Is he serious? Freezing your cigars?

Master T

Ok, so I get the newsletter from Cheaphumidors.com and the topic this week is "Beware the Cigar Beetle" and he says this, "The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to make sure your humidor is in a cool, dry place. Another option is to freeze your cigars for a few days, then let them thaw slowly, putting them your humidor. This will kill all the eggs before they can hatch." Is he serious about this? Would anyone even recommend this? I ask because I don't have air and in the summer keeping the temp low is imposable.

Matt Marvel

It sounds crazy, but it's a commonly used method to rid your sticks of beetles.

rwheelwright

Master T:

Ok, so I get the newsletter from Cheaphumidors.com and the topic this week is "Beware the Cigar Beetle" and he says this, "The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to make sure your humidor is in a cool, dry place. Another option is to freeze your cigars for a few days, then let them thaw slowly, putting them your humidor. This will kill all the eggs before they can hatch." Is he serious about this? Would anyone even recommend this? I ask because I don't have air and in the summer keeping the temp low is imposable.

I've done with cigars that were in beetle infested humidors and I usually do it for all the cubans I get. Also, if I get cigars from placed I am not that familiar with I will freeze them.

Master T

Does it affect the cigars at all? I wouldn't mind doing something to ensure I don't get beetles.

Krieg

i don't think it hurts them too bad, just don't leave them in there for along time!

Thewelder

Also you have to remember to slowly thaw them out. You don't to take them out of the freezer and instantly put them in your humidor. It will cause them to crack and break

laker1963

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.
<BR<Most reputable cigar makers have their tobacco fumigated for beetles before it gets shipped out in the first place.

Kamelyon

I would not reccoment freezing cigars in any circumstances. Have you ever compared the tastes of frozen food to fresh food? There is a huge difference! I prefer the taste of fresh to frozen 100:1. Not to mention that when water freezes, it expands. So if you freeze your cigars, the water inside will expand and would damage the cigars irrepairably, not always visibly.

JZ

After freezing, put them in the microwave on defrost! Just kidding, don't ever put them in the microwave!!

jihiggs

its not uncommon for cigar makers to freeze their product before releasing them, thats what ive heard anyway, no first hand experience there. and from what I understand, a standard home freezer wont do it, you need somthing below 0F.

Master T

laker1963:

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.

So far the only place I've purchased cigars from has been here. The rest have been gifts. Winter is here so I don't have to worry to much about it for now. I would just like to avoid them if I can. This year my humidor hit 80 degrees a couple of times and it wasn't even a hot summer. No beetles popped up though so I was happy about that. I'll just have to think about it more next year.

nsezell

I trust all my cigars that come from CCom, but tobacco beetle eggs are found in cigars no matter you get them. Tons of people freeze their cigars when they get them in as a precaution, but those people have usually had outbreaks before. Once you lose a 300 count humidor to beetles you decide it's probly worth the tiny damage that comes from freezing cigars. If you do it right and slowly there's no observable damage, and the taste is no different as far as I can tell.
I recently bought some sticks from CI, but I rarely buy any that aren't from CCom, so I'm busting out an old desktop 35 count just for these as a precaution. Maybe I'm being over protective, maybe not.

jihiggs

if you have the means, segregation is no problem at all. I do it with cigars as special deals that I dont buy from. cigars dont have rights lol

gmill880

jihiggs:

its not uncommon for cigar makers to freeze their product before releasing them, thats what ive heard anyway, no first hand experience there. and from what I understand, a standard home freezer wont do it, you need somthing below 0F.

Thats my understanding as well - that if you have cigars from a major mfg you have cigars that have been frozen !!!

jsnake

I swear in photos I saw posted by Padilla of their new facilities that they have a huge walk in freezer. I mean it is huge! Saw the pictures on Twitter.

bigharpoon

I don't have AC either and in the summer it gets hot and muggy for a while, perfect conditions for beetles, so I freeze all my cigars as I get them...from anywhere. I do it as a preventative measure even though I haven't had an outbreak before.

I haven't noticed any difference in taste AT ALL. It's not like frozen vs. fresh food. Unless you have the means to control the temp. of your humidor I don't see why you would take the risk of beetles hatching next summer.

TheShaun

laker1963:

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.

Doug, I tried your ice in a cooler suggestion about 1 month ago. I didn't have a cooler, so I used a more primitive rig, and it worked great at keeping the temp down, it however caused havoc with the humidity. The humidity would drop way down. Have you had the same experience?

laker1963

TheShaun:

laker1963:

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.

Doug, I tried your ice in a cooler suggestion about 1 month ago. I didn't have a cooler, so I used a more primitive rig, and it worked great at keeping the temp down, it however caused havoc with the humidity. The humidity would drop way down. Have you had the same experience?

