Off-gassing
 

A guy at a cigar store in Long Grove, IL today showed me a pretty amazing trick. Have any of you heard of off-gassing? Apparently when cigars age (especially when they're full bodied) they give off ammonia gas. Ammonia tastes bitter when ignited and can ruin cigars. Here's what he had me do.

1. Light the cigar as normal
2. Smoke about 1/4 inch
3. Round off the ash in the ashtray.
4. Place the cigar in your mouth at a 45 degree angle above perpendicular to the floor.
5. As you blow very hard through the cigar, hold a soft flame at the end of the cigar.

The flame ignited the ammonia, and after the flame was removed (as I continued to blow through the cigar) there was a blue flame like the end of the cigar was a torch lighter! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. I repeated after rotated the cigar, then waited about 30 seconds. The flavor profile was improved like 5 times! All bitterness was gone. I'm assuming I'm not the only one who's heard of this!?:confused:

Re: Off-gassing
 

I have heard of purging, but not lighting the purge.

Re: Off-gassing
 

Yeah people call it fire purging or flame purging or something like that.

Re: Off-gassing
 

Basically all you did was a purge with lighting the purged gases a flame. Thats how I do it, just because I think it looks cool. :P

Re: Off-gassing
 

I think pnoon knows something about this gassing...:r

Re: Off-gassing
 

I will try it next time I smoke.

Glad I only see him over the comp:r

Re: Off-gassing
 

I was under the impression that a purge was a quick blow through the cigar. Didn't realize that it took a good ten seconds to get all the ammonia out (proven be the fact that the flame was there for that long) I mean it REALLY changed the way the smoke tasted.

I'll bet he doesn't light them:r

Re: Off-gassing
 

I want to apologize in advance to Peter, it was a "rude and unattractive" thing for me to say about him:r:r:r

Re: Off-gassing
 

I'm sure he isn't the only one here who knows about gassing.

Right MJ? :r

Re: Off-gassing
 

I'm at that shop all the time. We'll have to meet for a smoke.

Re: Off-gassing
 

Flame purging (as I call it) can be done anytime in the smoking of a cigar. If it get bitter, blow through the lit cigar for a complete breath, 30-90 seconds.

Then, using a flame (preferably a soft flame - that's a yellow flame -vs- a torch, blue flame) held up to the foot, blow through the cigar. This will "purge" the amonia and other things causing bitterness, burning the off is the purge process.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: Off-gassing
 

This is super cool. The things you learn...

Re: Off-gassing
 

I had no idea about any of this "nonsense".

I mean I purge every so often when I smoke by blowing for about 10 seconds or or so, but I had no idea that it took 6 to 9 times that to get it out.

Question: Is holding a flame to the purge merely for theatrical purposes?

Carrying two lighters with me (torch and soft flame) while standing in a river while my other hand holds a fly rod might be a little difficult...

Re: Off-gassing
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZi2ZlHbMGs :r

Sorry for the thread jack, back on topic:tu

Re: Off-gassing
 

I hate to be the only one who is like wow thats freggin amazing but WOW THATS FREGGIN AMAZING. Here I have been waiting for the celo to yellow out before I smoked a cigar to get the ammonia out of it. The taste is crazy better!

Re: Off-gassing
 

Re: Off-gassing
 

If a cigar is smoked at a proper pace, very rarely will it ever need to be purged. Doing is just cause it "looks cool" shows your immaturity in cigars.

Re: Off-gassing
 

glad I could bring this to the light of day for you!

that's the exact question I asked the guy at the shop. he said that the flame does draw out the ammonia. either way it looks cool :D
literally my thoughts exactly. I was amazed at how much the flavor changed.
haters gotta hate

Re: Off-gassing
 

Awesome, I just learned my new thing of the day. I knew there was a reason I was spending so much time around here.

I apologize up front if my immaturity is offensive to anyone, but :fu :noon :fu

Re: Off-gassing
 

Parlour trick or not, I'm trying it. Not necessarily the lighting part but if I can purge to help the taste then why not?

Re: Off-gassing
 

This is a known technique.
You can also do it without the flame for improved smoke whenever your stick doesn't taste just right.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I shouldn't have added amonia to the things listed that are removed in a purge, I don't know that for sure. I do know that there are times a cigar can get bitter, if it happens, it is usually after the half-way point. If it happens, a purge can often be beneficial.

