Thoughts on craft beer

I know, I know, this is supposed to a pipe blog that nobody reads. Well, now I've decided that things related to pipes can be discussed and what is more related than the various types of accompanying alcohol? I also know that I'm not helping with the stereotype that pipes are more pretentious hipsterism at its finest by talking about craft beer. But, you know what.. who cares, this is my blog.

Really, this is about what's happening to the craft beer industry. Many of our favorite craft breweries are being bought up by the large beer conglomerates such as InBev, Heineken, and MillerCoors. This has created a divide in the craft beer world between those that just love a tasty beverage and those who think that those breweries are selling out.

I'm here to say that I'm actually between those two camps. See, I totally understand that a brewer might sell for a number of reasons; better distribution, wanting to start a new project, lots of money, to name but a few. There are benefits to having the support of the big boys, consistency usually being the biggest benefit, and who doesn't love a beer that tastes the same every single time, without variation. But, here's where I have to say no to the conglomerates.

There are two things that I think make craft beer what it is. The first is the craft aspect itself. There is as much art as there is science to brewing a great beer. Corporations stifle creativity in favor of greater profits. When I pay $20 for a bomber, I want to know that I'm paying for a piece of art and that I'm supporting the continuous improvement and development of that art, as well as the independent business and their employees. Sure, the conglomerates usually keep the original brewery running and generally keep the employees, but with a conglomerate we know that the creation of the beer is to line pockets and no longer about the craft.

The second thing that I think makes craft beer what it is, is distribution. Craft beer has value because it only exists in certain places. Again, I'll pay $20 or more for a rare or hard to get beer, but if I can go anywhere in the country to get it, that rarity is gone. It doesn't mean I'll stop drinking craft beer, even if it came from InBev, it just means I'll stop paying the premium for it if it is produced by a conglomerate. I'll focus my highfalutin spending on the true independent craft breweries, on that beer that is produced for only one run, and in only distributed to one small corner of the world - that's the business I want to support.

This is my way of maintaining personal integrity about what businesses I support. I'm not going to hate on those craft breweries that sold for any number or reasons that any sane and reasonable person might sell their business for. I'm not going to completely avoid those beers. No, I will simply have a limit to how much I'm willing to support the conglomerate versus the independents. I'm setting a dollar amount, or maybe a sliding scale (I haven't decided yet), that will be based on rarity (a function of number of runs, total volume, and distribution) and size of business (a function of ownership [conglomerate vs indepenent] and number of employees). Now, will I actually build a calculator or chart for this? Probably not, but I'll have something in my head that says 'Yay' or 'Nay' to any beer I look at on the shelf with consideration given mostly to the question: "How much of my money do I want to give to this business?"

One final note. I'm not going to judge anyone out there for choosing to boycott the conglomerates or for shrugging their shoulders and drinking great beer, no matter where it came from. If there is one thing more important than maintaining your own personal integrity about who produces your craft beer, it should be that we hold both big and small, conglomerate and independent, to a high standard to continue to create great tasting beer and to never settle for a common American Adjunct Lager as the standard ever again.

Long live craft beer!

Neerup: P. Jeppesen Handmade Ida Easy Cut Smooth Bent Apple (3)

Lately, I've taken to finding excuses to purchase a new pipe; I'm in Germany, I should buy a German pipe, It's St. Patrick's Day, I should get the latest themed Peterson, It's my birthday and I deserve something special.

That last example was my excuse to purchase this Neerup: P. Jeppesen Handmade Ida Easy Cut Smooth Bent Apple (3) . I've reached magic number 37. Okay, so there isn't anything magical about that, but clenching a new pipe of this caliber between my teeth certainly does add to my day of celebration.

As usual, I purchased this beauty from www.smokingpipes.com, my favorite pipe retailer. It is the third Danish pipe in my collection and also the nicest. I love how the grain is accentuated by the contrast stain. The image makes it look a bit more yellow than it is in natural light. To me, it is a brown orange color for the light and darker brown-red for the contrast. It has just a touch of birdseye on the bottom and top of the shank as well as the bowl and rim. The acrylic bit complements it beautifully and looks almost like polished horn material (though I'm glad it is not derived from an animal). The chamber is generous, a good 1.47 inches deep and .82 inch diameter. The walls are thick and get thicker toward the bottom, though the pipe doesn't feel too heavy as a result. The bowl is perfectly shaped and sits comfortably in the hand. The shank enlarges as it gets further from the bowl. The shank would be almost symmetrical except that the right side is slightly wider which allows the pipe to sit at approximately a 45° angle. Because of the weight distribution, the pipe naturally rolls to this position, which is an excellent feature to prevent ash spillage. The finishing touches are so perfect and the pipe so well made, that this is the first pipe I'm hesitant to smoke. While I have paid more for my Ardor and over 2.5 times more for my Paul Becker pipe, this one is my most beautiful pipe so far. I don't have any Dunhills or any of the new American Artisan pipes, so I don't have those to compare to, but I feel that for the price, it may be next to impossible to beat a Neerup for quality craftsmanship.

