Question about Glass Jar Curing Lid –*Metal or Plastic?

[jadecricket]

Hey everyone. My name is Quin. I've grown my own tobacco for three consecutive years, and this is the first growing season that i've deployed more of a method for curing. I've been drawing from T.A. James' book The Heirloom Tobacco Garden and i've been excited to try his method using jars. Right now I have a number of shirazi leaves shade curing and I'm using this time to do some research about apothecary jars, but i've got to move fast and get some jars here in order to make sure the leaves don't dry up. James uses half gallon apothecary jars, and i've found some here via a company called specialty bottle:


http://www.specialtybottle.com/widemouthclearhalfgallonglassjar64ozwwhitemetallid.aspx


However, they have metal lids, and this raised the question for me that maybe curing using metal would affect the flavor of the tobacco. (I've contacted the company and they don't make plastic lidded jars, and just now sent a follow up to find out what kind of metal they use).


I have an email out to the author of the book himself but have heard nothing back, so I thought i would chime in on this forum and ask if anybody had any recommendations based on their own experiences with this method, or just general thoughts about metal being potentially reactive with curing? I could also just use half gallon ball jars with plastic lids, but the advantage of the apothecary-style jar, from what I can tell, is its wide lid, which might make getting the leaves themselves in the jars much easier.


Thanks so much for your time,
Quin

 

[jadecricket]

Hey folks, update to my question regarding the lids: the jars i was looking at buying have lids that have a tin plate with a plastisol liner.
-Q

 

[bonehead]

why would you wan't to use candy jars to age tobacco? not kidding just wondering and would like to know that is wrong with air at the rite tempurature and humidity?

 

[jadecricket]

hey there,
was hoping that someone would be able to answer my questions rather than criticize my chosen method. i understand there are many ways to proceed with curing and aging, this just happens to be the one i've chosen.
-q

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Well first thing first... DAM... I thought I had an original idea last year when I started fermenting in mason jars...

I do not think you want to cure in a jar, especially with a lid. You need more air circulation. Fermenting in a jar works great though. The jars I use are the same one's you are talking about. They do not impart any taste/flavor

BTW, post your location so we may be able to help better.

 

[jadecricket]

I see. I think it's a terminology thing. I apologize for mixing it up; it is the fermentation process that i'm talking about, I believe? The section that i'm drawing from in James book has the heading "Cure Tobacco Naturally" but he speaks about fermentation (if anyone happens to have The Heirloom Tobacco Garden book the section is on pages 82-88).
I'm in Southern California. Mediterranean climate. So it can get very dry here, although we've had quite a cool summer thus far.
Best,
Quin

 

[bonehead]

hey there,
was hoping that someone would be able to answer my questions rather than criticize my chosen method. i understand there are many ways to proceed with curing and aging, this just happens to be the one i've chosen.
-q

i am not critisizing. i was just asking. if you don't ask I will never know. i need to learn more than i know and if i don't ask i will never get a difference of opinion.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

JadeC, I do not have the book but how do you get the temperature up to the 115-130 degree mark? I use insulated bee boxes with a 100 watt light wired to a Ranco controller. Works great although the quantity I can do does not compare to my bigger kiln (3'x 3' x 4')

 

[Muggs]

why would you wan't to use candy jars to age tobacco? not kidding just wondering and would like to know that is wrong with air at the rite tempurature and humidity?

There isn't no wrong way.
We have 600 ways on here to work tobacco,an ani't none of them perfect.
Im using a styrofoam cooler with a light bulb,an have the tobacco in mason jars.
To ferment

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

There isn't no wrong way.
We have 600 ways on here to work tobacco,an ani't none of them perfect.
Im using a styrofoam cooler with a light bulb,an have the tobacco in mason jars.
To ferment

Just a heads up. This thread is 6 years old.