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Post by Plainsman on Oct 23, 2020 8:56:50 GMT -5
Could someone say a few words about basic cellaring? I’m accumulating tobaccos for trying and some of them aren’t pleasing at this point. I understand that cellaring can sometimes improve a tobacco. What containers are best? Seal them completely? Fill them to the top? How long to cellar them? Notes and comments would be most gratefully received.
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 23, 2020 9:20:25 GMT -5
Only Ball and Mason jars really work. I put unopened tins in mylar zip lock bags. If you don't like a blend now, your tastes might change in a year so keep it if you aren't sure that you will never like it. I open a jar of Escudo once a year to see if I still hate it. (I do)
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 23, 2020 9:22:52 GMT -5
Aros don't cellar well and should be smoked fresh. Latakia loses it's flavor over time, which can be good or bad depending on how you feel about latakia.
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Post by Plainsman on Oct 23, 2020 9:31:56 GMT -5
Thanks! I have a bunch of salsa and pickle jars. (Well washed and smell-free.) How would these be for cellaring? They seem about the perfect size.
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Post by daveinlax on Oct 23, 2020 9:34:56 GMT -5
It takes time to find what you love to smoke but I pack quart canning jars full or I use small half pint jars for tins I've opened. Just snug down the ring and they will seal in time. I've been reading that a lot of guys are going to heat sealed Mylar bags these days to save space and weight.  |
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 23, 2020 9:40:49 GMT -5
Thanks! I have a bunch of salsa and pickle jars. (Well washed and smell-free.) How would these be for cellaring? They seem about the perfect size. I have not had good luck with pickle and jelly jars. The seal just isn't that good unless you run the lids through the dishwasher and tighten them really tight, so it's hard to get it open again. I do use them for things that I know that I will smoke quickly. They are better than leaving it in the original tin, but not by much. Ball jars are dirt cheap at Walmart. |
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briarbuck
Full Member
Leave the gun...take the cannoli.
Posts: 851
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Post by briarbuck on Oct 23, 2020 10:12:03 GMT -5
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Post by lizardonarock on Oct 23, 2020 10:44:30 GMT -5
As soon as you pop the tin or put it in the jar it losses value so cellar what you like. Samuel Gawith at times can be hard to get, GL Pease, Rattrays, Solani at least you can trade those down the road. If you jar go for the two piece lids in ball or mason and I would stay away from bail type jars as cool as they are they are best left on the current rotation table. The main thing is just have fun and enjoy the hobby.
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Post by sperrytops on Oct 23, 2020 11:11:03 GMT -5
If it's a tobacco you plan to age for a while and is hard to get, use Ball, Mason or Kerr jars with the two piece lids. If you plan to smoke it soon anyway, it's less important. The canning jars maintain an excellent seal for many years.
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Post by Plainsman on Oct 23, 2020 11:12:41 GMT -5
Canning jars it is, guys. Thanks for the help!
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Post by taiguy66 on Oct 23, 2020 11:23:31 GMT -5
Wow... thanks for this thread gents! Being new (don’t know how long I can use this term) I’m fascinated with all things tobaccos and shelf life. Seems to me there’s some parallel with storing cigars. I’m curious, if I choose to store tobacco in an airtight mason jar, knowing it won’t be opened for some time, would it be beneficial to include a boveda pack or am I defeating the process? Again, I’m coming from the cigar world and wondering if this process would enhance its freshness. Thank you, looking forward to any comments.
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Post by sperrytops on Oct 23, 2020 11:33:11 GMT -5
I've asked myself the same the question and tried to do some research online. Others may disagree with me, but the last thing you want to do is store cigars and pipe tobacco together. The purpose of cigar storage is maintaining a specific humidity level while allowing air into the storage compartment. Pipe tobacco is stored in sealed containers to allow continued fermenting in a relatively cool environment. Pipe tobacco should be stored while it is fresh and contains moisture in it already. Once in a sealed jar, the moisture remains and doesn't need to be refreshed. This allows fermentation. As far as I know cigars do not continue to ferment in storage. They merely need to be kept at a constant humidity level to prevent drying and molding. I know of no one who puts cigars in a mason jar, but maybe somebody else can help there.
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Post by lizardonarock on Oct 23, 2020 14:20:09 GMT -5
We have one member who jars up cigars but I digress. Plano 50cal oring sealed boxes for me at 62/70% a lot less fuss than a wood humidor. With pipe tobacco if that jar sweats open it or get a green surprise.
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Post by peteguy on Oct 23, 2020 14:30:47 GMT -5
I started with mason jars. When you get 25 mason jars going they need a lot of space and weight consideration. I have switched to heat sealed mylar bags and storage bins. I like it much better.
As far as what to cellar, up to you. Some will loose something and others will gain something. VA's are my favorite to cellar as they become sweeter.
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Post by kxg on Oct 23, 2020 15:04:50 GMT -5
When I started cellaring, I used Mason Jars, mostly pint and 1/2 pint wide mouth. A year or so ago I started using 7mil mylar bags w/ziplock top. I primarily use the pint bags as they hold around 4 oz of tobacco, depending on the cut. That works for me as I don't need to open anything larger than that as I work through the cellar. I heat seal the bags with an old hair straightener bought at a second hand shop for a couple bucks.
At present, my cellar is roughly 25% mylar bags, 50% jars, and 25% tins. My current smoking stock is all in jars or tins.
The jars look nicer; the bags are less weight and take up a little less room.
From what I understand, right now jars are not cheap and somewhat hard to find.
There is a lot of conventional wisdom out there on cellaring and what's best in terms of blends, etc. For me, it comes down to a couple of considerations.
1. Cellar blends you like and want to have around on down the road. They won't get any cheaper(conventional wisdom) and may or may not be available in the future.
2. Cellar blends you believe will benefit from aging. Virginia blends are thought to age well. Aromatics may not benefit at all from aging. Everything else is in between, depending on the constituents of the blend. At least that is what I've been able to glean from discussions on various forums.
I guess the third consideration is how much should you cellar? And that depends on how much you smoke and how long you plan to smoke. If you are my age, 67, there is no use having 50 years of tobacco, at least I don't think so.
One thing for sure, it is fun figuring it all out.
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Post by bonanzadriver on Oct 23, 2020 22:13:50 GMT -5
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