Happy Puffing!

T

Chacom Elite Noir 332 and that new pipe smell

For my birthday this year, I treated myself to two new pipes and a selection of tinned tobacco. I know what you're thinking "Woah, Tom, two pipes this year! Aren't you going a little overboard?"

Truth is, I thought about spending more money and getting one pipe, or spending the same amount and getting two. I wanted to add another billiard to my collection as well as another simple travel pipe that (worst case scenario) I wouldn't be significantly upset over if it were lost or damaged. So, I chose this little number to kill two birds with one stone.

The pipe is very lightweight and has a nice, relatively small, chamber for quick smokes. The flat black with that touch of color at the bit adds elegance for such a simple pipe. Surprisingly, for a pipe at this price range, the bit is acrylic and not vulcanite, or even more likely at this price, Bakelite. The silver CC on the side of the bit says this is a quality brand and onlookers would never guess how affordable it was.

However, there is one thing I never counted on with this purchase... That new pipe smell.

Okay, so I'm sure you're wondering what I mean by that, it's not a car after all. Most pipes smell the same. At least, that's what I thought until I got this one. See, the majority of medium to high quality pipes produced today are charred inside the bowl to reduce break-in time. Obviously a $50 Chacom doesn't sport such a feature. If you don't buy inexpensive pipes, then you may never experience this. However, when I opened the box that the pipe was packed in, I was greeted by something I haven't smelled in a long, long time... The smell of fresh, raw briar.

While the first smokes of a pipe that has not been broken in usually aren't the most pleasant, what I kept thinking was that this is a smell I'll only ever get once. After the first smoke, it will change. After the second, it will change further. Until the pipe is broken in and smells no different than every other pipe in my collection, it will continue to change, giving me an experience to cherish.

So, yes, cheaper pipes take longer to break in, but there is a nostalgia all its own in breaking in a pipe from raw briar and that is something I'll never take for granted.

Happy Puffing!

T

Peterson #68 St. Patrick's Day 2015

Lately, I've required fewer reasons to justify purchasing a pipe. I've always wanted a Peterson St. Patrick's Day pipe and I loved the 2015 theme so much that I just couldn't pass it up. To top it off, I owed a friend and figured one of these would make a great gift. Lastly, the price was unbeatable at $94.50 each.

What I like about this pipe mostly are the lines. The double silver inlays at the end of the shank as well as the lines running the circumference of the bowl really appeal to me. Also, the green color just spoke to me (green is my favorite color after all). The contrast between green and black with the touch of silver really makes this pipe stand out.

The right side of this particular pipe has lots of birdseye.

Most people would probably have shied away from the large round bulls-eye pattern on the bottom left of the bowl, but I found it to offer a very unique character and was one of the primary reasons I chose this pipe for myself. 

The pipe smokes like every other Peterson I've had, though my others are the p-lip bit and this is a fishtail. Honestly, I much prefer the fishtail. Also it is acrylic, where my other Peterson's are vulcanite. This is the classic 68 shape from Peterson and I have to say, I really like this shape. It's elegant and feels great hanging from my teeth, though it does feel a touch heavy. Overall, I'm very happy with this choice.

Happy Puffing!

T

Ardor Urano Fantasy Bent Dublin (DR) - 2010

As I've gotten into the habit of purchasing pipes for myself around my birthday, this year I decided I needed an Italian pipe. Up to now, I've managed to amass pipes from Ireland (2), Denmark (2), Turkey (1), and Germany (1).

Ardor is a top end brand of which most new pipes sell for $350 to over $500. I wanted to add to the quality of my collection, but I didn't want to break the bank doing it. This pipe was offered as a barely used estate pipe at smokingpipes.com, my favorite online pipe retailer. 

The things that drew me to this pipe were the sort of calabash shape, the rustication with the smooth rim, and the red satin bit, which just seemed to complement the rough textures beyond.

It's not as heavy as it looks, though somewhat long with an extra wide bit. It's not as comfortable just resting in my teeth and suits itself better to remaining in hand when smoked. It has a large chamber and does seem to collect more moisture than some of my other pipes. Truth be told, I mostly smoke aromatics in this. I think they lend themselves to the "fantasy" more than an English blend would.

