Is there any way to mellow out shredded tobacco ?

[Darkthirty]

There is a difference between "a vacuum" and a closed container. If you attach a vacuum pump to a container, and reduce the pressure to near zero ATM, then there may be insufficient oxygen for oxidation to occur. If you just compress tobacco into a closed container, there is plenty of oxygen. The latter, when compared to an open container, will, of course, accumulate oxidation products (e.g. ammonia) in the head space, but this will simply waft away, once the container is opened.

Bob

When the oxygen is consumed, or chemically combined, does the process cease? Sorry about using "vacuum" inappropriately

 

[deluxestogie]

Theoretically, the process would cease, if all the oxygen were consumed. The same would be true if the gaseous phase of the reaction products (e.g. ammonia) reached a concentration of equilibrium with the oxidation reaction. But I am not aware of either of these ever happening in the ordinary containers used for tobacco storage.

Member experiments using Save-a-Meal vacuum sealing seemed to indicate that it's not the best way to process or store unfinished tobacco. Once it is finished to your satisfaction, such as with completed Perique-processed tobacco, then vacuum sealing maintains its status.

Bob

 

[Darkthirty]

Theoretically, the process would cease, if all the oxygen were consumed. The same would be true if the gaseous phase of the reaction products (e.g. ammonia) reached a concentration of equilibrium with the oxidation reaction. But I am not aware of either of these ever happening in the ordinary containers used for tobacco storage.

Member experiments using Save-a-Meal vacuum sealing seemed to indicate that it's not the best way to process or store unfinished tobacco. Once it is finished to your satisfaction, such as with completed Perique-processed tobacco, then vacuum sealing maintains its status.

Bob

Ok, I haven't built a kiln yet, and all my stupid questions are based around gassing off/air exchange ventilation. I intend to incorporate a heat sink, so I can periodically vent and maintain temperature at the same time. I understand the ambient resting time after kilning, but there would be no point if the kiln time isn't efficient.

 

[deluxestogie]

A kiln is really quite simple: a well sealed, insulated box with a heat source, a circulating fan, and moisture source, if the tobacco is open to the kiln interior. Some members have built complex, elaborate and expensive kilns. I personally feel that simple works just fine. Keep in mind that you will not be kilning consistent, predictable product. It's just leaves, with all their flaws and variations of stalk-level, thickness and leaf maturity.

But the fun of this is that you can try anything you like, and see how it works.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Exposure to air is not the only way for oxidation to occur. Hydrolysis is a form of oxidation where water molecules are broken as the source of oxygen.

I don't want to make like I understand the science of aging tobacco, but much of the literature discusses hydrolysis in curing and aging. It follows then that hydrolysis explains why moisture is essential to aging and curing, and why nobody speeds tobacco aging simply by storing it in pure pressurized oxygen.

Thinking of plant material with complex proteins and carbohydrates in the same way as we do a rusty piece of steel is overly simplistic.

 

[Darkthirty]

Water is the "universal solvent"! Also contains O2 molecules. I'm trying to make the process as efficient as possible...

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Water is the "universal solvent"! Also contains O2 molecules. I'm trying to make the process as efficient as possible...

Dissolved oxygen would not cause hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is where water chemically reacts with something and donated its oxygen molecule

 

[Darkthirty]

Yup

 

[burge]

All I know is the vapour proof bags work. I just opened a second bag of Canadian the flavour difference is huge in 6 months. When the bag is opened up you get the ammonia smell so it's aging. Here another thing worth noting is my apartment gets temperature changes in the summer and they vary from 80 to 90 to 60=70 in the mornings. That helps in the process. How to get the flavours out seems to be my thing and I know that old bag of virginia was amazing annd the Canadian was amazing waiting now to see what it will be like in 2 years 3 years. I don't think it can wait that long. Bonners virginia after a year the yellow gets sweeter the orange virginia gets mellower. I can only speak from my experience.