Plume / mold

[Glassman]

Scott, you always have these good nuggets of information. So with that rule of thumb the coldest one should store their cigars is around 60 degrees?

Interesting. Probably not super critical, but it might be something to shoot for.
Totally different material, but tomatoes tend to loose their flavor and texture when they fall much below 57° , so maybe it's a good benchmark..

 

[Mossome]

Scott, you always have these good nuggets of information. So with that rule of thumb the coldest one should store their cigars is around 60 degrees?

That’s a good question, Mike. I’m not sure what is the coldest temperature to safely store cigars, so I’m not going to pretend to know. I will say that if your humidification doesn’t go below 60%, I wouldn’t risk setting my temperature below that. I’ll do some research and get back to you on that.

 

[Opie]

That’s a good question, Mike. I’m not sure what is the coldest temperature to safely store cigars, so I’m not going to pretend to know. I will say that if your humidification doesn’t go below 60%, I wouldn’t risk setting my temperature below that. I’ll do some research and get back to you on that.

I'm curious to see what you find out here, my tuppers live in a cool part of the house during the winter.

 

[Boudie]

I'm really interested in seeing how you approach this. Please show your work!!
Just seems like too many variables. I don't think cooler temps have a detrimental effect if the humidity is consistent. I've read somewhere that aging slows considerably at lower temperatures but upper 40s is acceptable. Can't recall where I saw it so just supposition on my part.
Maybe more a question of your humidity control's ability to maintain proper Rh then actual temperature.

 

[Mossome]

Well, after doing some research, I feel that I know less now than when I started.

After searching for information on optimal Rh for temperature, I found this chart on several sites:

This would seem to directly contradict my earlier comment about lowering Rh as you lower temperature. (I can’t recall where I originally heard this rule of thumb. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, and searched a lot of forums when I set up my first humidor.) As air temperature decreases, the amount of water vapor it can hold also decreases. Rh is an expression of the percentage of the maximum amount of water vapor that can be held at a given temperature, so the amount of water vapor in your humidor at 70%/70 degrees at 65 degrees would be 83% Rh. What I think this chart is then saying is that to keep the same amount of actual moisture in your humidor, as temperature decreases you need to up the Rh. These numbers get kind of wacko real quick. If you stored your cigars at 60 degrees, you’d have to have near 100% humidity. No one in their right mind would do that.

What that chart doesn’t account for, and more to the OP’s issue, is mold. While looking for info on how temperature and humidity affects mold growth, I found another chart:

Now this chart deals with mold growth in a home, and I don’t know how different it would be from mold on a cigar in a humidor, but I think they are somewhat similar. If you look at the chart for 65 degrees, at the 82 Rh the previous chart recommended, you could expect mold growth in 10 days. Now, at 65/65, or even 65/70, there is no risk. Interestingly at 70/70 you can expect mold growth in 163 days.

If you want to dive deeper into the world of science, humidity, & temperature, I would suggest you read this thread:
http://www.botl.org/threads/temperature-vs-rh.80264/

Look, after going through all this, I’m going to continue to keep my cigars at 65 degrees to keep beetles from hatching, and 65 Rh to keep mold from growing. They smoke excellently at those settings, and that’s really all that matters. You should keep yours at whatever setting you like as well.

 

[ritter6788]

The whole RH thing is over my head and when I search for info people argue about what is right for cigars. I keep mine in a sealed box with bovedas and heartfelt beads and call it a day. I grew corals in a fish tank for years and it wasn’t as complicated as cigar moisture content.

 

[Glassman]

Well, after doing some research, I feel that I know less now than when I started.

After searching for information on optimal Rh for temperature, I found this chart on several sites:

This would seem to directly contradict my earlier comment about lowering Rh as you lower temperature. (I can’t recall where I originally heard this rule of thumb. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, and searched a lot of forums when I set up my first humidor.) As air temperature decreases, the amount of water vapor it can hold also decreases. Rh is an expression of the percentage of the maximum amount of water vapor that can be held at a given temperature, so the amount of water vapor in your humidor at 70%/70 degrees at 65 degrees would be 83% Rh. What I think this chart is then saying is that to keep the same amount of actual moisture in your humidor, as temperature decreases you need to up the Rh. These numbers get kind of wacko real quick. If you stored your cigars at 60 degrees, you’d have to have near 100% humidity. No one in their right mind would do that.

