Questions. So many questions.
Matt Marvel
Posts: 930 ✭
in Cigar 101
So, I have a ton of questions about cigars, and I have no idea where to begin. What are some tips that you more experienced smokers might have for me? Also, I don't have a humidor right now, and am currently a bit strapped for cash at the moment. Is there any temporary way I could store them? The guy at my local shop said I could put them in the refrigerator, as long as I don't keep them in for very long. Any truth to this?
Thanks for any help, and the patience of answering my noobish questions, lol.
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The fridge isn't ideal, too cold and too little moisture. A much better option would be to use an ice chest. If you don't have a spare beer cooler laying around, pick one up at walmart for $10. That's what a lot of us use for overflow (If you see references to a coolerdor, that's what we are talking about). Tupperware will work as well, but won't insulate the sticks from fluctuating temperature very well.
A word of caution using either of these options, open the lid every couple days to let air circulate. Since the plastic won't breathe the way a wood humidor will, the air will get stagnant and you run the risk of mold. Some people like to line the floor and/or walls of the cooler with cedar taken from busting up empty cigar boxes. It's not mandatory, but is a nice touch, adds to the aroma and probably helps keep the humidity constant.
The quick and easy way is to get a piece of Tupperware big enough to hold a few cigars, get an old cigar box made of Spanish cedar(your local B&M should give you one for free or a couple dollars), buy a digital hygrometer($15) and either get a couple water pillows or if you can afford them buy some beads(about 10-15$ depending on size of tupperware). Now take that old cigar box and break it up and wipe all of that Spanish Cedar down with a clean rag soaked in DISTILLED WATER. Next line the floor and walls of the tupperware with the spanish cedar, calibrate you hygrometer(google salt test) and stick it in the humidor with the water pillows or beads and wait until it settles in somewhere between 65% and 72%. THen stick your cigars in and you a nice sized humidor for between 20 and 40 dollars. I understand being a broke college student so if thats to rich for your blood you can just take the water pillows and stick them in the plastic bags your B&M gives you your cigars in. 1 water pillow hydrates up to 20 cigars.
A few more tips first off when some say B&M it means Bricks and Mortar or a physical shop. Second smoke slow, one puff per minute is optimal. Finally go back and look at old threads on here, there is a lot of good info.
Speaking of interesting uses for things. Did you know NASA spent millions developing a pen that would work in zero gravity? The Russians used a pencil.
On the smell vs. heat issue, I'd think as long as your smokes are in a humidor or a cedar-equipped tupperdor, the smell of the basement wouldn't be a problem. You could always put 3-4 down there for a month and see.