Otis Singleton
Seasoning your electric cigar humidor is a critical step in ensuring your cigars are fresh and flavorful. The humidor's purpose is to maintain the perfect humidity balance, preventing the cigars from drying out. Wood is hygroscopic, so if you put cigars into an unseasoned humidor, the wood will absorb the moisture from your cigars. Seasoning a humidor is a simple process, but it requires patience. First, calibrate your hygrometer. Then, choose a cool location for your humidor and charge the humidifier with a propylene glycol and distilled water solution. Place the humidifier in the humidor, close the lid, and wait. The waiting period can vary from 48 hours to two weeks, depending on the method and products used. Once the humidor reaches the desired humidity level, you can begin adding your cigars.
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What You'll Learn
Choose the location: cool and safe
When choosing a location for your electric cigar humidor, it is important to select a cool room that maintains a stable temperature, free from direct sunlight. Avoid placing your humidor near heaters, radiators, or appliances that generate heat. A room with balanced humidity is key—too dry, and your cigars lose moisture; too humid, and mould becomes a risk. Aim for a room with 65-70% humidity to keep your cigars in perfect condition, alongside a cool temperature.
The internal temperature of your humidor should be maintained within a narrow range of about 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A stable environment will help preserve your cigars' flavour and quality.
Consider insulating your humidor or choosing one with enhanced insulation features for added temperature control. Keeping it in a shaded, cool area away from direct sunlight reduces heat absorption.
Several devices on the market can help maintain ideal temperatures in your humidor. Cooling packs, for example, contain gels that absorb excess heat and maintain cooler internal temperatures. Active cooling systems allow for temperature control, much like air conditioning. Digital hygrometers with temperature control are also great, offering alerts when conditions change.
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Calibrate the hygrometer: analog or digital
Calibrating a hygrometer is essential to ensure the accuracy of humidity readings and maintaining optimal environments for your cigars. No matter the type of hygrometer, calibrating is key to ensuring accurate measurements when seasoning a humidor or monitoring humidity. Here are two methods to calibrate your hygrometer:
Using a Salt and Water Solution
In this method, we take advantage of the fact that when salt and water (NaCl and H2O) are in a saturated solution at equilibrium, the resultant humidity is always 75%. This provides a great reference point to calibrate your hygrometer. Here's the procedure:
- Place a small amount of regular table salt in a screw-on beer bottle cap or another small container.
- Dampen the salt with water. Be careful not to add too much water, you want a damp pile of salt, not a "sloppy" mixture.
- Put both the hygrometer and the bottle cap full of damp salt in a Ziploc bag and seal it well. Ensure that the bag is airtight during the test.
- Leave the setup undisturbed for over 8 hours. After this time, the humidity inside the bag will be 75%.
- Compare this to your hygrometer's reading, which should also be 75% RH.
- If your hygrometer shows a different reading, you can adjust its calibration if it has that feature. Otherwise, make a note of the difference and add or subtract that amount when taking readings.
Using a Damp Towel
- Dampen a towel—it should be noticeably moist but not dripping wet.
- Wrap your hygrometer in the towel for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Unwrap the hygrometer and quickly take a reading. If your hygrometer is perfectly calibrated, it should read exactly 100% humidity. However, most likely, it will read somewhere between 80% and 90%.
- If your hygrometer is not calibrated properly, you can adjust its reading if it's an adjustable model. Otherwise, make a note of the deviation and compensate for it when taking future readings.
Remember, it's important to properly season your humidor to protect your cigars from drying out or exposure to excessive humidity, which can cause mould. By calibrating your hygrometer, you can ensure that your humidor is maintaining the optimal humidity level for your cigars, typically around 70% RH.
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Prepare the sponge: distilled water or propylene glycol
Preparing the sponge is a crucial step in seasoning your electric cigar humidor. You can use either distilled water or a solution of propylene glycol and distilled water.
Distilled water is readily available at supermarkets, auto parts stores, and pharmacies. It is important to use distilled water instead of tap water because tap water contains minerals and impurities that can clog the pores of the humidifier sponge and contribute to mould growth.
Propylene glycol, also known as 1.2-Propanediol, is a colourless, odourless liquid commonly used in humidors as a stabilising agent. It has two key advantages: it prevents the formation of mould and bacteria, and it helps maintain the desired relative humidity (RH) of 70% by absorbing or emitting moisture as needed. When mixed with distilled water, propylene glycol forms a humidor juice or solution that is ideal for cigar humidors. This solution can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home by combining equal parts propylene glycol and distilled water (a 50:50 ratio).
