bitter taste and oozing of tar from the pipe

[iergeni]

So I started smoking a pipe recently. I'm still struggling with the proper packing techniques and so on. So far, I've had a few very enjoyable bowls, but recently I've been getting an unpleasant, bitter taste and lots of tar from the mouthpiece.

I probably shouldn't be smoking so fast, but if I smoke slower, the pipe goes out.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions and tips.

[Fia]

Well for one thing you need to rest your pipe. If you are smoking it everyday, it isnt being given a chance to dry out. Thats why lots of pipe smokers have a rotation. If you only have money for one pipe, invest in a good quality meer as those can be smoked more frequently. Google search pipe cleaning. Probably need to run some pipe cleaners with everclear or something through the stem and shank. Let them air out, etc. Hang in there with the pipe. It takes time to learn it. You will learn what the proper amount of pressure needed for packing a pipe. BTW, its ok for a pipe to go out and need multiple relights. Enjoy.

[Goalee1]

I've learned that you need to minimally do at least a quick clean after every bowl (just my terminology lol). Whether you finish it in one sitting or two, run a few pipe cleaners through and personally, at the end of the day, I will clean out the stem with pipe cleaners with a little ever clear. Definitely let your pipe rest as Fia says for at least a day, I don't go to the same pipe for at least 3-4 days. Also, make sure your tobacco is dry enough when you're smoking it. If you're getting a gurgling when you're smoking, its probably a little too wet and needs to be dried out a little more. You can easily do this by letting it sit out a little longer before smoking it (esp true with flake type tobacco's that need to be rubbed out before smoking and aromatics as well). I usually rub out my stonehaven, set it in the pipe and go back to it a couple of hours later to smoke it. You're already on the right track if you've enjoyed your bowls so just take a little time to do a couple of things and you're golden. G1

[Herfin' Harg]

By "bitter" taste, do you mean more "sour"? If you're getting a sour fluid in your mouth occasionally, ya need to run a soft pipe cleaner down into the shank while you're smoking to sop it up. But moreover, as has been suggested above, dry your tobacco out (to varying degrees) before smoking.

I started smoking a pipe last - jesus - was it october? Man, fast year...

Anyway, I really tried to give it a good run in the months before it became unbearably hot here. But I was smoking a lot of tinned english (the bulk english at my local is shit) and I was always having problems with wet dottle/doddle/doodle (sp?) and a foul-tasting sour liquid that would creep up the stem while smoking. So, after talking with some folks about it, I literally took a tin or two and left them open on my desk for, I think it was not quite two days, mixed them up and gave them another try. The drier backy gave me a much better smoke overall. I wasn't having to pull as often to keep it lit resulting in a cooler smoke with a more even burn, and significantly less (but not "no") gurgle.

So... after playing with it for a while, I'm doing the following:

1. Give everything an hour or two out of the tin/bag and on a paper towel before I smoke it.
2. If it's cased, let it sit all day. It's still likely to be gummy as all hell when you pack it.
3. If I'm planning on smoking from a deeper bowl, that gets extra time to dry out as well.
4. Smoke inside when I can. It's less humid here than a lot of places, but I can still tell a big difference with smoking inside v. outside when I've got my pipe. Not sure why it doesn't seem to be an issue with cigars, but I really feel that pipes are a lot more susceptible to weather, and you'll do better inside than out.

Hope any of that helps. Good luck.

[iergeni]

Thanks for your help!

Before, I was keeping the pipe in a ziplock bag (to prevent the odor escaping and stinking up my backpack) - I realize that that was not the best idea.

I gave it a chance to air out and the improvement was noticeable immediatelly.