Temperature fluctuation

[rigo]

I have read that too much swing in temperature is bad, but how much is too much? It's starting to get got here in San Diego. I'm not too worried about the coolers right now but the Aristocrat Mini can get hot. Last night I saw that it had gotten to 70 degrees. So I covered an ice pack with a towel and left it in there overnight. This morning it was at 63 degrees and right now midday it's at 64 degrees without the ice pack. I did the same thing last summer when it was reaching 76-78 degrees and the temperature would drop to around 68 degrees with the ice pack in there during the day. I could try to keep the temperature constant by having rotating ice packs throughout the day (one during the day and replace it with another overnight), but if I could avoid doing that for 3-5 months I would.

So is this temperature change bad? I'm not comfortable leaving it at 70 degrees or above.

 

[JonDot]

I have read that if the temp gets much below 70* the cigars don't age properly,so I try to keep mine right at 70*.

 

[FlyFish]

I have read that if the temp gets much below 70* the cigars don't age properly,so I try to keep mine right at 70*.

Not true unless it gets WAY below 70. Like 50 or so. Many of us think the optimal temp is 65. At this level the ageing process takes place beautifully and the dreaded beetle stays asleep. The literature on this varies greatly but I know the talking heads at Cigar Afic have always heralded the 70/70 combination as the way to go. Persoanally I find that at 70% humididty many cigars do not smoke at thier best. They need to be "dry-boxed" a little to get some of the moisture out. I am a big 65/65 guy. I like to keep them a bit dryer and cooler.

To each his own but to say that under 70 hinders aging isn't correct unless you are going 15 to 20 degrees or more below 70.


To the original thread question. Temp changes are fiine unless they are quick and accompanied by a rapid change in humidity. By that I mean go to Vegas and take a cigar from your 65 degree humi outside to 105 very dry dergrees and watch the wrapper explode. 10 degrees while in the humi will not harm the cigar at all. It's not so much the swing in temps but the rapidity of those swings.

Many of us freeze Havana cigares to try to kill the beetle eggs (another topic I know). The wrappers survive perfectly when taken from room temp to a super cold freezer for three days. Then from the freezer to fridge and then from fridge to humidor. The key to temp changes affecting the cigar is a common humidity level. When they will be damaged is when they move to a warmer and drier climate rapidly.

Cheers