smoking the dottle

mfresa

Sorry to ask a newbie question, but what are people's experiences smoking dottle?  I seem to get a lot of smoke, very little flavor (I'm doing aromatics) and a lot of oil bite.  Does everyone else smoke it through or toss it out?  Thanks

xDutchx

@mfresa, I am not a big fan of smoking all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Not only are the flavors usually washed out by then, most of the worst steam bite in a bowl, comes from the last 20% of the tobacco. That last 20% of the tobacco, has essentially acted like a filter, absorbing a lot of moisture created by the burning tobacco.

Add to that, that the triangle directly above the draft hole can be vulnerable to burnout when you smoke too thoroughly, particularly so with bent pipes.

I have heard some experts say that not smoking to a fine white ash, will leave a greasy residue in the bottom of the bowl. If I ever found myself with a sour pipe due to a greasy residue, I would simply use the Kosher salt treatment, to remove the sour note.

One thing I have noticed with older collectible pipes that are in pristine condition, is that the owner of said pipe knew the long term benefits of 3 things. Not filling the bowl any more than 75% capacity, setting the pipe down as soon as it starts to feel hot, and not smoking every last bit of tobacco until they hear the moisture in the bottom of the bowl begin to sizzle.

Learning to smoke a pipe properly by keeping it in the zone where it is barely lit, will provide more flavor, less tongue bite, and in most cases, prevent most burnout issues.

ghostsofpompeii

@xDutchx thank you very much for the information I'll keep that in mind from now on, especially when smoking one of the more expensive pipes that I hope to keep in pristine condition for as long as possible. I've always tried smoking to the bottom of the bowl when-ever possible because I don't want to waste the tobacco. But you are absolutely right, the taste can occasionally get pretty grungy. And as an aromatic smoker moisture is always an issue. 

mfresa

I agree with both of you.  Great advice.  Thanks!!!

mfresa

PS I think I'm going to need a bigger pipe.  The churchwarden is great, but maybe an om Paul?  (my spelling sucks).

riobrusa

I don't worry about smoke until the very end. I stop smoke when the tobacco start tasting bad, no sense finish a good smoke whit a bad taste. Sometimes, it will go to the very end but most of the times no, especially with aromatics.

Woodsman

The only practical excuses to smoke it to the bottom is: 1, You're really enjoying it to the end. 2, Practicing for slow smoking contests. 3, It just happens; (getting a blast of ash into your mouth)

Philip

Can't disagree with any of the advice so far. I used to always smoke as much as I could not wanting to waste any tobacco but came to learn this is not very smart. But personally, 20% sounds a little premature for the kinds of blends I smoke. I'd liken it to smoking a cigar. When you are smoking a stick there comes a definite point when everything changes, the taste, the heat etc. By the way, I used to try to smoke those to the point of jeopardizing burning my fingertips. It's the cheapness of my personality that got in the way. I felt like I was getting more value, but in fact it was spoiling what would have been a much better experience.

With a pipe the change is more subtle, but it's there. Just speculating but I think it has to be due to many factors including blend, age, type of pipe, barometric pressure (maybe not the last one) and who knows what else. Some times I stop and when cleaning the bowl am surprised to find a good pinch left, other times I'm chugging along and all of a sudden find it impossible to relight only to see nothing but fine white ash and not a speck left. I go by the 'feel' for lack of a better word. You can just tell when it's done.

For me aromatics like RLP-6, or even one of the Frogs, when smoked a little wet, I have more left, whereas pressed tobaccos like Navy Rolls or Orlik Golden sliced go all the way down, or close to it. I can't describe it and even if I did I'd probably be wrong. You just know and I'll bet everyone is a little different.

Just a thought.

Phil

Philip

This is a separate comment from what I wrote above because I didn't want to conflate the two. I whole heartily agree with Mr. Dutch earlier about keeping a good pipe tip-top. That is wise advice. The thing is, which I'm sure I've totally over-thought, is the distinction of smoking tobacco in a pipe and smoking a pipe. I'm much more carefree when smoking 95% of my pipes. I'm thinking about the tobacco and the characteristics of the blend. Of course I care about keeping the pipe nice but it's at least on an even standing with the tobacco. 

BUT, when smoking a nice pipe everything changes. It's like going out to dinner. Some people go out all the time and others like me, rarely go. We go out to dinner twice a year, on my wife's birthday and on our Anniversary, so it's a big deal for us even if I take her to a hot dog stand (don't get me going on that!). When I smoke a nice pipe that's all that matters. It's planned ahead of time. I know exactly what tobacco is going in it (Dunhill in a Dunhill for example), a blend I've smoked many, many times so there won't be any surprises. I follow all the rules Mr. Dutch laid out plus more.  Careful not to get the flame too close to the rim of the bowl for example. 

One could argue that very nice pipes should be enjoyed, just don't be reckless while others say to keep them nice and smoke them rarely. Both are right and it depends on the person. The only advice I'll give is don't buy your wife a hot dog on your anniversary then sit in the park and smoke your pipe. 

judandhispipe

Sometimes a pipe I am smoking will go all the way to the bottom with no problem; sometimes it won't. I don't worry about it a whole lot. I've been doing this pipe thing long enough that if my taste buds tell me it's time to dump the bowl,I do.

Subtilis87

Agreed, no reason to smoke the dottle if you are non enjoying it.  I also want to paraphrase one of my pipe club members who once said ' You don't need a cake at the bottom if you never smoke to the bottom."

xDutchx

@ghostsofpompeii, I've always said, the best way for a pipe smoker to learn restraint on hotboxing a pipe, is to spiderweb a high grade.

@Philip, I started to pontificate on barometric pressure, but I figured that topic deserved it's own thread.