So I finally got a good load last night with some Carter Hall and my awesome PIF win (thanks Casey). What's the deal with this taste that gets stuck on my tongue? Even after I brush my teeth and scrub my tongue the taste will not go away and my breath does not get fresh. Am I smoking too fast?
Question regarding the awful taste stuck on my tongue
- Thread starter ShaveYourSoul
- Start date
Crud. What does it taste like? I wonder if the pipe was sour. If it is I'm sorry brother, I couldn't taste or smell anything off about it before I sent it out.
- Thread starter
- #3
It's a pretty pungent, sour taste for sure. I'm not for certain it's the pipe as I have had this same taste before when I have tried cigars. It's really hard to pinpoint, but I didn't notice it with my Cob. I was trying out a different tobacco too. I'm just trying to figure out if there's a flaw in my technique. Did I smoke too fast? Did the tobacco get too hot? I'm new at this so maybe it's me and not the pipe?
Yes you probably smoked too fast and let it get too hot. What you suffered is "tongue bite" which happens when you bombard your tongue with hot baccy at a fast pace. Slow your cadence (puffing) down to ~once every 10-15 seconds. Also, pipes will often go out, so just have some patience and re-light. Once you find that happy medium of how to load your pipe, have the correct draw and cadence it should smoke much cooler and your tongue won't try to disown you.
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- #5
I'm thinking this might be the case. I think I finally got a good load and light last night and my bad loads in the Cobb may have masked bad technique? Previously, the baccy went out quickly and I had to relight several times. Not the case last night
Oh man your first case of tongue bite. I'm not sure how you avoided it so far. Stung my tongue pretty bad the first couple times I smoked. The briar isn't as porous as a cob so it smokes a little differently.
Definitely sounds like tongue bite and it definitely is not an enjoyable experience. I have found that if a tobacco is "wet" I have a harder time avoiding the bite because I am puffing more in order to keep it lit. Also, a briar is going to be more "harsh" as it were than a cob. I recommend letting your tobacco air out for a few minutes before you load the pipe and ensure you aren't cramming the heck out of the pipe (you probably aren't, but figured I'd mention it in case). Then, as mentioned, be sure to take your time between puffs. Smoking a pipe is supposed to a nice slow relaxing experience, not an attempt to create the most smoke in a short amount of time. 
Improper loading can cause you to draw too hard to try to keep it lit. COHunter described it well. Pipes go out.
It could also just be a bit too much enthusiasm. Take your time like Pilotgod describes.
Are you loading it in small pinches with gradually increasing pressure as it fills the bowl? It takes me a full calm minute to load a bowl properly.
Enjoy your smoke!
It could also just be a bit too much enthusiasm. Take your time like Pilotgod describes.
Are you loading it in small pinches with gradually increasing pressure as it fills the bowl? It takes me a full calm minute to load a bowl properly.
Enjoy your smoke!
I quit trying to smoke a pipe for about 6 months after my first bout with tongue bite. Thanks to the guys here, I figured out what I was doing wrong and pretty much get it right most of the time nowadays. Pipes are a nice change of pace, but it can be tough to get it right in the beginning.
Agreed, it's Tounge bite. It comes from smoking too hot/fast, or from whats called a "wet foot" if your tobacco is too moist.(you know it's too wet if your pipe gurgles). It makes you feel like you need to shave your tounge. If the pipe gurgled on you you need to clean the stem and shank with a pipe cleaner dipped in pipe sweetener, and then let it dry(for several days with the stem out so the briar can loose that moisture). Most pipe smokers have several pipes (if not a metric crapload) and rotate them daily letting each rest for at least a few days between smokes. This "resting period" gives the briar time to dry out and improves the quality of the smoke and extends the life of the pipe (which can be longer than a persons life if properly maintained, I have pipes that are over 70 years old and still in exellent condition). Even tobacco with proper relative humidity contains some moisture, Aromatics even more so, and it will build up in your pipes "foot" if not given enough time to rest.
Brett
Brett
agreed, think of it like this;
load in three stages
1~ fill the bowl LOOSELY to the rim with tobacco and pack it down with your pinky "the childs finger" is the pressure you will use.
2~ fill the bowl to the rim agian, and pack down with your index finger "the mothers finger" is you pressure guidline.
your bowl should be a little more than halfway full at this point
3~ fill your bowl once more but heap it a little above the rim and pack it with "the fathers thumb" as your pressure guide.
this pack should be firm, but not a hard push.
If you have done it correctly you will have a bowl packed to within an 1/8" or so of the rim and it will burn evenly. The draw will not be so light as to make the pipe burn too hot, nor will it be so hard as to make the cherry burn to cool and go out (which can also cause that gurgling because the moisture is settling rather than being evaporated.
