Fermentation under artificial pressure (press) for cigar

[saman_ghaderian]

Hello friends. Why don't cigar companies use press pressure for fermentation? The vertical pressure in a column (pilon) with a height of one to two meters is very low. This means that if you put a large number of tobacco leaves one or two meters high on top of each other, you can easily lift this number of leaves by hand. Do you think that in a fermentation column, the most important factor is temperature control for enzymatic activity or anaerobic conditions for bacterial activity? Is it possible to create much better conditions for fermentation in containers with temperature and oxygen control than traditional methods?Are there companies that produce cigar this way?

 

[deluxestogie]

the most important factor is temperature control for enzymatic activity

As I have explained a number of times, the pilon (pile) of tobacco serves mostly as thermal insulation that allows the center of the pilon to accumulate the heat of the exothermic, oxidation reaction from the intrinsic leaf enzymes. The purpose is not (and cannot be) the pressure column. Since only the middle of the pilon (and not even at the center bottom) is the only sufficiently insulated portion of the giant pile, the pilon must be broken down and rebuilt many times.

Is it possible to create much better conditions for fermentation in containers with temperature

That is the purpose of a tobacco kiln. No need to control oxygen. Temperature ~123-128°F at high humidity for 45-60 days.

Bob

 

[saman_ghaderian]

Thanks for answering. Why don't cigar factories use the kiln method? And they still use the traditional method of fermentation. In the traditional way you have to move the pilon several times to ferment the tobacco leaves. However, with the kiln method, fermentation can be done uniformly and without moving the leaves. Is it possible to say that they still use the traditional method of fermentation just because of the cost of energy and the installation of large-scale furnaces?

 

[saman_ghaderian]

In perique tobacco fermentation, we use high press pressure. What do you think makes the perique method special? Can it be said that the conditions of pressure, high humidity and removal of oxygen from the environment in the perique method, enzymes and bacteria responsible for fermentation perform hydrolysis, oxidation and reduction in different ways?

 

[deluxestogie]

I am aware of one Italian cigar manufacturer (Nostrano del Brenta) that uses kilning. Most traditional cigar tobacco production areas have low labor costs and high electricity costs. The pilon method works without electricity, and indeed has existed for probably more than two centuries. The cost of the pilon method for huge quantities of tobacco is so low that some commercial growers in Connecticut and Pennsylvania ship their tobacco to the Dominican Republic for fermentation, then ship it back home for production or warehousing.

Tabacos Brasileiros Photos (1977)

Tabacos Brasileiros 1977 Photos Exclusive to Fair Trade Tobacco Forum During the summer of 1977, I requested information from a number of cigar tobacco manufacturers throughout the world. Most responded with a cigar shape chart and a price list. The manager of Tabacos Brasileiros Ltda. in...

fairtradetobacco.com

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

What do you think makes the perique method special?

If you read the forum threads on making perique, they answer that. The anaerobic conditions allow the yeast Pichia anomala to dominate fermentation.

Bob

 

[saman_ghaderian]

Bob Due to the fact that no cigars are produced in my country and most cultivars of Burley, Virginia, Basma and Samson are grown for cigarette production. I was able to buy Habano seeds through Turkey. Do you think it is possible to produce a suitable cigar from just this variety?

 

[deluxestogie]

Probably yes.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Bob Due to the fact that no cigars are produced in my country and most cultivars of Burley, Virginia, Basma and Samson are grown for cigarette production. I was able to buy Habano seeds through Turkey. Do you think it is possible to produce a suitable cigar from just this variety?

Of the varieties you mentioned, I get ornery and roll a cigar out of Burley on occasions, and the tip leaf makes a nice condiment filler with a cigar variety. That could be an option.

 

[saman_ghaderian]

thanks

 

[Alpine]

Due to environmental weather conditions during the fermentation, Nostrano del Brenta tobacco is kilned. The leaf production is so low (and the price of the finished cigars so high...) to make kilning a practical option. Even in Italy

pier