Curing box

[Arno de Wet]

I have just finished my curing box for the first ever batch of cigar tobacco leaves from my hot house. What an experience up to now.
I am curing the first 400 leaves in this box managing the RH around 75% and the temp around 32°C.
Any comments are wellcome.

 

[deluxestogie]

Congratulations on your kiln. Although you can ferment cigar leaf at 32°C (~90°F), the heat will not prevent vegetative growth of mold below 50°C (122°F). So keep a close eye on your humidity, and consider lowering it to 65-70%.

Bob

 

[Arno de Wet]

Congratulations on your kiln. Although you can ferment cigar leaf at 32°C (~90°F), the heat will not prevent vegetative growth of mold below 50°C (122°F). So keep a close eye on your humidity, and consider lowering it to 65-70%.

Bob

Thank you Bob. Will check it out. I do have a descent air-flow through the box. What time frame should I look at before fermentation? 4 - 6 weeks.

 

[deluxestogie]

I have never attempted fermentation at such a low temperature. At 128°F, I routinely allow each batch to run for 8 weeks. The speed of enzymatic reactions is temperature dependent.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

Welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco.

 

[deluxestogie]

Congratulations on your kiln. Although you can ferment cigar leaf at 32°C (~90°F), the heat will not prevent vegetative growth of mold below 50°C (122°F). So keep a close eye on your humidity, and consider lowering it to 65-70%.

I may have misunderstood the purpose of your box. If you are using it for controlled air-curing, then your settings are just fine for the transition from green leaf to a color-cured brown. My initial impression was that the box is being used as a kiln (for fermentation, following color-curing).

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Enjoy the journey.

 

[Arno de Wet]

I may have misunderstood the purpose of your box. If you are using it for controlled air-curing, then your settings are just fine for the transition from green leaf to a color-cured brown. My initial impression was that the box is being used as a kiln (for fermentation, following color-curing).

Bob

No. It is for curing and yellowing of leaves. My apology. Still learning the lingo...

 

[Arno de Wet]

I have never attempted fermentation at such a low temperature. At 128°F, I routinely allow each batch to run for 8 weeks. The speed of enzymatic reactions is temperature dependent.

Bob

Hi Bob
It is running at 65% RH and 32°C with moving air.

 

[POGreen]

Wery welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco and thanks for joining