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What is a good way to store your Pipe Tobacco? Bag, Tin, Dark Places, something airtight?
how long you can keep the tobacco before it's bad?

Hi Gios,

tins with original vacuum will keep your tobacco in good condition over many years - decades, actually. Especially natural Virginias will even ameliorate through aging . In pouches, on the other hand, it will dry out after a few months. Tobaccos sold in pouches should be filled in some kind of tight-closing jar, e.g. with a rubber or silicon lip, if you want to store them longer. Ambient temperature shouldn't be too high - if you have a cellar, that'd be just fine.

regards, Jens

Plain old canning jars like this are inexpensive and work great:
http://www.canningpantry.com/ball-quart-wide-mouth.html

I prefer the wide mouth, so I can get my oversized hands in it to grab tobacco.

I ues wide mouth jars, to me they are just easier to load. I get my jars from the supermarket, I can normally buy a dozen jar pack for $10.99.

I too use the widemouth Ball type jars with 2-piece lids for bulk tobacco. I leave tinned tobacco in it's original tin. As Jens says, pouched tobacco will dry out pretty quickly, so I put it in jars unless I plan to smoke the entire pouch in less than a month or so. I've found that the "drug store" pouch tobaccos (like Captain Black) tend to be fairly old & dry when I buy them anyway so usually I'll just leave them in the pouch.

All my baccy is stored in a dark cabinet (no glass doors) in the shop. Although it means some of the containers aren't airtight, I love the rush of aroma when I first open the cabinet.

I tend to buy my tobacco in bulk since I only smoke a handful of different blends, so long term storage is pretty necessary. But I do transfer some out to non-airtight containers so that I don't have to keep breaking the seal on what I've got cellared away. The mix of Autumn Evening and Byzantium that wafts out when I swing open the doors is certainly an exotic pairing of aromas.

Here's how I do it. Wish it was my idea but isn't it came from someone else, can't remember who. (slightly modified by me from the knowledge gained by years of home canning of various things), I have been putting up this way for three years. Have about 50 pounds in jars and so far haven't had a one go bad. When I open a jar it is as moist as when put away.

Buy canning jars at the supermarket, if you can't find them ask for the canning section, the brand doesn't matter. They come by the dozen with metal rings and lids. I use pint ones but many like 1/2 pints. Run the new jars through the dishwasher or if you don't have one use hot soapy water to wash each. If you hand wash rinse well and turn upside down on a clean towel on the counter. If you use a dishwasher you don't need to place on a towel, instead keep the door closed, remove one at a time and re-shut the door to keep heat in. (What you are trying to do is to keep airborne germs and yeast out of the jar before sealing.) Take the lids, not the rings, place in a sauce pan with water to cover, put on the burner. Don't boil the water but get to the right before boiling point. You want to soften the rubber in the lid so it will seal.

Take a jar, don't dry the inside but leave that little bit of moisture there it tends to help your canned tobacco retain moisture over the long haul. Pack each jar as full as possible. I use the handle of a wooden spoon to pack with. When you have as much tobacco in as you can get, place the jar without lids in the microwave for about 30 seconds, just long enough to heat the jar and tobacco but not long enough to change the taste of the tobacco. For me thirty secs seems to be about right. Remove jar and immediately place one of the heated lids in place. Take a ring and screw it hand tight. Sit aside, in two or three minutes you will hear a pop as the air inside the jar cools and the lid seals.

That's it. If you follow these instructions you won't have any trouble. Don't open the jar until you are ready to use it because if you remove the lid to check on the tobacco it won't reseal properly.

bob gilbert

Here is a nice option with different sizes. The containers are pricey but the Humidipaks are new and cool as all get out. They have the ability to absorb or produce moisture to maintain exactly 62% humidity.
http://www.freshstor.com/