What that chart doesn’t account for, and more to the OP’s issue, is mold. While looking for info on how temperature and humidity affects mold growth, I found another chart:

Now this chart deals with mold growth in a home, and I don’t know how different it would be from mold on a cigar in a humidor, but I think they are somewhat similar. If you look at the chart for 65 degrees, at the 82 Rh the previous chart recommended, you could expect mold growth in 10 days. Now, at 65/65, or even 65/70, there is no risk. Interestingly at 70/70 you can expect mold growth in 163 days.

If you want to dive deeper into the world of science, humidity, & temperature, I would suggest you read this thread:
http://www.botl.org/threads/temperature-vs-rh.80264/

Look, after going through all this, I’m going to continue to keep my cigars at 65 degrees to keep beetles from hatching, and 65 Rh to keep mold from growing. They smoke excellently at those settings, and that’s really all that matters. You should keep yours at whatever setting you like as well.

Good research Scott. Appreciate you digging into it.

 

[ritter6788]

I ditched my chilled wineador over this nonsense. I had beads, bovedas and distilled water containers and the reading at 65° was 57rh. If I unplugged the unit the humidity instantly jumped to 70. Sealed Tupperware and coolers are better piece of mind for me. Every time I open them the hygrometer is at 65%.

 

[ritter6788]

I ditched my chilled wineador over this nonsense. I had beads, bovedas and distilled water containers and the reading at 65° was 57rh. If I unplugged the unit the humidity instantly jumped to 70. Sealed Tupperware and coolers are better piece of mind for me. Every time I open them the hygrometer is at 65%.

also plume is mold.

 

[boltman]

Thanks Scott. Love your conclusion. Find the temp and RH that works for each of us and don’t sweat the details.
After having said that, I read the first chart a little different. To me what the chart is indicating is that at a set (actual) humidity the RH will change dramatically only by changing the temp. So for example if your reading is 70 degrees and 70 RH, if you do nothing but drop the temp to 65 the RH moves to 83 (without adding any moisture). And conversely if you raise the temp to 75 the RH will move to 59 (also without removing moisture).
That is why we have stability in our humidors for entire seasons but have to fuss with them as summer changes to winter. Then stability again until summer comes when we fuss again for a few weeks.
I had tons of RH fluctuations in my wineadore until I turned off the power and quit messing with the temp. As soon as I did that the RH stabilized.

 

[redneck_toy]

The whole RH thing is over my head and when I search for info people argue about what is right for cigars. I keep mine in a sealed box with bovedas and heartfelt beads and call it a day. I grew corals in a fish tank for years and it wasn’t as complicated as cigar moisture content.

I too had a reef tank for years, and totally agree with your statement.
Now I'm rethinking my setup. Using 69% boveda in my wino, and the temp is pretty consistently around 65*. That makes the rh right at 65-66%. Hmm.....

 

[Mossome]

Thanks Scott. Love your conclusion. Find the temp and RH that works for each of us and don’t sweat the details.
After having said that, I read the first chart a little different. To me what the chart is indicating is that at a set (actual) humidity the RH will change dramatically only by changing the temp. So for example if your reading is 70 degrees and 70 RH, if you do nothing but drop the temp to 65 the RH moves to 83 (without adding any moisture). And conversely if you raise the temp to 75 the RH will move to 59 (also without removing moisture).
That is why we have stability in our humidors for entire seasons but have to fuss with them as summer changes to winter. Then stability again until summer comes when we fuss again for a few weeks.
I had tons of RH fluctuations in my wineadore until I turned off the power and quit messing with the temp. As soon as I did that the RH stabilized.

I think we read the chart the same, but you just explained it better.

 

[Bruce T.]

