Heartfelt beads take away the cedar smell

0 That Guy 0

Just curious if you all experience the same thing with your beads? My humi keeps a constant 65-70% humidity and with that I am pleased but I recently reseasoned my humidor with a cup o distilled water after a hiatus from smoking. After three days of seasoning the beautiful smell of moist cedar jumped out of the box every time I opened it. Now I've replaced the cup of water with beads for a few weeks and the smell is more of a musty damp smell. I don't know if this has and effect on my sticks but I wish I always got that cedar smell. I'm considering a change to the way I maintain humidity and hope to get some feedback from the group.

The3Stogies

That's interesting, I still use them. It's not the beads themselves is it? If it affects the cedar aroma does it also do the same to the cigars, I mean compromise the flavor?

0 That Guy 0

I don't know if it has an effect or not because this is the only way I've ever maintained humidity. I need to buy a couple sticks like ones that I have from a shop and compare them. I just didn't realize how good a humidor smells of cedar until I removed the beads and put a cup of water in for a few days. It's not a terrible smell it's just off from what it should be and it is definitely the beads causing the change in smell. I'm looking to replace them with another form of humidifier.

The3Stogies

Just got a bunch of Bodeva packs, maybe I will throw them in for a month or so, my beads are getting old anyway. Only used the Heartfelt for the most part, be interesting to see if it does make a difference. So the humi was dry before all this or you just re-seasoned it anyway? How did you re-season it? Now you have me curious.

Cigary

Odd that you mention this as I have reason to believe that you are correct. I've had my cigars humidified with every type of product out there and I thought it was just me when I thought about the taste....in some humidors I use KL and others I still have the old style of media....paradigm/etc. and find that the the taste of my cigars from those humidors tend to taste better. I've also noticed over the years that sometimes the beads will become so slimy and darkened over time that it just bothered me as I noticed a dank type of aroma arising from them. It wasn't something that was bad but it just didn't sit well with me and gradually over the last couple of years have turned away from beads. I use KL most of all and ensure that my humidors have a good amount of cedar in them...particularly the tupperadors and the same with my coolers.

The3Stogies

Beads are gone in 2/3 humi's, let the testing begin.

jlmarta

Cigary

According to those companies that make them in order for them to work distilled water must be added to them....sprayed actually and not just having the DW poured over them. Do some checking on the beads as putting them in dry will not properly humidify the contents of the humidor. I've talked with Reps about beads to the point of exhaustion...their properties, their way of working, what they are made of, etc. etc. Beads are indeed intended to function as a humidifier because that is how they work. Here is an article in another Forum that helps with good info: http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/1663-Heartfelt-Beads-Frequently-Asked-Questions

jlmarta

Rain

I want to thread jack! I also do a small cup with DW, the website says not to spray/dip."DO NOT immerse you beads in distilled water or dip the beads in distilled water. Trying to add distilled water this way will ultimately rinse out the salts that the beads are impregnated with. This rinsing off of the salts will ultimately make the beads not be able to hold the given rh level that they are set for."

The3Stogies

chrislolds

Rain

I use beads in my humi and KL in my cooler, only because filling a cooler with beads would be cost prohibitive. I've had beads in my humi for about two years and still have the cedar smell. Can't speak for longer than that.

Cigary

Rain:

I want to thread jack! I also do a small cup with DW, the website says not to spray/dip."DO NOT immerse you beads in distilled water or dip the beads in distilled water. Trying to add distilled water this way will ultimately rinse out the salts that the beads are impregnated with. This rinsing off of the salts will ultimately make the beads not be able to hold the given rh level that they are set for."

Just to add once again....beads are not to be immersed or have DW poured over them....spraying is the course of action. Heartfelt beads says this about the small round humidifier.....Easy to re-hydrate with distilled water.....that means one has to use a technique and that technique is by spraying DW over the beads and it is the same for the large one as well. Small 65% Rh Heartfelt Stainless Humidifier....The Heartfelt Stainless Humidifier comes pre-filled with 65% Rh Heartfelt Humidity Beads. It also comes with self adhesive magnets for mounting and our Fine Tip Syringe for re-hydrating the Heartfelt Humidity Beads. Having said this we have to understand how beads work and some use the passive approach by putting a shot glass of DW as well...this works as too. After a great amount of testing with different bottles, syringes and spray bottles I have found the best item to use to re-hydrate all of the Heartfelt Beads products is the spray bottle/syringe. The fine tip syringe makes it about as easy as it can get to add distilled water to any of the different containers we sell. It gives you great control of the amount of distilled water you add and makes it very simple to see what percentage of the beads are hydrated. It works great with the Humidification Bead containers we sell, just put the tip in one of the perforation holes and squeeze in a little distilled water, move to another perforation and repeat until the Heartfelt Beads are hydrated.