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Old 04-08-2005, 08:19 AM   #1
Rush
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ciego De Avila, Cuba
Posts: 882
Let's talk more about humidity and storage.

A few months ago I started THIS THREAD because I'm trying to understand the roll a humidor full of hundred or thousands of cigars play on the overall humidity of humidor. I came away from that thread under the impression that a cigar will consistantly 'adapt' to the environment.

I have to keep working on this thought because yesterday I had a cigar that was much too moist (could pinch it completely with no cracking or other damage, had a very tight draw, and tasted terrible). However, this cigar is stored in a 60qt coolador with 1lb of beads. The RH is 65% (according to 3 hygros) rock solid, every time I open it (about once a day weekdays and never on weekends) and has been for many months.

For puposes of this discussion, lets assume cigars can be measured in RH (maybe they can, I don't know). As such, according to what seems 'common knowledge' from my original thread, cigars stored in a 65% environment should measure 65%. Cigars stored in a 30% environment should measure 30%. Finally, cigars stored in a 90% environment should measure 90%RH. The equality of atmosphere RH to cigar 'RH' is what I must challenge. I will try to explain my challenge and maybe someone can explain where I'm wrong or right. . .

Let's say I have a cigar that is dry as a bone. It has been kept in an environment of 0%RH until the cigar has released 100% of it's humidity through evaporation. So, this cigar has an RH of 0%. I place that 0% cigar into a mayonaisse jar that has a 65%RH and a perfect seal. In this theoretical example, I place the cigar in a jar that has 65%RH air, but no humdifying device. The cigar wil absorb water from the air. I would assume the cigar will absorb all the moisture from the air and when everything stabilizes I end up with a 5%RH cigar and 0%RH air (surely there is not enough moisture in the sealed environment for both the cigar and air to be 65%). Now I 'refill' my mayo jar with 65%RH air and wait for things to stabilize. I end up with a 10%RH cigar and 0%RH air. I continue this process until my cigar is 65%RH. . .

OK - Now I have a 65%RH cigar and I'm ready to drop it into my coolador for long term aging. My coolador uses 65% beads as a humidifier. My beads have exactly the minimum amount of moisture to put the air in the coolador at 65%RH. In other words, when I shut my coolador, the beads will release all their moisture which is just enough to create a 65% environment. This is where I must disagree with the 'common assumption' that both my cigar and air will maintain 65%RH. It is my assertion that my cigar would rather be at a higher RH and will take the moisture that my beads released. When everything stabilizes, I'll end up with a 68% cigar and 55% air. I see my hygo reading 55%, so I add just the exact amount of water to the beads to restore 65% air and close the lid. I believe the cigar is still thirsty. So, when the beads restore 65% air, the cigar robs it leaving the beads nothing to work with. My cigar is now 72% and the air is 55%. I repeat the process until the cigar quits stealing water from the environment.

My cigar has quit stealing water from the air. According to YelloCello, as posted in my original thread, Altadis says the 'natural' RH of a cigar is 73%. I'll agree with YelloCello. So, my cigar quit stealing water from the air and has an RH of 73% and my beads are doing their job keeping the air at 65%.

That's my theory. I have a coolador with about 500 cigars and plenty of 65% beads. The contents are well stabilized and three hygros peg 65% consistently. I pulled out a smoke and it was a spongy, wet mess. I believe cigars will continue stealing water from a replenishing 65% atmosphere until they stabilize at 70+% RH at which point they are too wet.

I believe the reason my sticks are too wet is because they are stored in a plastic, tightly sealing box that 'never' allows the ambient (ie 40%RH) environment 'steal' moisture from the coolador air and cigars nor does my plastic box have lots of spanish cedar with also steals moisture from the air and cigars. I believe that since a traditional humdor is engulfed in cedar and doesn't seal as tightly the cedar and exterior air prevents or greatly hampers the cigars ability to make it to 73%.

Or am I just smoking crack
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