I wasn't sure what put the "fantasy" in this pipe. We can see the refinement in the acrylic cap at the end of the shank, the blue dot is a mark of the highest level of craftsmanship at Ardor, and of course it has the sparkling silver ring just before the tenon. The rim is smooth and has beautiful birdseye, swirls reminiscent of a chain of storms. I think the fantasy is everything in between. As the edge of the rim approaches the rustication it starts to break off, unevenly itself. Intentional, though it is, it hearkens back to days when the tools weren't available to create a perfect cut in wood as hard as briar. Indeed, the deeply gouged exterior looks of charred wood or root and deliberately avoids any semblance being a planned shape. The rough cut with the finer details seems to feel very much at home in the shire.

Happy Puffing!

T

Paul Becker Freehand Convertible Churchwarden

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to meeee!!

Not only did I get to go to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France for the first time in my life, I set out to acquire something I couldn't get in the United States... Paul Becker is a master pipe craftsman from Germany. Very rarely do his pipes ever show up for sale in the U.S. So, it was my goal to seek out a shop in Munich that dealt in his brand of pipes. I needn't look for long. One of the oldest and most well respected pipe shops in Germany is Pfeifen Huber of Munich. They had at least 20 Paul Becker pipes to choose from and it took me an eternity to decide.

The people at the store were super friendly. They even let me behind the counter to look at the pipes since they were in a pull out drawer. Naturally, I handled each one as if it were the most precious and delicate item I've ever held. The woman there even joked (in German) with my fiance that she would hire me in a heartbeat based on my careful handling of each pipe. They even allowed me a free tin of tobacco since I said I was getting this as a gift for myself for my birthday. Incidentally, I chose the Pfeifen Huber branded English Classic which has since become my favorite English blend (much to my dismay as I can only purchase it in Germany).

What struck me most about this particular pipe was the extreme birdseye on the left side. I own no other pipe with this much character. The pipe shape was also an attractant. I liked the mix of squared edges transitioning into a smooth bowl, The Rosewood cap on the shank and convertible shank are a lovely touch. 

In contrast to all the birdseye is a ton of straight grain across the bottom becoming more of a flame grain towards the front/right of the bowl. 

This pipe has so much character due to it's angular shapes. While all the Paul Becker pipes were amazing, I couldn't help but be drawn to this pipe and everything that made it unique among all the pipes I've seen before. While a large number of pipes that I have are hand made one-of-a-kind pipes, this one stands out as the most interesting design of my collection so far.

And it smokes fine too!

Happy Puffing!

T

Bjarn Freehand Sitter

Technically my sixth pipe, this was the first expensive pipe I purchased for myself. I love Danish pipes for their freehand styling and combination of smooth and rustic surfaces. I was drawn to this pipe by so many features: the fact that it is a sitter, the natural coloring, the smooth sides with amazing straight grain, the rustic rim and shank end, and the matching, slightly angular cut on both sides of the bowl.

Seeing this pipe online didn't do it enough justice and neither can my photos. The angular cuts on the sides of the bowl actually provide a near perfect place for my fingers which makes it very comfortable to hold. The brown acrylic bit complements the pipe perfectly and is very pretty. What I liked most of all was the smooth sides and straight grain leading to the rustic rim and shank end. This is a very unique pipe and one that I enjoy smoking immensely. The Danish marks are definitely high quality and will continue to be prominent in my collection.

Happy Puffing!

T

Altinok Meerschaum Straight Billiard

Meerschaum - almost every pipe collector has one pipe made of this hardened clay of calcium and magnesium silicates. It literally translates to "sea foam" and the material is the result of thousands of years of coral deposits. It can be found in a few places around the world, but the largest deposits with the highest quality are found in Turkey.

Most meerschaum pipes are carved in Turkey as well and there is a prevalence of finely carved pipes in just about any shape you can imagine. Naturally, I'm something of a purist and was not interested in a bust of Bacchus (a very popular shape), JFK, or my own likeness (that's a thing) as a shape to hold on to.

I received this as a gift from my now ex-wife. It was almost too pretty to touch. I preferred Altinok as I trusted the quality of their meerschaum. Many manufacturers use a lower quality meerschaum and the pipes don't stand the test of time. I felt that Altinok would and I don't believe I was wrong, as I'll describe a bit later.

