Drybox the world

[Bigpink]

I live in Southern California, which isn’t exactly known for being humid. I keep all of my cigars at 64% humidity, and end up dry boxing every stick I smoke, for at least 12-24 hours. If I don’t, the flavors are way off and they get that acrid, steamy flavor. 
 

Anyone else with this issue? Should I lower my humidity on my stash even more, or do I just shut the hell up and keep on dry boxing?

[rcarlson]

Shut the hell up and keep dry boxing, unless you're getting to them too early and you just need to give them more time down for the sticks to stabilize.  They come in mighty wet.

[smbauerllc]

I'm pretty close to the same as you on outside rh and storage rh.

I keep everything at 65%, and the outside rh is rarely above 20% , although it stays pretty much 60% in my room for some reason, and haven't had any problems with the taste at all at that rh.

I tried dryboxing for a couple weeks for the first time and even up to a week I didn't notice any difference. Could be because with the room being 60% they weren't really getting to much of a lower rh.

As to your question, if they are smoking better at a lower rh from dryboxing, I would either just keep dryboxing or lower the storage rh some if you don't want to have to drybox them.

64% isnt particularly high, so I'm surprised you are getting the common over humidified taste. Mine taste fine at 65%.

Personally, I would just lower my storage rh so they are gtg right out of the humidor and avoid having to dry box them.

I would try 62% first and if they still aren't tasting good, try going to the 58% packs

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[Bigpink]

8 hours ago, rcarlson said:

Shut the hell up and keep dry boxing, unless you're getting to them too early and you just need to give them more time down for the sticks to stabilize.  They come in mighty wet.

I’d say this very possible but it’s the same with every stick I have- I’ve got boxes that have been resting since nov and dec that smoke the same. 

 

8 hours ago, smbauerllc said:

I'm pretty close to the same as you on outside rh and storage rh.

I keep everything at 65%, and the outside rh is rarely above 20% , although it stays pretty much 60% in my room for some reason, and haven't had any problems with the taste at all at that rh.

I tried dryboxing for a couple weeks for the first time and even up to a week I didn't notice any difference. Could be because with the room being 60% they weren't really getting to much of a lower rh.

As to your question, if they are smoking better at a lower rh from dryboxing, I would either just keep dryboxing or lower the storage rh some if you don't want to have to drybox them.

64% isnt particularly high, so I'm surprised you are getting the common over humidified taste. Mine taste fine at 65%.

Personally, I would just lower my storage rh so they are gtg right out of the humidor and avoid having to dry box them.

I would try 62% first and if they still aren't tasting good, try going to the 58% packs

Thanks for this I’ll definitely give it a shot. I can’t imagine that they’re drying off that much more after only 12 or so hours. 

[smbauerllc]

Thanks for this I’ll definitely give it a shot. I can’t imagine that they’re drying off that much more after only 12 or so hours. 

Yeah, I wouldn't think 12 to 24hrs is really doing much for them. Plus, they will dry on the outside mainly and the inside would likely be unchanged, so if anything you're just drying the wrapper in that amount of time.

And like I said, even dryboxing for a week I didn't notice any difference so I would think lowering the humidor rh would be the better way to go so the entire thing is at a lower rh and for much longer

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[Bijan]

San Diego is sitting at 69% and los Angeles at 76% right now. So it's hardly a desert at all times.

Also I find temperature has a big effect too. I'm in Canada and outside humidity has practically no effect outside in the winter. Doesn't matter if it's 100% and snowing it won't have the same effect as in summer.

[smbauerllc]

San Diego is sitting at 69% and los Angeles at 76% right now. So it's hardly a desert at all times.
Also I find temperature has a big effect too. I'm in Canada and outside humidity has practically no effect outside in the winter. Doesn't matter if it's 100% and snowing it won't have the same effect as in summer.

