Mold and RH

RCY Cigars

Was reading something from Doc earlier today. MOLD, should we or should I keep my RH at a high level to prevent MOLD? Or just for certain cigars you do that. My cabinet stays at 64-66. My humidors are at 68-70. I find that my cabinet cigars burn better then the cigars I have in my humidors. But they all smoke good. I was thinking about changing my RH in my humidors. But not if it's probable for mold.

Kuzi or someone I know has talked about this at some time I'm sure. I just ran across what Doc was saying.....

kuzi16

70% is still in the range of what most call "safe"
i do too.
if it were only in the short term 75% isnt even that bad. much more than 4 or so days and id get the rh down.

my rh in my humidors is 68-70. i switched to that about a year ago. i have not had mold issues at all in the last year.

RCY Cigars

kuzi16:

70% is still in the range of what most call "safe"
i do too.
if it were only in the short term 75% isnt even that bad. much more than 4 or so days and id get the rh down.

my rh in my humidors is 68-70. i switched to that about a year ago. i have not had mold issues at all in the last year.

Thanks Kuzi, right now I'm not having any issues. Just wanted to be sure of how I'm thinking the best method would be....

boydmcgowan

kuzi16:

70% is still in the range of what most call "safe"
i do too.
if it were only in the short term 75% isnt even that bad. much more than 4 or so days and id get the rh down.

my rh in my humidors is 68-70. i switched to that about a year ago. i have not had mold issues at all in the last year.

Totally agree with Kuzi here, even the part where he says to not freak out with 75%.

I had a mold Issue about 6 or 7 years back (way before my Ccom days) and it was 100% my fault. I ran an analog hygro that i didn't calibrate propoerly, a foam humidifier, used tap water, way over charged it, over seasoned the humi, the list goes on. So, I almost feel that if you use beads and have a digital hygro you'd really have to try to grow mold to do so.

I read an article YEARS back that said that the ideal is 72/72 for long term aging. And yes that 72 degrees and 72% humidity. I think its an outdated thing now, and that 72% and 72 degrees is too high, because it affects the smokability of thinner ring cigars and its too close to the danger zone for most people. But keep that in the back of your mind. Lower rh is used more now for a bunch of reasons, mostly smokeability for thin ring cigars, but I think 70% used to be the target across the board.

Anyway long story short I've always tried to keep my humidity as close to 70% as I can and use the 70% heartfelt beads now in both my smoking and my aging humi. For me that has worked well becuase I think the thicker ring cigars (anything over a 48) taste chewier that way and with the beads there's no more stress involved in making sure it doesn't go over that.

I am in the opposite bucket as Kuzi though. I think he recently increased his humidity becuase nicaraguan tobacco (did I get the right country?) tastes better that way, I'm leaning towards dropping mine to 65-67 in the smoking humi because I've recently smoked about 3 plugged cigars, all sub 46 ring guage, and plugged cigars piss me off. So, I'm looking at experimenting with a slightly lower rh to see if my coronas, lonsdales, and lanceros burn better. But I'll do my best to keep my aging humi as close to 70% as I can.

Anyway, hope that helps Rick, rh is all personal preference depending on your smoking habits, and I honestly think your fine as long as your between 60% and 72%.

RCY Cigars

boydmcgowan:

kuzi16:

70% is still in the range of what most call "safe"
i do too.
if it were only in the short term 75% isnt even that bad. much more than 4 or so days and id get the rh down.

my rh in my humidors is 68-70. i switched to that about a year ago. i have not had mold issues at all in the last year.

Totally agree with Kuzi here, even the part where he says to not freak out with 75%.

I had a mold Issue about 6 or 7 years back (way before my Ccom days) and it was 100% my fault. I ran an analog hygro that i didn't calibrate propoerly, a foam humidifier, used tap water, way over charged it, over seasoned the humi, the list goes on. So, I almost feel that if you use beads and have a digital hygro you'd really have to try to grow mold to do so.

