Mold found, coolidor RH issues & the headache that i have today

civilguy

Having an issue with my coolidor - maybe someone can help.

Danby 17 bottle wine cooler unplugged in basement.  Temp is 68F consistently.  RH is the issue.  I have the 70% conservagel (basically a silica bead) in a 1 lb pouch.  I may have over charged it, but i added a bunch of spanish ceder and cigar boxes to absorb extra moisture (or so i thought).

The wallmart accurite hygrometer salt tested +4, and consistantly read 71% RH for the past 5 months.  I figured i tested it wrong, or the beads were over charged.  my smokes were are perfect, until about a week ago.

I opened a camacho liberty that came in the single ceder box and found white mold splotches.  Brought it back to the store yesterday, the owner tells me it is ploom.  BS - it's mold (confirmed today via the web from over a dozen pics).  I took a replacement camacho liberty - and bought (2) shark A. Fuente Anejo's (it's x-mas after all!!)

Today i gutted my coolidor, wiped everything down with alcohol and threw out 5 sticks that had mold on them too.  Luckily they were not one's I liked, and I only had them for other people to smoke.  I am glad none of the good sticks were tainted with mold - especially my padron 1964 family reserve.

So, now i have (3) bovida 72% packs at the bottom of my coolidor and the beads on the floor of the room.  I know the bovida packs will not suffice in the coolidor, hopefully i can "flash off" some moisture from the beads and put them back in later today.  I also purchased a western digital caliber 3 hygrometer from amazon today to help with the RH monitoring.

I thought I finally had the cigar storage issue ironed out.  I have been waiting to purchase a box of illusione #2 or maybe even a box of ashton vsg (if i could convince myself to spend that much $$)- i guess it was a good thing i waited.

So any words of advice? 

laker1963

If you have over chorged your beads, it can take a lont time to dry them out some. They are made to NOT dump moisture quickly.
You can place them on a cookie sheet and very carefully using a blow dryer blow some warm air over them. Be careful as they will blow around easily. You could also try heating the oven to about a 100 degrees and then shut it off and place the tray of beads in there until it cools. You may have to repeat this several times but it is better to go slowly so you don't explode all your beads. After the beads are dried out they will help to absorb any excess moisture in your coolerdor, if they are dried out below the lowest threshold of the beads (RH 70%). I run the 65% beads in my coolerdor, because I live in a very humid climate.
You should try to calibrate your hygrometer again as well, because they may not stay accurate for ever. Good luck. Keep us posted.

phobicsquirrel

What year was the liberty? I only ask because the 08's were bad about mold growing as they were really oily. I had many of mine from my box get mold on them. Luckily I caught it in time and wipped them off. I have since taken all of them out of the coffins and put them in bags and they are doing very well. I had the same problem with a couple of sticks, the liberty 08's, god of fire 2006 don carlos, and some ashton vsg's. I know it wasn't my set up as no other sticks were harmed. everything is doing fine, been several months. I wiped down the bad sticks and put them in bags/cello and left the rest. I think that some wrappers are just prone to it, and need to be watched. I will never get cigars in coffins or tubs again that I can't see or have boxes left sealed. I learned that the best way to know is to see them.

civilguy

not sure of the year, it was a 40,000 limited edition run.

I am in the same boat - never using boxes again.

left the beads out all afternoon and now they are back in the coolidor reading at a normal number (67% RH).

hope it stays stable, i want to order some more sticks soon.

xIcedGuardianx

I had a camacho liberty 09 that had mold on it. I bought it just a week before I was going to enjoy it. You can tell it's mold if it doesn't brush off. They must be extra sensitive or something. Best of luck and hope it all works out.

kuzi16

i decharge my beads by setting them by an air vent. the the heater kicks out some dry air in my house because the humidifier on it is broken.


make your target RH 65-68% and you will never get mold and your cigars will have a more even burn.

Nick2021

for some reason the liberties seem to have bad issues with mold...now that I think about it, going to check mine when I return home in two days.

laker1963

Nick2021:

for some reason the liberties seem to have bad issues with mold...now that I think about it, going to check mine when I return home in two days.

Al this talk about the Liberties having mold problems finally got to me. I had one that I traded with Pheebs for. He had already sent me out a 2008 Liberty and I enjoyed that stick so much. Recently another trade found me sitting with a 2010 model and all this mold talk kept playing on me and I just had to break it open and check it out.

The cigar was PERFECT. I smoked it yesterday and I have to say I enjoyed it as much as the 2008 which it reminded me of. Something about the high end Camacho sticks... that flavor is just so well blended, it's a real pleasure to be able to enjoy a stick like that. Made yesterday the perfect day.

bacon.jay

the best way i've found to quickly "decharge" beads is to just take the bag they're in and just bury it in either some rice or regular UNSCENTED cat litter. sry for punctuation or spelling, im postinf from my blackberry.

phobicsquirrel

laker1963:

Nick2021:

for some reason the liberties seem to have bad issues with mold...now that I think about it, going to check mine when I return home in two days.

Al this talk about the Liberties having mold problems finally got to me. I had one that I traded with Pheebs for. He had already sent me out a 2008 Liberty and I enjoyed that stick so much. Recently another trade found me sitting with a 2010 model and all this mold talk kept playing on me and I just had to break it open and check it out.

The cigar was PERFECT. I smoked it yesterday and I have to say I enjoyed it as much as the 2008 which it reminded me of. Something about the high end Camacho sticks... that flavor is just so well blended, it's a real pleasure to be able to enjoy a stick like that. Made yesterday the perfect day.

sweet, glad you liked it. I thought you would. I thougt it was a nice stick, but I like the 08's a bit more. Yeah I just had got them before I sent it out. I have since opened up my boxes so I can check them. I'm very leery of having anything in coffins or tubes that I can see into.

Nick2021

laker1963:

Nick2021:

for some reason the liberties seem to have bad issues with mold...now that I think about it, going to check mine when I return home in two days.

Al this talk about the Liberties having mold problems finally got to me. I had one that I traded with Pheebs for. He had already sent me out a 2008 Liberty and I enjoyed that stick so much. Recently another trade found me sitting with a 2010 model and all this mold talk kept playing on me and I just had to break it open and check it out.

The cigar was PERFECT. I smoked it yesterday and I have to say I enjoyed it as much as the 2008 which it reminded me of. Something about the high end Camacho sticks... that flavor is just so well blended, it's a real pleasure to be able to enjoy a stick like that. Made yesterday the perfect day.

The 2009s seem to have the most problems with mold...had a 2008 with mold but it was very minor. Still have yet to open my box of 2010 liberties...have about 20 coffins I need to double check lol