Haven't Had Tangiers In Years

[Skoozle]

Let me get that scale for you... hold on.

[Skoozle]

[quote name='Sonthert' timestamp='1317851098' post='66635']
At some point, I posted this 0-10 scale of how a bowl was packed. I am reconstructing it for the purposes of training Katie, since I can't find the original. :sunflower:/>

also, one thing I've been working on recently is the whole thing with "How" it is underpacked. One thing I have found, even on bowls that have the proper amount of tobacco in, they make not smoke well because the tobacco in there isn't in there right. Its important tom ake sure there aren't any large gaps between the outer edge and the tobacco. In fact, it might be one of the most important things to getting a good smoking bowl to actually mash extra tobacco (to make sure its densely packed) against the outer edge of the bowl. I've been doing this naturally, the way I pack bowls and I haven't been able to figure out why people seem to say my bowls smoke better than other people's, so I've been trying to figure out why so I can share it with you guys.

So, make sure you have a really solid pack up against the outer edge of the bowl. I have seen recently, through experimentation, bowls that smoke poorly, but have the correct amount of tobacco in, by mashing the tobacco [i]AWAY[/i] from the outer edge.

So, back to the classic 0-10 scale:

5 is perfectly packed, 0 is dreadfully underpacked and 10 is woefully overpacked.

0------Gross underpack- Smoke is very thin, very harsh.
1------Severe underpack- Smoke is whispy, very light and very harsh. May be harsher than a 0-underpack
2------Bad underpack- Smoke is weak, but harsh, slight flavor
3------Underpacked- Smoke is better, still harsh, flavor is better. May cause significant headbuzz from too much nicotine in a short period of time
4------Slight Underpack- Smoke is good, slightly harsh, flavor is good. Still may cause some headache from too much nicotine.
5------Perfect!
6------Slight Overpack- Smoke is good, flavor is slightly off, a little juice may stream down the sides of the bowl (AKA juice streamers), charcoal may stick very slightly to the foil.
7------Overpacked-Smoke is somewhat weak, flavor is somewhat plasticky or sour, more juice seem streaming. Charcoal getting fused to foil and separating. Some juice can be seen bubbling under the holes in the foil near edges.
8------Bad overpack-Smoke is weak, flavor is off and slightly harsh. Numerous streamers. Charcoal fusing to foil very quickly. Juice can be seen bubbling slightly out of the edges of the foil.
9------Severe underpack- Smoke is very thin, flavor nearly non-existant. Numerous streamers, juice bubbling across the foil, in all areas.
10-----Gross underpack- Smoke extremely thin, juice seen oozing through the holes in the foil and following down into streamers.
[/quote]

Also this:

[quote name='Sonthert' timestamp='1317852333' post='66640']
The average bowl of Tangiers, in a Tangiers bowl has a 20 minute window. ASSUMING the bowl is properly packed, 4-6 in the packing scale

In the first 20 minutes, rules are backwards.

Too little coal makes the bowl get harsh. It takes a lot more heat to get it to scorch. If you go past 20 minutes, the bowl will get harsh from too much coal and be fine with too little coal.

Make sure right around 20 minutes you get your long-run charcoal arrangement in gear. If you like thick smoke, 20 minutes is going to be as long as the bowl can maintain it. After that, you are into the complex boiling-reflux relationship with a dry top layer between the foil and the active level where juice is boiling from.

If your bowl hasn't improved after 20 minutes, then its significantly out of acclimation or mispacked. You can still scrape the dry top layer from the top of the bowl and repack it. Bowl will be hot, so be careful.
[/quote]

Both copied directly from .us

[mattarios2]

Aha yes, I have read those from somewhere before.

Great to re read before smoking it though, I appreciate it.

I am going to wait for my friends and if it ends up sucking I will just smoke the mini of mizo raspberry I have on backup.

[Skoozle]

That sounds like a solid plan too.

I hope it smokes well for you, but if not, pay attention to [i]how [/i]it isn't smoking well. From there, you should be able to adjust in the right direction instead of randomly changing things until you luck into a well packed bowl.