To prepare the sponge, start by placing it in a bowl and completely saturating it with either distilled water or the propylene glycol solution. Wring out the sponge until it is no longer dripping, and then place it inside the humidor on top of a plastic bag. The plastic bag will catch any excess liquid and prevent over-saturation of the wood.
The sponge serves as the primary seasoning agent, so it should be thoroughly moistened. The use of propylene glycol is particularly beneficial as it ensures the wood absorbs just the right amount of moisture, enhancing the preservation of your cigars.
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Prepare the humidifier: charge with cigar juice
To prepare the humidifier, you will need cigar juice, which is a mixture of propylene glycol and distilled water in a 50:50 ratio. Propylene glycol is an organic compound that acts as a stabilising agent, preventing the formation of mould and bacterial growths. It also offers added protection against unwanted bacteria.
First, place the humidifier in a bowl and fill it with cigar juice. Make sure the humidifier is completely saturated. Next, place the humidifier face down on some paper towels for 20-30 minutes to drain the excess liquid and prevent leakage inside the humidor.
After the humidifier has been saturated and drained, it is ready to be placed inside the humidor. Close the lid and leave the humidor to rest for a minimum of 72 hours, or 3-5 days if possible. During this time, the wooden surfaces of the humidor will absorb the moisture from the humidifier.
After this initial seasoning period, open the humidor and check the humidity level with a hygrometer. The ideal humidity for storing cigars is considered to be around 70% Relative Humidity (RH), with a temperature of 21°C or 70°F. If your hygrometer reads 68-72% RH consistently, you can fill the humidor with cigars.
To ensure your cigars remain in optimal condition, you will need to recharge the humidifier at regular intervals. When the humidity level drops to 64% or lower, it is time to replenish the humidifier with more cigar juice.
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Monitor humidity: 68-72% is the sweet spot
Maintaining the correct humidity level is crucial for cigar storage. If the humidity is too low, the cigars will dry out; if it's too high, mould may grow, and the cigars may not burn properly. The sweet spot for cigar storage is generally considered to be between 68% and 72% relative humidity (RH).
To monitor the humidity, you will need a hygrometer, which measures humidity in the air. There are two types: analog and digital. Digital hygrometers are more accurate, but analog hygrometers are more common. Even if your hygrometer has been calibrated before, it's a good idea to test it yourself to ensure accurate readings. To calibrate your hygrometer, you'll need table salt, distilled water, a bottle cap, and a resealable plastic bag.
Once your hygrometer is calibrated, you can begin the seasoning process. You'll need to maintain a humidity level between 68% and 72% RH. This can be achieved by using a propylene glycol solution, distilled water, or humidity packs.
If using a propylene glycol solution, mix it with distilled water at a 50:50 ratio. Soak a sponge in this solution, wring it out, and place it in the humidor on top of a plastic bag to prevent over-saturation of the wood. Place your humidifier in the humidor and close it for a minimum of 72 hours.
If using humidity packs, the number of packs needed will depend on the size of your humidor. For a 50-count humidor, use two 84% RH packs, and so on. Place the packs in the humidor with your hygrometer and close the lid for two weeks. After seasoning, replace the 84% RH packs with lower humidity options, such as 69% or 72% RH.
During and after the seasoning process, regularly monitor your hygrometer to ensure the humidity stays within the optimal range of 68-72% RH.
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Frequently asked questions
Seasoning an electric cigar humidor is important to prevent the humidor from absorbing moisture from your cigars, which would otherwise dry them out.
First, calibrate your hygrometer. Then, wipe down all wooden surfaces with a HUMI-CARE seasoning wipe. Next, charge your humidifier of choice with cigar juice (a 50/50 mixture of propylene glycol and distilled water).
Place your humidifier in the wiped-down humidor and close it up for a minimum of 72 hours. It is recommended to wait for 3-7 days, or up to 2 weeks.
When your hygrometer reads 68-72% RH consistently, your electric cigar humidor is seasoned. At this point, you can remove the sponge and glass dish and refill the water tank with distilled water.
After the initial seasoning process, monitor your hygrometer regularly to ensure the humidity stays between 68-72% RH. Rotate your cigars once every week or two to ensure they are not always resting closest to the humidification source.