I struggled with this for a long time.... until I read a post from Mr. McSquirelly that he posted in 2015 on this site. I'm not sure how to link to his post so I'll repeat it here. It is an article written by a Phd from UCLA. It explains why Relative humidity is not the same as absolute moisture content and we can all relax and not worry about temperature affecting our cigars. You probably won't agree with the suggested 70 - 73% range but the explanation is good (if you are a bit of a science nerd).
-------------------------------
5.0 Humidification

Why create a humid environment with a constant relative humidity of 70%?

Cigars are naturally hygroscopic products. In common with many organic substances, they dry out in the absence of humidity in the air, or absorb moisture from the ambient air. They establish an equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity which surrounds them.

At 68% a cigar will slowly dry out and loose essential oils. At 74% and higher, organic molecules will break down out-of-order, producing unwanted tastes. More importantly, at 80% or higher, you're leaving your stogies wide open to grow mold. Neither cigars or humidors are a particularly sterile environment. Note that these are relative humidities - cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% RH regardless of temperature.

The "Variable" Humidity Myth...

Many self-proclaimed "authorities" have been making a serious mistake of confusing moisture content with relative humidity lately. At least one well-known Cigar distributor has added strength to this legend by distributing a table recommending different relative humidities at different temperatures. Don't fall for this "urban legend"! Cigars should be kept at 70% RH REGARDLESS of temperature or you WILL ruin them...

The modern myth of varying humidity with temperature is based on an entirely false premise. Cigars don't care about absolute moisture content. They need just enough moisture to keep the tobacco pliable, but not so much to swell it. This occurs at 70-73% REGARDLESS of temperature.

Tobacco should be kept at a relative humidity which just keeps the leaves pliable without swelling them. Since that pliability is based on the interaction of the cellular membranes with the air surrounding them, relative humidity--not absolute moisture content--is what's important. This isn't chemistry, it's mechanics - on a cellular level. Ideally, the correct point is 70-73% regardless of temperature. At 70% relative humidity (a measure which by definition is independent of temperature) cigar leaves become pliable without swelling. At 75% or higher, the cells begin to swell; at 68% or lower, they can become brittle. These points are regardless of the ambient temperature or the absolute moisture content.

Does it make any sense to a rational person to keep their cigars at close to 100% humidity at 60 degrees? Anyone living in cold climates can attest to the fact that at 60 deg, their cigars are perfect at 70%, and (as they would at any temperature) their cigars are prone to mold and swelling at humidities above 80%. Those living in the tropics will tell you the same thing - their cigars MUST be kept at 70% humidity at storage temperatures of 80 degrees. According to "the table", those cigars should be at 50% humidity? I'll tell you what: If the humidity drops below 68%, your cigars will become dry and crack - I couldn't even imagine how badly dried out they'd be at 50%!

Try it yourself. The "logic" of varying RH with temp falls apart in the real world. Moisture content is NOT why we keep cigars at 70% humidity...
Here's a more scientific explanation debunking the myth of varying humidity from David E. Patton, Ph.D. at the Department of Physiology, UCLA School of Medicine...

"There has been extensive discussion on A.S.C. concerning the effects of temperature on humidity and its application to proper cigar storage. Much of the confusion concerning these concepts comes from not understanding what is happening at the molecular level. My goal is to explain some of the relevant concepts and then to put the concepts together in such a way as to give an intuitive understanding of how they relate to cigar storage.

Cigars are made from tobacco leaves. Tobacco leaves (like most plant material) consist primarily of carbohydrates and proteins. Protein and carbohydrate molecules contain many binding sites for water molecules. A certain proportion of the water binding sites need to be occupied by water molecules in order for the tobacco leaves to be adequately pliable, to burn properly and to age properly. So when we think about humidity as it relates to cigar storage, the most relevant factor to consider is: Are the correct proportion of water binding sites occupied? Water molecules bind to other molecules via hydrogen bonds. Van der Waals interactions also participate. This applies to water bound to protein and carbohydrate molecules (e.g. tobacco leaves) or to other water molecules (e.g. liquid water). For the purposes of this discussion, water bound to tobacco leaves will be treated like liquid water.

