Now I generally lurk around reading different threads on a regular basis. Collecting info and joining the occasional Herf. The typical "active," but quiet member. But I thought I would post something that I've learned from you guys/gals.
My storage consists of a tiny desktop humi (free with a sampler set) and two tupperdors for the over flow.
Unfortunately, the storage options Wilkey mentioned at this
site, just isn't in my for seeable future.
I've read in several places that a hygrometer isn't absolutely necessary, but is a popular item for many. I thought I'd pick up a container of Humi-Crystals and it would be pretty much a "set & forget" type of solution.
So in the meantime, for storage I have:
1. Small desktop humi using the accompanied floral humidification device (seasoned using typical wipe down, bowl for a few days)
2. Larger tupperdor (outgrew the first) with a 4 oz container of HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel
The humi sitting in the living room with a few sticks and the tupperdor in a cabinet away from prying eyes, slowly growing.
A month or two ago I was able to slip away for a few hours and hit an B&M. I brought with me Camacho Corojo maduro that had been sitting in the desktop humi for a few weeks. Wow, that was harsh. It was hot and rough. Although this was my first Corojo maduro, I have had a few Camacho Corojo's that I enjoyed and several other sticks in a maduro wrapper that I generally like as well. Well I chalked this up as a "have to try another one" experience before arriving to a final conclusion.
A few weeks later, I snuck a smoke in my home office. I opened a few windows to allow the cross winds to push the smoke out the office window. I lit up a La Aroma de Cuba cetro, this one has been sitting in the tupperdor for a month or two and this one was strange. Taste wise, very mild but a very odd taste. Not like the first two that I have smoked and was very "mushy" to the touch. Not very enjoyable. After about 10-15 draws, I let it burn out.
Disappointed, I lit up something new to try, a Don Pepin (Blue label). This one better as it was a recent acquisition and had only sat in the tupperdor for a week or two. Still not the kick or bite I had been expecting from the descriptions on CP.
So I am thinking that the last La Aroma de Cuba was awful and very mushy/spongy to the touch. I decided it was time to secure a hygrometer. I decided on the Radio Shack wireless model.63-1089 with 3 remote sensors .
After reading the Bill Clinton thread, first things first. I salt test the sensors and leave them in a tupperdor for 48+ hours. Adjusting my salt mix a few times to try and get the right consistency. I adjust amount of salt mixture used in the container to account for the size of the tupperware. When the readings appear to be stable, I note the +/- variances and move the sensors to the two storage containers.
I wait about 48 hours and this is the outcome:
1. Small desktop humi using the accompanied floral humidification device --> This one's RH is reading about 50%
2. Larger tupperdor (outgrew the first) with a 4 oz container of HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel --> This one's reading about 80%
Nice, just great. So the next week or two, I spend trying to bring the sticks from their respective containers to the proper RH range. (The ambient RH% in my apartment is around 30%)
The tupperdor: I remove the Humi-Care Crystal Gel and let it air out for a few hours each day. Currently the tupperdor is reading around 67% (about 2 weeks). I will bring it down to about 65%.
The desktop humi: remove the contents, place into another smaller tupperdor with the Humi-Care gel and start the rehydrate process. The humi gets a little bowl of distilled water. This remained in the humi for about a week or so until the RH hovered around 72% for a few days. Removed the bowl, and RH hovered around 70%-71%. Place contents back into humi.
The worst of all this:
Some good sticks smoking very bad and the "shark" (still in the cello) from Holt's Carlito sampler, starting to mold a bit. This has been separated from all the others (removed the cello also) to dry out.
The good of all this:
A lot of good lessons on storage.
Next little task:
Repair the Gurkha Beast wrapper that split (using pectin from another thread). Had this thing for months, will smoke it in a few more.
So to help in this newbs attempt to maintain a proper storage environment, I placed an order for some 60% & 65% beads.
edited to fix missing words between links "at this"
My storage consists of a tiny desktop humi (free with a sampler set) and two tupperdors for the over flow.
Unfortunately, the storage options Wilkey mentioned at this
site, just isn't in my for seeable future.
I've read in several places that a hygrometer isn't absolutely necessary, but is a popular item for many. I thought I'd pick up a container of Humi-Crystals and it would be pretty much a "set & forget" type of solution.
So in the meantime, for storage I have:
1. Small desktop humi using the accompanied floral humidification device (seasoned using typical wipe down, bowl for a few days)
2. Larger tupperdor (outgrew the first) with a 4 oz container of HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel
The humi sitting in the living room with a few sticks and the tupperdor in a cabinet away from prying eyes, slowly growing.
A month or two ago I was able to slip away for a few hours and hit an B&M. I brought with me Camacho Corojo maduro that had been sitting in the desktop humi for a few weeks. Wow, that was harsh. It was hot and rough. Although this was my first Corojo maduro, I have had a few Camacho Corojo's that I enjoyed and several other sticks in a maduro wrapper that I generally like as well. Well I chalked this up as a "have to try another one" experience before arriving to a final conclusion.
A few weeks later, I snuck a smoke in my home office. I opened a few windows to allow the cross winds to push the smoke out the office window. I lit up a La Aroma de Cuba cetro, this one has been sitting in the tupperdor for a month or two and this one was strange. Taste wise, very mild but a very odd taste. Not like the first two that I have smoked and was very "mushy" to the touch. Not very enjoyable. After about 10-15 draws, I let it burn out.
Disappointed, I lit up something new to try, a Don Pepin (Blue label). This one better as it was a recent acquisition and had only sat in the tupperdor for a week or two. Still not the kick or bite I had been expecting from the descriptions on CP.
So I am thinking that the last La Aroma de Cuba was awful and very mushy/spongy to the touch. I decided it was time to secure a hygrometer. I decided on the Radio Shack wireless model.63-1089 with 3 remote sensors .
After reading the Bill Clinton thread, first things first. I salt test the sensors and leave them in a tupperdor for 48+ hours. Adjusting my salt mix a few times to try and get the right consistency. I adjust amount of salt mixture used in the container to account for the size of the tupperware. When the readings appear to be stable, I note the +/- variances and move the sensors to the two storage containers.
I wait about 48 hours and this is the outcome:
1. Small desktop humi using the accompanied floral humidification device --> This one's RH is reading about 50%
2. Larger tupperdor (outgrew the first) with a 4 oz container of HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel --> This one's reading about 80%
Nice, just great. So the next week or two, I spend trying to bring the sticks from their respective containers to the proper RH range. (The ambient RH% in my apartment is around 30%)
The tupperdor: I remove the Humi-Care Crystal Gel and let it air out for a few hours each day. Currently the tupperdor is reading around 67% (about 2 weeks). I will bring it down to about 65%.
The desktop humi: remove the contents, place into another smaller tupperdor with the Humi-Care gel and start the rehydrate process. The humi gets a little bowl of distilled water. This remained in the humi for about a week or so until the RH hovered around 72% for a few days. Removed the bowl, and RH hovered around 70%-71%. Place contents back into humi.
The worst of all this:
Some good sticks smoking very bad and the "shark" (still in the cello) from Holt's Carlito sampler, starting to mold a bit. This has been separated from all the others (removed the cello also) to dry out.
The good of all this:
A lot of good lessons on storage.
Next little task:
Repair the Gurkha Beast wrapper that split (using pectin from another thread). Had this thing for months, will smoke it in a few more.
So to help in this newbs attempt to maintain a proper storage environment, I placed an order for some 60% & 65% beads.
edited to fix missing words between links "at this"