Rehydrating humidor and cigars.

[Jreyesortiz]

Hello,

New to cigar storage. I have a 75-100 cigar humidor. Paid about $60 on Amazon. Seasoned it via online suggestions for 2 days about 3 months ago. Have steadily added and filled about 95% with cigars. 2 digital calibrated hygrometers. 3 drymistat tubes a 1 68% boveda. Would regularly open and close the humidor for the first 2 months as I would smoke daily. Pulled a few out today to take to a party. Realised that most were developing hard and black spots and one was completely hard. Moves the humidor to a warmer location because my closet has been getting cold lately. Both hyrogometers read 55% and 53%.

What should I do? The drymistat tubes and boveda packs look and feel full. What can I do to save the cigars and remedy the situation?

Thanks for your help in advance!

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[sean]

Can you post some photos of those black spots?

Everything else seems like they have gotten too cold, but the black spots have me confused.

 

[rraming]

Transfer cigars to freezer bags and put boveda's in with them and seal. Then do some reading on seasoning a humidor and start over with that step before putting cigars back.
No comment on black spots

 

[Jreyesortiz]

You can see the darker spots on the cigar. But I'm assuming they are dried areas?

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[StogieNinja]

If the Bovedas feel full, your hygrometers are likely off.

Also, in my experience, a really firm cigar is likely to be overly wet. Dry cigars shed their moisture and become "crunchy" like dry leaves, but not "hard".

If a 68% Boveda is not shedding its moisture, you're stock is really wet.

I'm with Sean, I think the cold is probably partially to blame here, but how cold is it in the closet? If it's in the 60's, you should be fine.

I'm guessing your drymistat tubes are also putting our more rH than necessary (they're a one-way medium), and your Boveda has been absorbing what extra it can, while your cigars are doing the same thing.

I cant really tell from the photo what the blacks spots are. It looks just like crappy wrapper, honestly.

 

[Jreyesortiz]

If the Bovedas feel full, your hygrometers are likely off.

Also, in my experience, a really firm cigar is likely to be overly wet. Dry cigars shed their moisture and become "crunchy" like dry leaves, but not "hard".

If a 68% Boveda is not shedding its moisture, you're stock is really wet.

I'm with Sean, I think the cold is probably partially to blame here, but how cold is it in the closet? If it's in the 60's, you should be fine.

I'm guessing your drymistat tubes are also putting our more rH than necessary (they're a one-way medium), and your Boveda has been absorbing what extra it can, while your cigars are doing the same thing.

I cant really tell from the photo what the blacks spots are. It looks just like crappy wrapper, honestly.

I have a whole box of these cigars. When i first bought there was no black spots. The one i smoked was almost completey black and really hard.

The closet has been pretty cold as there is a window in there and one wall is an exterior brick wall in an old apartment building. Its been single digits a few times here in Chicago. The hygrogmeters have been calibrated and before this were reading about 72%. Most cigars are good. Just a few that have been turning dark brown or black. Its mainly the ones on the top shelf.

I have one that the wrapper is cracking and peeling at the foot.

Most likely the cold weather. During the fall the closet has been the most ideal spot.

Thanks!

What can I do to help rehydrate said cigars?

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[klovett]

How has no one notified @sofc of a potential RH crisis!

 

[sean]

I have a whole box of these cigars. When i first bought there was no black spots. The one i smoked was almost completey black and really hard.

The closet has been pretty cold as there is a window in there and one wall is an exterior brick wall in an old apartment building. Its been single digits a few times here in Chicago. The hygrogmeters have been calibrated and before this were reading about 72%. Most cigars are good. Just a few that have been turning dark brown or black. Its mainly the ones on the top shelf.

I have one that the wrapper is cracking and peeling at the foot.

Most likely the cold weather. During the fall the closet has been the most ideal spot.

Thanks!

What can I do to help rehydrate said cigars?

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That's just it, those top cigars are practically catching condensation - most likely. If feet are cracking it could be from expansion due to over-hydration.

If the humidor is under a window, against an exterior wall with Chicago winter outside, you should bag the cigars, move the humidor, leave it open to dry out a bit, re-season, and try again. Oh and wait until spring to smoke those cigars. Feel free to pm me if you have any further questions (I'll pass you my number).

Good luck, man!

 

[Jreyesortiz]

That's just it, those top cigars are practically catching condensation - most likely. If feet are cracking it could be from expansion due to over-hydration.

If the humidor is under a window, against an exterior wall with Chicago winter outside, you should bag the cigars, move the humidor, leave it open to dry out a bit, re-season, and try again. Oh and wait until spring to smoke those cigars. Feel free to pm me if you have any further questions (I'll pass you my number).

Good luck, man!

Sweet thanks! One question I have is. If they are over hydrated, why would both my hygrometers dropping to about 55% RH?

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[sean]

The hygrometers might not be able to sense the true moisture levels in such cold air... not sure. Mine do it too in winter.

 

[Jreyesortiz]

I had put the whole humidor in a warmer spot 2 days ago and haven't checked them. I'm gonna see if anything changes. Thank you very much for your help. I'm gonna see if anything changes.

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[sean]

Another thing I thought of while driving into work:

The RH might be reading low because the extra moisture has been condensed out of the air and absorbed by the cigars. This would create a gradient, where the moisture needs to evaporate from the cigars and back into the air, which would boost the RH in the air.

 

[sofc]

Sweet thanks! One question I have is. If they are over hydrated, why would both my hygrometers dropping to about 55% RH?

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Why would the bovedas be full if it's at 55%?

 

[Jreyesortiz]

Why would the bovedas be full if it's at 55%?

I don't know.

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[sofc]

I don't know.

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They would not. They are made to keep the humidity and are almost foolproof. I would trust them over a hygrometer.

 

[Jreyesortiz]

They would not. They are made to keep the humidity and are almost foolproof. I would trust them over a hygrometer.

So wouldn't the cigars feel spongy? Cause these feel hard

They would not. They are made to keep the humidity and are almost foolproof. I would trust them over a hygrometer.

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[sofc]

They should not feel spongy if they're the right rh. Coldness some times makes them harder.

 

[Jreyesortiz]

so I've had my humidor reseasoned. Has been sitting for almost a week. Humidity keeps dropping. Down to 48 now. Any tips?

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[boltman]

what is your air temp?

 

[VeLoRoK]

If you got a $60 humidor on Amazon, you might have one like it started off with. One with a paper-thin piece of "Spanish cedar" on the bottom that had a little thin sheet of pressboard under that with the felt bottom. Those simply won't hold RH. I tossed mine and got a tupperdor. Sitting happily at 65% with no muss, no fuss.