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Humidor came in today!

Last point, and it took me a couple years to get this......

Round up 50 experienced cigar smokers and ask them what their preferred RH is. You'll get answers from 58 to 75%. Now, I've always been told that the risk of mold increases exponentially over 70%, so I always stay below that. And, my Staebell cabinet with active humidification runs pretty darn steady at the setpoint.

But, my point is....don't get too spun up about the RH moving around a point or two. The difference between 62 and 65 and 67 just isn't as huge as you might think. Like the song says; "....don't worry, be happy..."....;)

Have fun - B.B.S.
 
My Humi seems to have settled at 67%, with the 70% humi beads. I just threw in a box of Padrons so maybe they disturbed the level a bit. But for now, that's good enough for me:)

Though there's still a few in there that were somewhat dry from the place I bought them. Gonna leave em in for a couple more weeks to pick up some more humidity before I smoke them.
 
I think I may have screwed up at some point, either in the humidor size selection or my reckless spending.....

I still have another box on it's way, along with two 5-pack samplers.... :whistling:

Top shelf, about a dozen varieties:
IMG_20110211_174702.jpg

Bottom bin, box of Padrons, box of Bolivar Cofradia Belicoso Fino 2 and a box of Bolivar Cofradia Petits (these were only $10 with my Belicoso purchase)
IMG_20110211_174718.jpg
 
If you are fairly new to cigars, you need to realize that your tastes are going to develop, on both a physical, and mental level.
In addition, smokes will change in flavor as they age. (try saving a few from any box purchases, date them, and see how they taste in a year, 2 years, etc.)
You have several factors that are going to affect future purchasing to a larger degree than you may currently realize.
Slow and steady.
 
Nice job! You got allot of good advise. Some say 70% beads, some say 65 %. I guess where you live (climate) would be a factor. For me 65%.
I have found in some cases, 70% and over a bit, get to "wet" and burn like shit. Have you thought about getting a bottom insert (rack) to keep your cigars
off the bottom? Again, personal preference. I would like "some sort" of air, flow once it gets packed down. Just a thought.
 
Bayamos said:
Nice job! You got allot of good advise. Some say 70% beads, some say 65 %. I guess where you live (climate) would be a factor. For me 65%.
I have found in some cases, 70% and over a bit, get to "wet" and burn like shit. Have you thought about getting a bottom insert (rack) to keep your cigars
off the bottom? Again, personal preference. I would like "some sort" of air, flow once it gets packed down. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Ya know, I didn't really think about this. But, here's my observations so far.

My hygo has been reading around 63% for the past couple of days, despite the 70% beads I have in there. Feeling the cigars on the top shelf, they actually feel kind of dry. I was wondering if I didn't season my humi for long enough and thought it may be sucking the moisture out of the sticks. I checked calibration again and it's right on.

I am setting up a coolidor so I transferred all the cigars over to re-season the wooden humi. When I started pulling out the cigars on the bottom, I noticed the sticks at the very bottom are extremely soft. It seems like they are sucking up all the humidity and then some while the sticks on top aren't getting enough.

Didn't think this should be a problem in a humidor designed to hold 100 cigars, but from my initial observations it's not very conducive to store the cigars stacked more than a couple high. At least I think that may be what's going on here.

So, I'm going to space the smokes out between the two humidors once I get my 2nd set of humidity beads in, should be tomorrow.
 
Interesting stuff Tillers.....some have said that you don't need to rotate your cigars around (i.e. bottom to top etc.) but in your case that might me a good idea until you get your humidification issues worked out. I don't think that your cigars should feel "dry" even at 63%?
 
How many times a day are you opening it, and for how long?

It should only be open long enough to pull a stick out and glance at the rh as you close the lid.
 
emoshun said:
How many times a day are you opening it, and for how long?
Click to expand...

Nothing excessive, just long enough to get what I need. sometimes I don't even touch it for a few days.

I think I figured out what was going on. I added too many cigars in too short of time. I had a couple mail order boxes and some dryer sticks I picked up from a local place. I think they were sucking up moisture faster than the beads could replenish. That and the humidor either wasn't seasoned enough,, has a poor seal or the cigars were sucking moisture from it as well.

I transferred all the cigars to a cooler I had prepped last weekend. The humidity settled at 70% within six or so hours (right where it should be). I went ahead and placed a damp with distilled water sponge in the humi for a couple days as well.
 
Tillers said:
I think I may have screwed up at some point, either in the humidor size selection or my reckless spending.....
Click to expand...

Yep, we've all been there. I started with a 50 ct, then a 300 ct, and just last week I had to do a full re-organization of a 100 qt cooler to get everything to fit. Just start a cooler now. :laugh:
 
It's a slippery slope for sure, but I could think of significantly more pernicious things to spend money on. I just got a 54ct igloo cooler and I'm waiting for beads, digital hygro, cedar trays and five boxes of cigars to place inside.........yay :thumbs:
 
Well,

I'm retiring this POS humi for a while and just using my coolidor. This is drying out my cigars again. Put all my Bolivars and La Gloria Cubanas in this one. After seasoning and re-seasoning this thing. Hopefully I'm not ruining the cigars I had in there but I transferred them over to my cooler.

Geeze, what a disappointment. Gonna leave a cup of distilled water in the thing for a month or so. Maybe revisit it maybe throw it in a fire.

I'd suggest against purchasing this one, for any noobs who are looking.
 
I was just looking over your seasoning set up and noticed that you hadn't wiped the interior with the distilled water, that might help season your humidor a little quicker. I don't know if mold is an issue in your area but it helped with my seasoning without producing any issues. Just a quick wipe of the interior with a clean paper towel soaked with the distilled water.
 
From what I could see, you must be the king of Bolivar. Nice stash bro.
 
Very nice. I too am a firm believer in the beads. Some BOTL's hooked me up here by telling me to invest in them and I wont turn back ever (until I manage to get my cabinet humidor shipped, then I will opt for a large cigar oasis or similar device.). I also picked up a digital hygro based on advice from here. I have 65% beads and my wine-a-dor stays at a firm 65.5%
 
Did you calibrate the digital hygrometer for 24 hrs?

The cigars are a possibility but usually they have the opposite effect.

But if you didn't calibrate the hygro it could be near 70% and read 63%.

IF the hygro is OK, the beads may need more distilled water.
 
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