plugs yesterday. What I do, rather than leaving it in the press for a day is leave it in for 15 minutes, take it out and immediately vacuum seal it. It keeps it under the same amount of pressure, I think... Maybe not, but it would be 1 atm or 14 psi, maybe? Anyway, if there's enough moisture, they eventually start to ferment and the bag swells and the plugs loosen up and you're left with the indecision of deciding which you prefer a hard brick, or additional fermentation.

Edit. I suppose after making several bricks, you could then return them all to the increased pressure of the jack by stacking and pressing them simultaneously.
 

GWLee

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I made 9 plugs yesterday. What I do, rather than leaving it in the press for a day is leave it in for 15 minutes, take it out and immediately vacuum seal it. It keeps it under the same amount of pressure, I think... Maybe not, but it would be 1 atm or 14 psi, maybe? Anyway, if there's enough moisture, they eventually start to ferment and the bag swells and the plugs loosen up and you're left with the indecision of deciding which you prefer a hard brick, or additional fermentation.

Edit. I suppose after making several bricks, you could then return them all to the increased pressure of the jack by stacking and pressing them simultaneously.
Yeah thought about vacuum sealing them and I have done it after I'm done pressing them, but your way sounds logical as well as once the tobacco is compressed all it needs is a manner to keep it so. Will definitely give that a shot as I'm always trying new experiments. Also this morning, I saw a stoving method over on pipemagazine where the fellow stoved the tobacco in the mason jar, plan on giving that a shot in the near future.

Thanks for the great idea and pointer

Cheers
 

Amberbeth84

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I have some Best of the Rest English sitting around that I decided to play with. I mixed a half tablespoon each of Woodford Reserve, homemade maple syrup, and distilled water and sprayed it over an ounce of tobacco. I mixed everything so there were no dry spots and put everything in a vacuum bag that I then sealed. I'm going to give it a few days to absorb what it will then pull it out and dry it down.

20210329_170631.jpg
 

GWLee

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I have some Best of the Rest English sitting around that I decided to play with. I mixed a half tablespoon each of Woodford Reserve, homemade maple syrup, and distilled water and sprayed it over an ounce of tobacco. I mixed everything so there were no dry spots and put everything in a vacuum bag that I then sealed. I'm going to give it a few days to absorb what it will then pull it out and dry it down.

View attachment 35758
That sounds like a great blend of casings and taste!!!

Cheers
 

Amberbeth84

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It's been a few days so I pulled out a couple of pinches and let it dry to low case. I'm smoking a bowl now and while I don't think there's a strong difference in flavor there's some more nuanced sweetness to the blend. The latakia is still the strongest flavor component, but there's a slight hint of maple and oak. I think I'll be trying again with a batch of syrup that's had vanilla beans steeping in it.
 

Krausen89

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Started a plug last night that goes off of the Peterson's Irish Flake with equal part VA, Burley, and Fire Cured. 1.2 oz of each starting with a layer of VA, then (dark kilned) burley, then "light" fire cured. Casing i used was 2ml Vanilla bean infused raw honey, 1ml maple extract, topped up to 15ml with Jameson Black barrel. It gave me a casing that smelled like a warm caramel with hints of maple and charred oak. (very pleasant!) pressing it now and the plan is to keep under pressure for 2 weeks tightening a little every few days. after the 2 weeks i am going to pull it out and dry it out really well. and then MAYBE sit in a jar with some oak chips that i used to oak a whiskey. I also have Cherrywood chips that i have charred and oaked a brandy with. Just havnt decided... Maybe even one without, one with the oak and one with the cherry...they all sound nice LOL
 

Jbg

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Started a plug last night that goes off of the Peterson's Irish Flake with equal part VA, Burley, and Fire Cured. 1.2 oz of each starting with a layer of VA, then (dark kilned) burley, then "light" fire cured. Casing i used was 2ml Vanilla bean infused raw honey, 1ml maple extract, topped up to 15ml with Jameson Black barrel. It gave me a casing that smelled like a warm caramel with hints of maple and charred oak. (very pleasant!) pressing it now and the plan is to keep under pressure for 2 weeks tightening a little every few days. after the 2 weeks i am going to pull it out and dry it out really well. and then MAYBE sit in a jar with some oak chips that i used to oak a whiskey. I also have Cherrywood chips that i have charred and oaked a brandy with. Just havnt decided... Maybe even one without, one with the oak and one with the cherry...they all sound nice LOL
Sounds good, what are you pressing with?
 

