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Post by Stearmandriver on Oct 16, 2018 14:48:52 GMT -5
All,
Recently I was cleaning out the box I used to keep my tobaccos in (before I started jarring). The "collection" mostly consisted of really old tins and bags of bulk I'd picked up at various places to try, ended up not loving, and banished to this box. Most of it is really old... In other words, it's garbage.
But, in that box I found something I couldn't in good conscience just toss. I unearthed a large tin of McClelland's Dark Star. This stuff must be almost 20 years old.
Before you get too excited, this tin was also OPENED almost 20 years ago. It was stored in a comfortable indoor environment, in the tin with plastic lid snapped back on. The flakes inside now are black, absolutely covered in sugar crystals (definitely not mold).... And the consistency of saltine crackers. When bent at all, they snap like twigs. Absolutely desiccated.
In your experience, is it a worthwhile experiment to try to rehydrate this stuff and try a smoke? (I'm probably going to try anyway because why not... Just curious what you all think.)
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Post by Dramatwist on Oct 16, 2018 14:52:16 GMT -5
...I would...
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 16, 2018 14:53:53 GMT -5
Me too!
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Post by clintonvilleleather on Oct 16, 2018 15:06:13 GMT -5
Most definitely! For reference it came pretty black fresh.
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haveldad
Junior Member
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Favorite Pipe: Kaywoodie Freehand Poker
Favorite Tobacco: Vintage Syrian
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Post by haveldad on Oct 16, 2018 15:06:22 GMT -5
Oh hell yeah retry. Look up some rehydration techniques. It may not taste as good as it would of 20 years fresh, but you got a totally aerobic fermentation and it'll rehydrate just fine.
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Post by Legend Lover on Oct 16, 2018 15:19:26 GMT -5
Might as well...
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Post by Stearmandriver on Oct 16, 2018 15:19:34 GMT -5
Oh hell yeah retry. Look up some rehydration techniques. It may not taste as good as it would of 20 years fresh, but you got a totally aerobic fermentation and it'll rehydrate just fine. Interesting, thanks. Regarding rehydration, I was just gonna throw one of those humidor buttons in a jar with some of the tobacco? Are there other techniques I should look into? |
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haveldad
Junior Member
Posts: 477
Favorite Pipe: Kaywoodie Freehand Poker
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Post by haveldad on Oct 16, 2018 15:29:02 GMT -5
Oh hell yeah retry. Look up some rehydration techniques. It may not taste as good as it would of 20 years fresh, but you got a totally aerobic fermentation and it'll rehydrate just fine. Interesting, thanks. Regarding rehydration, I was just gonna throw one of those humidor buttons in a jar with some of the tobacco? Are there other techniques I should look into? Two Tupperware containers, fill big one with water, small one with tobacco, put small one in the big one, put the lid on big one. Don't let water get in the one with tobacco, leave and check every 3 days. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 16, 2018 15:30:57 GMT -5
Oh hell yeah retry. Look up some rehydration techniques. It may not taste as good as it would of 20 years fresh, but you got a totally aerobic fermentation and it'll rehydrate just fine. Interesting, thanks. Regarding rehydration, I was just gonna throw one of those humidor buttons in a jar with some of the tobacco? Are there other techniques I should look into? You will need more than one. I use an aluminum foil cup in which I place a clean paper towel soaked with distilled water. |
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Post by Dramatwist on Oct 16, 2018 15:35:34 GMT -5
Interesting, thanks. Regarding rehydration, I was just gonna throw one of those humidor buttons in a jar with some of the tobacco? Are there other techniques I should look into? You will need more than one. I use an aluminum foil cup in which I place a clean paper towel soaked with distilled water. ...distilled water is a good suggestion... |
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briarbuck
Full Member
Leave the gun...take the cannoli.
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Post by briarbuck on Oct 16, 2018 15:37:21 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2018 15:42:06 GMT -5
Most definitely rehydrate, it will be a superb smoking pleasure 👍👍👍
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Post by Baboo on Oct 16, 2018 15:59:16 GMT -5
Take a few flakes and rub-out gently into the palm of your hand leaving small chunks... then, cup both hands together with baccy inside and, seal lips between both thumbs, blow in very moist air about 10-20 times, then load... the rest will be history ;-) Also, try smoking as dry as it is... should be interesting, and might be VERY good. This is how I rehydrate - I leave the tobacco dry to eliminate chance of developing mold, and rehydrate in the cupped palms of my hands as suggested above.
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Post by monbla256 on Oct 16, 2018 16:04:00 GMT -5
No, Send it to me and I will "dispose" of it for you !  |
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Post by puffy on Oct 16, 2018 16:11:37 GMT -5
A blender once told that if moisture evaporates out of tobacco it can be re-hydrated.That only replaces water though.He said that if part of the moisture that evaporated is the oils in the tobacco.The water won't replace those oils.You may be able to smoke the tobacco but it won't taste the same as when it was new.