Also, if it doesn't work out for you, don't just dump the bowl, you should be able to add or subtract from the bowl later to see if you can get it smoking right.

[mattarios2]

Will do, thanks man!

[mattarios2]

If you check out the video of Eric packing a bowl from 3-4 years ago on youtube when he shows the depression in the foil it looks quite similar to mine, which is why the amount I am thinking/hoping is right. I will smoke it for like 20 min and then re-asses adding or removing some tobacco.

And I should stick with 2 coconut coals to start?

[joytron]

Try three half coals to start

[Pavo21]

2 coals is fine for ur bowl

[mattarios2]

[quote name='joytron' timestamp='1357776919' post='567979']
Try three half coals to start
[/quote]
[quote name='Pavo21' timestamp='1357776924' post='567980']
2 coals is fine for ur bowl
[/quote]

WHICH ONE?!?! AHHH lol jk.

Well I figured I should do 3 halves but halves last for like no time at all. Is 3 halves or 2 whole more likely to succeed?

[Pavo21]

people like jess are skimy on coals thats why he does halfs lol

[mattarios2]

Lol, I talked to woodsy, just this one time I am going to light 3 coals and put 2 on the bowl and see how it goes and add a third possibly. Just this time for trial and error.

[Chreees]

I suggest instead of splitting coals to just to stonehenge them. Then lay flat and on the edge of the bowl if it's not enough heat. That way you don't waste that third coal, and don't have to go through the hassle of splitting coals.

I also recommend using a Small Phunnel over the Mini, as it will be less likely to give you as much trouble (bigger phunnels are easier to manage heat on).

[mattarios2]

PAAACHHHIIIINNNG!!!!!

SUCCESSSS FUCKEEERRRSSS!!! lol sorry just really amped.

So clouds are like a 7 out of 10, flavor is wonderful.

I remember k peach being much more peachy though, this time seems a lil more spicy and just some peach in the undertones, could that be from result of the pack? I mean it smelt perfect so I doubt it is the acclimation.

Based on those results it sounds like it is a few grams overpacked, as that causes pretty good smoke, good flavor but slightly off, I did 48g so maybe 44-45 next time ... ?

I am just so gassed though, my heart was racing when it started hitting well I got so excited lol. May hold off on ordering the camel elmas and just buy some tang flavors instead ... the decisions ...

[mattarios2]

As the bowl continues the clouds seem to be thinning out a bit ... I think it is def slightly overpacked.

Suggestions? Opinions?

[joytron]

Quit worrying and enjoy the smoke.

[mattarios2]

WOOOOOW, so the cocos died down to half size, and I have 3 little coals in the middle of the bowl and oh my, it is perfect. I can truly say it is perfect not one complaint, clouds are enormous and the flavor is wonderful, I can def see why GC's are the perfect coal.

Thank you HF, I am completely satisfied with Tangiers for the first time in my life.

[ih303]

Matt, I'm glad you had such great success! I would like to comment on Tangiers' new cut. I'm not sure I like it. It seems like a finer cut leads to a denser pack resulting in poor air flow. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[mattarios2]

Well I didn't have that much experience with the old cut but it seems much more user friendly with the new cut because it's harder to get air pockets

[Skoozle]

Told ya it was over packed, fucker.


That's great that it is smoking nicely for you. K-Peach is a great flavor and it's strong too, so you can get away with over packing a little. I never got much peach from it though, maybe just some peach undertones or sweetness from the peach, if that. Maybe the recipe has evolved since you last had it.

Dial it back a few grams next time and see how you like it. Then keep cutting it by a few grams over the the next bowl or two until you get to a 4 on the packing scale.

Three or four bowls like that and you will be able to tell if it's packed right with out the scale.

I also just realized i was giving you information based on Birquq Kpeach not Noir. I think that accounts for 0.8g/mL being too low. My bad.

[Chreees]

Congrats on the success, John!

Yeah, I find the new finer cut to be more user friendly, which I assume was Eric's intention if in fact the new cut is something he had control over. Allows for a more evenly dense packing job, less pockets, etc.