Temperature is the main factor determining whether a water molecule will be more likely to be in either the gas or liquid (or bound) phases. This is because at higher temperatures, water molecules (like any other molecule) will have more kinetic energy. The more kinetic energy a molecule has, the higher its probability of being in the gas phase. This is because it will have sufficient kinetic energy to break out of the hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals interactions that would otherwise keep it bound. At lower temperatures molecules have less kinetic energy so when they collide with a carbohydrate molecule, for example, its kinetic energy is insufficient to break away from it. The important point here is that at higher temperatures, a water molecule is more likely to be in the gas phase and less likely to be bound. At lower temperatures a water molecule is more likely to be bound and less likely to be in the gas phase.

Another point that needs to be explained here is the concept of relative humidity. Simply stated, relative humidity is the ratio of the concentration of water in the gas phase divided by the maximal concentration of water the air can hold (the saturating concentration) at a given temperature. Air holds more water at higher temperatures. Therefore, if you hold the relative humidity constant and increase the temperature, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase will increase. If you think about this superficially you may think that because the concentration of water molecules increases in the gas phase as you increase the temperature (holding relative humidity constant) that your cigars will become over-humidified. This is WRONG. Remember, as you increase the temperature, the water molecules are less likely to be bound to the tobacco and more likely to be in the gas phase. Thus, to keep the same proportion of water binding sites in the tobacco occupied by water molecules, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase must be increased when temperature is increased."

Again, cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% relative humidity,regardless of temperature. Period.

 

[OleVaSmoker]

I struggled with this for a long time.... until I read a post from Mr. McSquirelly that he posted in 2015 on this site. I'm not sure how to link to his post so I'll repeat it here. It is an article written by a Phd from UCLA. It explains why Relative humidity is not the same as absolute moisture content and we can all relax and not worry about temperature affecting our cigars. You probably won't agree with the suggested 70 - 73% range but the explanation is good (if you are a bit of a science nerd).
-------------------------------
5.0 Humidification

Why create a humid environment with a constant relative humidity of 70%?

Cigars are naturally hygroscopic products. In common with many organic substances, they dry out in the absence of humidity in the air, or absorb moisture from the ambient air. They establish an equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity which surrounds them.

At 68% a cigar will slowly dry out and loose essential oils. At 74% and higher, organic molecules will break down out-of-order, producing unwanted tastes. More importantly, at 80% or higher, you're leaving your stogies wide open to grow mold. Neither cigars or humidors are a particularly sterile environment. Note that these are relative humidities - cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% RH regardless of temperature.

The "Variable" Humidity Myth...

Many self-proclaimed "authorities" have been making a serious mistake of confusing moisture content with relative humidity lately. At least one well-known Cigar distributor has added strength to this legend by distributing a table recommending different relative humidities at different temperatures. Don't fall for this "urban legend"! Cigars should be kept at 70% RH REGARDLESS of temperature or you WILL ruin them...

The modern myth of varying humidity with temperature is based on an entirely false premise. Cigars don't care about absolute moisture content. They need just enough moisture to keep the tobacco pliable, but not so much to swell it. This occurs at 70-73% REGARDLESS of temperature.

Tobacco should be kept at a relative humidity which just keeps the leaves pliable without swelling them. Since that pliability is based on the interaction of the cellular membranes with the air surrounding them, relative humidity--not absolute moisture content--is what's important. This isn't chemistry, it's mechanics - on a cellular level. Ideally, the correct point is 70-73% regardless of temperature. At 70% relative humidity (a measure which by definition is independent of temperature) cigar leaves become pliable without swelling. At 75% or higher, the cells begin to swell; at 68% or lower, they can become brittle. These points are regardless of the ambient temperature or the absolute moisture content.

Does it make any sense to a rational person to keep their cigars at close to 100% humidity at 60 degrees? Anyone living in cold climates can attest to the fact that at 60 deg, their cigars are perfect at 70%, and (as they would at any temperature) their cigars are prone to mold and swelling at humidities above 80%. Those living in the tropics will tell you the same thing - their cigars MUST be kept at 70% humidity at storage temperatures of 80 degrees. According to "the table", those cigars should be at 50% humidity? I'll tell you what: If the humidity drops below 68%, your cigars will become dry and crack - I couldn't even imagine how badly dried out they'd be at 50%!