No, but I have always added LOTS of humidification to take into account the extra cubic feet of space in the cooler. Did you increase your humidification? What was the more primitive rig that you used. I would suspect that the seal was not airtight or close to it like a cooler would be. That would be my guess anyway Shaun.

TheShaun

laker1963:

TheShaun:

laker1963:

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.

Doug, I tried your ice in a cooler suggestion about 1 month ago. I didn't have a cooler, so I used a more primitive rig, and it worked great at keeping the temp down, it however caused havoc with the humidity. The humidity would drop way down. Have you had the same experience?

No, but I have always added LOTS of humidification to take into account the extra cubic feet of space in the cooler. Did you increase your humidification? What was the more primitive rig that you used. I would suspect that the seal was not airtight or close to it like a cooler would be. That would be my guess anyway Shaun.

First, I tossed all smokes into a large tupperware (Tight seal). Then, not having a cooler, and having recently received my humi, I still had the box it came in which was packed with styrofoam on all sides. So I figured, like a styrofoam cooler this could do the trick. Anyway, I put a cold compress and some ice cubes in back of the box, and my tupperware full of cigars near the front, and closed the box. Come home from work, and the temp inside my rig is great, about 70F, but the humidity was low, maybe 50's. I think that it's because my cold source was too close to the tupperware, thus drawing the humidity... but I'm no scientist.

Smokeee

I've heard that freezing your raw meats before consumption is effective in killing the eggs of tapeworms... so this makes perfect since to me!

TheShaun

Smokeee:

I've heard that freezing your raw meats before consumption is effective in killing the eggs of tapeworms... so this makes perfect since to me!

Cooking will also kill them. So this makes no sense to me

Deputy

I live in a very HOT climate in the summer and my desktop humi's were always in the 78 degree range. No where else I could put them to lower the tmps...but I have read to off set a higher temp, to lower the rH...which I kept at about 65%

Am I doing the right things?

Smokeee

TheShaun:

Smokeee:

I've heard that freezing your raw meats before consumption is effective in killing the eggs of tapeworms... so this makes perfect since to me!

Cooking will also kill them. So this makes no sense to me

True- but freezing is the preferred method for meats you wish to consume raw. Naturally you would not want to cook your smokables, and thus the freezing method would be preferred in this situation.

kuzi16

Deputy:

I live in a very HOT climate in the summer and my desktop humi's were always in the 78 degree range. No where else I could put them to lower the tmps...but I have read to off set a higher temp, to lower the rH...which I kept at about 65% Am I doing the right things?

to an extent that will work. I still think if you have your hands on a freezer that can get cold enough you should take the time to do that.

i have heard of people going the other direction with temp to kill the beetles. an oven at 170 for 5 minutes... or crazier still: microwave. (not recommended )

angryman

TheShaun:

laker1963:

TheShaun:

laker1963:

If you don't have a reason to believe that your sticks may have beetles, then I wouldn't freeze them. If you think there may be a problem with some new sticks (why did you buy from that source in the first place) then you may have to consider freezing those sticks for 24 - 48 hours to take care of the beetles.

If your humi is sitting where you can't keep the temps. down during the summer there have been various methods to acheive this. Try putting a large solid block of ice in a cooler and then place your humi(s) in there. The ice will keep the temps down to an acceptable temp. and the cooler will keep the ice from melting for a few days at a time.

Doug, I tried your ice in a cooler suggestion about 1 month ago. I didn't have a cooler, so I used a more primitive rig, and it worked great at keeping the temp down, it however caused havoc with the humidity. The humidity would drop way down. Have you had the same experience?

No, but I have always added LOTS of humidification to take into account the extra cubic feet of space in the cooler. Did you increase your humidification? What was the more primitive rig that you used. I would suspect that the seal was not airtight or close to it like a cooler would be. That would be my guess anyway Shaun.

First, I tossed all smokes into a large tupperware (Tight seal). Then, not having a cooler, and having recently received my humi, I still had the box it came in which was packed with styrofoam on all sides. So I figured, like a styrofoam cooler this could do the trick. Anyway, I put a cold compress and some ice cubes in back of the box, and my tupperware full of cigars near the front, and closed the box. Come home from work, and the temp inside my rig is great, about 70F, but the humidity was low, maybe 50's. I think that it's because my cold source was too close to the tupperware, thus drawing the humidity... but I'm no scientist.

I live in Coilorado so it's hot as hell in the summer and frigid cold in the winter. In the winter, I cannot get my rH above 55, in the summer though it balances out. I've tried everything to get the rH up in the winter, but nothing works, except splitting up the humi into several smaller ones.