Krausen89

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Sounds good, what are you pressing with?

i have something rigged up right now. i work at a fence company so i have access to 4x4 and 5x5 pvc posts. and using eastern white cedar true 2x4 trimmed down to fit into a 4x4 post. right now i have some bricks set up for the bottom on the ground and then the pvc post with leaf and then a 2x4 that runs up to a car jack that is up against a support beam in my basement....i can only use so much pressure on this and figure if i lift the house its prob too much pressure :LOL:

i am working on building a box out of scrap cedar and using rope that wet and tightly wrapping the box and then let it dry and contract so it really tight and then covering rope in some clear epoxy that rated for 3500psi. once i have that i have a cider press that i quickly made out of 4x4 posts and notched out with a chainsaw...its shotty and i plan on making a new one, but does hold enough pressure to press my cider so should be adequate to press some baccy.
 

deluxestogie

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You need no more than 35 psi to press a cake over a few days to a few weeks. Calculate the top surface area of the press block (the tobacco) in square inches. Multiply by 35. That is the applied force required to achieve 35 psi. If the top surface area is 4" x 4", for example, then 16 x 35 = ~560 pounds of applied force. A 3" x 4" top surface area requires 420 pounds. In a practical setup for a home, a scant 5 psi, and patience (i.e. longer press time) will press your tobacco. You can measure your applied force (weight) by temporarily inserting a bathroom scale somewhere in the press column. But there's really no need for precision.

[Time is money, in a factory. So they use truly massive pressure. For a 2 square foot, industrial slab of tobacco, over 10,000 pounds is required to reach 35 psi.]

Bob
 

Krausen89

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You need no more than 35 psi to press a cake over a few days to a few weeks. Calculate the top surface area of the press block (the tobacco) in square inches. Multiply by 35. That is the applied force required to achieve 35 psi. If the top surface area is 4" x 4", for example, then 16 x 35 = ~560 pounds of applied force. A 3" x 4" top surface area requires 420 pounds. In a practical setup for a home, a scant 5 psi, and patience (i.e. longer press time) will press your tobacco. You can measure your applied force (weight) by temporarily inserting a bathroom scale somewhere in the press column. But there's really no need for precision.

[Time is money, in a factory. So they use truly massive pressure. For a 2 square foot, industrial slab of tobacco, over 10,000 pounds is required to reach 35 psi.]

Bob
Thanks, that is great info. i will keep that in mind when i make my new press. i figured with a clamp i was able to make a nice plug over a long period of time. i was trying to make it a little quicker so i went with the car jack. the wood i am going to use is cedar. it has a nice tight grain but it is soft so that is why i want to use the rope just for added support. epoxy is just for longevity so it doesn't fray and to make it look nicer i guess lol i know its prob overkill
 

Indianapiper

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Started a plug last night that goes off of the Peterson's Irish Flake with equal part VA, Burley, and Fire Cured. 1.2 oz of each starting with a layer of VA, then (dark kilned) burley, then "light" fire cured. Casing i used was 2ml Vanilla bean infused raw honey, 1ml maple extract, topped up to 15ml with Jameson Black barrel. It gave me a casing that smelled like a warm caramel with hints of maple and charred oak. (very pleasant!) pressing it now and the plan is to keep under pressure for 2 weeks tightening a little every few days. after the 2 weeks i am going to pull it out and dry it out really well. and then MAYBE sit in a jar with some oak chips that i used to oak a whiskey. I also have Cherrywood chips that i have charred and oaked a brandy with. Just havnt decided... Maybe even one without, one with the oak and one with the cherry...they all sound nice LOL
How do you apply 15ml of casing to the leaf? That’s barely enough to fill a thimble.

Di you spray it on or pour it over the leaves and mix them around?
 

Indianapiper

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You need no more than 35 psi to press a cake over a few days to a few weeks. Calculate the top surface area of the press block (the tobacco) in square inches. Multiply by 35. That is the applied force required to achieve 35 psi. If the top surface area is 4" x 4", for example, then 16 x 35 = ~560 pounds of applied force. A 3" x 4" top surface area requires 420 pounds. In a practical setup for a home, a scant 5 psi, and patience (i.e. longer press time) will press your tobacco. You can measure your applied force (weight) by temporarily inserting a bathroom scale somewhere in the press column. But there's really no need for precision.

[Time is money, in a factory. So they use truly massive pressure. For a 2 square foot, industrial slab of tobacco, over 10,000 pounds is required to reach 35 psi.]

Bob
What kind of equipment would be required for a home setup to teach 35 psi on day a 4x4 mold?

would you need a hydraulic press?
 

deluxestogie

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[r]each 35 psi on day a 4x4 mold?
That is 16 square inches, so 560 pounds of applied weight. I think most hand-tightened screw clamps can get close enough. My container for pressing perique is a 4" diameter cylinder, and I use this clamp:

Perique20130709_762_clampSpecs_500la.jpg


Bob
 

Krausen89

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How do you apply 15ml of casing to the leaf? That’s barely enough to fill a thimble.

Di you spray it on or pour it over the leaves and mix them around?
I was planning on using a pastry brush and doing each layer. I could not find mine. I used the syringe i used to measure it out and put a bunch of drops on each layer. I think any method will work though. When you press it everything tends to meld together.
 

Krausen89

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I was planning on using a pastry brush and doing each layer. I could not find mine. I used the syringe i used to measure it out and put a bunch of drops on each layer. I think any method will work though. When you press it everything tends to meld together.
Also with this plug i was (somewhat) trying to match petersons irish flake and there isn't really any casing present. I just wanted to try to take a little of the kick off from the dark fire and something to bind the layers hence such a small amount.
 
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