Try it yourself. The "logic" of varying RH with temp falls apart in the real world. Moisture content is NOT why we keep cigars at 70% humidity...
Here's a more scientific explanation debunking the myth of varying humidity from David E. Patton, Ph.D. at the Department of Physiology, UCLA School of Medicine...

"There has been extensive discussion on A.S.C. concerning the effects of temperature on humidity and its application to proper cigar storage. Much of the confusion concerning these concepts comes from not understanding what is happening at the molecular level. My goal is to explain some of the relevant concepts and then to put the concepts together in such a way as to give an intuitive understanding of how they relate to cigar storage.

Cigars are made from tobacco leaves. Tobacco leaves (like most plant material) consist primarily of carbohydrates and proteins. Protein and carbohydrate molecules contain many binding sites for water molecules. A certain proportion of the water binding sites need to be occupied by water molecules in order for the tobacco leaves to be adequately pliable, to burn properly and to age properly. So when we think about humidity as it relates to cigar storage, the most relevant factor to consider is: Are the correct proportion of water binding sites occupied? Water molecules bind to other molecules via hydrogen bonds. Van der Waals interactions also participate. This applies to water bound to protein and carbohydrate molecules (e.g. tobacco leaves) or to other water molecules (e.g. liquid water). For the purposes of this discussion, water bound to tobacco leaves will be treated like liquid water.

Temperature is the main factor determining whether a water molecule will be more likely to be in either the gas or liquid (or bound) phases. This is because at higher temperatures, water molecules (like any other molecule) will have more kinetic energy. The more kinetic energy a molecule has, the higher its probability of being in the gas phase. This is because it will have sufficient kinetic energy to break out of the hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals interactions that would otherwise keep it bound. At lower temperatures molecules have less kinetic energy so when they collide with a carbohydrate molecule, for example, its kinetic energy is insufficient to break away from it. The important point here is that at higher temperatures, a water molecule is more likely to be in the gas phase and less likely to be bound. At lower temperatures a water molecule is more likely to be bound and less likely to be in the gas phase.

Another point that needs to be explained here is the concept of relative humidity. Simply stated, relative humidity is the ratio of the concentration of water in the gas phase divided by the maximal concentration of water the air can hold (the saturating concentration) at a given temperature. Air holds more water at higher temperatures. Therefore, if you hold the relative humidity constant and increase the temperature, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase will increase. If you think about this superficially you may think that because the concentration of water molecules increases in the gas phase as you increase the temperature (holding relative humidity constant) that your cigars will become over-humidified. This is WRONG. Remember, as you increase the temperature, the water molecules are less likely to be bound to the tobacco and more likely to be in the gas phase. Thus, to keep the same proportion of water binding sites in the tobacco occupied by water molecules, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase must be increased when temperature is increased."

Again, cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% relative humidity,regardless of temperature. Period.

Thanks for posting this as I've always been told using 69% bovedas was overkill and cause me issues yet I've never suffered either. I'm using sistema sealed containers with bovada packs and cedar from cigar boxes with the temperature in the house at 70 via our central air/heat. I may step into 70 bovedas at some point due to reading this though.again, thanks for sharing this.

 

[Tyler86]

I struggled with this for a long time.... until I read a post from Mr. McSquirelly that he posted in 2015 on this site. I'm not sure how to link to his post so I'll repeat it here. It is an article written by a Phd from UCLA. It explains why Relative humidity is not the same as absolute moisture content and we can all relax and not worry about temperature affecting our cigars. You probably won't agree with the suggested 70 - 73% range but the explanation is good (if you are a bit of a science nerd).
-------------------------------
5.0 Humidification

Why create a humid environment with a constant relative humidity of 70%?

Cigars are naturally hygroscopic products. In common with many organic substances, they dry out in the absence of humidity in the air, or absorb moisture from the ambient air. They establish an equilibrium with the atmospheric humidity which surrounds them.

