| Author | Message | ||
     ARTHUR SANTELLA Member Username: Arty1941 Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2009 |
I was told by an old timer that had smoked pipes for 50 years that he sweetened his pipes about 3 times a year with 80 proof Courvoisier Cognac, B & B or Grand Marnier according to what he felt like tasting. Now I don’t know if this fellow was pulling my leg, but those are some seriously expensive pipe sweeteners. What are your thoughts. {Post moved to General Questions -MSS} | ||
| James MacKay Member Username: Bigjim Post Number: 97 Registered: 09-2008 |
Hi Arthur - I don't think he was pulling your leg. The cost is probably very small as you are only wetting the tip of a pipe cleaner with the sweetener. The alcohol concentration seems to be the key to success. I have tried just about everything in my pipes and have now settled on 190 proof Everclear which is a grain alcohol. I "sweeten" my pipes with it every month and am very happy with the smoking quality of all my pipes. An ounce of prevention is worth tons of cures! Regards. | ||
| Paul Jordan Member Username: Maniczombie Post Number: 9 Registered: 04-2009 |
I use 90% isopropyl alcohol, available in pharmacies and grocery stores. Everclear also works great. It is 95% ethyl alcohol and available in many liquor stores (except in some states, where it is illegal). The Everclear is much more expensive but some people prefer it because they find the odor less objectionable. Both can be toxic in significant quantities, especially the isopropanol, but they completely evaporate within a few hours. If you use the isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) make sure to get the 90%+ and make sure there are no fragrances added. | ||
| Harvey Click Member Username: Fafhrd Post Number: 1453 Registered: 03-2006 |
I use cheap 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean my pipes. I prefer to save the good stuff for drinking. | ||
| Tom Mueller Member Username: Tommueller Post Number: 167 Registered: 04-2008 |
I too use 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean my pipes, taking a quick swipe after every bowl (after cooling). A more thorough shank scrub is done about monthly. I have a 2 oz. bottle of "Pipemaster's Clean & Cure", which I use very occasionally, but don't notice a difference when using the later. When it runs out I'll probably just use the isopropyl. | ||
| james robert Member Username: Scottish_piper Post Number: 91 Registered: 12-2006 |
Considering what some of us spend on pipes and tobacco , as well as the enjoyment we get from it , I don't find it unreasonable that some would want to use the best liquors as pipe sweeteners , I was even thinking that some good liquers such as southern comfort or Amaretto would be good choices as well. I will have to try some of them eventually. | ||
| Ken Jones Member Username: Krjones Post Number: 9 Registered: 09-2008 |
There is a difference between cleaning and sweetening isn't there? I clean my pipes with Everclear (or cheaper equivalents). But in order to sweeten a pipe, I'd use some sort of brandy or rum with a sweeter flavor. | ||
| Nathan A. Tomasch Member Username: Analogmoz Post Number: 45 Registered: 01-2006 |
The only thing I would suggest is to use liquors that are at standard proof (80) or above. The higher the alcohol, the less water will be retained within the pipe. If you're a bourbon man, may I suggest Booker's? It is very tasty and has a proof of 121 to 127. | ||
| Dan Bryant Member Username: Bryantm3 Post Number: 54 Registered: 03-2009 |
Isopropyl alchohol, in my opinion, stinks and I don't feel right putting it in my pipe as I wouldn't feel right adding it to a drink. I would recommend Everclear because it doesn't tend to leave a strong odor. | ||
| Harvey Click Member Username: Fafhrd Post Number: 1454 Registered: 03-2006 |
