Most smokers today prefer to grow their own or purchase tobacco, rather than finished products from it. Most varieties of culture must undergo mandatory fermentation before consumption, but there are species that do not need this process.
What is tobacco fermentation intended for?
Green tobacco contains a large amount of moisture, which makes it difficult to smoke, makes it unpleasant. The non-fermented product is bitter, smokes, it is eater and too strong.
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Fermentation of smoking tobacco is needed to acquire the following qualities:
- A complex procedure reduces fragility of leaves, gives them elasticity. This allows you to carry out the necessary manipulations with the sheet, for example, roll a cigar.
- The caustic strength is mitigated by removing sharp esters and reducing hard resins.
- It is easier to smoke a tobacco product; its smoke acquires softness and a pleasant aroma.
- After smoking, a pleasant aftertaste remains.
- Fermentation extends the shelf life of the product, protects it from infection by fungal infection.
Fermentation-free varieties
There are plant varieties, which contain few sugars, aggressive resins and esters, so it is enough to dry them in the sun, as was done in hoary antiquity. The list includes Turkish and American varieties, some plants of folk selection.
Burley
The homeland of the plant is considered to be the countries of South and North America with a dry climate, for example, Mexico, Brazil. Varieties of Burley differ in the absence of sugar, respectively, do not need fermentation. And without this process, depending on the region and growing conditions, tobacco has an interesting aftertaste and aroma: nutty, chocolate or caramel.
The leaves are yellow-golden, may be with a reddish tint. Due to its intense taste and strength, Burley is used in mixes for hookah and cigarette mixtures, for pipe smoking.
Trapezond 92
This type is best manifests its qualities, being grown in the southern territories with long and hot summers. It is popular on the Black Sea coast, in the Krasnodar Territory.
Trapezond 92 is an early-growing plant, it has a low amount of nicotine, a moderate strength. Tobacco has a pleasant aroma and high smoking qualities. It is used to fill cigarettes, cigars, tubes as the basis for mixtures.
Samsun 85
This species belongs to oriental varieties., the best specimens are grown in Turkey, on plantations near the city of Samsun, hence the name of the variety. Oriental has a good strength, due to which it is used not only in mixtures, but also independently.
A large number of essential compounds gives the product a spicy smell and aftertaste. Samsun smolders slowly, for which fans of cigars love it. Hookahs also note it, enhancing the addition of Samsun's aroma of mixtures.
Dyubek
Dubek is one of those varieties for which artificial fermentation is not only unnecessary, but also prohibited. It refers to orientals, is used as a single product and mixtures with other varieties. After natural drying in the sun, the foliage acquires a yellow or reddish hue.
To obtain the highest qualities, the leaves “cure” for about a year. It does not contain much nicotine, but has a bright floral-honey aroma, rich in a pleasant aftertaste. It is used in a hookah, for cigars and cigarettes, for smoking a pipe.
Important! Smokers at 13–15 times more likely to suffer from angina pectoris than people who do not have addiction.
How to choose the right tobacco for yourself
Which grade to choose, it depends on many factors. If you are going to grow the plant yourself, then you need to take into account the maturity of the crop and the favorable conditions for growing and care (climate, soil).
When purchasing tobacco for storage and use, you need to decide for what purposes it is purchased:
- hookah;
- a tube;
- cigarette.
In addition, there are snuff and chewing varieties. Based on the intended purpose and your own preferences, choose according to the criteria of strength, aroma and aftertaste. Snuff or chewing tobacco is produced from tobacco dust, harmful impurities and mineral compounds are removed.
The product for chewing or sucking is pressed into tiles, adding some sticky substance. For smoking varieties, the quality of the smoke is important, since it is the product of consumption.
Aromatics with dark foliage are suitable for the tube product, for example:
- Burley
- Virginia
- Cavendish (a mixture of the first two types after treatment).
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To pack cigarettes, the product must be cut into high quality. The cigarette mixture may contain a different dosage of nicotine (light, super light), have flavorings, for example, mint.
For thin Indian cigarettes, a finely chopped mixture with the addition of herbs is used; cloves are present in Javanese cigarettes. Each mixture has its own sauces to the base grade, and almost all varieties or their mixture are suitable as the base.
One of the most popular types of smoking today is hookah. For hookah mixtures, tobacco is used with a high proportion of moisture, which is perfectly aromatized with additives and filled with the tastes of sauces and essences. For a hookah, criteria such as strength, burning ability are also important. Varieties such as Virginia and Burley are good for smoking.
Rules for storing tobacco without fermentation
There are several ways of storing non-processed tobacco, which of them to give preference to decide for yourself:
- ligaments are formed from leaves and stored in the cold (attic);
- stack the leaves in tight piles, dress them with thread and store them in vacuum bags;
- the same stacks of foliage are packed in cardboard boxes, stored in a warm room.
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In the place of storage of the product should be dry, humidity not higher than 70%, temperature not higher than + 8 ... + 15 ° С. A small amount of chopped tobacco is stored in containers made of natural material: glass, wood, leather. Best of all in a glass jar with a rubberized hermetically sealed lid.
Choosing the right tobacco will give the smoker a real pleasure, and the proper storage of the non-fermented product will protect it from damage.
