Cigars in Winter

Brian T

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

phobicsquirrel

my temps are about 60 or so, and my rh is about 60-62 and I don't have any issues. what is your rh?

sightunseen

A cold front has been in Seattle for about a week now. My humi's temp is around 60 but my RH is holding steady at around 70. No problems with my cigars.

camgfs

I'm Canadian, eh?

I've smoked cigars while out ice fishing and not had any problems. Humidor temps are fine, as my Igloo is heated, and the rh does tend to drop a little over the winter months.

Did you let the sticks rest/warm up gently after they were shipped?

It might be that you need to let them sit for a couple of weeks before lighting up. Big difference from frozen to 'on fire'. The shock of extreme temps can cause some splitting...ice turns to water, water turns to steam and all that fun science stuff.

I do hope they get better for you. Give them some time and I'm sure they will be fine.

lilwing88

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

beardedcanadian

I just take them into a warm shower with me once a week...seems to do the trick.

ejenne87

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80% is crazy high. I would say anything above 72% is too high. If you are keeping it that high just because it is winter there is no need. If your temperature is a little low don't compensate by raising your humidity, thats just asking for troubles. I suggest keeping your humidity between 65-70% and do your best to keep the temperature around the same range.

Krieg

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

smbrink

Krieg:

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

Don't say the B-word!!! I gotta go check my humi!

nightmaremike31

smbrink:

Krieg:

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

Don't say the B-word!!! I gotta go check my humi!

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE!!!












HA, you thought I was going to throw up some more tobacco beetle pictures!!

Well... I was gonna... but it's the Holiday season, so no terrifying educational pictures of the TTD (Tobacco Transmitted Diseases) or Tobacco Terrorists'.

Keep your stick free of TTD... and no, a prescription wont fix that.

kaspera79

ejenne87:

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80% is crazy high. I would say anything above 72% is too high. If you are keeping it that high just because it is winter there is no need. If your temperature is a little low don't compensate by raising your humidity, thats just asking for troubles. I suggest keeping your humidity between 65-70% and do your best to keep the temperature around the same range.

Words of wisdom right here.. 70/70 is my goal and I 've managed to do that nearly every day for 15 years.

Brian T

¡Muchas gracias! I'll let'em sit and just keep me humidity near 70.

jsnake

So how many of us read this thread, saw the "B" word and went to check our humidors?

camgfs

beardedcanadian:

I just take them into a warm shower with me once a week...seems to do the trick.

Now that's some funny s#*t there! lol.

bigharpoon

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

Your cigars shouldn't be doing this simply because they have been shipped in cold freezing weather. I've cut, lit and smoked a cigar (DPG blue) that I pulled directly out of my freezer after spending two days frozen and it burned and drew just fine. It was kind of an experiment to see what would happen because the forum was talking about this quite a bit at the time.

It sounds like your RH is too high and your sticks are too moist. I don't think it's temperature related.

kuzi16

Krieg:

lilwing88:

Brian T:

So my recent shipment came with the humipacks frozen rock solid and my humidor's temp' isn't getting much above 63F. My cigars are cracking/ splitting, burning uneven, and not drawing very well.

Any advice?

I season my humidor 3-4 times a month in the winter. And I keep my Humidity close to 80%. Sounds like your Humidor is too dry. I use the gel beads. They regulate the humidity very well.

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

mold as well. all you have to do is make sure your RH is the same in the winter as in the summer. its more difficult in the winter to keep it steady with all the dry air out and about. the temp in the 60s isnt bad at all though.

kuzi16

bigharpoon:

I've cut, lit and smoked a cigar (DPG blue) that I pulled directly out of my freezer after spending two days frozen and it burned and drew just fine.

ive heard of the uys from perdomo just pulling a cigar out of their industrial freezer and lighting it with no thaw time.

jlmarta

Krieg:

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

Actually, the RH has very little to do with beetles - it's the temperature you have to be concerned about. Beetles can only fly or travel to search for a mate when the temperature is 71 degrees or higher. As long as you can keep your temp at 70 or below, they can't move around or mate.

This is per a very thorough article on the subject in Cigar Magazine a year or so ago.

Marty

phobicsquirrel

jlmarta:

Krieg:

80%? Thats beetle territory there buddy.

Actually, the RH has very little to do with beetles - it's the temperature you have to be concerned about. Beetles can only fly or travel to search for a mate when the temperature is 71 degrees or higher. As long as you can keep your temp at 70 or below, they can't move around or mate.

This is per a very thorough article on the subject in Cigar Magazine a year or so ago.

Marty

but if your cigars have no eggs than you are fine then? I think it might have been kuzster who mentioned that the more distinguished companies like fuente, CAO and such go through a pretty extensive process to kill all of them pesky buggers so that people wouldn't have to worry about them. So if your cigar inventory is made up of of good standing companies that why would you have to worry very much? I mean isn't the problem with smaller and less known companies cigars?

jlmarta

You may be right. I'm not sure I'd know if some of my sticks came from a 'little guy' but I've heard, like you, that the big guys do take extra precautions.

I sympathize with guys who have problems maintaining temp/RH since I don't seem to have that problem. It gets a little touchy in the summer here in Northern California but I've found that if my temp gets too high I just get one or two of those 'blue ice' things that I keep in the freezer and stick 'em in my coolidor. Within a day my temp is usually back down where I want it.

Marty

The Cank

Yeah I second stupid winter problems. I have enough humi sticks and pucks soaked in 50/50 to humidify a 200 box of cigars and mine only holds 25.... And the damn thing is still only at 62% The mid west is awful I was starting to think my humi was bad but there is no way that it would have that big of a seal problem the damn lid would have to be off. So i am thinking its my house, its always dry. Maybe I should put a humidifier in the room my box is in. That would probably help

Brian T

My temp and RH are about the same as yours. I just left my sticks alone for a few days and all seems to be well again. I'm glad for all the info; I won't stress about cold or a RH in the low 60s.