Can humidity beads affect the flavor of your cigars?

[LeafLover]

I'm a new fridgeador user since early this year using a wine fridge that is a craig's list special. Works well, no plastic smell, thermoelectric.

Well, I had bought a pound of beads and situated them in the upper and lower racks in front of the fans. About a couple months into using the fridge and the beads, I noticed a smell in the fridge and I deduced that smell to be emanating from the humidity beads (65%) when wet. Well, it appears that my cigars, of different marcas, both SLB and cabs (mainly cabs in the bottom) have a slight chemical-like taste to it. I've noticed them in the Parti SD4's, shorts, P2's, M2's, Punch RS11's, JL#1's, some Mag46's, etc. Truly, this chemical taste is found across these marcas that I have not noticed prior to using the beads and the fidgeador.

I made a decision to move the beads away from the front of the fan and placed the cedar tabs in the boxes in front of the fan to disperse the air sideways and not blowing right onto the beads as I theorized that the taste of the cigars is a result of the fan blowing on the beads and the water vapor of the beads has been circulating and infusing into the cigars.

My wine fridge is away from the kitchen and is in the corner of the formal dining room. Temp is cool in the room and fridge and the fridge holds an rh of 58-61%. I don't think the low rh plays a part in the chemical taste though.

I may be totally out in left field in my theory, but that's why I am posting. Has anyone come across a chemical-taste in their cigars that is similar to the beads they use? BTW, I even bought a second pound of beads from same vendor and they have the same smell when wet. If someone has come across this, what did you do to correct it? Did you place your beads in a different spot? Did you decrease the running time of the wine fridge? Were you able to remove the taste from your cigar? (I've dry boxed as long as 48 hrs but still taste chemical)

Wisdom and advice appreciated.

LL

[mbrody]

LL, I have never noticed a smell from my heartfelt beads. Just out of curiosity, did you clean (wash with soap/water/baking soda) then air out your fridge before using it? Perhaps the smell is from the Fridges plastic?

[PigFish]

Well amigo I would immediately remove any smelly substance from my humidors! If you say that they stink when wet, I would call the supplier and raise hell.

As you know I don't use beads. As I understand them they are a bidirectional hygroscopic substrate. If they absorb moisture and there is another odorizing material present in the water vapor they may have picked it up as a result of design function. This is a long shot but it might be worth looking at. Aluminum gives off a metallic odor as it oxidizes. Perhaps the cooling radiator on your Peltier device is corroding, perhaps as the result of some electrolysis along with condensation. I am just guessing of course but if you find a white dusty corrosion on your cooler, give it a whiff and see if it is the problem. -R

[Dbone]

I have three pounds of heartfelt beads in my cabinet and they've never caused any alteration in flavor of my cigars for years now. As Pig recommended, I would contact the supplier though. Sorry I can't offer more advice LL, I really don't have much experience on the issue. Best of luck dood

[LeafLover]

I will be taking the direction of speaking with Heartfelt as the beads when wet is the only thing giving off an odor.

Thank you gents!

[Dbone]

LL, I was talking with some guys about this. One thought that came to mind was the condition of your distilled water. I GUESS distilled water can breed bacteria dependent on the storage. If the water is stinky that would get in the cigars and beads. Pour a little in a glass, it should have no smell no taste.

This was all news to me, but if there's any truth to it, it might be useful.

[Jesuscookies]

Well amigo I would immediately remove any smelly substance from my humidors! If you say that they stink when wet, I would call the supplier and raise hell.

As you know I don't use beads. As I understand them they are a bidirectional hygroscopic substrate. If they absorb moisture and there is another odorizing material present in the water vapor they may have picked it up as a result of design function. This is a long shot but it might be worth looking at. Aluminum gives off a metallic odor as it oxidizes. Perhaps the cooling radiator on your Peltier device is corroding, perhaps as the result of some electrolysis along with condensation. I am just guessing of course but if you find a white dusty corrosion on your cooler, give it a whiff and see if it is the problem. -R

I can vouch for this. I used some of my beads for pipe tobacco, and the smell has NEVER come out of the beads used. If the beads are affecting smell or taste, they picked it up from somewhere?

[onemoretime]

I have a avanti 28btl wine cooler and i never plugged the drain. I put some beads over it in a mesh bag and let them absorb the water, I latter found out that you should ONLY USE DISTLLED WATER as it affect the fuctionality/hydration of the beads. Well since the water from the cooler is not distilled that was a mistake. The beads never controlled the humidity correctly after that. The point that I am making is that the beads are very reacitive and it sound to me that you also picked up the smell from another source..... perhaps you should remove the back panel of the cooler and check the drain pan. The water accumulates there to be evorporated and perhaps that smell is what the beads are absorbing and affecting the taste of your smokes. My 2 cents.

[bobsled]

I have been using the beads for a number of years. I have noticed a definite smell for a day or two inside the humidor after I rehydrate them, however this is usually only when I add a bit too much water to the beads. I use distilled water and am pretty fastidious with humidor hygiene. I have not noticed any impact on the flavor of the cigars, but after hydrating I usually wait a day or two for everything to stabilize before pulling anything out.

You should review the instructions on bead hydration, if they are all completely clear and sticking together, you have added too much distilled water and will definitely get an odor.

[LeafLover]

I have been using the beads for a number of years. I have noticed a definite smell for a day or two inside the humidor after I rehydrate them, however this is usually only when I add a bit too much water to the beads. I use distilled water and am pretty fastidious with humidor hygiene. I have not noticed any impact on the flavor of the cigars, but after hydrating I usually wait a day or two for everything to stabilize before pulling anything out.

You should review the instructions on bead hydration, if they are all completely clear and sticking together, you have added too much distilled water and will definitely get an odor.

Bobsled, glad to know that I am not the only one that notices a smell from recently charged beads. And yes, the smell persists only for a day or two after I charge the beads.

So, my theory as to how my cigars could have picked up the odor is: The cigars were slightly on the dry side, the charged beads with its slight odor was placed directly in front of the fan, and the slightly odorous beads with its water vapor was circulating throughout the inside of the fridge. As we know, cigars pick up and absorb moisture from the air, and thus I theorize that my cigars were on the dry side which must have soaked up a good amount of the water vapor from the beads along with the odor? Do any of you buy this theory?

Either way, since that event, I've changed the location of the beads to the front and noticed that my cigars aren't really affected by a chemical taste anymore. It alarmed me because on Friday I picked up an RS11 from 07 box, sitting on the bottom of the fridge, and it had a tinge of that chemical taste I have been talking about. Seems as though, the boxes that were affected, some cigars within same box are less affected than others. That is the reason why I posted this thread to see what you all think about this.

Ray, I have not noticed any whitish powder indicating a possible corrosive event or malfunctioning in machinery of the fridge.

Dbone, thanks for the insight on the distilled water. I have used distilled water from two different bottles and beads both had an odor after charging with the two different samples of distilled water.

I will be contacting HF shortly and see what they say.

[PigFish]

One last note of interest to those who use distilled water. I always taste my distilled water out of a new container. I do this because distilled water is often used in hydrating appliances and is less often consumed and I have noticed a brackish taste before in distilled water and either dispose of it or return it. Distilled water is not 'beta' tested by the millions of gallons on thirsty consumers as drinking water is. If there is something odorizing or changing the taste of the distilled water, it might not be caught as easily as in drinking water. Just an FYI. -Piggy