[ih303]

Hmm... I think I disagree,

I recently bought a half kilo of Static Starlight, and the consistency was most comparable to coffee grounds. I mean, it smoked well, but with that fine of a cut, I really don't see any way of being able to smoke through an entire bowl without crisping the top while the bottom remains moist. With the cut as it is, I take out the bottom 3/4 of the bowl and use it in the next. Now while that sounds like a money saver to me, it just doesn't seem very efficient.

Maybe I should take to smoking my TG out of an Alien.

[mattarios2]

[quote name='Skoozle' timestamp='1357786214' post='568024']
Told ya it was over packed, fucker.


That's great that it is smoking nicely for you. K-Peach is a great flavor and it's strong too, so you can get away with over packing a little. I never got much peach from it though, maybe just some peach undertones or sweetness from the peach, if that. Maybe the recipe has evolved since you last had it.

Dial it back a few grams next time and see how you like it. Then keep cutting it by a few grams over the the next bowl or two until you get to a 4 on the packing scale.

Three or four bowls like that and you will be able to tell if it's packed right with out the scale.

I also just realized i was giving you information based on Birquq Kpeach not Noir. I think that accounts for 0.8g/mL being too low. My bad.
[/quote]

Ahhh makes sense.

As for overpacking, I really think it was only a couple grams too much, I had no juice drip anywhere, no juice bubbling out of the holes in the foil, no signs of anything once the coals got to their ideal size. BUT, there was one little burn mark in the foil that I guess could have been a drop of juice coming up. Overall for a first bowl I was impressed and pleased. Now I just need to make sure I buy flavors that are easy on acclimation, at least once the summer rolls around as our summers are ridiculous with humidity fluctuation and I had trouble with that in the past.

Thanks man!

[quote name='Chreees' timestamp='1357786252' post='568025']
Congrats on the success, John!

Yeah, I find the new finer cut to be more user friendly, which I assume was Eric's intention if in fact the new cut is something he had control over. Allows for a more evenly dense packing job, less pockets, etc.
[/quote]

I agree

[quote name='ih303' timestamp='1357788684' post='568031']
Hmm... I think I disagree,

I recently bought a half kilo of Static Starlight, and the consistency was most comparable to coffee grounds. I mean, it smoked well, but with that fine of a cut, I really don't see any way of being able to smoke through an entire bowl without crisping the top while the bottom remains moist. With the cut as it is, I take out the bottom 3/4 of the bowl and use it in the next. Now while that sounds like a money saver to me, it just doesn't seem very efficient.

Maybe I should take to smoking my TG out of an Alien.
[/quote]

First time bowl here with the new pack and I smoked 3 rounds without any burning issues. I just found when I dropped on the new round of coals, I had to move the coals around to certain spots that weren't as burned as other spots and it was fine

[Arcane]

Congrats John. Welcome to the dark side.

[ih303]

[quote name='mattarios2' timestamp='1357790249' post='568033']
First time bowl here with the new pack and I smoked 3 rounds without any burning issues. I just found when I dropped on the new round of coals, I had to move the coals around to certain spots that weren't as burned as other spots and it was fine
[/quote]

True dat. But what bowl are you using and check the baccy after you "think" the bowl is done. Just want to compare to my experience. I always end up with finished top and usable bottom. Not sure how I feel about that.

[Pavo21]

[quote name='ih303' timestamp='1357792515' post='568038']
[quote name='mattarios2' timestamp='1357790249' post='568033']
First time bowl here with the new pack and I smoked 3 rounds without any burning issues. I just found when I dropped on the new round of coals, I had to move the coals around to certain spots that weren't as burned as other spots and it was fine
[/quote]

True dat. But what bowl are you using and check the baccy after you "think" the bowl is done. Just want to compare to my experience. I always end up with finished top and usable bottom. Not sure how I feel about that.
[/quote]

If your bowl is only toped cooked you either didn't poke ur wholes down far enough into your bowl or you didn't smoke long enough

if i smoke a small for say 8 hrs its about half way cooked if it smoke it for roughly 12 its a donut