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How long to stabilize a humidty change

slevy007

The Broke Smoker & 2006 Ash Standing Champion!
Joined
May 11, 2005
Messages
438
Hey guys,

Quick question... How long do you think it takes for a cigar to stabilize at a new humidty... On eof my humis has been running a little high for a while, and I moved some cigars out into a drier one.. just wondering when I could think they are drier and ready to smoke?
 
Kind of depends on how high the higher one is and how low the lower one is. If you're going from a 75% to 65% and you want a real stabilization, I would guess two weeks. If you're moving to a dry box (under 60%) and you're not looking for actual stabilization but for it to just be dry enough to smoke, a day should be fine.
 
I'm looking for it to be dry enough to smoke
 
Specifically I'm looking to go from about 71 to 65%
 
I'm looking for it to be dry enough to smoke

Experiment, because it truly depends. Take 3 of the same cigars that you pull from your humidor.

The first one - dry box for a day and take notes.
The second one - dry box for 2 days and take notes.
The third one - dry box for 3 days.

Compare and see which one suits you best.
 
Experiment, because it truly depends. Take 3 of the same cigars that you pull from your humidor.

The first one - dry box for a day and take notes.
The second one - dry box for 2 days and take notes.
The third one - dry box for 3 days.

Compare and see which one suits you best.
By drybox.. you are saying put into 65% right?
 
By drybox.. you are saying put into 65% right?

Sorry, I misread your question. It depends on how high they ran. I'd say a few weeks, should do the trick.

Originally, I thought you were asking about dry boxing in general. I shouldn't answer, while sitting in a meeting.
 
By drybox.. you are saying put into 65% right?

Dry box humidity varies based on preference. From what I've gathered, most people have theirs set somewhere between the 60%-63% RH. I'm a 62% guy.

I store my sticks at 68% RH and typically smoke smaller ring gauged cigars, so I only dry box them for a 24-32 hrs before smoking them.
I'll store 50+ ring gauge cigars for 2-3 days.

Once again, it kind of goes back to personal preference, so try a few difference options and take notes. Any excuse to smoke a cigar is a good excuse. Blame it on the scientific method.
 
"...Dry box humidity varies based on preference...." Well, maybe I'm missing something, but my dry box is just that - dry. I have an old humi that has no humidification in it that I put my smokes in for a day or two before I smoke them. My cabinet runs about 65-68%. ISOM's and some Nicaraguan smokes like a little dryer environment. It isn't rocket science, the difference between 65.0265 and 66.7284% isn't relevant. Good grief, if they are too wet, put 'em in your desk drawer for a couple days and smoke them.
 
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What you just keep them in a box without humidity for a few days?
 
What you just keep them in a box without humidity for a few days?

yes, many "dry" box cigars in a dry box. I do it, and have no issues, esp if the cigars in question seem to be smoking to wet.
No, don't leave them there for a week, but if I know I am going to smoke a cigar a particular cigar soon, and past experiences lead me to believe that it may smoke wet, then I take it out of the humi and put it in a box or drawer, or shelf or where ever I will remember where it is for a day then either smoke it, or move it to a ziplock or tupperware (both without humidity) until I am ready, if it goes past 3 days, then it goes back in the humidor.

This works for me, and that is all I claim, YMMV.

Tim
 
What you just keep them in a box without humidity for a few days?
I said a day or two, not 'a few' days. If a 'dry' box is say, 50% RH, how fast do you think a cigar will lose humidity..?? What do you base your experience on..??

Cigars don't change their internal humidity in a few seconds. Or a few minutes. Or a few hours, for cryin' out loud.

Sheesh. When I ask for advice, I usually take it.
 
I said a day or two, not 'a few' days. If a 'dry' box is say, 50% RH, how fast do you think a cigar will lose humidity..?? What do you base your experience on..??

Cigars don't change their internal humidity in a few seconds. Or a few minutes. Or a few hours, for cryin' out loud.

Sheesh. When I ask for advice, I usually take it.
Got ya. Makes sense
 
Sorry if that came across a bit harsh. Let me explain.

You and only you can tell if your cigars are too wet, too dry, or just right. Personal preference comes into play more than you might believe. Also, some sticks work better at different RH's than others. Ask a hundred experienced cigar smokers what their storage RH is, and you will get answers from 58 to 75%. No kidding. Now, we know that the risk of mold increases exponentially at anything above 70% so that seems to be a reasonable cut off. All things said and done, most guys store, long term, right about 65%. It preserves the sticks, and it lets them age gracefully.

