A method for maintaining cigars

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of cigar production and maintenance technology, and discloses a method for cigar maintenance. The invention uses one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the maintenance medium, and gradually reduces the relative humidity of the cigar maintenance environment during the maintenance period, allowing the tea aroma to better "infuse" into the cigar, thereby obtaining a high-quality, well-maintained cigar. Cigars maintained using this method exhibit improved aroma and character, increased aroma intensity, richer flavor, sufficient oil content, good luster, delicate smoke, and a pleasant aftertaste, resulting in a significant improvement in sensory quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cigar production and maintenance technology, and in particular to a cigar maintenance method. Background Technology

[0002] Cigar aging and storage, also known as the tobacco leaf maturation process or "aging," is a slow and gentle fermentation method. Its purpose is to eliminate off-flavors, reduce harshness, and improve the aftertaste. Cigar aging and storage is a crucial step in improving the quality of cigar tobacco leaves. Proper aging and storage treatment has a positive impact on the aroma, off-flavors, harshness, and aftertaste of cigars.

[0003] Currently, cigar maintenance generally involves adjusting the temperature and humidity of the maintenance environment. Specifically, the temperature and humidity of the maintenance environment are controlled within a certain range, and the cigars rely on the microorganisms they carry to age in this environment. The advantage of this method is that it is relatively low cost, but the improvement in the quality of cigars after maintenance is not obvious. The quality improvement effect varies depending on the raw materials of different cigars, and it also has the disadvantage of a long maintenance and aging cycle.

[0004] In existing technologies, other cigar conditioning methods have emerged to improve the conditioning effect. For example, Chinese patent application CN116617959A discloses a method for preparing aroma-slow-release microcapsules based on microfluidics and provides the application of these aroma-slow-release microcapsules in cigar conditioning. This patent stores flavorings through microencapsulation technology and then continuously releases them in the conditioning environment, allowing the cigar to absorb the aroma during the conditioning and aging process, resulting in cigars with different flavors and improved cigar quality. However, this patent's method of adding aroma-slow-release microcapsules for cigar conditioning relies solely on the free diffusion of aroma into the cigar. The resulting cigars still suffer from poor quality improvement, with a weak aroma and insufficient flavor when smoked. Furthermore, the large amount of aroma-slow-release microcapsules required results in high costs, making it unsuitable for industrial use.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new cigar care method to address the problem that existing care methods are ineffective in improving cigar quality. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the technical problem of poor quality improvement in existing cigar curing and aging methods, this invention provides a cigar curing method. This invention uses one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the curing medium, and gradually reduces the relative humidity of the curing environment during the curing period, allowing the tea aroma to better infuse into the cigar smoke. This results in a high-quality cured cigar. Cigars cured using this method exhibit improved aroma and character, increased aroma intensity, richer flavor, ample oil content, good luster, delicate smoke, and a pleasant aftertaste, demonstrating a significant improvement in sensory quality.

[0007] The specific technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0008] This invention provides a method for cigar maintenance, comprising the following steps:

[0009] Step S1: Evenly place the curing medium at the bottom of the curing container to form a curing medium layer;

[0010] Step S2: Place the cigar to be cured on top of the curing medium layer;

[0011] Step S3: Adjust the temperature inside the curing container to 22~24℃ and the relative humidity to 68~80% for curing;

[0012] The maintenance medium is one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea;

[0013] During the maintenance period, the relative humidity is reduced in stages.

[0014] Existing cigar conditioning methods have limited effectiveness in improving cigar quality. This invention unexpectedly discovered that adding Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea to the cigar conditioning environment can enhance the aftertaste and flavor of the smoke. Therefore, to improve cigar quality during the conditioning process, this invention uses one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the conditioning medium. By gradually reducing the relative humidity of the cigar conditioning environment during the conditioning period, the tea aroma is better infused into the cigar smoke, resulting in a high-quality cigar. Cigars cured using this method exhibit improved aroma, increased aroma intensity, richer flavor, higher oil content, better luster, finer smoke, and a more pleasant aftertaste, resulting in a significant improvement in sensory quality.

