My semi-ghetto pumidor

[fuzzer37]

Today I decided that I needed some better storage for my pu ehr. I couldn't find a mini fridge, and all the coolers I found smelled funky. So I decided to buy a Styrofoam cooler with a lid, and a passive humidification unit from a cigar shop near me.

My question is, is a Styrofoam cooler bad for storage? It doesn't have any smell to it, and it's fairly dense Styrofoam. Right now I just have 2 cakes and a tuo in it.

Here are some pictures
http://m.imgur.com/a/U8hnb

[jayinhk]

Today I decided that I needed some better storage for my pu ehr. I couldn't find a mini fridge, and all the coolers I found smelled funky. So I decided to buy a Styrofoam cooler with a lid, and a passive humidification unit from a cigar shop near me.

My question is, is a Styrofoam cooler bad for storage? It doesn't have any smell to it, and it's fairly dense Styrofoam. Right now I just have 2 cakes and a tuo in it.

Here are some pictures
http://m.imgur.com/a/U8hnb

I'd be worried about the styrofoam breaking down and offgassing over time...

[mr mopu]

I would agree to only keep this as a temporary solution. I think short term you will be fine for a while but as the collection grows you will want a long term solution.

[kuánglóng]

At the moment I keep some of my stash in larger aluminum boxes (army surplus). They're usually pretty rugged, come in many different forms and sizes, don't decompose like plastic and don't break the bank either.

[toby]

try this
http://willow.com.au/hard-coolers/55l-w ... ooler.html

[jayinhk]

At the moment I keep some of my stash in larger aluminum boxes (army surplus). They're usually pretty rugged, come in many different forms and sizes, don't decompose like plastic and don't break the bank either.

That sounds like a great storage method!

[Cwyn]

I've wondered about aluminum or aluminum/pot metal containers in the long run as they tend to get corrosion over time with humidity, the humidity plus acid is my concern. The only tea I store in aluminum is bamboo wrapped heicha logs or packaged oolong, am using 1950s American kitchen canisters. I just would feel concerned over the long haul storing unwrapped or loose tea in aluminum. My canisters are made for dry goods like flour, coffee or black tea that would be consumed in the short term. But I don't know for sure the long term effects of acidic food storage in aluminum or pot metal.

[kuánglóng]

Aluminum oxide is unstable in acidic as well as in alkaline solutions but I keep each tea, including cakes in its own container anyway, mostly food-grade multi-layer foil bags. I've been using those bags for a couple years now to store and age teas and found them to perform much better than simple plastic or mylar bags.

[fuzzer37]

Update: I moved away from the styrofoam cooler, and I was able to get a mini-fridge. This is what it looks like now
http://i.imgur.com/DwHhQP1.jpg
now to fill it with tea