Wet tobacco & dry wrapper

[okierock]

Something to think about. The right RH% for a particular cigar container IMO depends on what you are using it for. In your case you have a small 100 cnt and are probably smoking out of it. Most people like there cigars at a lower humidity for smoking and many people have a "dry box" for the cigars they are smoking. They take the cigars from storage and place them in a box with no humidifier to dry before smoking. These are usually smoked within a couple days. In your case I would imagine the cigars in your humi will not live for more than a year an you will probably pull them out of your humi and smoke them right away. I would suggest that you keep your humi 60-65% for smoking. 65 is good for NC's and 60 is good for CC's.

If your collection grows and you need a larger storage area you might get a cooler to age cigars or boxes of cigar in and that might be kept at 70%RH

I personally store and smoke out of the same humi and keep mine at 65%, its not perfect for smoking or storage but it works for both.:2

 

[duhman]

Another newbie question....I have seen the charts showing the RH changing with temp. I have seen the same thing reflected in my coolador with beads. Is this calibration affected by temperature?

The other answer to this was very good. Moisture content (absolute humidity) is not what you are shooting for in storage. But it is what you want when you smoke. Relative humidity is just that. Relative to the temperature. If it is warm, your cigar will have more water in it at 65% RH than if it is cold. This will make a difference to how it smokes.

 

[Pastor Mike]

Ok - so for all of you who helped me yesterday - I did the salt test again overnight on both of my hygrometers. The digital one was at 74% this am and the analog was at 72%. So I digress and agree that 75% is indeed the correct reading for the test.

I also left the humidor open all night to hopefully dry it out a little more than just being cracked.

So I put the hygrometers back into the humidor. So tell me this...what Rh % am I looking to achieve here? And tell me more about those beads? Do I put them in something? Do they come in something? Do I use them with my humidifier. I currently use a humidifier with PG and distilled water. The PG is supposed to maintain a 70% Rh. You suggested tu use 65% beads, so if I used both, wouldn't they pretty much cancel out each other

Thanks again!

I personally would shoot for 70% in your humidor. As stated above.. it will keep the leaf pliable but will also help maintain the natural oils of the leaf and will light well and burn nicely. I have never used beads in my humidor.. I know many who have with great success... me.. I like puttsing around with my 50 /50 solution, maybe I was a chemist in a past life. LOL. Also keep in mind.. when adding new cigars to your humidor, watch your RH.. some come in the 68 to 70 range, but I have had some that came pretty wet and this needs to be watched until it stabilizes or it can cause your other stogies to expand and crack.

 

[jkorp]

once you have the beads you will see a big difference i think. Also, just opening your humidor up doesn't mean it will dry out, it could make it worse. There are times throughout the year that the room I have my vinotemp in has a higher RH than the humi. Putting the dry beads in there will get the moisture out if there is too much.

Once you get everything set, it's going to take sometime for your sticks to settle down, so keep that in mind.

 

[maxnoodle]

Ok - so after drying out my humi for a night and doing the salt test to re-cal both hygrometers, I ut the hygros back in and my Rh over night came to 66%. So I put my humidor in over the weekend and its bouncing between 68-69%. So I think I'll leave it a lone for a while or until I get some beads. I store & smoke out of the same humi. I found a smoke I like so I bought a box. They'll be in there for a while, but weekly I go to my smoke shop and pick up 5-7 new sticks and put them in the humi for storing & smoking I may buy 3 of the same, take them home smoke one, and store the other 2 for me and a guest. I have a pretty good selection from $3 - $15 sticks in there...it about 3/4 full right now about 75 cigars.

any suggestions or do you think this is an ok setting?

Thanks again!

 

[madurolover]

Ok - so after drying out my humi for a night and doing the salt test to re-cal both hygrometers, I ut the hygros back in and my Rh over night came to 66%. So I put my humidor in over the weekend and its bouncing between 68-69%. So I think I'll leave it a lone for a while or until I get some beads. I store & smoke out of the same humi. I found a smoke I like so I bought a box. They'll be in there for a while, but weekly I go to my smoke shop and pick up 5-7 new sticks and put them in the humi for storing & smoking I may buy 3 of the same, take them home smoke one, and store the other 2 for me and a guest. I have a pretty good selection from $3 - $15 sticks in there...it about 3/4 full right now about 75 cigars.

any suggestions or do you think this is an ok setting?

Thanks again!

With the readings you were getting from the salt test you should be fine. Remember that most cigars come from the vendor/shop a little wet so when you put them in your humidor they will make the humidity bounce around a bit until they get acclimated. Sounds like you have a nice little collection started. Have fun and enjoy. :tu