Cigars getting too firm

[mcroom]

I have had my Treasure Dome humidor for over a year now and only in the last three months I have noticed that my cigars are getting hard. I use Cigar Juice in two humidifiers on the ceiling of the box. I have a calibrated humidity gage on the celing as well. It holds a constant 70* and we keep the house between 62 when we are gone to 70 while we are at home on a programmable t"stat. What is causing my smokes to get hard? They are harder to draw from as a result.
Thanks for your help.

 

[oneaday]

Two things I can think of: To much moisture, first I would check my hygro it might need to be recalibrated and I would consider going to 65%. An easy way to check is to dry box a couple of hard cigars before smoking (a couple of days at least) if they smoke better, moisture is defiantly is your problem.


Second thing I can think of, one of those cigars is a teasing little slut.

 

[Moro]

...Second thing I can think of, one of those cigars is a teasing little slut.

:headroll:

 

[DocLogic77]

Yeah...probably too much humidity. Honestly, I think NC smoke better at 67%.

 

[architeuthis]

Wait'll till ya get to be an old man, and let's see if you long for the day when you could say this! <G>

 

[David]

Step 1.....always recheck the hygrometer. I haven't calibrated mine in a year so mine is actually in a Humidipack right now to make sure it is reading correctly. Initial result is showing it was reading 2% low...not to bad.

The pack is good for 3 months and I will be done with it in a couple days. If you want it, send me your addy and I will stick it in the mail so someone else gets to use it also.

 

[smokingIsh]

is the humidity gage (Hygrometer) digital? You can not trust it if not, the analog hygrometers are just for show.

 

[mcroom]

My Hygro is not digital but I will recalibrate and recheck. I will dry box some smokes and see how it goes. I thought if I were using cigar juice that it was self regulating to about 70%. Is 70% too high?
Thanks

 

[DocLogic77]

My Hygro is not digital but I will recalibrate and recheck. I will dry box some smokes and see how it goes. I thought if I were using cigar juice that it was self regulating to about 70%. Is 70% too high?
Thanks

IMO, it's at least 3% too high. When I leave any cigar at 70% and try to smoke it...it feels wet to me. Try it a little lower for a few weeks. It won't kill your cigars and will likely help. I keep most of my collection at 62%.

 

[dpricenator]

With out a digital hygro you are never going to get a consistent read out. The analog hygro you have now is really good at looking good, but not much else..I would begin by ordering some 65% heartfelt beads, and a digital hygro. Both available from the sponsors here. And yess i think 70% is too high, 65 seems great in my wine-a-dor. The 65% beads will probably hold at about 65-67%.

 

[jmatkins]

Two things I can think of: To much moisture, first I would check my hygro it might need to be recalibrated and I would consider going to 65%. An easy way to check is to dry box a couple of hard cigars before smoking (a couple of days at least) if they smoke better, moisture is defiantly is your problem.


Second thing I can think of, one of those cigars is a teasing little slut.

OK I need to ask this question. I thought to much moisture would make a cigar soft and moist not hard?

 

[dpricenator]

Well there is crunchy hard, from being too dry, but there should be wide open draw if that is the case. or there could be overfilled hard. when I say over filled in this case I means the tobacco has swelled to the point where it becomes hard. my .02

 

[ezrider]

Two things I can think of: To much moisture, first I would check my hygro it might need to be recalibrated and I would consider going to 65%. An easy way to check is to dry box a couple of hard cigars before smoking (a couple of days at least) if they smoke better, moisture is defiantly is your problem.


Second thing I can think of, one of those cigars is a teasing little slut.

It may be the little slut problem...........I have those at times....:smokingbo

 

[Headbanger]

Well there is crunchy hard, from being too dry, but there should be wide open draw if that is the case. or there could be overfilled hard. when I say over filled in this case I means the tobacco has swelled to the point where it becomes hard. my .02

Good point...

 

[flathead59]

If the cigar is hard, and also crunches when you cut/squeeze it, it is too dry. Personally, and this is my opinion only, I believe that a significant percentage of cigars are shipped significantly over humidified. So, for example, I get a package of cigars that have been stored at 74%. I store them at 65% for a month, and they smoke great. Therefore, I come to the conclusion that 62-65% is the appropriate level. May be so, may not be. You could just be lowering the 74% level to 70%.

Mark

 

[flathead59]

is the humidity gage (Hygrometer) digital? You can not trust it if not, the analog hygrometers are just for show.

There are good and bad analog hygros, just like there are good and bad digitals.

 

[Mitch]

All good advice, I'd also add, if you are going to get a digital hygrometer find one that you can adjust to read accurate when you calibrate it. Also, make sure you keep fresh batteries in it, I've had a couple get way out of calibration as the batteries get drained so I replace my batteries every year regardless. Even then use the number as a general guide, how your cigars smell, feel, taste and smoke is a better indication than a number.

Last if your humidity is too high crack the seal on your humidor to let it dry out a bit slowly, I usualy just stick a couple bussiness cards over it's edge and let it close, it's enough. If you are in a very humid area like me in South Florida and ambient humdity is higer than your humidor, you may need to use Damp-Rid to bring it down.

 

[Swampfox21]

hey mitch can you elaborate on the whole high ambient humidty. I would like to stay one step ahead. You know how deep south summers are.

 

[dpricenator]

There are good and bad analog hygros, just like there are good and bad digitals.

I agree, but the original description of "treasure Dome humidor" did not lead me to believe it was a "high end" humidor. Had he said I bought Elie Blue, Prometheus, Davidoff, or something like that, then i would think maybe his analog would work. In this case I still stand by the digital hygro along with heartfelt beads.

 

[flathead59]

I agree, but the original description of "treasure Dome humidor" did not lead me to believe it was a "high end" humidor. Had he said I bought Elie Blue, Prometheus, Davidoff, or something like that, then i would think maybe his analog would work. In this case I still stand by the digital hygro along with heartfelt beads.

I recently bought a Cuban footlocker from Cheap Humidors. With it came an analog hygro. I had bought a digital adjustable, and just for fun tested both of them. The analog hygro reads spot on, but I've been fighting with the digital. I eventually threw the digital in a drawer, and use the analog. Bottom line: to say that cheap(er) analog hygros are all junk is a mistake, just like it's a mistake to say that all lower dollar cigars are dog rockets. Test it. If it works, use it. If it doesn't, pitch it. By the way, I'm 100% with you on the beads.

Mark