First thing to note, this is quite a long pipe. It is 7 inches long, a full inch longer than my Peterson billiard. While meerschaum is generally lighter in weight than briar, at this length, it feels heavy in my teeth. Though, this isn't really a problem. It promotes a more focused, quiet smoke, with the pipe held in hand. This is not the type of pipe you drive with or take to the tailgate. This is a pipe you care for and you hold with a small patch of leather or white gloves to keep any dirty oils from your hands from staining the pipe. It has a decent sized chamber and it smokes very cool. This is my go-to pipe for aromatics, which tend to have more moisture and burn hotter.

One of the more rewarding aspects of owning a meerschaum pipe is color. Over time, the oils in the tobacco smoke are absorbed into the porous material. A well used meerschaum pipe will eventually be a golden brown, and displaying one in knowing company will have many commenting in awe of your dedication. I would frequently blow the smoke all around the pipe to ensure that more smoke was in contact with it. Alas, my own color is incomplete. But there's more to the story here.

First, notice how the color is at the base and not the top of the bowl. Before the color sets, it is actually only absorbed when the pipe is hot and the thin layer of paraffin wax is soft. So there are two things here, if the pipe gets too hot when smoked, that wax drifts to the bottom drawing the oils in the smoke with it. In addition, properly caring for a meerschaum pipe requires that you wax it regularly. I've never once done this and I hang my head in shame for it. I have heard that people dip the pipe in hot paraffin wax, but I imagine you could buff it on as well if it is a smooth one like this. If dipping, you'll want to make sure you plug the bowl and tenon hole to keep wax out of those orifices.

Now to the really shameful part. I was in the mood for my favorite aromatic - Black Velvet. I was also getting ready for work and had planned to smoke in the car. I managed all of this just fine, right up until I parked my car at work. I opened that door and was struggling with my lunch bag and seatbelt with the pipe clenched between my teeth when I turned my head and smacked the pipe on the rear part of the door jam, knocking my precious meerscahum pipe straight to the asphalt below. There was surprisingly little damage, but the edge of the bowl received some chips and the front of the bowl itself did get one nasty scar just to the right of center. I'm so upset with myself that I vowed never to drive with a pipe whose finish I wanted to preserve and that I would never own another meerschaum as I clearly wasn't worthy.

However, over the years, I have increased my pipe collection and I do feel that one day, I can trust myself with meerschaum again. While I have figured out a way to drive and protect my pipes better, I'll never drive with another meerschaum again. This pipe, being damaged already, can now travel as readily as my rusticated Peterson's, so I so have that silver lining.

If you are drawn to the sheer beauty of meerschaum and you've never owned one before, let me just say that they do require more care than a briar pipe. Be prepared to dip them occasionally in wax to keep that color coming. Never ever ever let a cake build up in meerschaum, the cake expands at a different rate than the meerschaum and can crack the bowl. Besides, meerschaum pipes have no break in period like briar and the cake is not needed. Finally, always use a clean cloth, leather, or gloves to handle the pipe to prevent oils from your hands from discoloring it (oh, and don't use dyed leather pipe stands, they'll stain your pipe too).

Happy Puffing!

T

Nording Signature Freehand

Many years ago I went to Tupelo, MS with my now ex-wife to visit some of her friends from college. I honestly can't remember much of that trip, other than one of her friends was a smoker and picked up this pipe several years before. He never quite got into pipe smoking and so it had sat on a shelf collecting dust for at least 2 years. When I arrived, busting out my two Peterson pipes, it instantly started conversations about pipe smoking. In the end, he gifted me his old pipe and I've been using it regularly ever since. 

These are not the best pictures, but they're all I have at the moment. I believe this pipe was one of the earliest signed models. From what I've read on the subject, Erik Nording started carving pipes as a demonstration at pipe shows. Those were freehand and unstained pipes which he signed and gave or sold to individuals at the shows. This led to a signature series, all handmade by Erik himself, despite that he has a whole crew of master craftsmen today. It can pretty much be assumed that any with a stain were made at his factory, but the natural ones may or may not have been created under the gaze of spectators. Regardless, this is one of the earlier factory models (I'm 95% sure). 

As you can see, the sides are smooth, with only the top edge of the bowl being rusticated and a little deliberate unevenness at the edge of the shank where the tenon is inserted. You can see the signature along the left side of the shank.

The right side is actually large than the left, looking down the stem and shank, there is a significant bulge to the right side. This is if you keep the top of the bowl flat. If you realign the pipe so that the shank and stem appear to be centered on the bowl, the top is at least a 15° drop from the right to the left. Also, the tenon hole was partially misdrilled, 

The chamber itself is fairly substantial, for me anyway. I actually have a low tolerance for nicotine, so I stick to lower nicotine content tobaccos. However, this size bowl if smoked completely in one sitting, would be too much for me, even with a mild tobacco.