I read an article YEARS back that said that the ideal is 72/72 for long term aging. And yes that 72 degrees and 72% humidity. I think its an outdated thing now, and that 72% and 72 degrees is too high, because it affects the smokability of thinner ring cigars and its too close to the danger zone for most people. But keep that in the back of your mind. Lower rh is used more now for a bunch of reasons, mostly smokeability for thin ring cigars, but I think 70% used to be the target across the board.

Anyway long story short I've always tried to keep my humidity as close to 70% as I can and use the 70% heartfelt beads now in both my smoking and my aging humi. For me that has worked well becuase I think the thicker ring cigars (anything over a 48) taste chewier that way and with the beads there's no more stress involved in making sure it doesn't go over that.

I am in the opposite bucket as Kuzi though. I think he recently increased his humidity becuase nicaraguan tobacco (did I get the right country?) tastes better that way, I'm leaning towards dropping mine to 65-67 in the smoking humi because I've recently smoked about 3 plugged cigars, all sub 46 ring guage, and plugged cigars piss me off. So, I'm looking at experimenting with a slightly lower rh to see if my coronas, lonsdales, and lanceros burn better. But I'll do my best to keep my aging humi as close to 70% as I can.

Anyway, hope that helps Rick, rh is all personal preference depending on your smoking habits, and I honestly think your fine as long as your between 60% and 72%.

I appreciate your input just as well, thank you. When I first started out. I did a lot of research on seasoning my humidors and where to keep my RH. I went with the 69% Boveda packs because of that. But as time went by, I sort of forgotten my roots. But stayed with them. When Cabby sent the Cabinet to me, he sent 65% beads. They hold my RH at 65%. Sometimes it goes up or down one number. But that's it. I just realized that every cigar I have smoked. That came out of my cabinet, smokes very well with a good burn. I just saw a post that Doc did about a certain cigar having issues with mold at a lower RH. And was wondering if it's best to change my RH to higher one for the cabinet.

docbp87

RCY Cigars:

I just saw a post that Doc did about a certain cigar having issues with mold at a lower RH. And was wondering if it's best to change my RH to higher one for the cabinet.

I've never said a cigar had mold problems at a lower humidity, and if I did it was a typo. If you mean the Anejo, then I was probably drunk, but trying to say to store them at a LOW humidity, since they are prone to mold at higher humidities.

RCY Cigars

Yes Sir, that was the cigar in question. Nevertheless, I think I have my answer. Thanks for clearing that up Doc.

dbeckom

I have a single Añejo that has been held at 65-67% RH since I received it. After all the talk about mold, I pulled it out today and removed the cedar to find it covered in little round fuzzy dots of mold!

kuzi16

boydmcgowan:

I am in the opposite bucket as Kuzi though. I think he recently increased his humidity becuase nicaraguan tobacco (did I get the right country?) tastes better that way, I'm leaning towards dropping mine to 65-67 in the smoking humi because I've recently smoked about 3 plugged cigars, all sub 46 ring guage, and plugged cigars piss me off. So, I'm looking at experimenting with a slightly lower rh to see if my coronas, lonsdales, and lanceros burn better. But I'll do my best to keep my aging humi as close to 70% as I can.

yup.... nicaraguan cigars do taste better closer to 70%

i find that a lower RH has less improvement according to size and more according to the type of tobacco and how it was fermented. however, if you are going from 70 to 65 then there should be enough of a difference to make a difference.

Marker

dbeckom:

I have a single Añejo that has been held at 65-67% RH since I received it. After all the talk about mold, I pulled it out today and removed the cedar to find it covered in little round fuzzy dots of mold!

Just looked over my stash because I thought I had a cedar AF you sent me a while ago. It had mold also dbecks.

dbeckom

Marker:

dbeckom:

I have a single Añejo that has been held at 65-67% RH since I received it. After all the talk about mold, I pulled it out today and removed the cedar to find it covered in little round fuzzy dots of mold!

Just looked over my stash because I thought I had a cedar AF you sent me a while ago. It had mold also dbecks.

