As Memorial Day approaches, remembering and honoring the sacrifices of the bravest among us in the United States Military and unofficially commemorating the beginning of the summer season in the U.S., we'd like to describe a few ways your summer smokes can hopefully be improved. Some of these are quite obvious but sometimes a quick reminder can help save a smoking session during the summer months (especially if you live somewhere like South Carolina — often the humidity is palpable and the sunshine is strong.)

Tips For Summer Smokes

Set Your Tobacco To Dry Indoors

If you are planning on any outdoor smoking sessions with your buddies by the firepit, or out in your backyard in the afternoon, we recommend drying your tobacco inside first to avoid too much moisture while smoking. This is particularly recommended for those who live in humid places because tobacco absorbs ambient moisture. There's nothing worse than getting tongue bite in the summer heat, so be sure to leave some time to dry your tobacco to avoid that unfavorable sensation.

It can be as simple as setting your tobacco on a plate or napkin on the counter indoors ahead of time. Some smokers even recommend placing the tobacco in the microwave for a few seconds to evaporate excess moisture, particularly if you don't have air conditioning and live in a humid environment. You'll want the texture to be slightly springy, not overly dry.

Another effective method to consider is utilizing a food dehydrator on the lowest setting, which provides a controlled environment to dry your tobacco to your desired moisture level. Don't mistake those Virginia flakes for beef jerky, though. Save your appetite for those leftovers and bagged popcorn snacks for movie nights beneath the stars.

Lightly Pack Your Tobacco Chamber

Another recommendation is to pack your chamber gently, which will allow your ember to stay lit for longer in hotter weather, giving it enough oxygen circulation. Using the gravity-fill method is also ideal for pipe smoking on hot days. To learn how to properly master this technique, check out this video on how to pack and light ribbon-cut tobacco using the gravity method with our very own Truett Smith.

While you pack your chamber, keep in mind that a more airy pack is desirable versus a densely packed bowl in warmer weather. For flake-cut tobaccos, the "fold and stuff" method may be favorable to experiment with as it creates natural air channels compared to fully rubbing out your flakes.

Smoke Slow, Lessen Tampings, and Relight

In general, keeping your puffing cadence slow will reduce the risk of tongue bite, but this especially rings true in the summer months. It can also be beneficial to rest the pipe frequently to help keep the temperature moderate.

Pipe Cleaners Are Your Friend

Be sure to maintain your pipe's cleanliness in between smoking sessions — this tip should be applied no matter what season you're pipe smoking. However, regular cleaning of your pipe is crucial in the summer heat to soak up additional moisture and any built-up residue — Build-up can result in gurgling and overheating, which is not ideal at any time but especially not in high environmental temperatures.

Hydration Is Key (For You!)

As we chat about summer smokes, we'd like to remind you to drink plenty of water! Between the sweltering heat of summer, the bright sunlight burning the fairest among us in minutes, and the tobacco smoking session you are enjoying, it will be important to stay hydrated with enough fluids. It won't be any fun if you are forced to stop smoking your pipe mid-way through with a migraine brewing.

Suggestions For Pipes in the Heat

We have a few recommendations for pipes you might find best to smoke in the summer heat. 9mm charcoal activated filters help absorb excess moisture and the reduced humidity of the smoke can reduce the perceived temperature of the smoke, making for a cooler experience overall. Savinelli and Chacom, for example, offer these filters optimized for their own pipes as well as any others with a 9mm airway.

Meerschaum pipes are an excellent choice for this time of year. Meerschaum pipes are known for their heat resistance, so these can be good options for outdoor summer smoking. Plus, they patinate from use, giving you the ability to impact your pipe to make it more individual and specific to you. That little perk applies to any season, of course, but it's worth noting this unique attribute.

Corn-cob pipes are affordable and are often a favorable pipe to bring on summer adventures outdoors where they might be damaged from tumbles down lush hillsides. They also contain natural insulating properties and absorb moisture well.

As for vulcanite stems in the sun, we generally recommend keeping them away from prolonged direct sunlight exposure. Leaving them to soak in the sun helps accelerate the oxidation process. If your pipe stem of choice happens to be vulcanite, and you'd like to smoke your pipe outside, we always recommend wiping down the stem after a session (both indoors and outdoors) and storing it somewhere dark, and safe, like a pipe bag, once you're finished, hidden away from the sun's harsh rays. For more helpful tips on vulcanite maintenance, be sure to check out this helpful article.

Tobacco Suggestions

Now that you have a better idea of what kind of pipe to use, what tobacco should you smoke? Tobacco preferences in the summer are largely individual; what might work for you might not work for someone else.

We recommend saving your rich Aromatics for indoor smoking. The higher sugar content and casings can lead to hotter smokes, which aren't ideal in hot climates. It might be best to save those tasty smokes for cooler evenings or the crisp days of autumn.

Consider lighter blends and cool-burning selections, which are often found in Virginia and Va/Per blends. The brighter and fresher flavors can be quite refreshing in tandem with a cold iced tea or a light lager of your choice. The Perique of Va/Pers adds complexity without excessive heat; the tangy, dark-fruit aspects can delight your palate without overwhelming it. Some Burley selections with light or no additional toppings are also favorable with their naturally lower sugar content and cooler smoking characteristics.

Cornell & Diehl's Briar Fox is a popular choice for summer smokes; it's a pressed Virginia that burns well in the heat. Also from C&D, Haunted Bookshop is a Burley-forward mixture with just enough Perique and Virginia to add intrigue to your sessions. It's relatively low in sugar, helping to avoid the dreaded tongue bite.

Capstan's pure and simple Virginia flakes are suited for summertime smokes, as well as G.L. Pease's Key Largo English blend, satisfying with deep, earthy, and creamy tastes to sink deeper into your lawn chair with.

There's plenty more blends to choose from. At the end of the day, everyone's palate is distinct, which brings us to our final word of advice.

Experimentation is Key

There are plenty of opinions about how to enjoy smoking sessions in higher temperatures. In general, experimenting with what you prefer can unlock new secrets that maybe we didn't even think of today. We recommend keeping a simple tasting notes journal to track your patterns and discover your ideal smokes for future reference. Let us know your tips and tricks for summertime pipe smoking in the comments.