Humidity Levels in Cellar

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 21, 2013

• #1

I understand, for long term aging, that pipe tobacco needs to be stored in a cool dark place for best results. I also understand that you do not want too much humidity. For example, a cigar requires between 65% and 75% relative humidity. Pipe tobacco requires around 40% - 50% relative humidity.
If my cellar is a constant 45%, and a the seal of a tin breaks, unknowingly of course, would the tobacco not be safe. I understand the aging would stop / change, but the tobacco would not dry out... would it?

 

mikestanley

Lifer

May 10, 2009

1,698

1,126

Akron area of Ohio

• Oct 21, 2013

• #2

Drier is better. Too much moisture can cause rust on tins. Humidity won't be enough to keep an open tin from drying out.
Mike S.

 

woodsroad

Lifer

Oct 10, 2013

11,795

16,153

SE PA USA

• Oct 21, 2013

• #3

Good questions. Let me take a WAG and ask some more questions:
Bulk tobacco is not stored in anaerobic conditions. It's hung, bundled, compressed into bales, but as far as I know, it is not stored sans oxygen. So, if you maintain the correct humidity level, then the aging process that began the moment the leaf was picked, will continue to one degree or another. Is that what is wanted? Or is the goal to stop that process? Does vacuum sealing stop the process? Are tobacco tins flushed with CO2 or Nitrogen before sealing? The C&D video shows them canning tobacco without vacuum sealing or flushing.
What exactly happens as tobacco ages? Does it continue to ferment? What kind of fermentation is going on? Is it aerobic or anaerobic?

 

mikestanley

Lifer

May 10, 2009

1,698

1,126

Akron area of Ohio

• Oct 21, 2013

• #4

I don't think any gases are injected. The aging takes place as a result of micro organisms feeding on oxygen not removed by the vacuum sealing and releasing Co2 as "waste"....simplified version.
Mike S.

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 21, 2013

• #5

Well, neither of those answers were anywhere close to what I had in mind hahaha. Thanks for the shot though
In simpler terms, is there a humidity where tobacco can be stored in the open... after being processed? you can do it with cigars, is it possible with pipe tobacco?

 

cortezattic

Lifer

Nov 19, 2009

15,147

7,638

Chicago, IL

• Oct 21, 2013

• #6

Interesting question. Rephrased, is there a humidity level at which tobacco can remain wholesome in an unsealed tin?

I think there is a humidity level at which unsealed tobacco can remain moist. The problem is not with a loss of moisture -- which can be, and frequently is, driven off and replaced during production. The loss comes from the dissipation of the volatile organics, esters, and resins, etc. -- the stuff that makes tobacco worth smoking. The taste of tobacco can also suffer from undesirable odors present in the environment, not to mention opportunistic biota that can damage unsealed tobacco. That's my WAG. :D
Check out G L Pease's article, "Dust In The Wind -- A Primer on Tobacco Moisture".

 

woodsroad

Lifer

Oct 10, 2013

11,795

16,153

SE PA USA

• Oct 21, 2013

• #7

That's a good WAG.
I know that this subject has been researched inside and out, probably by a southern Ag school.

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 22, 2013

• #8

Thanks cortez! At the very end of the article Mr Pease answers my question. Apparently if the room is kept at 60% RH the tobacco will retain about 12% moisture content, which is about where it should be for smoking.

 

cortezattic

Lifer

Nov 19, 2009

15,147

7,638

Chicago, IL

• Oct 22, 2013

• #9

Ya. But determining the relative humidity of a room is a monumental PITA. (Reference)

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 22, 2013

• #10

Another helpful article, thanks again Cortez! So from a little more research, I found that you have relative and absolute humidity. If I am understanding it correctly, relative humidity is measure by a percentage and absolute humidity is measured by grams of water vapor per cubic meter. If I have this right, does that mean my little hygrometer is telling me my house is 50% RH? Or is it giving me a different reading all together?

 

woodsroad

Lifer

Oct 10, 2013

11,795

16,153

SE PA USA

• Oct 22, 2013

• #11

Then a 62% Boveda packet would most likely suffice.

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 22, 2013

• #12

I do not think that little packet would humidify a whole room.

 

woodsroad

Lifer

Oct 10, 2013

11,795

16,153

SE PA USA

• Oct 22, 2013

• #13

I do not think that little packet would humidify a whole room.

Click to expand...

You have a whole room full of tobacco?

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 22, 2013

• #14

Woodsroad, we are on different pages brother
I have a room where I store my open tins that I smoke, and I have a cellar where I store my tins and jars for aging. I am trying to determine if I were to set the humidity in the room where I keep my opened tins at 60% RH, would that keep the contents from drying out? I am not concerned with storing whole leaf tobacco, as pictured above, at this time.
Great pic BTW!!!

 

spartan

Lifer

Aug 14, 2011

2,963

7

• Oct 22, 2013

• #15

@northernnell
As long as you smoke the opened tins within a few weeks you should be fine. Seal them up as best you can when you're not smoking them of course. The longer a tin of tobacco is left unsealed it may lose some of it's glory when the tin was first opened. In theory your 60% RH sounds like a good idea to store tins you are currently smoking.

 

woodsroad

Lifer

Oct 10, 2013

11,795

16,153

SE PA USA

• Oct 22, 2013

• #16

Yeah, that is a wonderful photo. Not mine.
Yes, we ARE on different pages, but I like the book that you're reading.

 

flyguy

Lifer

Nov 20, 2012

1,018

4

• Oct 22, 2013

• #17

Since I have so many opened tins, I cannot smoke them quickly. I keep opened tins (with plastic lids on) in a humidifier. I think this prevents the contents of the tins from drying out quickly. Some of my tins have been opened for over a year with no sign of drying out. My humidifier is a large cooler with one of those bricks you can buy at a florist shop saturated with distilled water.

 

northernneil

Lifer

Jun 1, 2013

1,390

1

• Oct 22, 2013

• #18

Flyguy, that is a really good idea. Easier than trying to humidify a whole room. I like the sound of having a tin open for a year and not becoming dry. How ofter to you need to add water to maintain the proper humidity? Did you just take an old cooler with a good seal and call it done, or were there other modifications made?

 

mikestanley

Lifer

May 10, 2009

1,698

1,126

Akron area of Ohio

• Oct 22, 2013

• #19

If you want to "calibrate" your hygrometer, it's fairly simple.
Mix up a slurry of table salt and water, a couple of tablespoons of the mix will do. Place this mess on a small dish or a piece of tin foil. Place it, and your hygrometer into a large zip lock type bag. A one gallon size is good. When you take out the hygrometer, it should read 75% RH. If it doesn't, it's off by the difference. Let it sit over night inside the bag, sealed up.
Mike S.
For storing open tins, I cover the open tin with wax paper before I put the lid on. It can keep a tin in good shape for some time.

 

W

wnghanglow

Part of the Furniture Now

Mar 25, 2012

695

0

• Oct 22, 2013

• #20

When you jar the baccy there are germs that eat the oxygen, once the oxygen is used those germs mostly go inactive and anerobic germs start to process the baccy, that's where the taste changed take place. That's why you don't really see a big effect until at least 3 months in. The humidity for pipe tobacco doesn't play as big of a role as it does for cigars, your house humidity should do fine. I know it's a pain but it is important to keep your baccy properly sealed no matter the humidity.