Red Queen Pressing (a pictorial)

I always need Red Queen. It is my desert island blend. So here we are going to make 900g! That would be four 200g plugs to stove and one 100g plug not stove.

Started stripping Red Virginia. Seems like some yellow Virginia slipped in on the 1lb from Whole Leaf Tobacco shipment.

Next I am using Ripe Virginia Flue Cure. Normally I use Bright Virginia but variety is the spice of life.

After stripping I put both in their own trash bags and mist 2oz of Blackberry Casing for each. Sorry, didn't picture that since my hands were sticky turning leaf and spraying!

Next I start measuring out the perique for each batch (200g plug has 60g of perique)

Next I like to unravel the perique leaves and break them up in hand size pieces for easier blending.

Next I measure out Red Leaf and Ripe Flue Cure (80g of Red, 60g Flue Cure for 200g plug)

I had enough for a total of 900 grams of plugs and some left over Ripe Flue Cure to make a straight Virginia plug. I pack each bag of blend and space with mycarta high temp cutting board spacers and press with a 12 ton bottle jack in the frame press.

The result

I let that rest for 5 days in the cab of my truck. I then attached bolts on the side of the tube to help me hang the tube on the frame press to push the plugs out.

Next I took the four 200g plugs and stuffed them in a smaller stainless steel tube with double parchment paper to make it easier to separate and press it one more time and put a C-clamp on, wrap in aluminum foil and stove for 4 hours at 200F.