I hate to hear that Jamie! That would be a Double Chateau Maduro that I sent you. I have one of those and a couple of Sungrown's that all had cedar on em without any mold. It seems to only have affected the Añejo. I've never had an Añejo, and I've been planning to smoke this one at Christmas. It's a #48 from Dec 2009. Some of the spots wiped off easily, but on others it seems to be embedded in the wrapper.

I've never had the slightest spec of mold on a cigar before this, and I'm stressed out over a single Añejo...I can't imagine having many moldy sticks like some guys have said!

CAcigarguy007

You fellas that keep your cigars in the cedar sleeves may want to reconsider it. I have had the most problems with cigars stored in cedar sleeves developing mold, especially in the summer. When I was running wooden humis in the summer I got mold on my cedar wrapped sticks in the bottom corners of my humidor and some would have it concealed beneath the wrapper. AF cigars are well known for this. I remove all cedar sleeves from my cigars then stick them back in the cello. I also remove the green/black cloth bands as well. Anyone who has cedar wrapped sticks in their humis should check them out before it is too late. In the winter you may be fine but when the temps get over 75 it is a whole different story. I think it better to be proactive and not have to worry. Most of us store cigars for years and go through many seasonal changes so 65%-RH is better in the warmer months (IMO) if you are prone to high temps and do be sure to remove the cedar sleeves so the air can circulate better to prevent mold. I know how heart breaking it is to loose sticks you been saving/aging.

Marker

I live in MN. The temp never gets over 70 in my basement. Ever.

dbeckom

I'm in GA, but my house never gets over 67°-68° in the summer. As I mentioned, I've never had a mold issue before. I typically keep my ladies naked in my humidor...just not those few sticks

amz1301

dbeckom:

I have a single Añejo that has been held at 65-67% RH since I received it. After all the talk about mold, I pulled it out today and removed the cedar to find it covered in little round fuzzy dots of mold!

Must be something with those Añejos wrapped in cedar. I got a little worried after reading this so I went to check my stock. In a drawer in my humi I've got two Añejo 50 with cedar on them that I bought earlier this year, removed the cedar and both had very small amounts of mold which just wiped off. These two sticks were sitting next to two Añejo 77 (which have no cedar) that have about 4 years on them with no mold and there are also two Sabor Cubano Grand Torpedos with cedar on them that have about 3 1/2 years on them in that same drawer with no mold. My basement never gets above 70 degrees and my humidity level varies between 65-69% depending on the season. All of my other sticks are ok too, even the ones with cedar on them.

Any explanation ?

If I wiped the mold off of these two and put them back in the cello is it ok to return them to the humi or should I smoke em now. Thanks

kuzi16

i have never had a single problem with mold on any cigar ever. im not sure what i am doing differently but all coffins and cedar sleeved cigars have been good.
If i figure it out ill give you all a heads up. i just dont have the issues and i am not doing anything different than any of you guys are.

amz1301

Kuzi, now that I think about it I smoked an Añejo that I got from you that was in cedar from the same humidor as the ones I found problems with and there was no mold when I took the cedar off yours. Possibly a problem from where they were stored previously ?

Think a B&M would have an issue if you pulled the cello and cedar off a stick to check for mold before you bought it. Especially if you look around and don't see any other visible mold issues.

Krieger

Buy the stick, pull the cello and cedar right there and inspect it. my B&Ms offer ziplock baggies anyways, so if its all good, pop it in the bag and go home. if it's bad, you never left the store, thus the B&M should take it back and offer a replacement... if they don't... Don't shop there!!! I pull the cedar off my stogies after a month or two of resting anyways. I just don't see the point of keeping them entombed when they are in a cedar lines box anyways.

CharlieCordus

Marker, my basement is at 68 deg. Max and my humi runs around 65% in winter. But it sounds like there is a case for removing the cedar on my 5 Vegas 2011 Limitada regardless...?

Marker

Shoot Charlie. Where at?

CharlieCordus

You?

Marker

Near Moorhead. We are quite a ways off