That's pretty interesting info

I've never noticed any difference in how my Cigars perform or taste here in different outside rh's or temps, but too be fair, I have never thought to pay specific attention to it before

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[Bijan]

6 hours ago, smbauerllc said:

That's pretty interesting info

I've never noticed any difference in how my Cigars perform or taste here in different outside rh's or temps, but too be fair, I have never thought to pay specific attention to it before

The worst is a warm rainy day, even if you are somewhere covered (though still outside). Smoke a longer cigar then and you'll regret it. If that doesn't have an effect or bother you then nothing will.

Other times it'll be a much smaller effect, just effect the burn or tunneling.

[Bigpink]

18 minutes ago, Bijan said:

The worst is a warm rainy day, even if you are somewhere covered (though still outside). Smoke a longer cigar then and you'll regret it. If that doesn't have an effect or bother you then nothing will.

Other times it'll be a much smaller effect, just effect the burn or tunneling.

or you'll get the exploding clown cigar as the foot expands

[smbauerllc]

or you'll get the exploding clown cigar as the foot expands

Interesting.
Never had any problems here, although we get very little rain or snow, and when we do its a brief sprinkle or light flurries, so I think the rh is still pretty low.

Will pay attention next time I smoke while its sprinkling out a note the outside rh too and see what happens


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[joeypots]

We had quite a few 90+degree, 95% humidity days around here this summer. Currently it's about 63 with 86% as the tail end of Ida rolls north east. Obviously, not a great environment for my cigars. I've been drying out beads in bags for the desktop.

[zuhaib]

I am in San Francisco and I found switching to 62% humidity for storage to make a big difference in smoking for me. With humidity outside a bit higher my storage usually sits between 60-64.


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[DanWil84]

Drybox longer ….slow and steady ….do 50-60% rh for 2 weeks to 2 months ….figure out what Boveda will hold that range and stick em in a ziplock ……works very well for me


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This. I store at 58 to 60 as I don't have a "aging" stash just yet. I've cigars at that rh for 6 months now. OK they might not reach another level but the cigars in that tupperdore won't even reach the goldilocks stage anyway. They are smoking the right way for me in that rh. Next purchases will be transfered to a 65-69 range untill I go through the smoking humidor the coming year.

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[Meesterjojo]

Where I live humidity goes down to 5% and up to 70ish. It's dry here. That said, I always felt I was chasing the dragon with moisture with my audew humidors. And dry boxing here was rough. My current humidor I haven't had any problems and everything smokes lovely.

If dry boxing works for you keep doing it. From what I read most folks do it.

[wine_junkie]

On 9/2/2021 at 11:25 PM, Bigpink said:

I live in Southern California, which isn’t exactly known for being humid. I keep all of my cigars at 64% humidity, and end up dry boxing every stick I smoke, for at least 12-24 hours. If I don’t, the flavors are way off and they get that acrid, steamy flavor. 
 

Anyone else with this issue? Should I lower my humidity on my stash even more, or do I just shut the hell up and keep on dry boxing?

I have 58% Boveda and still have this problem.  I am in Monterey area on the coast and have the same issue….thinking desiccant is in greater need for us folk… 

 

On 9/3/2021 at 1:32 AM, smbauerllc said:

That's pretty interesting info

I've never noticed any difference in how my Cigars perform or taste here in different outside rh's or temps, but too be fair, I have never thought to pay specific attention to it before

Temperature makes a huge difference because RH is “Relative Humidity “ and it’s relative to temperature as well. I keep my Pelican Coolers sitting on a germination mat with a controller to turn off when it hits 70 degrees inside…this bakes off a lot of the water but you need enough Boveda’s to able to absorb all that water coming off the sticks. Do the math and you’ll know how many grams of Boveda you need. If you have 5 pounds of cigars (boxes, etc) and you want to extract 8% of the moisture out you can see the amount of Boveda 320 grams will have to be high. 
 

I wait until the Boveda is super plump, pull them out, place them in a dry humidor until they get a little crystally then put them back in the humidor for a recharge. There’s that much moisture floating around our sticks. (Insert joke here)

Learned all this from @PigFish and personal experience smoking and humidifying.