The Dreaded "Tongue Bite"

Good day Gents!
I have been smoking pipes for about two years now and i get tongue bite every now and then.
I read a couple of materials saying that it is caused mainly by the reaction of the alkaline smoke to human tissue or caustic burns.
any tips on how i can reduce this problem? Thanks in advance!

Tags: bite, pipe, smoking, tongue

Views: 188

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Permalink Reply by Liam S. on January 31, 2013 at 5:57pm

Easy does it. 

 

Smoke more slowly, and gently. The ph is part of the picture - so is the actual heat of the smoke, so a gentler draw can help minimize it (cooler smoke). So can the type of tobacco and how densely it is packed (again affects heat - and frankly, the additional chemicals in some aromatics can be an issue - Captain black gives me issues, Latakia english blends like Frog Morton, almost never). 

 

Your mouth will adjust some over time to the higher ph. My advice is to take it slow, with more time in between puffs, and gentler draw.

You may also get more useful advice in the Pipe&Co group, or The Smoking Lounge group. 

Permalink Reply by Marty on January 31, 2013 at 6:16pm

Agree with Liam. I don't experience tongue bit, perhaps because I mainly enjoy English/Balkan latakia blends. It boils down to experience in knowing proper sipping cadence, tobacco blend and pipe bowl size. I am a clencher and I gently sip on the pipe rather than take large intense puffs. 

Permalink Reply by L De Guzmán on January 31, 2013 at 6:46pm

Ah... my thanks Gents, that was helpful.

by the way, is it true that Burley blends tend to cause tongue bite more than other types of tobacco like Virginia, etc?

Permalink Reply by Liam S. on January 31, 2013 at 6:48pm

Burleys are often cased with sweeteners and flavorings (more than others), so in that respect, yes. But I think it's the casing (especially cheaply done casing), not the tobacco itself that is the problem. 

Permalink Reply by L De Guzmán on February 1, 2013 at 6:59am

Ah... that issue has been a thorn at my side for a long time now. Thank you for the information my good man.

Happy smoking!

Permalink Reply by Liam S. on February 1, 2013 at 12:25pm

I should also say, whiskey is slightly acidic, and so might help neutralize the alkali of the tobacco smoke. 

If nothing else, at least the whiskey will help dull the pain. ;)

Permalink Reply by Marty on February 1, 2013 at 12:36pm

Whiskey dulls all pain. Not applicable however for the pain of driving in heavy traffic. The pipe on the other hand calms the nerves. Tannen's theory of relativity..... One must differentiate between a pain in the mouth and a pain in the butt. Enjoy the pipe and always stay cool.

Permalink Reply by L De Guzmán on February 2, 2013 at 11:30am

Liam, now, that's a recipe for a good time!
And Martin, yeah, will keep that in mind. Haha, good one. Cheers!

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