Hi everyone
I don’t have much experience with tobacco fermentation for cigar rolling, though I’ve read a lot about different techniques and ways to get good results. Last year was my first attempt — I’d say 50% success: about half of the batch went bad (actual rot, not mold). The part I managed to save turned into a dozen decent cigars — somewhere around the level of cheap Dominican machine-rolled ones. Not bad for a first try.
This year I paid more attention to humidity and worked with a larger batch to help maintain a stable microclimate. At first, I used a thermal box — not airtight, but insulated — keeping the temperature around 45–50 °C. The tobacco was packed in vacuum bags with just a little air left inside to avoid humidity swings. From what I’ve read, fermentation doesn’t really require oxygen (some dissertations even confirm that for industrial setups), and anaerobic conditions reduce the risk of mold. The downside, though, is that it’s hard to monitor the smell when the bags are sealed.
Later, power issues made me switch to smaller glass jars inside a better-insulated box. The process has been going for about a month and a half now.
So, I’ve got two questions for the more experienced folks here:
The smell. It’s pleasant, but not quite “tobacco” yet — more like honey with fruity notes. No ammonia, no moldy odor. Recently, I think I’ve started noticing a bit more of that classic tobacco aroma creeping in. Is that a normal stage? Will the real tobacco smell eventually develop?
Crystals on the leaves. When I unrolled a few bundles, I noticed fine crystalline residue — tiny transparent or whitish crystals, some slightly yellowish. Neutral taste, not sour or sharp. Before fermentation, I lightly moistened the leaves with a spray mix that had a bit of glycerin and citric acid (really just a trace). These crystals definitely aren’t the acid itself. Could it be oxalates or something else? ChatGPT told me it’s probably a good sign — sugars and nicotine crystallizing out — but, well, you only trust AI if you already know the answer yourself, right?
So what do you think — is that a positive sign of proper fermentation or something to worry about?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
I don’t have much experience with tobacco fermentation for cigar rolling, though I’ve read a lot about different techniques and ways to get good results. Last year was my first attempt — I’d say 50% success: about half of the batch went bad (actual rot, not mold). The part I managed to save turned into a dozen decent cigars — somewhere around the level of cheap Dominican machine-rolled ones. Not bad for a first try.
This year I paid more attention to humidity and worked with a larger batch to help maintain a stable microclimate. At first, I used a thermal box — not airtight, but insulated — keeping the temperature around 45–50 °C. The tobacco was packed in vacuum bags with just a little air left inside to avoid humidity swings. From what I’ve read, fermentation doesn’t really require oxygen (some dissertations even confirm that for industrial setups), and anaerobic conditions reduce the risk of mold. The downside, though, is that it’s hard to monitor the smell when the bags are sealed.
Later, power issues made me switch to smaller glass jars inside a better-insulated box. The process has been going for about a month and a half now.
So, I’ve got two questions for the more experienced folks here:
The smell. It’s pleasant, but not quite “tobacco” yet — more like honey with fruity notes. No ammonia, no moldy odor. Recently, I think I’ve started noticing a bit more of that classic tobacco aroma creeping in. Is that a normal stage? Will the real tobacco smell eventually develop? Crystals on the leaves. When I unrolled a few bundles, I noticed fine crystalline residue — tiny transparent or whitish crystals, some slightly yellowish. Neutral taste, not sour or sharp. Before fermentation, I lightly moistened the leaves with a spray mix that had a bit of glycerin and citric acid (really just a trace). These crystals definitely aren’t the acid itself. Could it be oxalates or something else? ChatGPT told me it’s probably a good sign — sugars and nicotine crystallizing out — but, well, you only trust AI if you already know the answer yourself, right? So what do you think — is that a positive sign of proper fermentation or something to worry about?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
