It's not the humidity it's the HEAT!

Lasabar

So I've changed my position so many times on how to do things the right way and I have a couple questions.

1. My humi is curently seasoning on it's 4th day (with a couple of times of opening it and checking... (I couldn't resist) but the Heat has hit upwards of 85 here in wisconsin and I would get worried about my cigars and my humi. I've moved my Humi-Bag (with about 50 cigars in it) downstairs along with my Humidor. I put the cigars on top of an ice pack just to bring the temp down quickly and the basement seems strong bit cooler. My basement leaks and a *faint* smell is down there... with my humi shut and bag taped shut what is worse? Heated sticks or a smelly basement?

2. With the heat my Humi has had that brand new smell of cedar, now it still has a strong smell but not as Cedar-y (actual word?) as it used to be... Normal? or because of over 80 degrees heat?

Any help is appreciated or any suggestions on High heat (no AC yet) and a smelly basement THANKS!

kuzi16

buy a cooler and put your humidor INSIDE the cooler then the cooler in the basement.

kaspera79

I don't know that the ice pack was really necessary and changing the temperature that quickly might do more damage than help. Heat won't really kill your cigars since the natural climate for cigar tobacco is warm. I have left cigars in travel humidors in my car that will get over a hundred degrees for short periods of time ( 8 to 10 hours ) and they smoked great. A little spongy sometimes but that is okay with me.

kuzi16

tomorrow i am moving my collection down to the basement. this is the first time ive had to do this. ever. Im thinking of getting a cooler to put the humis in. I dont want to but i may have to. if i dont do that i may just go the way of the fridgador. ...get rid of the humidors and just have one big converted unit.

madurofan

85 ... quit your whining its been 105 here!!! LOL We also don't have basements (too close to the ocean) so I'm seriously looking at a wine cooler I found at Target for $80 that holds 24 bottles and goes up to 70 degrees.

gott.des.feuer

madurofan:

85 ... quit your whining its been 105 here!!! LOL We also don't have basements (too close to the ocean) so I'm seriously looking at a wine cooler I found at Target for $80 that holds 24 bottles and goes up to 70 degrees.

If it's on Target.com I demand a link to the product page.

P.S. Please?

kuzi16

gott.des.feuer:

madurofan:

85 ... quit your whining its been 105 here!!! LOL We also don't have basements (too close to the ocean) so I'm seriously looking at a wine cooler I found at Target for $80 that holds 24 bottles and goes up to 70 degrees.

If it's on Target.com I demand a link to the product page.

P.S. Please?

im thinkin the same thing... i just need to convince the wife that this isnt a bad idea. she just doesnt understand.

golfcigarjunkie

Well, just to present the other side of the coin yesterday I sat on our deck in a parka to smoke my cigar as the temp was in the high 30's F. Yuk, bring on the heat!!!

kuzi16

i love cool weather. i was thinkin about moving to the pacific NW just so that i could have, on average, cooler temps. however, i am VERY conservative. Id be a fish out of water.

madurofan

Yea I'm too conservative and don't own a coat thick enough for the Northwest. I saw the cooler in Target. I'll have to check the webpage for it.

madurofan

Didn't see it online but they have a few 16-17 bottle ones for $120

kuzi16

i have a basement... so i may just go with the cooler... i never really wanted to do this but if the tems stay this hot all year then i may just have to. Ive also lowered my humidity to 61% and have my beads almost all dry. i smoked one this afternoon and it was still good but it did taste a bit on the dry side for me. it wasnt bad. I am more worrid about the heat. well, the beetles to be exact. my Dad sends me cigars now and then for me to try. His taste is not like mine. he is more price driven. so... i have some crap cigars in my humidor. I usually freeze the ones i get from him but my i can only get down to -1 at home. this is kinda close. Idealy it should be -10 or even better... -20. i seem to remember getting through last summer ok but it was only 90 for a few days...IN AUGUST. may be a hard summer on the old humidor.

dep691

Why would you lower the humidity that low?

kuzi16

tobacco beetles need both heat and humidity to hatch. if im above 75* in my humi i lower the RH to 60%-62%... still not a sure thing but better than 80* and 70%.

some people keep there humis at 60% all year. ive heard in europe some will go as low as 55%. im a 65% kinda guy myself.

kaspera79

OH NO !! Not another Beetle thread.... Imagine the problems you will have with 105 temperatures, right Madurofan ! ( you know we are just messing with you)..

madurofan

LOL my beetle obsession has calmed down some. I don't buy cheap sticks so I'm not too worried about it. I'd rather enjoy my cigars at the right humidity(for me 70%) and risk beetles than to smoke dry or otherwise not prime condition cigars. I've been doing a lot of research, and my conclusion has been temperature has less affect on cigars than most think it does. Quick temperature changes cause damage and you wouldn't want to leave your cigars in extreme temps. But if your humi is between 60-80* (which it should always be indoors) you'll be fine. I just keep an eye on them when it feels hot.

kuzi16

we can argure all day on if 70% if "ideal" for cigars. But i do agree that temp makes less of an issue. once you get above 75* or so there should be at least some thought about beetles. the temp shouldnt hurt the condition of cigars, but the beetles may. I prefer the RH at 65% but i can deal with 62%. the flavor isnt noticeably different. the burn seems a bit faster but not much.

madurofan

Oh I definetly didn't mean that 70% is ideal for everyone thats why I threw in the "for me". I just personally like mine a little higher and everything I've read and heard from people who are in the business say that 70% is what is used professionally for aging.

madurofan

Like I now know Oliva ages at 69- 71%

golfcigarjunkie

75°+ one should definetly start watching for bugs. I think sometimes we worry about the humidity too much, you should gauge things by how your cigar feels and burns and don't be obsessive about what you think is the perfect humidity. I think that varries from the part of the country you live in and what time of year it is. IMHO

madurofan

Where are you guys getting that we should be worried about bugs at 75*+? I can't find that any where other than forums.

madurofan

I'm reading they live in anything over 65 degrees.

kuzi16

http://www.tobacconistuniversity.org/faq/faq-tobacco-beetle.asp

madurofan

Cool thanks. I just found this as well. But its from our favorite pretentious publication.
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Features/CA_Feature_Basic_Template/0,2344,234,00.html

madurofan

Interesting. I'm thinking more and more about the wine cooler.

kuzi16

madurofan:

... But its from our favorite pretentious publication.

yeah... i cant read that anymore. i tried. I failed.

kuzi16

madurofan:

Interesting. I'm thinking more and more about the wine cooler.

its kinda costly but in the long run it may be worth it.

JT

I too am having problems with my humi because of the heat. Not too bad yet 69% - 74%. I will probably be putting it down in my basement. My one concern is that I have, what I can only guess as, mold growing on my sponge. Well it's white anyway. Do I just wash it off with distilled water? And if I do, will that raise my level again?

madurofan

JT just throw away the whole damn sponge and buy either some beads or a cigar oasis. The sponges are easily the worst thing you can put in your humi.

golfcigarjunkie

If you purchase an Oasis, I would cut the foam out of it and fill(sparingly) the tank with polymers.

dep691

I understand the worries from the heat and humidity. My temp gets up to 73 or 74 but not for very long. I always keep the rh between 69 and 70. Now if the temp stayed that way for a week or two then yea I could see trying to move the humi to the basement, but I just usually turn the A/C down a degree or two to get the temp back and all is good. Now for me to get one of those wine coolers, I've thought about it but just to age certain cigars that I have in mind to get (box stock only).  I have to wait and buy my wife a diamond first and get her mind off of the expense of the cooler and the box stock...........lol.