Cellaring, I need HELP!

[wmolaw]

I really need some help here. I've read fifty articles about cellaring and every one asserts that it is the only true way to cellar baccy!

I've been buying a bunch of Tobacco, tins and bulk. I now have to cellar, and I need help. You guys are so great, thought I would reach out, try to get some clarity to all of the stuff I have read.

Here's what I think, so far:

Mason Jars, appropriately labeled. Carefully cleaned (boiling water, then dried). Issue is, should I fully "can", that is full vacuum, as I would if I were canning watermelon rind, or partial vacuum, that is just putting it in warm water so the lid just gently attaches, not fully or no vacuum at all.

What about plastic, worth it? Doesn't seem to be worthwhile, though I'm currently keeping a couple of pound in some now. Doesn't seem to be long time solution, however.

Anyway, would love your thoughts on this issue. As governments and others continue to put the squeeze on tobacco, the cost will skyrocket. As the Net is taxed and taxed, the costs will skyrocket. I have about, oh, maybe thirty pounds of so of various brands, types, and want to be sure they last. Buying all the time, as well.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[Alden]

GL Pease has said that storing tobacco that is vacuum packed (i.e. no air) does it no good. The tobacco needs a certain amount of air for the fermentation to take place. I just fill mason jars to the top and lightly compact it down for a little headspace. I think a slight vacuum is all you would want.

[wmolaw]

GL Pease has said that storing tobacco that is vacuum packed (i.e. no air) does it no good. The tobacco needs a certain amount of air for the fermentation to take place. I just fill mason jars to the top and lightly compact it down for a little headspace. I think a slight vacuum is all you would want.

I've read that also, and it makes a lot of sense. I think that's the way I will go, just fill the jars, put them in hot (not boiling water) and allow the seal to slightly set. Then find a nice dark place to store them.

Thanks!

[mredmond]

I do the same thing Ryan does, for open tins and bulk. I don't bother with boiling the jars, but it can't hurt. For anything in sealed tins, just leave the tin sealed until you're ready to smoke it, then transfer to a jar. I've read that some are concerned with rust inside of tins, so they open tins and jar the contents. Many others, including Greg Pease, have explained that stops the aging/fermentation process and advise against it. I've had a few different aged blends from tins that had a bit of rust in the bottom. I just made sure to toss a layer of tobacco in direct contact with the rust and I haven't had any problems.

[KurtHuhn]

I've tried teh vacuum sealing, and it seriously screws with the tobacco. No good at all.

If the tin is open, I just transfer to clean mason jars, put a lid on fairly tight, and leave it like that. Unopened tins I leave closed until they display signs of corrosion (not that they typically do).

[Massis]

Just to confirm your baccy is safe in it's tin:

Last week we had our monthly pipesmokers evening with a group of members from the dutch/flemish pipesmokersforum. Our special guest Arno (who had to drive 3+hours to attend) brought 2 different tobacco's. The first was a fresh pouch of St Bruno's flake, still closed. The other was a tin of the same St Bruno's flake, still closed, but nearly 60 years old.

He opened both the tin and the pouch for this meeting and we judged the differences. All of us agreed that the 60 year old flake was among the best tobacco's any of us had ever smelled or smoked, a truly brilliant blend.

Furthermore all of us were rather amazed at the fact that this tobacco still had the perfect amount of moist in it, as if it was perfectly fresh, even though it's nearly 3 times as old as I am!

[taharris]

If the tin is open, I just transfer to clean mason jars, put a lid on fairly tight, and leave it like that. Unopened tins I leave closed until they display signs of corrosion (not that they typically do).

Keep a close eye on the flat tins used for flakes. They sometimes have a tendency to loose their seal.

I recently bought a 10 year old tin of Solani 633 and when I got it home realized that the seal had been lost at some point during that 10 years. The tobacco was as hard as a rock and the inside of the tin was rusty.

Being the cheep ass that I am I rehydrated it just to see if I could smoke it. To my surprise it wasn't half bad...

Todd

[wmolaw]

Great, thanks guys. Makes me fell a whole lot more comfortable in just jarring it, no seal, just screw tight, and leave that baccy in tins, in their tins/closed containers.

That's my weekend chore!