TeaChat

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

I decided to go with 68% humidity on the suggestion of Mr Mopu. I went with the cigar oasis over the aristocrat because of the price differential. The price I saw on the aristocrat was twice that of the cigar oasis. It was also recommended by Mr Mopu.

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

I decided to go with 68% humidity on the suggestion of Mr Mopu. I went with the cigar oasis over the aristocrat because of the price differential. The price I saw on the aristocrat was twice that of the cigar oasis. It was also recommended by Mr Mopu.

If I were you I would consider at least a slightly higher humidity

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

I decided to go with 68% humidity on the suggestion of Mr Mopu. I went with the cigar oasis over the aristocrat because of the price differential. The price I saw on the aristocrat was twice that of the cigar oasis. It was also recommended by Mr Mopu.

If I were you I would consider at least a slightly higher humidity

Now I need to find out which of three devices had the correct humidity, the humidity monitor I already had, the new hygrometer I bought, or the humidifier itself? Once I get the thing more or less reading 68% I am going to start filling it and watch it closely.

Have you calibrated your hygrometers? Typically that's what you should do before using them

Exempt wrote:Have you calibrated your hygrometers? Typically that's what you should do before using them

I haven't done so yet. I think you calibrate it by placing it in a sealed zip lock bag for 24 hrs? The other is not adjustable.

You place them in a sealed container with a cap full of salt soaked with water and adjust it to read 70 or 75% humidity, I can't remember which. Google it, it's a very simple process

This was easy to build, requiring no serious work. Here is a cell phone photo. I will eventually break out my digital camera and take some serious photos with a proper flash.

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

I decided to go with 68% humidity on the suggestion of Mr Mopu. I went with the cigar oasis over the aristocrat because of the price differential. The price I saw on the aristocrat was twice that of the cigar oasis. It was also recommended by Mr Mopu.

If I were you I would consider at least a slightly higher humidity

What humidity level would you recommend for a sealed setting? Thanks.

BioHorn wrote:

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

AllanK wrote:

TokyoB wrote:

AllanK wrote:

Exempt wrote:

TofuMiso wrote:Exempt , what material is your pumidor cabinet made from ?

I use a brand new non working refrigerator shell for my pumidor

I just "built" a new pumidor out of a mini fridge. I am now in the process of testing the device. I was given much help by Mr Mopu. The mini fridge should also seal out any miscellaneous odors as well as keep the humidity up. It has been recommended to me that I keep the humidity at 68%.

Can you tell is what the setup is? Any photos?
Thanks!

The setup is very simple. A mini fridge with a cigar oasis humidifier. I also have a large computer fan for extra air circulation that I am advised to run once a week for 30 minutes. I will be happy to post photos once I have filled it. I am waiting a day or so for the humidity to get to 68 which is where the humidity will start. I am also waiting for a shipment from http://www.yunnansourcing.us which the post office has be slow to deliver.

Why did you decide to go with 68% humidity? Also, why'd you go with the oasis over the aristocrat?

I decided to go with 68% humidity on the suggestion of Mr Mopu. I went with the cigar oasis over the aristocrat because of the price differential. The price I saw on the aristocrat was twice that of the cigar oasis. It was also recommended by Mr Mopu.

If I were you I would consider at least a slightly higher humidity

What humidity level would you recommend for a sealed setting? Thanks.

I use a fridge which is completely sealed when closed and I keep my humidifier set to 70% and the room it is in is about 72 degrees Fahrenheit on average. I find, however that the tea actually holds and releases humidity so it is usually at around 74-75% humidity. Also, the fridge holds in heat and possibly some is coming from the decomp in the teas because the temp is around 77F in the fridge on average. Based on what I have read in AllanK's posts it sounds like his temp will be closer to high 60's low 70's so I would recommend setting the humidifier in the 72-75% range. That's just me though, he should do whatever he thinks is best for his tea

Hello Exempt,
Thank you for providing more details. I think sharing experience between those of us who live in the cold north is quite important.
Our basic levels are nearly identical.

Your set-up is likely more sealed than mine. I am using a plastic bin with a simple plastic cover. Since the bings are sealed in ziplock bags, an airtight seal for the outside bin has not been a worry.

Have you noticed how adding new bings really makes the stability of your pumidor fluctuate?

My pumidor really seems to hit an aroma sweet spot at 74% and +-70 degrees F. In the winter the humidity drops to 68% and temperatures are as low as 58. While it still smells very nice, it is not nearly as "singing."

How many bings are you storing?

BioHorn wrote:Have you noticed how adding new bings really makes the stability of your pumidor fluctuate?

My pumidor really seems to hit an aroma sweet spot at 74% and +-70 degrees F. In the winter the humidity drops to 68% and temperatures are as low as 58. While it still smells very nice, it is not nearly as "singing."

How many bings are you storing?

When I had less tea I noticed that adding new bings would cause the humidity to fluctuate, but I've reached a point where it is fairly stable unless I am adding, at the very least, a few kilos of tea. I have a recorded 72 cakes/tuos/bricks and I believe that I have at least a few unrecorded so I am probably close to 80-85 pieces. They range anywhere from 500g cakes/tuos to 100g cakes/tuos so, as a rough estimate, I would say there is around 20 kilograms of puerh in my pumidor at this time.

To Exempt. Thank you for the reply.
Sorry for the delayed response.
Our paramters (kilos and temp/humidity) are nearly identical. It will be quite interesting to compare and see how things turn out. I am going on year four of about 75-80 bings. The smell of the pumidor continues to be glorious!

BioHorn wrote:To Exempt. Thank you for the reply.
Sorry for the delayed response.
Our paramters (kilos and temp/humidity) are nearly identical. It will be quite interesting to compare and see how things turn out. I am going on year four of about 75-80 bings. The smell of the pumidor continues to be glorious!

how do they taste?

MarshalN wrote:

BioHorn wrote:To Exempt. Thank you for the reply.
Sorry for the delayed response.
Our paramters (kilos and temp/humidity) are nearly identical. It will be quite interesting to compare and see how things turn out. I am going on year four of about 75-80 bings. The smell of the pumidor continues to be glorious!

how do they taste?

So far some have been fabulous. Some Pu's selected that seemed to be "good" were very drinkable and are now a bit flat and boring. Some of the early 2000's is quite good. The '93 7542 has mellowed even more.

Honestly I have been waiting longer to start digging in there. This summer will be a good time to start!