At 68% a cigar will slowly dry out and loose essential oils. At 74% and higher, organic molecules will break down out-of-order, producing unwanted tastes. More importantly, at 80% or higher, you're leaving your stogies wide open to grow mold. Neither cigars or humidors are a particularly sterile environment. Note that these are relative humidities - cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% RH regardless of temperature.

The "Variable" Humidity Myth...

Many self-proclaimed "authorities" have been making a serious mistake of confusing moisture content with relative humidity lately. At least one well-known Cigar distributor has added strength to this legend by distributing a table recommending different relative humidities at different temperatures. Don't fall for this "urban legend"! Cigars should be kept at 70% RH REGARDLESS of temperature or you WILL ruin them...

The modern myth of varying humidity with temperature is based on an entirely false premise. Cigars don't care about absolute moisture content. They need just enough moisture to keep the tobacco pliable, but not so much to swell it. This occurs at 70-73% REGARDLESS of temperature.

Tobacco should be kept at a relative humidity which just keeps the leaves pliable without swelling them. Since that pliability is based on the interaction of the cellular membranes with the air surrounding them, relative humidity--not absolute moisture content--is what's important. This isn't chemistry, it's mechanics - on a cellular level. Ideally, the correct point is 70-73% regardless of temperature. At 70% relative humidity (a measure which by definition is independent of temperature) cigar leaves become pliable without swelling. At 75% or higher, the cells begin to swell; at 68% or lower, they can become brittle. These points are regardless of the ambient temperature or the absolute moisture content.

Does it make any sense to a rational person to keep their cigars at close to 100% humidity at 60 degrees? Anyone living in cold climates can attest to the fact that at 60 deg, their cigars are perfect at 70%, and (as they would at any temperature) their cigars are prone to mold and swelling at humidities above 80%. Those living in the tropics will tell you the same thing - their cigars MUST be kept at 70% humidity at storage temperatures of 80 degrees. According to "the table", those cigars should be at 50% humidity? I'll tell you what: If the humidity drops below 68%, your cigars will become dry and crack - I couldn't even imagine how badly dried out they'd be at 50%!

Try it yourself. The "logic" of varying RH with temp falls apart in the real world. Moisture content is NOT why we keep cigars at 70% humidity...
Here's a more scientific explanation debunking the myth of varying humidity from David E. Patton, Ph.D. at the Department of Physiology, UCLA School of Medicine...

"There has been extensive discussion on A.S.C. concerning the effects of temperature on humidity and its application to proper cigar storage. Much of the confusion concerning these concepts comes from not understanding what is happening at the molecular level. My goal is to explain some of the relevant concepts and then to put the concepts together in such a way as to give an intuitive understanding of how they relate to cigar storage.

Cigars are made from tobacco leaves. Tobacco leaves (like most plant material) consist primarily of carbohydrates and proteins. Protein and carbohydrate molecules contain many binding sites for water molecules. A certain proportion of the water binding sites need to be occupied by water molecules in order for the tobacco leaves to be adequately pliable, to burn properly and to age properly. So when we think about humidity as it relates to cigar storage, the most relevant factor to consider is: Are the correct proportion of water binding sites occupied? Water molecules bind to other molecules via hydrogen bonds. Van der Waals interactions also participate. This applies to water bound to protein and carbohydrate molecules (e.g. tobacco leaves) or to other water molecules (e.g. liquid water). For the purposes of this discussion, water bound to tobacco leaves will be treated like liquid water.

Temperature is the main factor determining whether a water molecule will be more likely to be in either the gas or liquid (or bound) phases. This is because at higher temperatures, water molecules (like any other molecule) will have more kinetic energy. The more kinetic energy a molecule has, the higher its probability of being in the gas phase. This is because it will have sufficient kinetic energy to break out of the hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals interactions that would otherwise keep it bound. At lower temperatures molecules have less kinetic energy so when they collide with a carbohydrate molecule, for example, its kinetic energy is insufficient to break away from it. The important point here is that at higher temperatures, a water molecule is more likely to be in the gas phase and less likely to be bound. At lower temperatures a water molecule is more likely to be bound and less likely to be in the gas phase.

