pipemakersforum.com

I was wondering if I could air cure some cigar tobacco from the ceiling of my basement? Seems like a good area to me, cool, decent air flow. I want to grow some tabac this year. Cigar leaf seems the easiest because it is air cured. Advice fellas? Air curing tobacco smells good right? I don't need the wife going crazy.

Also I don't want to make my own cigars, rather add some Havana or something like that to existing pipe blend to make it a cigar type blend. Don't know if I could make it work, but other pipe blenders do it. Any recommendations on a good base blend.

Thanks.

Cigar leaf is air dried, but "pilones" cured. The pilones are piles of fermenting leaf that are rotated and moistened according to ancient oral tradition. Then they are further aged for a few years.

A curing chamber mimics the "composting action" of the pilones.

You can air dry your leaf in the basement, but don't expect it cure "right" unless you are willing to hang it there for many many years.

thanks

We'll I guess that idea is out. Guess I'll just grow it for decoration then.

trad. shoot on over to the How to grow tobacco forum there is information on sweating your leaf. http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/forum/index.php Great folks over there.

Uncle Arthur wrote:trad. shoot on over to the How to grow tobacco forum there is information on sweating your leaf. http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/forum/index.php Great folks over there.

Sweating the leaf is only a quick "color cure" method - turning green leaf to brown. It is not a real cure method, which happens after the leaf is already brown.

Not exactly. It is used to speed fermentation as well. Bob over there has been experimenting with some harsh leaf that has turned out nicely.

So, he's basically making mini-pilones? It still takes 8-12 weeks fermenting, no?

I haven't lurked in howtogrow in forever... maybe there is some "shortcut" I haven't heard of. I'll check it out.

Exactly . An accelerated process that wants close watching but seems to be working well.

If it takes 8-12 weeks, it's not an accelerated process. A curing chamber takes the same amount of time, but you don't have to check piles, flip leaves, and worry about rot and mold. I tried leaf sweating for color curing, and it was a pain. It is a shortcut for color curing (2-3 weeks versus 8 weeks or more for air drying), but not fermenting.

Missed the 8 to 12 week statement . (never try to think after taking several pain pills ) . From what I am reading over there it seems that they are cutting the time well down. Some in a few days( though I 'm Not convinced totally on that ) to a couple of weeks. As I said the process seems to need close watching to avoid having compost instead of smokeable tobacco. I will be doing my own experiments this fall to see what works and what is impractical for me. I want to attempt fermenting in pressed blocks ala Cavendish or some of the old type plug tobaccos. Time will tell. Time is the only thing I have in excess as I am "overqualified " for all the work I have applied for.