Tobacco Cellaring With Mylar

Kmhartle

Have any of you fine folks ever used Mylar bags for cellaring tobacco? I've seen several positive articles about it online and have ordered some 4x6 Mylar bags to give it a whirl.  It seems to make sense. Air tight and light proof made for long term food storage. I like the fact that it would reduce weight too.  My mason jars are starting to get heavy in the drawers I use for cellaring. It would take less space for storage as well.  I'm hoping that the 4x6 size (with a gusset bottom) will hold about 4 ounces of tobacco. A good size to open and use. Another plus is the ability to heat seal above the zip lock, making it air tight, for long term storage. $10 for 25 on Amazon makes them less expensive than mason jars too.

Thoughts?

Bloodhound61

Sure seems like a fine idea. I know it works well for me when I need to store helium on special occasions 😉

ocpunk714

Interesting 

qmechanics

^Ditto

PappyJoe

Ask long as you don't mind the tobacco not aging.

Kmhartle

@PappyJoe ~ I'm curious as to why the tobacco wouldn't age? It's not vacuum sealed with the air removed like a food saver bag is. It's just sealed from outside air entering (or inside air escaping for that matter). It seems the consensus on what I've read is it ages much the same as in mason jars. 

PappyJoe

I’ve been told the opposite, that you need to vacuum seal the bag and then heat seal it. You may be right. 

Kmhartle

Well, I filled and sealed a few bags to see how it will work. The bags will hold about 2 ounces, give or take.  I filled some more and some less to test the seal.  I'll check them all in a week and then again each month. They sealed easy with the help of my wife's hair straightening iron. You can also use a regular clothes iron set on the wool setting to seal them too.  They are ideal for storing flake tobacco! I'll keep you posted with the seal test results.

ghostsofpompeii

@Kmhartle I'd be curious to know how it all works out. You are right about the storage issues. Smaller Mylar bags should make for easier storage and more room in your cellar. Nothing worse than having a couple dozen half empty jars in your cellar of blends you'll probably not be replacing when empty. They take up a lot of space, and unless you want to spend more money for smaller jars - you just have to live with it until you finally smoke it all up. Staring smaller amounts in the Mylar bags seems like the perfect solution.

Question for @PappyJoe Tins have expanded and popped on some of the easy peel back tins ... isn't this something that can happen as well if the tobacco continues to age and ferment?

PappyJoe

@ghostsofpompeii - I leave the empty jars sitting on the counter so when SWMBO asks why I have empty jars stacked up, I tell her, "Because I haven't bought any new tobacco lately."

jim102864

Seems like a great storage alternative to Mason jars.  I don't have the room for cellering and I'm constantly trying to keep my rotation down to a manageable number (whatever that is) with little success. 

DavidR002

Yes, lets us know how it works out 

Charles

Interesting.  Can't help wondering if the Mylar will change the tobacco flavor over time.   

piperdave

@Charles
I wonder the same thing? I tend to think not; but only because when I have purchased bulk blends in the past I have received them sealed in the same style bag from the vendor. Also at my local B&M I noticed the receive their bulk in plastic as well which they then move to the sale jars but the remainder stay in bags. Interesting I would like to know the results.

Woodsman

At this point I've decreased buying tobacco as I believe my cellared will suffice, of course I'll be delighted if I'm proved wrong.

Kmhartle

@Charles ~ I think that's the million dollar question .Will it change the flavor over time? So far, from what I've read online, it doesn't. However, I don't think there's enough data on cellaring in Mylar for over 5 years to confidently say. That said, Esoterica and some blends of G.L. Pease are now being marketed and sold in Mylar bags. I guess only time will tell.