Newbie Questions - HELP

[Coach Dave]

I have looked around and cant find an answer to these question, so I am posting it as a new thread.

1. I have been keeping my cigars in a ceramic montecristo jar with a round disk with beads. Cigars seem to be fine. My question is how do I know for sure they are fine. They smell great they are a little soft to the touch, nothing real hard or dry that I can see. Am I making the right assumptions? Are they ok?

2. My humidor comes in monday. i have seen many resopurces as to how to treat them before using. I am going with the one that has me treating it 5 times then letting it sit overnight with sponge, then use. Does anyone know, is this five times in one day? or five days? If it is in one day how long before treatments? Like I said i have search for this answer but could not find it and the guy who did the youtube video didnt answer.

3. I have a shed that i use as a office. temp definitely fluctuates in there. my humidifier be okay in this environment?

thanks in advance for you time

[Nathan]

Get a digital hygrometer and calibrate it. I use a Caliber III digital hygrometer, search around for calibration instructions.

As far as the humidor, in my opinion it doesn't really matter how you do it. Your only goal is to get it to 60-70%. If you just throw the beads in and add water when they get dry it will get there eventually. To rehumidify beads I generally put a bowl of water, or a shot glass depending on the size of humidor, in the humidor with the beads overnight. Take the bowl out in the morning, read the humidity at night, if it's not high enough put the bowl back in. Repeat until desired results are met. If you want to wipe down the insides with water go for it, all you are doing is speeding up the process.

I don't like the idea of sponges in my humidor though as they are really good at growing mold and bacteria.

Oh and go to the new inmate section, introduce yourself and take a look at the newbie sampler trade thread.

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by Coach Dave

I have looked around and cant find an answer to these question, so I am posting it as a new thread.

1. I have been keeping my cigars in a ceramic montecristo jar with a round disk with beads. Cigars seem to be fine. My question is how do I know for sure they are fine. They smell great they are a little soft to the touch, nothing real hard or dry that I can see. Am I making the right assumptions? Are they ok?

2. My humidor comes in monday. i have seen many resopurces as to how to treat them before using. I am going with the one that has me treating it 5 times then letting it sit overnight with sponge, then use. Does anyone know, is this five times in one day? or five days? If it is in one day how long before treatments? Like I said i have search for this answer but could not find it and the guy who did the youtube video didnt answer.

3. I have a shed that i use as a office. temp definitely fluctuates in there. my humidifier be okay in this environment?

thanks in advance for you time

Hey Dave, welcome to CA. I'll try and answer your questions.

1. Sounds like your cigars in the jar are fine. They should have some give, but not be overly squishy, nor should they crack if you squeeze the foot end. The big question is, how we'll do they smoke for you? Is the draw tight (possibly a sign of over humidified), or is the draw really easy (possibly too dry).

2. How big is your humidor that you're getting? Not sure about what instructions you saw but a easy way is to fill a small bowl/glass half way with distilled water. Set inside, close the lid and let it sit for about two weeks. The wood inside will absorb the moisture and season your humidor. You can check the hygrometer to see how it's doing. Once it stabilizes, remove the bowl/glass and your all set. What are your plans for humidification after?

3. Humidity in your office/shed should be fine, although with you being in FL, it might run high due to the humidity in the air. Is the room air conditioned? I'd be more concerned about temp. Once you start going higher than 75 or so, you could have beetles hatch. You can always freeze your cigars to help with that possibility. Search for the thread on freezing for more info on that.

Hope this helps.

[Coach Dave]

Another Question - is it okay to take my cigars out of the cellophane wrappers when i put them into my humidor? Thanks

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Coach Dave

Another Question - is it okay to take my cigars out of the cellophane wrappers when i put them into my humidor? Thanks

Yes it is.

[MoTheMan]

Originally Posted by Coach Dave

Another Question - is it okay to take my cigars out of the cellophane wrappers when i put them into my humidor? Thanks

Yes! I had a box of Fuente hemingway Classics that i stored that way for 10 YEARS, kid you not, and the more open contact with thata solid cedar really aged them quite well. They smoke fantastic, BTW!

[Conch Republican]

It is OK Dave - but some Prefer not to (you will find that there is almost always multiple right answers). I like to keep the cello'd cigars in cello, minimizes injury to the wrappers

[cigarmonkel]

Hi and welcome to the forums! I think you will quickly find out that you will receive tons of different answers and everyone has their own way of doing things. Some people like their cigars at 65% humidity and some like it at 70% others like low 60's. You want to try to avoid anything over 70% and above 70 degrees F. Anything over that is asking for trouble, beetles and mold are never fun.

As far as the cello goes, it's personal. Like Mo said, he took his off and the cedar ended up being quite a compliment to the aging where as some keep it on (as conch said) to help protect the wrapper of the cigar from damage. There are tons of threads about aging in tubes or the cedar wrap they come in sometimes and cello. I'm sure the more you start to look around the forum the more you will learn.

as for a check with your cigars in the current stage, i was once told a cigar should feel like a firm banana, not squishy but not rock hard either. Maybe it was a joke and someone pulled one over on me but thats what I've lived by when my hygro's batteries went dead or I was without one in my early stages.

welcome board!

[iaMkcK]

It also makes me wonder if he ever fed his humi disc. Only time will tell, and if he posts up again. Hope to hear from you again Coach!