It might sound like I'm complaining about this pipe, but on the contrary, it is one of my absolute favorites. The pipe feels good in the hand with it's uneven yet smooth shape. It isn't too heavy and benefits greatly from the vulcanite stem, making it much more comfortable to simply rest in my teeth compared to any of my other similarly sized pipes. It has broken in quite well (it had no cake when I got it). Because it doesn't have a polish, I'm less worried if I bang it on something, it's just a regular pipe, no frills, and I carry it a lot. In my first post I mentioned the Peterson pipes that I use all the time, but I can say that this one is definitely used more than the bent bulldog. The previous owner did clumsily char the lip and I've been unable to clean it, so this is one pipe where I am less careful as well. When I die, this will likely be the pipe that people look at and say "it must have been his favorite" because it will look the most abused :-) 

Happy Puffing!

TAB

Peterson Donegal Rocky 106 and 80S p-lip

I think it's downright funny how I started this pipe blog years ago (in 2007 I think) and only ever put one entry in (which I've since deleted). Perhaps it's because, at that time, I was very new to pipe smoking and wasn't really sure what to say. Though, today, I'm still unsure of what I should say about any of my pipes. That said, I now have quite a few of varying qualities and I'm making it a point to talk about each one of them.

Today, I'm putting in my comments on my first two pipes, both from the Peterson Donegal Rocky series and both purchased at the same time around 2006/2007. They were the first "real" pipes I've had. I say it that way because my actual first pipe was a cheap $25 brand that actually wasn't very good. It's the type of thing that could have turned someone away from pipe smoking. Though I won't spend any time on that here, that is certainly a good topic for a future blog post.

Back to the pipes: when I first started smoking pipes I was interested in the rustic models because, to me, it seemed like a real man smoked a rough pipe. So, naturally, my first pipes were of a rough-hewn texture and the Peterson Donegal Rocky series was the perfect introduction not only to pipes in general, but to the rough texture that I deemed exemplified the smoking instrument of man.

The first pipe I'll talk about is the 80S, a bent bulldog shape with a small bowl. I got this pipe because it was small and seemed perfect for travel. After all these years, it has become a pipe that I use almost exclusively for short smokes and do often travel with it as I'm not terribly concerned if it gets dropped. With the small bowl and short shank, it tends to burn hot and quick, not exactly a great combination as that leads to tongue bite and moisture build-up. I made this same observation years ago and thought maybe I'd get accustomed to it, but for the most part I still don't pack it well and draw too fast. The P-lip does help reduce tongue bite (which is actually primarily a chemical reaction between the chemicals in the smoke and those of your mouth, but there is also some effect of the smoke being too hot which can literally burn your tongue) by directing the smoke to the roof of the mouth as opposed to the tongue.

I do like how light it is as it doesn't feel like it weighs anything at all while gripping it between your teeth. I use it often because it is easy to carry, but it isn't my favorite pipe.

The second pipe is the model 106, a straight billiard, also with the P-lip bit. 

This is probably my most often used pipe, probably because it is the only straight billiard I have besides a Meerschaum (which I dropped on asphalt one day so I'm more choosy about which pipes I carry with me now). I'd say it is a medium sized bowl and the P-lip is interesting, but I have grown to prefer my standard fishtail bits as I can taste the smoke better with those. Otherwise, this is a solid pipe, used all the time, and it just does what it does. I've been complimented on it, though I'm sure it was by a person who was actually commenting on the fact that I was smoking a pipe at all. I live in the southwest, it isn't common to see a person walking around at tailgates with a pipe.

Both these pipes have a nice cake built up inside. And I mean a properly reamed cake, not a 1/4" thick or anything that could actually damage the pipe. Most of my pipes are dedicated to a type of tobacco; Aromatic vs English. However, these two are the only ones in the rotation that I use interchangeably for both styles. Once again, this is due to their finish being one that I'm not really worried about damaging, so I travel with these most often and they have to be versatile. 

Now, one thing to mention. I looked up the Donegal Rocky series this year (2015) and they have changed the styling. Thy "rocky" is a bit more harsh and actually looks like it could have been carved by a chainsaw. This is not my favorite styling and I feel much happier with my Donegals from 8 years ago. 

So, that's it. That's all I have to say on these. Likely, this is not a blog post that anyone will really read, but if there is anyone that has any comments or questions, I do welcome them.

Happy puffing!

TAB