Seasoning the humidor mistake

rad1964

I am new to cigars. Started the last few months. I received a nice humidor that holds 50-75 cigars. So far, so good... I threw in the seasoning packet - 84% - wait a minute... yup 84%, I made a mistake of ordering it instead of the 72%.

It suggests on the package to wait approximately 2 weeks. However, it's been only 3 days since I put it in. I decided to calibrate my hydrometer which it is sitting in the bag that came with the humidor (says 24-36 hrs).

So what I was going to do, since I am a newbie

was toss in my hydrometer when it got calibrated. Wait until the humidity reached 72-75% and then toss out the 84% pack and toss in the 'cigar saver' tube of propylene glycol (activated) (I have 2 tubes) and call it good, regardless if the 2 weeks had been reached or not.

Is this the right approach?

Thanks,
Robert

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

kuzi16

ive never used the seasoning packet. I always just use distilled water and a shallow dish. (or two)

i put the dish in at night as i do the salt test on the hygrometer. then i put the hygrometer in the humidor the morning and move the dish to a different spot in the humi. once the humidor is about 70%(ish) i put my beads in and get it to level out. then add cigars.

this takes about 36-48 hours.

so yes. thats about right what you are doing. its just a different humidification media.

BTW
a hydrometer is an instrument for determining the specific gravity of a liquid, commonly consisting of a graduated tube weighted to float upright in the liquid whose specific gravity is being measured.

where as a hygrometer is any instrument for measuring the water-vapor content of the atmosphere.

Russ55

Assuming you're talking about the boveda packs, the 84% packet is the right one for seasoning. You put that in, and an already calibrated hygrometer for ten days and nothing else. After 10 days you pull out the 84%, and put in the 72s, or 69s, or whatever you are going to use for regular humidification. At that point you can add cigars, assuming you are getting good RH levels. That's the correct process for using packs, but there are other ways to season if you're not going use packs as Kuzi suggested.

kuzi16

10 days just seems way to long to have a humidor potentially at 84%. if that humidor got to 84% on the first day then you have 10 days there and that could start other issues. maybe even mold

Russ55

It never gets anywhere near that high. It only get's to about 70 or 71 during the seasoning process.

kuzi16

it would if you let it.

Russ55

I don't see how you could let it. Completely ignored, it can only get to about 71. Maybe if you deliberately tried to get your RH that high you could do it, but the seasoning packet dies on about the 11th day. You'd need to put cigars in there too, and you'd have to replace the seasoning packet, and probably use more than one. It's really idiot proof, it just take a long damn time.

kuzi16

In a small humidor with a humidity pack that tries to bring it to 84% it sure as heck can get to 84%.

if the ambient air is at 60% HR to begin with (the wood would be about to that point also) and you began to season the humidor with an 84% packet it could EASILY get to 80+% in a day or two if you didnt pay any attention.

it should never take 11 days to season a desk top humidor. I could season a 1,200 count in 36 hours if i wanted to.

i wouldnt use the seasoning packs though...

Russ55

It hasn't in any of the desktops I've done it with. It doesn't seem to be a problem people have either. Part of the issue here could be a misunderstanding of how the packs work. It takes at least 2 packs (more depending on the size of the space) and a full humidor to even come close to the number listed on the pack. In seasoning you've only got one, and a big empty space. It just doesn't get that high with one pack and an empty humidor.

kuzi16:
it should never take 11 days to season a desk top humidor. I could season a 1,200 count in 36 hours if i wanted to

Yes, you could, but I couldn't. At least I wouldn't be sure I did it right. Someone with little to no experience might have an even harder time. This removes the chance of error, and the need for experience at the cost of time. Lots of time.