[0015] In this invention, the significance of selecting Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as maintenance media is as follows: the aroma of these teas harmonizes with the aroma of cigars, and the degree of integration between the tea aroma and the cigar aroma is high. Through the harmonization of the tobacco aroma by the tea aroma, the richness of the cigar aroma and the enhancement of its fragrance can be greatly increased; the microorganisms carried on the tea promote the transformation of the cigar's smoke flavor during the maintenance and aging process, eliminating the roughness of the smoke aroma; and the good adsorption properties of the tea stabilize the relative humidity of the maintenance environment, further promoting the transformation of the cigar's smoke flavor during the maintenance and aging process and improving the aging effect.

[0016] In this invention, the relative humidity decreases in stages during the curing process. That is, the relative humidity is reduced in stages within the range of 68-80%, so that the cigars are initially in a high humidity state during the curing process, then in a low humidity state, and then in an even lower humidity state.

[0017] The relative humidity is reduced in stages. Initially, the growing environment is kept at high humidity, which helps to stimulate the aroma of the tea leaves and allow the tea fragrance to permeate the cigar, promoting aroma fusion. After growing the cigar in this high-humidity tea-scented environment for a period of time, the bitterness of the final cigar aroma is reduced. At the same time, microorganisms are rapidly activated in the high-humidity environment, providing a foundation for later aging. Although a high-humidity environment is conducive to the physiological and biochemical reactions of microorganisms and promotes aging, if the cigar is kept in a high-humidity environment for a long time, there is a risk of mold growth. Therefore, to balance the permeation of tea fragrance, the aging effect of microorganisms, and the risk of mold, this invention reduces the relative humidity of the growing environment in stages, which can ensure that the permeation of tea fragrance is maximized and the aging effect is improved while effectively avoiding mold problems. After the first stage of high-humidity curing, a low-humidity curing stage begins. During this period, activated microorganisms take effect, engaging in physiological and biochemical reactions with the tobacco leaves. The internal chemical substances of the tobacco leaves are degraded and transformed. Having undergone the first stage of high-humidity curing, the moisture content of the tea leaves is near saturation, and the aroma concentration in the curing environment reaches its maximum. Under this environment, microorganisms undergo prolonged fermentation, which effectively enriches the flavor and aroma of the tobacco leaves, making the smoke smoother and improving the taste and aftertaste. In this invention's aging curing process, enzymes produced by microorganisms catalyze biochemical reactions related to the transformation of aroma substances, generating a large number of aroma substances and color changes, achieving a significant improvement in quality. The aroma transformation process of this invention mainly occurs in the low-humidity curing stage following the first stage of high-humidity curing; therefore, the second stage of curing takes a relatively long time. Furthermore, after the second stage of humidity reduction and maintenance, the present invention further reduces humidity. By adjusting the humidity, the activity of microorganisms is reduced, and the aging process ends. The humidity at this stage can gradually reduce the moisture content of the cigar and ensure that the moisture content of the cigar is within a suitable smoking range, thus avoiding deformation of the cigar and loss of oil due to drying.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the segmented reduction is divided into three segments, wherein:

[0019] The relative humidity for the first segment is (78±2)%;

[0020] The relative humidity for the second segment was (74±2)%;

[0021] The relative humidity for the third segment is (70±2)%.

[0022] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the first stage is 10 to 15 days.

[0023] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the second stage is 35 to 55 days.

[0024] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the third stage is 15 to 20 days.

[0025] As a preferred method, during the first stage of maintenance, the maintenance container should be opened periodically for ventilation, with each ventilation period lasting 5 to 20 minutes.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the maintenance medium, by weight, is: 10 parts Pu-erh tea, 8-12 parts black tea, and 2-6 parts oolong tea.

[0027] To enhance the harmonizing effect of tea aroma on smoky aroma, this invention achieves this by using a mass ratio of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea of ​​10:8~12:2~6.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the Pu-erh tea is raw Pu-erh tea.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the black tea is Jin Jun Mei or / and Dian Hong.

[0030] As a preferred embodiment of the above method, the oolong tea is cinnamon or / and Da Hong Pao.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0032] (1) In order to improve the quality of cigars during the curing process, this invention selects one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the curing medium, and gradually reduces the relative humidity of the cigar curing environment during the curing period, so that the tea aroma can be better "infused" into the cigar smoke, thereby obtaining a high-quality cured cigar smoke. Cigar smoke cured by the method of this invention has a better aroma and quality, increased aroma quantity, richer flavor, sufficient oil content, good luster, delicate smoke, comfortable aftertaste, and obvious improvement in sensory quality.

