Dry boxing cigars in a food dehydrator


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I may be banished to cigar purgatory for this, but I thought I should share.

About 2 years ago I was given an Excalibur food dehydrator, which I've used to make some great dehydrated fruit.

Due to an inappropriate work schedule last week, followed by the drenching we had here in Brisbane from two different weather events (including Cyclone Marcia Brady), i hadn't had a smoke for about 7 days. And hence I was getting a bit cranky.

My cigars are kept in a wine fridge at 65-68% RH, but as soon as I was to bring one out in the wet weather and light it up on the deck, it would have been game over. The humidity outside would have ruined everything.

So I threw one in my dehydrator yesterday (I sacrificed a Party Short), ran it for an hour at the lowest temp (35deg C) with the aim of then smoking it. The rain refused to stop, so it went back in the wine fridge (sealed in a zip lock bag) and I only got around to smoking it today.

There is a noticeable improvement in this one over the others I have smoked from the same box. I love my Party Shorts, as they are always very consistent, but this one is a cut above. Spice and wood initially, then cream in spades.

It's from a TUB Oct 12 box.

I'm not sure if anyone else has experimented dry boxing this way?

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During the monsoon season I have a specially prepared dry box filled with 50% beads in it. I usually leave sticks in it for around 6 hours after removing them from my 62% wine fridge.

I usually find the first third a little harsh but but the 2nd third I get a solid profile of what ever I am smoking. When it's 100%rh all day, everyday for 2 weeks I often find I get good first thirds but my cigars turn cap by the halfway point, especially the longer format.

Cant say I'd be keen on the dehydrator as it seems like there is a lot of room for error but if I had a cigar with a really bad plug I might give it a go as I've not got much to loose at that point

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During the monsoon season I have a specially prepared dry box filled with 50% beads in it. I usually leave sticks in it for around 6 hours after removing them from my 62% wine fridge.

I usually find the first third a little harsh but but the 2nd third I get a solid profile of what ever I am smoking. When it's 100%rh all day, everyday for 2 weeks I often find I get good first thirds but my cigars turn cap by the halfway point, especially the longer format.

Cant say I'd be keen on the dehydrator as it seems like there is a lot of room for error but if I had a cigar with a really bad plug I might give it a go as I've not got much to loose at that point

I guess I can't complain too much about the Brisbane weather. I'll always lose a humidity argument against someone from the Top end!

If the dehydrator idea doesn't work (I'll gradually move up in stick size, net up will be a Robusto) I'll just go the 50% beads in a box route like you have I reckon. Thanks for the feedback mate.

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The lowest I've experimented down to was around 50-52% depending on how accurate my hygrometers were running at. I ran four to get an average. I didn't notice any negative affect on flavours, if anything they tasted better and better. The only reason I stopped was that wrappers started to become very delicate at that rh.

If flash dehydration helps keep the tobacco integrity solid then it sounds like you've found a good little technique!

I don't drybox purely because I never know days in advance if I'm going to get good weather or if schedules allow :/ this sounds like a potential solution

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I've been flat out lately so I didn't have time to dry box as usual. I keep my sticks at 69% rh currently so I took El Pres' advice and took a stick out and placed it in a ziploc bag in the fridge for 90 minutes. It's smoking beautifully right now on a beautiful summer night!

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Very interesting thread to read. Would never have thought to use a food dehydrator. Curious to see how this works for you over time. I have a desktop humi at 62RH and have a variety of smokes ready to smoke. Only open my wine fridge about once a week. The down side is when I want to smoke something that is in my wine fridge with same RH as OP and I know it may not smoke well. I will give the fridge for 90 minutes method a try and see how it works for me. Good info.

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I have had some good success essentially [dry curing cigars]. 2 days in a plastic bag filled with silica gel to absorb most moisture.

I've received.... different odours... from my regular H. Upmann Half Coronas.

They've been more stable and remained lit in the harsh winds here and stand up to more abuse than the other wet cigars I smoke in this climate. I'm curious to how they will smoke in the summer...

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The lowest I've experimented down to was around 50-52% ... ...The only reason I stopped was that wrappers started to become very delicate at that rh...

Amen brother. Very fragile down that low rh.

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