keeping cigars at 65%

[Nrotik]

I have always kept my smokes at the standard 70/70 until I joined this great site. After being here I purchased the 65% beads. Now the question, When the cigars are kept at 65% do the cigars have a slight dry (crunchy) feel when you squeeze them, or is my 3rd hygrometer off again....

 

[Joebob]

I'm no pro, but I know that I cannot tell the difference by feel of just 5% change.

 

[theorangeman]

Nrotik - have you done a salt test on that hygrometer? That's the first thing I'd check. I never let my humidor go without knowing that my hygrometer is accurate. To answer your question; at 65% humidity, your sticks shouldn't crunch when you squeeze them. Sounds like the humidity is probably much lower than you think. I keep my humi right at about 66%, and have been happy with that.

 

[Nrotik]

yeah it was plus one.....its just amazing that no matter how much money you spend on what is called the best hygrometer, they still give it a +/-5% depending on the temperature...really, how hard is it to make an accurate device that monitors humidity...I am on three different hygrometers, all different readings...and i'm picking up another one next week....

 

[smallg]

Welcome to my world. I have 3 in my humidor as well. I wish I didn't have to. Amazingly, my crappy little analog that I ripped out of a previous starter humidor salt tests at a perfect 75%, while my new digital jobby likes to salt test in the high 80's and seems to have a mind of it's own. I trust my beads are working, however.

In regards to "crunch", I was also told by a friend that if you roll the cigar in your fingers you DO want to hear a little bit of a crunch. Can any experts comment on that?

 

[Gael]

Gents,

I'm not sure that you want to hear a crunching sound :whistling: What you do want is to feel a little "play" when you gently squeeze a cigar, without hearing a crunching sound. A "crunching" sound is a tell-tale sign that the wrapper is too dry. So squeeze away

 

[PTownshend]

This is true about a slight crunch, though its most definitely also a personal preference. I use an interesting technique (maybe others use it too). I take the cigar and put the cigar in my mouth and bite an inch up from the foot. If I feel the right give (with a little crunch, though I know this is not as accurate to explain as it is to just know they are good enough for me) I know it will be a good smoke and as humidified as I'd like.

Again, this is not an exacting science, just what you are comfortable with. I'd think that along with excessive crunch (the sound of dried leaves) there would be wrapper flaking as well and a brittle feeling between your finger and thumb to tell you that the cigar is definitely too dry.

I too have 7 hygrometers. For some of my bigger humidors I use two so that way I can see how the RH is at different levels of the 'dor. I tend to swear by my Oregon Scientific thermometer hygrometer (from Target).... the rest of the hygrometers I tend to swear AT! :laugh:

Hope that helps,
Darren

Welcome to my world. I have 3 in my humidor as well. I wish I didn't have to. Amazingly, my crappy little analog that I ripped out of a previous starter humidor salt tests at a perfect 75%, while my new digital jobby likes to salt test in the high 80's and seems to have a mind of it's own. I trust my beads are working, however.

In regards to "crunch", I was also told by a friend that if you roll the cigar in your fingers you DO want to hear a little bit of a crunch. Can any experts comment on that?

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[theorangeman]

Regarding the crunching sound - the most important thing is when you hear this sound, do you notice the wrapper cracking any? I had a smoke last night and had a VERY slight crackle (wouldn't call it a crunch) when I squeezed it. However, the cigar didn't unravel any when smoked. Nothing worse than a smoke which begins unraveling on ya in the middle of a fine smoke.

I've long ditched all my analog hygromters. Although they look purty, they tend to work like shi!t. My two digital hygrometers work consistently and every time I test them, they are right on the money.

 

[The Master]

I keep my cigars in a cabinet that is set to 65-67 degrees and 58-62 percent humidity.When I cut a cigar it crackles a little bit which is what I want. The finest tobacconsits in London store their cigars at these levels. They say they age better and smoke better at these levels. In my experience I wholehardedly agree with them.

My cabinet holds 6000 cigars and it is more than half full. I use the Oregon Scientific wireless humidity guage system. I have three gauges at three seperate levels and the base is kept on my desk 6 feet or so away.I have used this system for over 4 years and it has done fine by me.

 

[theorangeman]

6000ct cabinet and it's half full?? Wow, and I thought I was doing well with a fully stocked 600ct humi. :laugh:

 

[Jeffro600]

To the touch, i notice no difference in smokes stores in 65 or 70% RH....smoking them on the otherhand, the ones stored at 65% ALWAYS smoke better!