[0033] (2) In this invention, the relative humidity of the environment of the cigar and its maintenance medium is reduced in stages during the maintenance period. That is, the relative humidity is reduced in stages within the range of 68~80%. This allows the cigar to be in a high humidity state at the beginning of the maintenance process, then in a low humidity state, and then in an even lower humidity state. This ensures that the tea aroma is promoted to the greatest extent and the aging effect is improved, while effectively avoiding the problem of mold. Specifically, this invention provides an optimal method for enhancing the aging and maturation of cigars, based on the maintenance medium and environment of the present invention: in the first stage of high humidity environment maintenance, the tea aroma is stimulated and the activity of microorganisms is enhanced. After the first stage of high humidity environment maintenance ends, a low humidity maintenance stage is entered. During this period, the activated microorganisms play a role, carrying out physiological and biochemical reactions with the tobacco, and the chemical substances inside the tobacco leaves are degraded and transformed. At this time, because the tea leaves have undergone the first stage of high humidity maintenance, the moisture in the tea leaves has reached near saturation, and the tea aroma concentration in the maintenance environment reaches its maximum. Under this environment, the microorganisms carry out fermentation for a longer period of time, which greatly enriches the flavor and aroma of the tobacco leaves, makes the smoke smoother, and improves the taste and aftertaste.

[0034] (3) The maintenance medium used in the maintenance method of the present invention is readily available, and the maintenance environment can be controlled using existing products on the market. There is no need to improve the maintenance container. Common humidifiers on the market can be used. It is simple, convenient, and low in cost, making it suitable for industrialization. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a cigar maintenance method according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to implement the present invention based on these descriptions. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention described below are generally only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] This embodiment provides a method for cigar maintenance, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0039] Step S1: Evenly place the curing medium at the bottom of the curing container to form a curing medium layer;

[0040] Step S2: Place the cigar to be cured on top of the curing medium layer;

[0041] Step S3: Adjust the temperature inside the curing container to 22~24℃ and the relative humidity to 68~80% for curing;

[0042] The maintenance medium is one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea;

[0043] During the maintenance period, the relative humidity is reduced in stages.

[0044] Existing cigar maintenance methods have poor effects on improving cigar quality.

[0045] Therefore, in order to improve the quality of cigars during the curing process, this embodiment uses one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the curing medium. By gradually reducing the relative humidity of the cigar curing environment during the curing period, the tea aroma is better infused into the cigar smoke, resulting in a high-quality cured cigar. Cigars cured using this method exhibit improved aroma, increased aroma intensity, richer flavor, sufficient oil content, good luster, delicate smoke, and a pleasant aftertaste, demonstrating a significant improvement in sensory quality.

[0046] In this embodiment, the significance of selecting Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the maintenance medium is as follows: the aroma of the above-mentioned teas is harmonious with the aroma of cigars, and the degree of integration between the aroma of the tea and the aroma of cigars is relatively high. Through the harmonization of the aroma of tobacco by the aroma of the tea, the richness of the aroma of cigars can be greatly increased and the aroma can be enhanced; the microorganisms carried on the tea can be used to promote the transformation of the smoke flavor during the maintenance and aging process of cigars, and eliminate the roughness of the smoke flavor; and the good adsorption properties of the tea can be used to stabilize the relative humidity of the maintenance environment, further promoting the transformation of the smoke flavor during the maintenance and aging process of cigars and improving the aging effect.

[0047] In this embodiment, the relative humidity decreases in stages during the curing period. That is, the relative humidity is reduced in stages within the range of 68-80%, so that the cigars are initially in a high humidity state during the curing process, then in a low humidity state, and then in an even lower humidity state.