--"Considering what some of us spend on pipes and tobacco , as well as the enjoyment we get from it , I don't find it unreasonable that some would want to use the best liquors as pipe sweeteners , I was even thinking that some good liquers such as southern comfort or Amaretto would be good choices as well." The fact that I spend a lot on pipes is one of the reasons why I don't use flavored liquor to clean them. Keep in mind that even 100-proof liquor is only 50% alcohol. The rest is mostly water with some additional flavor, which I'd rather not have in my pipes. Plain old cheap 91% isopropyl, on the other hand, is almost pure alcohol and will leave no flavor after it evaporates. | ||
| james robert Member Username: Scottish_piper Post Number: 92 Registered: 12-2006 |
"The fact that I spend a lot on pipes is one of the reasons why I don't use flavored liquor to clean them." Exactly harvey , you're talking about cleaning pipes , I'm talking about sweetening pipes. I think I would like the flavour of some liqeurs , some tobaccos are even flavoured with them to begin with , and some of those flavored aromatics I like very much. | ||
| Dave Neeb Member Username: Mkelaw Post Number: 193 Registered: 04-2005 |
Alcohol, whether it's 20 year old brandy or Everclear is volatile, meaning that it evaporates quickly. The reason we use alcohol in a pipe is because it helps cut through the gunk that accumulates as a pipe is smoked. Commercial pipe "sweeteners" are also alcohol based. To the extent that the alcohol has a taste when it's drunk, that taste will quickly evaporate in a pipe. Clean pipes are sweet pipes. They're not sweet because of the type alcohol used to clean them. They're sweet because they're clean. Of course, all of the above is in my humble opinion, but it's also a fact. Best, Dave | ||
| Melvin S. Schwartz Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 4302 Registered: 02-2002 |
Dave, I have to disagree with your statement "it's also a fact." I use alcohol to clean my pipes and they do not taste sweet after the cleaning. I have used different kinds of alcohol, such as vodka, gin, and Everclear. | ||
| Tom Mueller Member Username: Tommueller Post Number: 169 Registered: 04-2008 |
Does the term sweet in this application literally mean sweet as in sugary sweet? I have always equated the term 'sweet' with the clean - not bitter or foul smelling - state a pipe [hopefully] retains when maintained properly. I was alluding to this above when I stated "I don't notice a difference when using the later ["Pipemaster's Clean & Cure"]", when compared to a cleaning with isoprophyl. Clarification, simply for curiosity's sake, appreciated. Nightcap in an IRC [Savinelli] natural | ||
| Melvin S. Schwartz Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 4303 Registered: 02-2002 |
I believe there are commercial pipe sweeteners that do add sweetness as in sort of "sugary sweet." I don't know why one has to use the term sweet if that is not what one gets. I would use clean tasting as an alternative to sweet if sweet is not what is meant. After cleaning my pipes with alcohol, I have noticed a temporary alcohol taste, brief as it may be. Now I don't clean my pipes often and I don't encounter bitterness; in fact, I like the way they taste going long periods between cleaning. Sweetness is definitely not my way of describing the taste after cleaning my pipes with alcohol. | ||
| Harvey Click Member Username: Fafhrd Post Number: 1455 Registered: 03-2006 |
--"I don't know why one has to use the term sweet if that is not what one gets. I would use clean tasting as an alternative to sweet if sweet is not what is meant." Yes, that is more accurate. Cleaning with alcohol doesn't leave any sort of sweet taste behind, it just gets rid of the built up tastes of tar, etc. If you want to sweeten your pipes, alcohol isn't necessary--just use a thin smear of honey or grape jelly or corn syrup. | ||
| james robert Member Username: Scottish_piper Post Number: 93 Registered: 12-2006 |
"If you want to sweeten your pipes, alcohol isn't necessary--just use a thin smear of honey or grape jelly or corn syrup." Or a nice sweet liqeur , the flavour of your choice. I tried the honey approach , too much goop in the pipe for me , it was sweet tho. I just tried some Cointreau Orange liqeur , very nice. | ||
| Gerard Carroll Member Username: Nogbad Post Number: 84 Registered: 06-2008 |
Smoke a couple of bowls of Peterson Sunset Breeze! Your pipe will be fruity and very sweet, as in sugary sweet afterwards! |