I've had a problem for a couple of months now.

Most cigars I have been smoking develop a bitter finish about halfway through the cigar.

I smoke a lot of Nicaraguan...Pepins, Oliva, EO brands, etc...

I've checked my RH, 60-65 mostly.

I'm a soft flamer, but have been doing that for a very long time & until recently, no problem.

Have tried flame purging & it helps a little.

I drink somewhat hoppy craft beers, amber ales, steam beer, etc. Have noticed that malty beers like bocks & stouts reduce the bitterness quite a bit, but don't want to drink stouts exclusivley.

Have tried, without much success LOL, to slow down a bit on puffing. I'm not smoking any faster than I have for years, so WTH?

I haven't tried dry boxing yet as it demands a bit more planning than I would prefer.

So, to summarize. The nose is great, am still a very prolific retroinhaler, & the taste is fine...til I get to the finish, then bitter city. AAAAGGGHHH!

Any thoughts? Anyone?

There may be some around here who may remember me from another site. I must say that Iamstillveryfondofbananacreampie!
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Good to see you surface again Alan. Isuredorememberyourpenchantforbananagreampie.

Have you tried just drinking water? Eliminating the beer component may not solve the problem but will reduce the variables.
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Just curious have is this all cigars, have you gone to a B&M and bought a cigar and tried that, or is this just cigars from your stash?
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Do you smoke outside? If so I know that when the heat and Rh are high it tends to cause my cigars to burn poorly and can get bitter.
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This has happened to me and others on this forum. I have done some digging to try and understand this problem. Here is what I have learned.
Could be your body has a ph problem,have you changed diet or vitamins,are you drinking more citrus or dairy? Coffee?
Could be you need to purge your system,too much nicotine hanging around.
Quit cigars for a week,monitor fluids and vitamins,and brush your teeth and tongue thoroughly.Possibly an oral bacteria is present.
And stay away from hoppy beers,for a while,too...
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I have ruined a couple good sticks when pairing with beer (Newcastle) and have since stopped drinking beers with my Stogies. It tasted just as you described.
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Buy but I know that avatar. Welcome home!

As some have mentioned, could be the pairing. Have you considered that it may be that you are smoking too fast? I literally needed an egg timer to slow myself down at one point.
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I never seem to get a good taste from a cigar while drinking a beer. I'll either drink a Dr Pepper or Crown and Coke. DP seems to go well with most of the cigars I've smoked.
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I don't have luck pairing a hoppy beer with a cigar. The pleasant bitterness of the hops just seems to overpower the cigar. So now I stick with water or a sweeter drink - Coke Zero, rum and coke, bourbon, home-brewed stout, and occasionally Scotch or Irish whiskey.
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i don't like pairing beer with cigars. if i do drink a beer, light beers taste best to me when smoking. To me a coors light or an amstel light seems to taste better than a craft beer in that instance. Probably because they are mostly water anyway. LOL

i have tried the soda thing, and that doesn't do it for me either.

Lightly sweetened tea is my go to non alcoholic drink for cigars. i drink bourbon with them the other 95% of the time.

hope your taste buds go back to normal lol
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Sometimes I get the same problem. No amount of brushing has ever helped. It's usually my cue that I haven't been drinking enough water and I'm dehydrated. I use to think it was palate fatigue or something but if I drink a gallon of so of water over the course of a day it clears right up.
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Hey Peter! Good to hear from you! I recognize some others too...hola vatos! Thanks for everyone's input.

I think the beer, sadly, may be the answer...I do love my three beers after work. In retrospect, I remember recently smoking a few early evening cigars in the back yard after yardwork on my day off. I was drinking a coke zero while relaxing by the shade garden & didn't notice the bitterness. Oh well, I do have some brandy & cognac that may pair a little better with a cigar. Will try tomorrow nite & see how it goes...one problem though...it takes about 2 beers to smoke a cigar, but God knows how much Remy Martin I can drink with a cigar! LOL!!!
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Bitter cigars are generally from getting them too hot or smoking them too quickly. Try using a timer on the next cigar and puff only every two minutes. Slowing the cigar smoking pace down is difficult, but will reward you in the en.
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