My White Mold Is Not Bloom...Or Is It?

[djtanng]

I'm new at cigars. I started a new cigar collection along with a new Orleans Bally humidor that holds 100 cigars. I now see white cotton-like mold coming out of the humidifier and spreading to the closest cigars. I've read about bloom, so how can it be bloom if it's growing out of the humidifier? I couldn't find any info online about white mold on cigars that wasn't just talking about bloom. The humidifier is the sponge-based kind that comes with most humidors, and I use that propylene glycol solution stuff to fill it up with. The temp is aways between 69F and 74F in my house. Can someone please explain to me what's going on. Thanks.

 

[insight]

It is mold, get rid of the humidifier and infected cigar and get a new humidification element.

 

[djtanng]

Good idea! Only two cigars had visible mold on them and I'm smoking them both tonight. I rather get a little mold sick than have to thow away two $20 cigars, lol. The rest of the cigars ($400 worth) have a faint moldy basement smell to them. Just a small faint smell as well as the humidor. I got so nervous about them that I double ziplock bagged them and stuck them in the freezer until I've dealt with the humidor and get a new humidifier. Am I making a good choice or a big mistake with the freezing? Any more tips would be very helpful. Thanks.

 

[Trent0341]

I wouldn't recommend using PG solution with your foam humidifier. Like was mentioned above throw that one away and look into something different. I'm not sure what your budget is but many people on here, myself included, would recommend heartfelt beads. Then you won't have to deal with PG solution and you'll probably see better consistency. As far as your cigars go I wouldn't smoke them but looking at the clock it's probably a little late to tell you that. Your other cigars should be fine but sometimes it better to be safe than sorry. Goodluck

Edited to add: short term you should be fine to freeze them but long term in the freezer is a bad idea

 

[grateful1]

Good idea! Only two cigars had visible mold on them and I'm smoking them both tonight. I rather get a little mold sick than have to thow away two $20 cigars, lol. The rest of the cigars ($400 worth) have a faint moldy basement smell to them. Just a small faint smell as well as the humidor. I got so nervous about them that I double ziplock bagged them and stuck them in the freezer until I've dealt with the humidor and get a new humidifier. Am I making a good choice or a big mistake with the freezing? Any more tips would be very helpful. Thanks.

What would freezing them do?

 

[JackImpact]

Kills the mold.

You see it as an answer to his problem a lot in google searches. May be why he is doing it.

 

[Bayamos]

I'm new at cigars. I started a new cigar collection along with a new Orleans Bally humidor that holds 100 cigars. I now see white cotton-like mold coming out of the humidifier and spreading to the closest cigars. I've read about bloom, so how can it be bloom if it's growing out of the humidifier? I couldn't find any info online about white mold on cigars that wasn't just talking about bloom. The humidifier is the sponge-based kind that comes with most humidors, and I use that propylene glycol solution stuff to fill it up with. The temp is aways between 69F and 74F in my house. Can someone please explain to me what's going on. Thanks.

Cigar mold, like any other mold, is a fungus. Mold will generally appear on cigars when the relative humidity in the humidor surpasses 80%. Please do not get confused with the common misconception that mold is a certain color; mold can be green, blue, light yellow, and even white.

Visually cigar mold is more “fuzy” or “hairy”. If the scientist in you so wishes to see the spots up close you should really notice that there is a definitive structure to the mold. There will be stalks holding up additional spores that are waiting to “jump” and contaminate anything and everything nearby (isolate the infected cigars ASAP). Growth wise the cigar mold will grow in small clusters that causes a spotted look unlike bloom / plume that will cover the entire cigar.

I would check your humidification system. Further, If you received a new box of cigars, you also could have received them with mold on them.

 

[grateful1]

Kills the mold.

You see it as an answer to his problem a lot in google searches. May be why he is doing it.

----------------------------------------------------

Please do a little searching on THIS site!

 

[jfields]

Hi,
Where at in Spotsy do you live?

Until moving to Wesyltucky Virginia, I lived over next to Courtland High School in a subdivision called Fox Point. ......... About two miles from the Spotsylvaina Courthouse, and then over by the Chancelorsville Battlefields off of Rt. 3.

Hope to move back within the year since all my family is still there. Just waiting for my wife to finish her fellowship at work.

You should go over to the"Introduce Yourself Here" forum and post an introduction to tell us a bit about yourself. It's a tradition here. Great place to learn about this hobby.

 

[BlindedByScience]

I rather get a little mold sick than have to thow away two $20 cigars, lol.

.... I wouldn't. Eeecchhh.....!!!!...:0

 

[djtanng]

Hi,
Where at in Spotsy do you live?

Until moving to Wesyltucky Virginia, I lived over next to Courtland High School in a subdivision called Fox Point. ......... About two miles from the Spotsylvaina Courthouse, and then over by the Chancelorsville Battlefields off of Rt. 3.

Hope to move back within the year since all my family is still there. Just waiting for my wife to finish her fellowship at work.

You should go over to the"Introduce Yourself Here" forum and post an introduction to tell us a bit about yourself. It's a tradition here. Great place to learn about this hobby.

Iol.. I live right by there. I live in West Field, off of Smith Station Road. Anyway, I just posted on the "Introduce Yourself Here" forum. I had just found this site and jumped in too quick because I was freaking out about the mold, lol, but I'm loving this site.