rad1964

Well, I think I'm on my way then. Time to make an order to be proud of

5 Vegas Miami, Habano, Toro, 6 x 48	$6.50
601 Blue Box-Pressed Maduro, Robusto, 5.2 x 52	$9.12
Arturo Fuente, God of Fire, 2006 Double Robusto by Carlito, 5.7 x 50	$24.00
Arturo Fuente, OpusX, XXX, 4.6 x 48	$25.95
Drew Estate, ACID Opulence 3, Maduro, Robusto, 5 x 54	$8.00
Drew Estate, Chateau Real, Maduro, Magnum 46, 5.2 x 46	$5.57
Drew Estate, Natural, Maduro, Big Dirt Torpedo, 5 x 54	$5.93
Graycliff Double Espresso, Maduro, Robusto, 4.5 x 54	$18.00
Gurkha Grand Age, Cameroon, Churchill, 7.2 x 54	$11.00
Indian Tabac Split Decision, The Quad, 6 x 52	$10.00
Macanudo Maduro, Diplomat (Figurado), 4.5 x 60	$6.25
Oliva Serie O Maduro, Robusto, 5 x 50	$5.85
Padilla Miami, Lancero, 7.5 x 42	$10.50
Partagas Black Label, Maduro, Crystal (Tubed), 5.5 x 50	$6.00
Perdomo Reserve 10th Champagne, Connecticut, Champagne R (Robusto), 5 x 54	$6.55
Rocky Patel Double Maduro, Toro, 6.5 x 52	$6.75
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, Maduro, Sixty, 6 x 60	$10.80
Sancho Panza Double Maduro, La Mancha, 5.5 x 44	$3.88

That will be a good start I think.
I am partial to the Rocky Patels 1992, so far and really enjoyed the tabak especial.

I am a former chef and consider myself to be a connessieur of sorts in regards to smoke, drink and food. I started going straight for the maduro wrapped cigars and anything that has notes of coffee, chocolate or spices.

I have read the threads about keeping 'flavored' cigars in the same humidor as the non-flavored variety. However I am not in a position to care to much if my OpusX has a tiny taste of spice from my Drew Estate Nasty. Perhaps a few years down the line... I am though using the cedar separator and keeping anything spiced/flavored inside its cellophane wrapper on the smaller division of the cedar separator. I may even keep other herbs I want to keep at 70% humidity.. or not.

I will post a nice picture after I get it filled.

gmill880

Look forward to seeing the picture rad ...

cabinetmaker

Cigar of the month club will just about pay for itself with that order, plus you get 5 cigars....

rad1964

I went a little crazy on my order, I realized my friend/boss who got me my last two jobs need an opusX, more likely he deserved it. Then I thought if I enjoy an opus with him, what will there be left to age... so a third opus entered the picture.

Lo-and-behold a whopping 46 cigars later (including a free offer of 6), I will be in awe myself for a while.

I just calibrated the hygrometer and its been inside the humidor for a while and reads 74%.
I tossed my only cigar left at the moment a Drew Estate Java and await the arrival of my order tomorrow. I will then toss out the 84% pack and since Im close to 50 cigars I will drop (2) tube style gel humidifiers.

Does that sound about right for those of you using the tube?

Drooling...
Robert

rad1964

My virtually empty humidor with my Drew Estate Java

kaspera79

Damn Rad, that cigar looks lonely ! Hope his friends show up soon.

gmill880

Thats a nice humidor I like that style of it ...

rad1964

My full humidor... I can't imagine trying to stuff anymore then whats in here.. 46 cigars. Supposed to hold 75, not sure where they were talking... lol

Humidity is now at 69%, probably will drop a few percentiles by tonight.

rad

kuzi16

the "count" on humidors are based off of the old Cuban sizes. specifically the corona. 46 toros, robustos torpedos and churchills is actually fairly good.

kaspera79

Hey Rad , now that's what I'm talkin about !! Nice.. By the way, if that's a Natural by Drew Estates, the maduro with the gold band on foot in the Humidor, It gives off a Vanilla aroma /and taste. You may want to get him away from the non-infused sticks.

Lasabar

kaspera79:
Hey Rad , now that's what I'm talkin about !! Nice.. By the way, if that's a Natural by Drew Estates, the maduro with the gold band on foot in the Humidor, It gives off a Vanilla aroma /and taste. You may want to get him away from the non-infused sticks.

Don't listen, he's just trying to get you to send him it!!!!

rad1964

I just happen to be 'testing' the Chateau Real right now.. don't really notice the vanilla notes... gonna keep on puffin', but compared to the NUB Cameroon, its slightly better to me in my newbie opinion. RAD

gmill880

Another good DE 'regular cigar' ...

WaxingMoon

Whatever method you use to season a humidor should be just fine. It is not, so much, the humidifier that keeps the correct RH - more so, it's the spanish cedar. Spanish Cedar's properties are pretty much responsible for maintaining the RH.... if you lined your humidor with , say....oak... it would never work. Of course, they can become saturated with too much and dry with not enough.... but, it's the wood that does the work. Naturally

kuzi16

good point. cigars in a humidor help regulate the humidor as well.