I have never heard of purging a cigar immediately upon lighting it.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I am a slow smoker by most standards, an AF or Punch Rothschild is an hour smoke for me.

I also could care less if I have a blue flame coming off the end of my cigar.

Having said that, I have had cigars with a good inch to 2 inches left which had gotten bitter and I was contemplating pitching them. A quick purge, and they were back in the zone - sometimes even their best flavor of the whole smoke.

Of course, I have also purged a cigar, taken a couple more puffs, then pitched it. Sometimes, there are just some bad smokes.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I have been purging after lighting for a long time just to expel some of the heat from lighting with the torch. I believe that purging to often adds moisture to the cigar also throwing the taste off.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I'll purge a cigar for about 10 seconds or so every time I knock the ash off. Works for me and I haven't noticed any benefit of using a flame, I think that's just theatrics.

Re: Off-gassing
 

Pfft, I stand by what I said :noon
So how do you purge? I'm really confused by all this. I've never heard of it.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I'd answer your question but you find me to be constantly rude. And nobody wants that.
:tg
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Off-gassing
 

He finds you to be regularly rude, Peter- and constantly unattractive. :r

:sad
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Off-gassing
 

Whatta low blow :r
At least you worded it right haha.
Man, you all hold on to stuff way too much lol

Re: Off-gassing
 

As long as we're not binging and purging I guess it's all good!

Re: Off-gassing
 

Barry (bscottskangum) does this all the time. I've had success a few times using this technique.

Re: Off-gassing
 

We still love you, anyway, Peter. :tu

Re: Off-gassing
 

HOLY CRAP! For once I agree with you ;)

Re: Off-gassing
 

I tend to smoke a little fast so I'll sometimes do this a couple of times withor without the flame, about halfway and the last 3rd.
I do love the looks you get when you use a flame in bumper to bumper traffic on 95 :D

Re: Off-gassing
 

:eek: :lr

Re: Off-gassing
 

Neither had I. My thoughts though, all that blue flame was proof that the ammonia was there. And my tastebuds don't lie

Re: Off-gassing
 

No doubt Todd purging a cigar will bring it back to life and smooth it out. I did it way more often in my early years of smoking cigars, then it seems once you really establish a good technique for smoking, the harshness doesn't happen as often and even when it does, it doesn't seem to bother me that much. Rarely do I ever purge these days, but it sure does clean out that stick and make it new again.

Re: Off-gassing
 

For sure. I'm free next week and CaM is only a ten minute drive or so with decent weather/traffic. Shoot me a PM if you wanna grab a smoke brother-(P

Re: Off-gassing
 

Cigar immaturity..... not cool man, let us enjoy ourselves and the new things we discover without judment.

Re: Off-gassing
 

:tpd:


Things that "look cool" are a big part of the aesthetic pleasure of the hobby.

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Not only "good technique" but with experience comes knowing what cigars are on and what cigars are off. You can sniff an unlit cigar and become familiar with the smell that is screaming "don't smoke me yet"

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Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog- now that's immature..

Re: Off-gassing
 

:tu

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I had no idea to even do this....definitely going to try it next time I light one up!

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I'm officially sold on the purge. At first (months ago) I didn't think it helped, but I didn't know that it required several seconds of blowing either. I've had several cigars since this thread was started and a long purge has improved every one of them. I also think that lighting it is beneficial in that it gives you a visual indicator of when it's completely exhausted.

Thanks for sharing. I didn't know that a lengthy blow on a long stick could result in so much tastiness!

Re: Off-gassing
 

ENOUGH! It's happening

...Most people don't like the taste! but then again, most people aren't fortunate enough to be picky and only blow the long ones.

Re: Off-gassing
 

:lr:lr
Just tried lighting the purge (typed "this" but felt the need to clarify) and didn't feel immature at all.

Re: Off-gassing
 

Had to check...ammonia in non-flammable under normal conditions, without a catalyst.

I purge cigars without lighting the gasses whenever I think it will help the flavor, usually towards the end of smoking it. It normally only lasts a few puffs before it needs it again. There was a thread here about purging right after lighting to remove the flame gasses, but that didn't require lighting the gasses. If they are out of the cigar then I won't waste lighter fuel on them.

Re: Off-gassing
 

I am going to try the purge i had the bitterness. And to all the "mature" smokers that have been sure to state as such. I have to smoke fast at work so lay off and just dont post