Jaydub28
Member
Hey guys, how do you guys store your unused leaves. Do you keep them at certain humidity’s? I’m about to order some from wlt and don’t want to ruin them by improper storage
Leaf storage
- Thread starter Jaydub28
- Start date
MarcL
Well-Known Member
As you know, humidity is a thing. The bags they come in are nice. I add zip lock, clear kitchen bags for zip locks and large tubs for the clear kitchen bags. There are a few smaller tubs for working the leaf into cigars.
You need nothing. Just some directed attention. It depends on how you would like to work.
You need nothing. Just some directed attention. It depends on how you would like to work.
I have a 120qt cooler that I keep my leaves in for storage, in the bags they are shipped in for temp control mainly. (45 bucks at Walmart)
Then I have 3 Coleman Party stacker coolers (24can size) that I use to case up the leaves and prep for rolling in. (24 dollars each on Amazon)
Then I have 3 Coleman Party stacker coolers (24can size) that I use to case up the leaves and prep for rolling in. (24 dollars each on Amazon)
My approach to WLT leaf storage is first to cleanly cut the top edge of the WLT bag, then close it again by carefully folding the cut end several times, and holding that with a couple of wooden clothespins. Some of my WLT leaf store that way has maintained its initial humidity for up to two years.
Bob
Bob
Jaydub28
Member
Thanks for the replies.
The WLT bags are either poly-nylon laminated, or for the larger bags, very heavy polyethylene. The former are quite vapor-proof. The latter are pretty damn good.
For home bags, polyethylene sandwich bags are not particularly vapor-proof, and tobacco stored exclusively in them will dry out within a week. Freezer Ziploc bags are much heavier, and will get you a month or more of protection. Multiple, nested bags are usually effective enough. Many members use a combination of nested containers, which does the job, even if any one of them is not all that effective at preventing vapor transfer.
Bob
For home bags, polyethylene sandwich bags are not particularly vapor-proof, and tobacco stored exclusively in them will dry out within a week. Freezer Ziploc bags are much heavier, and will get you a month or more of protection. Multiple, nested bags are usually effective enough. Many members use a combination of nested containers, which does the job, even if any one of them is not all that effective at preventing vapor transfer.
Bob
Keep the humidity under 70% to prevent mold. The leaf will need a little moisture for the aging process to continue but it’s not an emergency if it dries out, add a little moisture and the aging resumes. I keep mine in the basement with humidifiers running, one year the humidifier went bad and I lost several pounds to mold. I currently have two humidifiers in the basement just in case one goes out.
Here's my readings:
The large number above is the ambient.
The row below is labeled W for wrapper, F for filler, and S for stash.
Each of those three are kept in their own separate coolidors.
Then there's a tub holding about 20 lbs of stuff in its priginal sealed WLT bags.
Have not had any mold probs other than leaf which came that way.
It's remarkable how stable humidibbiditty stays inside those coolidors.
Key is prolly the fact I don't hardly ever open them. I get several dozen out of stash and put them in the desktop humi for consumption. I take a supply out of filler and put it in the working supply; likewise wrapper & binder. So these things are only opened at long intervals.
The large number above is the ambient.
The row below is labeled W for wrapper, F for filler, and S for stash.
Each of those three are kept in their own separate coolidors.
Then there's a tub holding about 20 lbs of stuff in its priginal sealed WLT bags.
Have not had any mold probs other than leaf which came that way.
It's remarkable how stable humidibbiditty stays inside those coolidors.
Key is prolly the fact I don't hardly ever open them. I get several dozen out of stash and put them in the desktop humi for consumption. I take a supply out of filler and put it in the working supply; likewise wrapper & binder. So these things are only opened at long intervals.