[0048] The relative humidity is reduced in stages. Initially, the growing environment is kept at high humidity, which helps to stimulate the aroma of the tea leaves and allow the tea fragrance to permeate the cigar, promoting aroma fusion. After growing the cigar in this high-humidity tea-scented environment for a period of time, the bitterness of the final cigar aroma is reduced. At the same time, microorganisms are rapidly activated in the high-humidity environment, providing a foundation for later aging. Although a high-humidity environment is conducive to the physiological and biochemical reactions of microorganisms and promotes aging, if the cigar is kept in a high-humidity environment for a long time, there is a risk of mold growth. Therefore, this embodiment balances the permeation of tea fragrance, the aging effect of microorganisms, and the risk of mold growth. By gradually reducing the relative humidity of the growing environment, this method can ensure that the permeation of tea fragrance is maximized and the aging effect is improved while effectively avoiding mold problems. After the first stage of high-humidity curing, the process transitions to a lower-humidity curing stage. During this period, activated microorganisms take effect, engaging in physiological and biochemical reactions with the tobacco leaves. This process degrades and transforms the chemical substances within the tobacco leaves. Having undergone the first high-humidity curing stage, the tea leaves are nearly saturated with moisture, and the aroma concentration in the curing environment reaches its maximum. Under this environment, microorganisms undergo prolonged fermentation, which effectively enriches the flavor and aroma of the tobacco leaves, making the smoke smoother and improving the taste and aftertaste. In this embodiment, the enzymes produced by microorganisms catalyze biochemical reactions related to the transformation of aroma substances, generating a large number of aroma compounds and color changes, achieving a significant improvement in quality. The aroma transformation process in this embodiment mainly occurs in the lower-humidity curing stage following the first high-humidity curing stage; therefore, the second curing stage is relatively longer. Furthermore, after the second stage of humidity reduction and maintenance, this embodiment further reduces humidity. By adjusting the humidity, microbial activity is reduced, and the aging process ends. The humidity at this stage can gradually reduce the moisture content of the cigar and ensure that the moisture content of the cigar is within a suitable smoking range, thus avoiding deformation of the cigar and loss of oil due to drying.

[0049] Experimental verification has shown that, preferably, the segmented humidity reduction is carried out in the following three stages, which results in a better curing and maturation effect:

[0050] The relative humidity for the first segment is (78±2)%;

[0051] The relative humidity for the second segment was (74±2)%;

[0052] The relative humidity for the third segment is (70±2)%.

[0053] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the first stage is 10 to 15 days.

[0054] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the second stage is 35 to 55 days.

[0055] Further optimization suggests that the maintenance period for the third stage is 15 to 20 days.

[0056] Preferably, during the first stage of maintenance, the maintenance container should be opened periodically for ventilation, with each ventilation period lasting 5 to 20 minutes. This periodicity refers to opening the maintenance container every 1 to 3 days.

[0057] Regular ventilation promotes the release and permeation of tea aroma, while also helping to prevent mold growth on cigars.

[0058] As a preferred embodiment, the maintenance medium, by weight, is: 10 parts Pu-erh tea, 8-12 parts black tea, and 2-6 parts oolong tea.

[0059] To enhance the harmonizing effect of tea aroma on smoky aroma, this embodiment achieves this by using a mass ratio of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea of ​​10:8~12:2~6.

[0060] With the above proportions, Pu-erh tea, such as the honey-sweet aroma, floral aroma, and fruity aroma of raw Pu-erh, can complement black tea, such as the floral aroma, sweet potato aroma, and honey aroma of Jin Jun Mei, very well. Furthermore, the floral aroma, fruity aroma, woody aroma, and caramel aroma of oolong tea, especially the woody aroma and caramel aroma of 2-6 parts cinnamon tea, help to harmonize the aromas of Pu-erh and Jin Jun Mei, enhance the richness of the cigar tobacco aroma, and improve the cigar smoking experience.

[0061] Preferably, the Pu-erh tea is raw Pu-erh tea.

[0062] Preferably, the black tea is Jin Jun Mei or / and Dian Hong.

[0063] Preferably, the oolong tea is cinnamon or / and Da Hong Pao.

[0064] Specifically, Lock & Lock containers can be used as the storage containers.

[0065] Specifically, the maintenance medium, namely the amount of tea mentioned above, is 0.5~0.7 kg per cubic meter of the maintenance container volume. During maintenance, simply spread the maintenance medium evenly at the bottom of the maintenance container according to experience.

