Noodle Press Plugs

[DaleB]

As I experiment more with pressing, I’m refining my method. I’ve got a fair amount of tobacco shredded, but they’re pretty coarse shreds. I’ve noticed that if I just rub out the plug, I often am not happy with the burn… it tends to need too many relights to suit me. If I slice the plug, I get a little finer shred mixture that burns better.

Right now I’ve got 50g of Towers of Antioch in the press, the biggest batch I’ve tried so far. I really love that stuff, and somehow my supply has dwindled to near nothing. Still working to evaluate the VA/Per mixtures I have. I’m not in the mood for those as often, so I’m just trying them out when I am in the mood.

Also, I’ve started pressing for half a day or so, then taking the plug out, completely rubbing it out, and then re-packing the press. I think it helps to redistribute and even out the moisture.

 

[cigarillofingers]

I think I got carried away with my noodle press, 100g of a Virginia blend is now stuck in it because I can't get the end off!
Too much too soon

 

[Juxtaposer-]

I think I got carried away with my noodle press, 100g of a Virginia blend is now stuck in it because I can't get the end off!
Too much too soon

Typical jar opening tricks will help. Tapping the corners etc. I warmed the end over a toaster once theoretically expanding the metal of the screw top. That did work! I have been using olive oil on the threads lately. Eventually you will become stronger at opening and less strong at pressing.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

An old belt with something as a lever (stick, screwdriver, big pliers) makes a great impromptu strap wrench.

 

[DaleB]

I took mine out, rubbed it out completely, and re-packed it again tonight. I also realized that I had a small amount, between 10-12 grams, of an un-pressed batch I'd made last week to try out, so I mixed that in well. I can already see a marked difference in both the color and moisture. When I loaded it the Latakia was quite dry; now the moisture level seems to be consistent throughout - though once again the bottom end was a little drier than the top. I attribute that to the perforated and of the press, even though I do have a disc of parchment paper over it. The lemon VA is substantially darker than before; in fact, the whole mixture has a darker tone than it did.

I am very much looking forward to trying this out. I wish I knew how long it really "needs" in the press to achieve its peak deliciousness. A day seemed too little; after now about 2-1/2 days it looks and smells great. Of course I've adopted a completely different process this time, with the re-packing, but I think it's distributing the mix and possibly the effects of pressing more evenly.

This has also cemented my decision to slice the plug once it comes out of the press, rather than simply rubbing it out. I've seen that kind of preparation before in Bengal Slices; thick slices of what was apparently pressed shredded tobacco.

 

[ProZachJ]

I am very much looking forward to trying this out. I wish I knew how long it really "needs" in the press to achieve its peak deliciousness.

Is there anything regarding tobacco where less time is better than more? Methinks as long as you can stand to wait is the answer.

 

[DaleB]

Is there anything regarding tobacco where less time is better than more? Methinks as long as you can stand to wait is the answer.

Good point.

 

[DaleB]

My latest; about 60g of Towers of Antioch. Fresh out of the press, then sliced and rubbed out. Still pretty moist.

 

[cigarillofingers]

Typical jar opening tricks will help. Tapping the corners etc. I warmed the end over a toaster once theoretically expanding the metal of the screw top. That did work! I have been using olive oil on the threads lately. Eventually you will become stronger at opening and less strong at pressing.

I got the thing open by holding it over the toaster and smashing it off the concrete floor in my kitchen!




Luckily the flake survived!

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

I wish I knew how long it really "needs" in the press to achieve its peak deliciousness.

Ive been quietly following along with you guys and experimenting with press cakes. A day or two isn't enough press time, I agree. But, I seen no difference between cakes Ive pressed for 15, 10 or 5 days. Im of the opinion now that between 3 and 5 days is sufficient for the pressing stage. Aging continues in the dried cakes that have been jarred whole. None of the cakes have expanded after removal and the thinner cakes (under 1/2 inch) dry down in a few hours.

