Cigar Storage Options for Newbies

[punch]

And not so newbies.

In this series of posts, I will take some time to show some of the different storage options that I use for cigars, as well as some of the different humidification options. As some of you probably know, it is hard to be a bigger cheap-ass than me, so none of these options will send you to the poor house.

The first option that I will discuss is the Jar. Yes, a plain old jar. This is probably also the option that has been around the longest. The second thumbnail shot shows the jar in which I keep my "dry" cigars, in this case, Schimmelpennincks. This is a simple large jar like a mason jar with no humidification system. I occasionally take humidity readings within the jar and adjust for low humidity using moist pieces of cedar. This is about as low tech as you can get.

The first photograph shows a coffee jar that I am using to store about half a box of Punch Elites. This jar is completely air tight and relies on the cigars themselves as a humidification system. I have found that cigars that have been properly stored by the vendor will be at about 72-74% humidity. Unless the jar is opened frequently, the jar will stay at this humidity for quite a long time with no additional effort on your part. In this specific case, these cigars were stored in far too dry conditions and I recovered them by using a small piece of damp sponge sealed inside of the jar with the cigars.

The next post will deal with a purpose made cigar jar.

[punch]

This post deals with a jar storage that is a bit more high tech than those discussed above, but not much more. This is a "cigar jar" that originally contained H. Upmann (DR) cigars from JR Cigars. These are still available, and the cigars (Vintage Cameroon) are quite good.

Like other jars I have used, this jar is air tight and will store fresh cigars at 73% humidity for quite a while. I am storing a collection of misc. cigars in this one and I have enclosed a cigar tube modified to hold Hartfeldt beads (nominal 65%). So far, I have found the bead to be non-effective in reducing the humidity. These babies want to stay at 73%, and that is where they stay. I am working on a project that will fill the bottom of a jar with beads covered by a screen, but first I have to find a jar tall enough. This jar will hold tubed Churchills, but most of my other jars are limited to coronas or robusto length cigars.

In all, I find the jars to be a good way to store a small number of cigars for a short period of time. I am still in the process of experimenting with better humidity control devices and even the concept of storing jarred cigars in the fridge during periods of warm weather. Since these jars are air tight, the main problem that I forsee is the humidity being too high as the jars cool down. I will try this with a small batch first and see what happens.

[punch]

This next section deals with a couple of inexpensive humidors that I use to store cigars. I use a 25 count humidor to store my better Fuentes (Opus X, Hemingway, Don Carlos) and I use my oldest humidor, a 50 count, to store some of my Montecristo Afriques. Both systems are pictured below.

The 25 ct humidor uses a combination of a damp sponge and an old cigar tube modified with Hartfeldt beads. This humidor is not real airtight, so the beads have a difficult time keeping up with the low humidity conditions current for this area. The sponge makes up nicely and needs to be re-dampened every three or four days.

The 50 ct humidor uses a modified device that I made from an old “flower foam” humidifier. I disassembled the humidifier and removed the foam, replacing it with beads. This arrangement, as well as the better construction of this humidor, keep things pretty stable for at least a week at a time.

As an aside; I have found that the beads are much better at removing excess humidity than adding moisture to the air. They seem to absorb moisture quickly and release it slowly. This is not really a problem, and I actually prefer it this way. It is far easier for me to add a damp sponge to “jump start” the humidor than it is to remove moisture when the general area humidity is high. I should add that I have found the above statement to be true with small humidors and small quantities of beads. My coolerdor, discussed next, uses beads as the primary source of both moisture addition and moisture removal.

[punch]

This last posting will deal with my highest capacity storage device, the coolerdor. The photos below show the open 50 quart cooler filled with the cigars that I have in longer storage. The top tray contains some Havanas as well as a few Opus X and DuPonts. I also keep a couple of JR humidity cards there as I intend to give these a try when shipping cigars. Below the tray is an old S. T. DuPont box that is humidor quality. I have it filled with my “good” cigars, Punch Royal Coronations and Punch Monarcas (removed from tubes) as well as a couple of RyJ Churchill removed from tubes. The others are Punch (Hon) Vintage No.1 and some Montecristo (DR) Club Cabinet No. 40. This “humidor inside a humidor” keeps the cigars at very stable temperature and humidity levels as it is not affected by opening and closing of the coolerdor.

Also shown below is the bottom of the coolerdor with the upper level stuff removed. In the lower left is one of two humidification devices that are used. These are nothing more than soap dishes filled with beads, covered with screen and then taped shut with electrical tape. I find that two of these modified soap dishes keep the relatively airtight coolerdor very stable. As can also be seen, I keep my travel humidor and leather cases in here, too. Why start the day putting a good cigar into a dry case?

This concludes my series on Cheep-ass storage solutions for cigars. I hope that some of you find these tips helpful, or at least not harmful.

[punch]

This is the DuPont "humidor in the coolerdor" mentioned above.

[Hoppy]

Good info!!! Thanks for traking the time to post!


.....................

[fitter4570]

Great post !!! Nice photos to go along with the information,Takes the guess work out of Cigar storage. THANKS

[Dr. Stogie Fresh]

Thanks for the post Punch. Should be welcome information for many of the gorilla's on a tight budget who still want to take good care of their smokes.

The photos are great to help a person visualize what you are describing. Takes more work, but makes for a more useful post.

Keep up the great work.

The Doc

[Biggspeed]

WOW! Awesome thread. Thank you very much!

[punch]

Sorry folks, but I used the wrong picture above for the coolerdor without the tray and top boxes. The photo below shows the soap dish humidification device and the travel humidors in the bottom of the coolerdor.