[0066] Specifically, when placing the cigars to be cured on top of the curing medium layer, avoid direct contact between the cigars and the medium. For example, a breathable material can be used to separate the cigars from the medium layer. The volume of the cigars to be cured should be 1 / 2 to 1 / 3 of the curing container's volume. Before placing the cigars into the curing container, remove any packaging materials such as cigar boxes or sleeves.

[0067] Specifically, in this embodiment, the humidity inside the curing container, i.e. the humidity of the curing environment, can be controlled by adding or removing humidifier pads.

[0068] Compared with the prior art, this embodiment has the following technical effects:

[0069] (1) In order to improve the quality of cigars during the curing process, this embodiment uses one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea as the curing medium, and gradually reduces the relative humidity of the cigar curing environment during the curing period to allow the tea aroma to better "infuse" into the cigar smoke, thereby obtaining a high-quality cured cigar smoke. Cigar smoke cured by the method of this embodiment has a better aroma and quality, increased aroma quantity, richer flavor, sufficient oil content, good luster, delicate smoke, comfortable aftertaste, and obvious improvement in sensory quality.

[0070] (2) In this embodiment, the relative humidity of the environment of the cigar and its maintenance medium is reduced in stages during the maintenance period. That is, the relative humidity is reduced in stages within the range of 68~80%. The cigar is initially in a high humidity state during the maintenance process, then in a low humidity state, and then in an even lower humidity state. This ensures that the tea aroma is promoted to the greatest extent and the aging effect is improved, while effectively avoiding the problem of mold. Specifically, this embodiment provides an optimal method for enhancing the aging and maturation of cigars based on the maintenance medium and environment used in this embodiment. The method is as follows: In the first stage of high-humidity environment maintenance, the tea aroma is stimulated and the activity of microorganisms is enhanced. After the first stage of high-humidity environment maintenance ends, a low-humidity maintenance stage is entered. During this period, the activated microorganisms play a role and carry out physiological and biochemical reactions with the tobacco. The chemical substances inside the tobacco leaves are degraded and transformed. At this time, because the tea leaves have undergone the first stage of high-humidity maintenance, the moisture content in the tea leaves has reached near saturation, and the tea aroma concentration in the maintenance environment reaches its maximum. Under this environment, the microorganisms carry out fermentation for a longer period of time, which greatly enriches the flavor and aroma of the tobacco leaves, makes the smoke smoother, and improves the taste and aftertaste.

[0071] (3) The maintenance medium used in the maintenance method of this embodiment is readily available, and the maintenance environment can be controlled using existing commercially available media. There is no need to improve the maintenance container. Commonly available humidifiers can be used. It is simple, convenient, and low-cost to implement, and suitable for industrialization.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, the raw materials and equipment used in this invention are all commonly used in the field; unless otherwise specified, the methods used in this invention are all conventional methods in the field.

[0073] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Any simple modifications, alterations, and equivalent transformations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining cigars, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step S1: Evenly place the curing medium at the bottom of the curing container to form a curing medium layer; Step S2: Place the cigar to be cured on top of the curing medium layer; Step S3: Adjust the temperature inside the curing container to 22~24℃ and the relative humidity to 68~80% for curing; The maintenance medium is one or more of Pu-erh tea, black tea, and oolong tea; During the maintenance period, the relative humidity is reduced in stages, which are divided into three stages: The relative humidity for the first stage is (78±2)%, and the curing time for the first stage is 10~15 days; The relative humidity for the second stage is (74±2)%, and the curing time for the second stage is 35~55 days; The relative humidity of the third stage is (70±2)%, and the curing time for the third stage is 15~20 days.

2. The cigar maintenance method as described in claim 1, characterized in that: During the first stage of maintenance, open the maintenance container regularly for ventilation, each time for 5 to 20 minutes.

3. The cigar maintenance method as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The maintenance medium, by weight, consists of: 10 parts Pu-erh tea, 8-12 parts black tea, and 2-6 parts oolong tea.

4. The cigar maintenance method as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The Pu-erh tea mentioned is raw Pu-erh tea.

5. A cigar maintenance method as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The black tea mentioned is Jin Jun Mei or / and Dian Hong.

6. A cigar maintenance method as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The oolong tea mentioned is cinnamon or / and Da Hong Pao.

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