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Fermenting Tobacco
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Please also visit Growing your Tobacco
Thanks go to Mel Tolbert for writing this article.
How much can a person grow?
The rising cost of tobacco products (mostly due to rising taxes) has prompted an increase in the interest in home grown tobacco. A private person is allowed to raise 1/10th of an acre of tobacco for their own use this brakes down to about 125 plants and will yield about 25 to 50 lb. This is equal to about 50 or 100 cartons of cigarettes or more than 1000 cigars (depending on the roller).
Growing and Harvesting
Raising and curing tobacco is a set of 6-week process 6 weeks in the seed trays from the time of sowing the seeds until they are 4" to 6" tall and ready to go outside. A shady spot is the best place to grow a nice mellow tobacco; 6 weeks out side with luck will see your plant's 5' to 6' tall.
Drying
When the leaves are sticky and ripe they are harvested and hung by their stems to dry. Drying takes place best when done at a high temp and humidity (90 to 110 degrees. and 65% to 75% humidity). Drying should take 6 weeks check the leaves daily to insure they are not getting brittle if the leaves are feeling too dry damp them with a spray-misting bottle. A paper bag can help slow down the drying, just blow the bag up like a balloon and tie the end around the stem. An attic with a humidifier is a good place to dry them but a closet with a heater will work well too. Next, and most important, the leaves must be cured.
Curing
Curing is done through one of the following methods;
Flue curing;
This is the standard way that industry does it with the addition of 100 or more chemicals and exposure to wood smoke or just radiant heat. This is the fastest way to cure tobacco, big shops can make 70,000 cigarettes and hour or more. It's also the most costly as the equipment costs a fortune.
Aging;
If the leaves are wrapped in burlap and allowed to age at a perfect humidity (72%) and a temp of 75 to 85 degrees. they will be cured "naturally" this process is the slowest and takes 18 months to 3 years. This method is the slowest, needs the least equipment (a hygrometer a humidifier and a thermometer), and dose eventually produce an excellent smoke.
Fermenting;
There are two methods of fermenting, stacking and kiln fermenting.
The stacking method is used by large growers, stacks of tobacco weighing around 100 lbs are wrapped ion burlap and allowed to "sweat" the internal temp is closely monitored and when it reaches 140 degrees the stack is broken down to release tar, ammonia, and nicotine. The stack is torn down and rebuilt several times until the temp will no longer reach 110 degrees, the stems are stripped and stacked in a cooler place (65 degrees to age for a time (6 weeks to 6 years).
Kiln fermenting is what the smaller grower must use if he or she wants to smoke any time soon. The kiln is a small-insulated container with an artificial heat source that helps to simulate the fermentation stack. The leaves are wrapped in burlap and placed in the kiln with the lid shut heat and humidity are carefully controlled (temp 125 to 135 degrees and 72 to 75% humidity) the kiln is left on 24 hours a day and opened only once a day to rotate the bundles. After a week the bundle is broken down and repacked to vent the leaves. Kiln fermenting lasts about 6 weeks, the relative humidity must be carefully maintained during this time. A short aging period will fallow of 4 to 6 weeks until the leaves can either be rolled into cigars or cut for cigarette, pipe, or chewing tobacco.
Remember aging will always improve a tobacco, and any tobacco leaves can be kiln cured if it has been properly stored (humidity no lower than 50%). Smoking uncured tobacco is unpleasant and dangerous as the nicotine and ammonia contained can be fatally high, not to mention it will taste like your smoking leaves from your front yard.
Own your own Kiln
We offer 2 sizes of kiln for the home grower a 24" x 18" x 12" and a 2' x2' x3' kiln. The units are ready to go just put in your tobacco and plug them in.
In all growing your own tobacco is healthier for you and your wallet and its always fun to tell your friends you grow your own. Good luck,
Mel
To order your own kiln please contact us for details at:
Mel Tolbert
1130 Medlin St. SE
Smyrna GA 30080
Mtolb25356@aol.com
Phone: 770-434-1528
Fax: 770-437-1990
Organic seeds can be purchased from Horizon Herbs.