Another point that needs to be explained here is the concept of relative humidity. Simply stated, relative humidity is the ratio of the concentration of water in the gas phase divided by the maximal concentration of water the air can hold (the saturating concentration) at a given temperature. Air holds more water at higher temperatures. Therefore, if you hold the relative humidity constant and increase the temperature, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase will increase. If you think about this superficially you may think that because the concentration of water molecules increases in the gas phase as you increase the temperature (holding relative humidity constant) that your cigars will become over-humidified. This is WRONG. Remember, as you increase the temperature, the water molecules are less likely to be bound to the tobacco and more likely to be in the gas phase. Thus, to keep the same proportion of water binding sites in the tobacco occupied by water molecules, the concentration of water molecules in the gas phase must be increased when temperature is increased."

Again, cigars should be stored at 70 - 73% relative humidity,regardless of temperature. Period.

So what you're saying is that everyone on this forum who keeps there storage at 65% is wrong? 70% no matter what? I was running at 70% and I like my smokes around 69-70% better flavors IMHO. But I started to see very small spore/mold growth in my door gaskets and in bottom of case. I quickly cleaned and dropped to 65%. No more "plume" issues. So I am confused.

Does anyone have documentation (not hear say third party) of what major manufacturers age their cigars at?


Stupid Tapatalk

 

[Boudie]

I believe the original author of this post is trying to assign basic chemical processes to a living structure. Cigars are a lot more then just carbohydrates, proteins and water. If your only concern is cracking wrappers then the discussion may be valid. Damp cigars are more pliable, no doubt but at higher temperatures and higher humidity biochemical process are faster, cell walls are degraded faster, the chemistry of the cigar is faster. A more energetic environment will cause the chemicals released through cells walls to breakdown and reform faster, possibly with undesirable consequences. Bacterial activity is higher at warmer temperatures and with higher availability of water. Bacterial activity and environmental conditions affect osmotic pressure across the cellular structure.

Is it possible that one of the goals of long term storage of cigars at lower temperatures and lower humidity is to control these chemical changes? Allow for the gradual movement of chemicals across the permeable cellular wall and through the structure of the cigar. Less energetic environments may produce more "desirable" flavors then high energy environments.

So in my opinion it is incorrect to make a definitive statement that 70 degrees and 73% is the answer to all your cigar storage goals.

 

[Glassman]

So what you're saying is that everyone on this forum who keeps there storage at 65% is wrong? 70% no matter what? I was running at 70% and I like my smokes around 69-70% better flavors IMHO. But I started to see very small spore/mold growth in my door gaskets and in bottom of case. I quickly cleaned and dropped to 65%. No more "plume" issues. So I am confused.

Does anyone have documentation (not hear say third party) of what major manufacturers age their cigars at?


Stupid Tapatalk

What Boudie said. I store some of mine with 69's because they taste better at that, but it's flirting with mold danger if the temp kicks up. Regardless, most of mine smoke better at 65 or 62, and it's a safer place to be. They're still pliable with just the right amount of crackle to smoke well.
69 is probably a better place to be for long term aging for oil retention, provided it can be kept at that and Temps kept below 70.

 

[Musubhee]

The whole RH thing is over my head and when I search for info people argue about what is right for cigars. I keep mine in a sealed box with bovedas and heartfelt beads and call it a day. I grew corals in a fish tank for years and it wasn’t as complicated as cigar moisture content.

This hobby has actually made me neglect my reef so much all my sps has died off. Cigars taste so much better than coral!

 

[Bruce T.]

I find the author's suggestion of 70 - 73% is not correct. It seems the he is looking at what is best for the leaves but is not looking at what is better for aging and for smoking. Experience has shown that an RH of 62 - 70% is great for aging and smoking.

My main intent with posting the article was to help explain the relationship between temperature and RH on cigars. The conclusion is, "keep you cigars at the RH that you prefer and don't worry about the temperature fluctuations".

 

[ritter6788]

This hobby has actually made me neglect my reef so much all my sps has died off. Cigars taste so much better than coral!

I miss the smell of Acros!!!!