But, the problem is that's too wet for many of the smokes we enjoy. Many from the forbidden island do much better at an RH a few points lower; better taste, better burn, and better draw. So, if your sticks are too 'wet', what can you do about it? Well, you can do what many guys do - put them in a dry environment and let physics do its thing. How long? It depends.....where did you start in terms of RH, what's the ambient RH and temperature in the dry box environment, what kind of sticks are they, what's your preference in terms of smoking RH, etc. In other words, you are the only guy that can make that call. On Sunday night, I'll put half a dozen sticks of various types in my dry box, and I'm good for my evening smoke for at least the first half of the week. I know that some don't need much treatment, so they get smoked first. I know some really benefit from being on the dry end of the scale, so they get smoked last. Cigars are very hygroscopic, and won't change their level of moisture quickly in an ambient environment. They won't turn to dust, they won't burst into flames.

So, do a little trial and error. Take three identical sticks you like from your storage area that are too wet, in your opinion. I have a small humidor with no humidification for my dry box, but before that, I used my desk drawer. Really. Put the sticks in whatever environment you have and leave them. Smoke one a day later, one three days later, one five days later. Your smoking experience will tell you what the right answer is, for that stick, for those conditions. Pretty straightforward. You may surprise yourself and find flavors and a better smoke overall at the lower end of the RH scale.

Hope this helps......:cool:
 
Sorry if that came across a bit harsh. Let me explain.

You and only you can tell if your cigars are too wet, too dry, or just right. Personal preference comes into play more than you might believe. Also, some sticks work better at different RH's than others. Ask a hundred experienced cigar smokers what their storage RH is, and you will get answers from 58 to 75%. No kidding. Now, we know that the risk of mold increases exponentially at anything above 70% so that seems to be a reasonable cut off. All things said and done, most guys store, long term, right about 65%. It preserves the sticks, and it lets them age gracefully.

But, the problem is that's too wet for many of the smokes we enjoy. Many from the forbidden island do much better at an RH a few points lower; better taste, better burn, and better draw. So, if your sticks are too 'wet', what can you do about it? Well, you can do what many guys do - put them in a dry environment and let physics do its thing. How long? It depends.....where did you start in terms of RH, what's the ambient RH and temperature in the dry box environment, what kind of sticks are they, what's your preference in terms of smoking RH, etc. In other words, you are the only guy that can make that call. On Sunday night, I'll put half a dozen sticks of various types in my dry box, and I'm good for my evening smoke for at least the first half of the week. I know that some don't need much treatment, so they get smoked first. I know some really benefit from being on the dry end of the scale, so they get smoked last. Cigars are very hygroscopic, and won't change their level of moisture quickly in an ambient environment. They won't turn to dust, they won't burst into flames.

So, do a little trial and error. Take three identical sticks you like from your storage area that are too wet, in your opinion. I have a small humidor with no humidification for my dry box, but before that, I used my desk drawer. Really. Put the sticks in whatever environment you have and leave them. Smoke one a day later, one three days later, one five days later. Your smoking experience will tell you what the right answer is, for that stick, for those conditions. Pretty straightforward. You may surprise yourself and find flavors and a better smoke overall at the lower end of the RH scale.

Hope this helps......:cool:

This
 
Sorry if that came across a bit harsh. Let me explain.

You and only you can tell if your cigars are too wet, too dry, or just right. Personal preference comes into play more than you might believe. Also, some sticks work better at different RH's than others. Ask a hundred experienced cigar smokers what their storage RH is, and you will get answers from 58 to 75%. No kidding. Now, we know that the risk of mold increases exponentially at anything above 70% so that seems to be a reasonable cut off. All things said and done, most guys store, long term, right about 65%. It preserves the sticks, and it lets them age gracefully.

But, the problem is that's too wet for many of the smokes we enjoy. Many from the forbidden island do much better at an RH a few points lower; better taste, better burn, and better draw. So, if your sticks are too 'wet', what can you do about it? Well, you can do what many guys do - put them in a dry environment and let physics do its thing. How long? It depends.....where did you start in terms of RH, what's the ambient RH and temperature in the dry box environment, what kind of sticks are they, what's your preference in terms of smoking RH, etc. In other words, you are the only guy that can make that call. On Sunday night, I'll put half a dozen sticks of various types in my dry box, and I'm good for my evening smoke for at least the first half of the week. I know that some don't need much treatment, so they get smoked first. I know some really benefit from being on the dry end of the scale, so they get smoked last. Cigars are very hygroscopic, and won't change their level of moisture quickly in an ambient environment. They won't turn to dust, they won't burst into flames.

So, do a little trial and error. Take three identical sticks you like from your storage area that are too wet, in your opinion. I have a small humidor with no humidification for my dry box, but before that, I used my desk drawer. Really. Put the sticks in whatever environment you have and leave them. Smoke one a day later, one three days later, one five days later. Your smoking experience will tell you what the right answer is, for that stick, for those conditions. Pretty straightforward. You may surprise yourself and find flavors and a better smoke overall at the lower end of the RH scale.

Hope this helps......:cool:


Or just see post #5
 
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