BTW- Im stuffing 14oz of cakes in a Ball pint jar. Currently have 8 cakes (total 200g) under pressure and may just lay them all out for a group picture when they come out.

 

[DaleB]

Ive been quietly following along with you guys and experimenting with press cakes. A day or two isn't enough press time, I agree. But, I seen no difference between cakes Ive pressed for 15, 10 or 5 days. Im of the opinion now that between 3 and 5 days is sufficient for the pressing stage. Aging continues in the dried cakes that have been jarred whole. None of the cakes have expanded after removal and the thinner cakes (under 1/2 inch) dry down in a few hours.

BTW- Im stuffing 14oz of cakes in a Ball pint jar. Currently have 8 cakes (total 200g) under pressure and may just lay them all out for a group picture when they come out.

I let this one sit for 4 days, and it seems pretty well "done". Maybe it could get better with more time, but I didn't want to A.) not get the next experiment into the press, and B.) Go without what has quickly become my new favorite blend. I think it will improve more as it ages, even rubbed out in a jar or tin. Not that it will last long enough for that to really happen much. I think my tobacco consumption has doubled recently, though admittedly it was quite low to begin with. A 50 gram tin would last me a month or more up until recently.

I need to finish off some of my commercially produced tobacco... simply because I have several jars with just a little bit left in them, and I want the jars back for my own stuff.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

I need to finish off some of my commercially produced tobacco... simply because I have several jars with just a little bit left in them, and I want the jars back for my own stuff.

I ended up bagging about a pound of commercial tobacco as it kept distracting me from focus on my own blends. And when one of mine doesn't come into somewhat perfection I bag, jar or press it for storage. Sometimes a little rest, for the tobacco and my tongue, does wonders to improve taste (or perception).

 

[ProZachJ]

I got the thing open by holding it over the toaster and smashing it off the concrete floor in my kitchen!


View attachment 55003

Luckily the flake survived!

This looks neat. What was the blend?

 

[ProZachJ]

My latest; about 60g of Towers of Antioch. Fresh out of the press, then sliced and rubbed out. Still pretty moist.

View attachment 55000

I like ToA as well. Give Damascus Sun a try. These are the two blends that frequent my meerschaum and I go back and forth on which one suits it better.

 

[DaleB]

I like ToA as well. Give Damascus Sun a try. These are the two blends that frequent my meerschaum and I go back and forth on which one suits it better.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that next. Looks like it's basically just a tad less Latakia and a bit more Oriental - I'm sure that would be good also.

 

[cigarillofingers]

This looks neat. What was the blend?

It's a Virginia blend with some Virginia gold from wholeleaf I got from Germany. 2/3rds are stoved and it's cased with mandarin peel and Demerara sugar. I've got it sitting in a tupper now with some rum and a cinnamon stick

 

[cigarillofingers]

Has anyone used a noodle press to make a roll cake with previously pressed plugs and then slice coins from the resulting plug?

 

[DaleB]

Oops. Might have over-done things a little. I have a bit over 100 g of tobacco in my noodle press that I put in on 3/30. I reversed the plug a couple days ago, meaning I just swapped the ends of the press and used the screw to run the plug down to the opposite end of the barrel to even out the pressure on the two ends. I've been cranking it a little tighter daily. Anyway, I removed the end cap this morning and turned the screw to extract the plug of tobacco, and instead it's extracting the stainless steel barrel from the press! I'll have to take it down to the workbench later today and tap it out with a mallet and a block of wood. Not to self: BIg plugs might be difficult to remove after a while under serious pressure.

 

[ProZachJ]

The sleeve often tries to come out on mine, sometimes it's easier to just let it come out and then use something long to pop out the plug.

 

[DaleB]

I used a block and dead blow to get the sleeve bac in place - then a short piece of wood and the dead blow to move the plug away from the end a bit. After that I was able to push it out with the press screw without any issues. Man, that is one solid block of tobacco!