Is this mold?
- Thread starter Isaac
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Kilroy6644
Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
Look at it through a magnifying glass. Does it look fuzzy or crystalline? If it's fuzzy it's mold; crystalline is plume. Mold is bad, of course, but plume is not. It's a by-product of aging, and perfectly ok. Apparently moldy tobacco smells bad too, but I've never had any first-hand experience.
Hirsute
Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose
Looks like sugar crystals. Smoke them.
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I would also say not mold. Although I have read that the crystals are bacterial by products and not sugar.
Does it pass the sniff test?
Does it pass the sniff test?
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Dunno what the sniff test is, but it doesn’t smell bad at all. I think it’s something from the packaging/production phase. I’m with you on the plume myth. Coming from cigars, there really is no mythical plume,as it is just various forms of mold. Easily wiped off. But my problem with pipe tobacco is that well it would be all over it.
If it doesn't smell bad, smoke it. If it doesn't taste bad, keep smoking it.
I have only had badly molded sticks, but they smelled like I would imagine moldy tobacco to smell.
Looks too organized for mold. I'd say your packaging hypothesis is a pretty good one.
I've smoked whatever that is and lived to tell the tale. I think you're ok.
Side note: I know studies have been done and "proved" plume is just mold, but I was never satisfied with the organization of those studies. As far as I could tell they had no controls. All tested tobacco could have mold spores present, but they never tested unplumed tobacco. And they only ever tested for mold, which means some of it could be sugar crystals with mold spores present in addition. It always just felt like a half serious attempt at science that we now have to abide by even though there are still questions to ask. Sorry for the mini rant.
Side note: I know studies have been done and "proved" plume is just mold, but I was never satisfied with the organization of those studies. As far as I could tell they had no controls. All tested tobacco could have mold spores present, but they never tested unplumed tobacco. And they only ever tested for mold, which means some of it could be sugar crystals with mold spores present in addition. It always just felt like a half serious attempt at science that we now have to abide by even though there are still questions to ask. Sorry for the mini rant.
Have you ever tried tasting the sugar crystals? I have. Not at all sweet 
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.Fair enough...but still not science. If we're gonna take the time, effort, and money to prove something we might as well go all the way...no?Have you ever tried tasting the sugar crystals? I have. Not at all sweet
I'm thinking mold would smell different than it did when you put it away I'll bet the wrap or bag it was in had a slightly different smell.
I’ll see if I can’t dig up the article I read. I think there was a little bit of scientific research thrown at it.
Page 6 is where he tests pipe tobacco with “crystals”. Sadly the link with results is dead, but it seems all were fungal/bacterial in nature.
Interesting subject. In the world of food not all mold is bad. Blue cheese is an example of actually introducing mold to enhance the flavor of preserved milk. Meats are typically hung and aged and nature is at work breaking down and making the flavor better. Perhaps there is some of this happening with tobacco?
Clearly there are bad molds as well . . . like the kind that happens when you throw your gym bag into the closet at the end of the school year and don't open it again until September. (yeah . . . I did that)
Clearly there are bad molds as well . . . like the kind that happens when you throw your gym bag into the closet at the end of the school year and don't open it again until September. (yeah . . . I did that)
The kicker, tho, is they are still waiting on the chemical composition of the “crystals” in the pipe tobacco. Might be sugar after all?
Exactly. It could be that mold is present on all the "plume" because all tobacco might just have mold, period. I dunno. As long as its not the nasty stuff, I smoke it.
Could be dangerous, carcinogenic mould. Best not to take any chances. Send it all to me for proper analysis and disposal. No charge this time, as a favour...