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Post by scrooge on Oct 16, 2018 16:13:33 GMT -5
Take a few flakes and rub-out gently into the palm of your hand leaving small chunks... then, cup both hands together with baccy inside and, seal lips between both thumbs, blow in very moist air about 10-20 times, then load... the rest will be history ;-) Also, try smoking as dry as it is... should be interesting, and might be VERY good. This is how I rehydrate - I leave the tobacco dry to eliminate chance of developing mold, and rehydrate in the cupped palms of my hands as suggested above. Spoken by a true old tobacco pro. I do the exact same thing. |
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Post by Stearmandriver on Oct 16, 2018 16:26:48 GMT -5
A blender once told that if moisture evaporates out of tobacco it can be re-hydrated.That only replaces water though.He said that if part of the moisture that evaporated is the oils in the tobacco.The water won't replace those oils.You may be able to smoke the tobacco but it won't taste the same as when it was new. I've done similar by loading a pipe, making a ring around the rim with my fingers, and blowing moist air through the pipe. I think this stuff is well beyond that kind of help though. If I tried to rub it out at all in its present state, I'd have instant dust. I mean it's DRY. |
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Post by Stearmandriver on Oct 16, 2018 16:58:24 GMT -5
A blender once told that if moisture evaporates out of tobacco it can be re-hydrated.That only replaces water though.He said that if part of the moisture that evaporated is the oils in the tobacco.The water won't replace those oils.You may be able to smoke the tobacco but it won't taste the same as when it was new. This is exactly what I wonder. I mean, it's worth trying anyway because it's not like I'll ever know what properly stored 20 yo Dark Star tastes like for comparison, but given the state of this stuff I can't believe it'll be anywhere close to as good as it could have been. But sure worth a try. |
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Post by smellthehatfirst on Oct 16, 2018 17:36:29 GMT -5
I find that anything non-aromatic bounces back pretty well with a rehydrating coin and some patience.
Is it exactly the same as if it had never dried out? maybe not
Is it still enjoyable? Heck yeah it is
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Post by slowroll on Oct 16, 2018 18:08:54 GMT -5
I agree with . I had some dessicated Balkan Sobranie that I tried a few hydrating techniques on, and it was awful. The essential flavor oils go when it's really old. It wasn't as good as a lousy cheap match lat blend. I smoked about 800 lbs of the stuff way back, so i know what it was in its prime. |
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Post by That Falls Guy on Oct 16, 2018 18:32:36 GMT -5
Since you state that there were sugar crystals (and not mold), absolutely worth trying.
Get it in a jar, and re-hydrate it. Use a dampened paper towel, or if it's really that dry, mist it with some distilled water.
As an alternative, you could do what I sometimes do, but others may not agree ..... using some distilled water, or just some bottled spring water, put the tobacco in a jar with about a teaspoon of water, close the lid, shake it well, and let it sit for awhile. If it doesn't work out, you've only lost the use of a jar and a lillte water.
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Screaming Jazz
Junior Member
Enjoying a peaceful night
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Post by Screaming Jazz on Oct 16, 2018 19:32:46 GMT -5
It is surely worth a try!
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Post by mwps70 on Oct 16, 2018 19:48:38 GMT -5
I put the tobacco in a bowl, soak a wash cloth in distilled water, wring out and lay over the tobacco but not touching the tobacco. About every 20 or 30 minutes I mix the tobacco up with my hands. I do this until the moisture is where I want it.
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Post by Pistol Pete 1911 on Oct 16, 2018 20:08:54 GMT -5
Why not? if its crap and you ruin it then you have lost nothing but if it works well thats another story entirely
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Post by PhantomWolf on Oct 16, 2018 20:20:12 GMT -5
I wouldn't bother. Maybe because my cellar is literally overflowing with more leaf than I'll ever get to smoke in my lifetime.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2018 20:33:23 GMT -5
Rehydrate it with distilled water. Sprinkle a little over the tobacco, place platic wrap over the top, and then put the lid on. Come back in a week or two and oua la!
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Post by peteguy on Oct 16, 2018 20:57:28 GMT -5
Send it to me and I will re-hydrate it for you. I only ask for a few bowls in return.
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Post by antb on Oct 17, 2018 2:45:56 GMT -5
Just do it already! Try it dry first as well. Dark Star has a reputation for being hard to keep lit.
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Post by Stearmandriver on Oct 17, 2018 3:57:15 GMT -5
Haha oh I will. I'm on the road for work though, won't be home for a couple days. I'll try to get at least enough moisture back into it that I can rub out a flake into something besides dust, and give it a try. I'll let you all know how it goes.
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Slow Triathlete
New Member
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Post by Slow Triathlete on Oct 17, 2018 7:49:38 GMT -5
Interesting, thanks. Regarding rehydration, I was just gonna throw one of those humidor buttons in a jar with some of the tobacco? Are there other techniques I should look into? Two Tupperware containers, fill big one with water, small one with tobacco, put small one in the big one, put the lid on big one. Don't let water get in the one with tobacco, leave and check every 3 days. This is what I would do. Also, I would let the tobacco rest for a few days, or weeks, so that the hydration is evenly distributed through all of it. |
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