Two questions... larger ring gauges and humidification.

gott.des.feuer

My first question is about larger ring gauge cigars. I've seen a lot of places that talk about ring gauges and how they affect the flavor of cigars, but recently I started noticing something interesting. The smaller ring gauges, while they smoke hotter, are much easier to follow the guideline of a puff or two every minute. The larger ring gauges seem to require a bit more puffing and rotating of the cigar while you smoke to keep the cigar burning evenly, thus making the fact that they smoke cooler almost necessary to keep the cigar burning evenly without getting so hot you can no longer taste it's true flavor. I usually take a few puffs until there's a little ring of "lit" wrapper separating the ash from the rest of the cigar all the way around, then let the cigar rest a minute or so before puffing again, which seems to work fairly well for keeping an even burn. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just approaching the larger ring gauges the wrong way?

Secondly, the humidity in my humidor, while it used to hold within 69-71% is now rising a little bit and is sitting at 73% right now. I haven't added any PG mixture for two months or possibly more, would adding more (50/50, or possibly with a greater concentration of PG than water) help absorb moisture from the air back into the foam of the humidifier? I don't want to add more if it's going to make the humidity spike, but I can't think of anything else that might help.

Markbb

gott.des.feuer:

My first question is about larger ring gauge cigars. I've seen a lot of places that talk about ring gauges and how they affect the flavor of cigars, but recently I started noticing something interesting. The smaller ring gauges, while they smoke hotter, are much easier to follow the guideline of a puff or two every minute. The larger ring gauges seem to require a bit more puffing and rotating of the cigar while you smoke to keep the cigar burning evenly, thus making the fact that they smoke cooler almost necessary to keep the cigar burning evenly without getting so hot you can no longer taste it's true flavor. I usually take a few puffs until there's a little ring of "lit" wrapper separating the ash from the rest of the cigar all the way around, then let the cigar rest a minute or so before puffing again, which seems to work fairly well for keeping an even burn. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just approaching the larger ring gauges the wrong way?

Secondly, the humidity in my humidor, while it used to hold within 69-71% is now rising a little bit and is sitting at 73% right now. I haven't added any PG mixture for two months or possibly more, would adding more (50/50, or possibly with a greater concentration of PG than water) help absorb moisture from the air back into the foam of the humidifier? I don't want to add more if it's going to make the humidity spike, but I can't think of anything else that might help.

On the bigger ring cigars I do the same thing when I feel the heat I set it down and come back in a few minutes blow thru and draw, you know you've got a perfectly humi. cigar when you come back and its still lit without using a lighter, the only thing that I can think that will solve your humi. problem will be beads, they'll absorb the extra humi. but never let it get down past they're rated humi. rating......hope this helps

kuzi16

if you dont have beads in your humidor to soak up some humidification you can just prop the lid open for a few minutes and let escape (given that the RH of the room is less than the RH of the humidor.

as far as the larger ring thing goes... when i light a cigar, i light from the outside in. By this i mean i toast the tobacco of the edge of the cigar first and move in in concentric circles to the middle. then i blow out through the cigar and start over the toasting proscess but this time i move slower so the tobacco starts to glow. the flame never actually toutches the tobacco, just the heat. this way im not scoartching. i never actually put the cigar in my mouth while lighting. And always light from the outside in. I have found that the wrapper needs to start lit and the filler will catch up. i havent noticed a difference with ring gauges that are different but i have noticed that a good even burn starts with a good even light.

madurofan

I'm not a big fan of the beads, just my opinion. I like the cigar oasis, the beads still rely on osmosis just like the foam the only difference is they can prevent, somewhat, your RH from getting to high. However, to actually answer your question what you need to do is set something very thin in the opening just enough so that the lid can't create a good seal. This will lower your humidity by a point or two and keep it a little lower. You can play with the thickness of whatever you're using to "adjust" the humidity. Sounds silly but this has worked for me in the humid summers here in Virginia Beach. WHen even the beads couldn't absorb enough humidity to keep it below 73%. IMO if you're going to use that kind of system you're better to buy the Boveda Humipacks.

madurofan

Now in regards to bigger ring gauges, that is what I like about the bigger rings you can smoke them a little faster as I tend to do. They don't heat up nearly as quick. However, I've typically experienced the opposite they burn more even.