48 hours frozen

jd50ae

We all know you can freeze cigars to kill beetles.
Maybe with this weather a little reminder is in order.
Package, a sampler, was outside for 2 days.
E-mailed the seller and asked his advice.
And he said "put them the fridge to start raising the temp". 
And then he said "2 weeks in a humidor before smoking".
And then he also said "any new arrival should rest for at least 2 weeks".
I like what he said.

Echambers

One of the Cigar.com staff posted a year or two ago an article about freezing cigars. I think the conclusion was that most home freezers don't get cold enough to kill the beetle. Anyone else remember this?

Sleddog46

Hell, with the temps we've been having just stick them outside for 10 or 15 minutes. That should take care of any problems.

CharlieHeis

Echambers said:

One of the Cigar.com staff posted a year or two ago an article about freezing cigars. I think the conclusion was that most home freezers don't get cold enough to kill the beetle. Anyone else remember this?

Correct. It wouldn't be cold enough to do the job in a few days. I believe it was mentioned that a longer time at that temp would possibly have the same effect. Possibly.

Usaf06

I freeze 72 hours them wrap in a towel till room temp. Then into the humi. No need for fridge

Sketch6995

Yep same here 72 hrs in the freezer, then a day in the fridge to bring them up to temp of 40 or so, then on the counter wrapped in a paper towel to soak up any condensation, then at least a month in the humidor.
But since it's way colder outside than it is in my freezer, they sit on the back deck for 3 days.

Bob_Luken

Seems like the "experts" and "know-it-alls" say that home freezers don't get cold enough without mentioning exactly how cold it needs to be?  That's BS. There is a magic number. It's Zero degrees Fahrenheit. Does your freezer get that cold? Use an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer to find out. Mine easily gets down to zero. Now for the magic time. 72 hrs. (Just like Nick said.)  How do I know? I read a bunch of sciencey stuff back when I had my beetle problems and all I can really remember at this point is the recipe that I still use.

Fivers at zero for 72 hrs.

Individual sticks packed tightly in ziplocs. (remove as much excess air as possible from the ziploc.) Put directly into the freezer, letting air circulate all around the ziploc. If you need to do a whole box, break it down into single layers in ziplocs. Freeze the box they came in at the same time. I take them out of the freezer and wrap several layers of a blanket or towel around them (sticks still in the ziploc) and let them warm to room temp for a day. 

P.S. I tried to make it as simple and easy to remember as possible for guys who don't know how. For you guys that already know everything. Keep doing what you're doing. 

Usaf06

I  bob

Rhamlin

Only time I’ve done the freezer thing was in the summer. 

cbuck

So is -30 too cold? I could through mine in with the ice cream! Probably need less time though!

Markwell

I have a few boxes of special stuff I'm somewhat reluctant to open (Lost City, Forbidden X, FFOX Oscuro, etc)...mainly because I have OCD problems and would like to keep them completely original until one day at least a decade from now when I decide to either smoke them or sell them. Can I put an entire cello wrapped box in, or will I run the risk of moisture issues post-freeze? 

Usaf06

Leave cello on, double bag in ziplocks

jw517

In my 37 years of smoking cigars I have never seen a beetle and I've gotten some from some septic looking places. I have seen small holes in the wrapper on a couple over the years but nothing to get me excited. ( maybe my poor eye site )?

Usaf06

Cigar-20064664 said:

In my 37 years of smoking cigars I have never seen a beetle and I've gotten some from some septic looking places. I have seen small holes in the wrapper on a couple over the years but nothing to get me excited. ( maybe my poor eye site )?

they are very small

dirtdude

My freezer only gets down to 14F so I guess I am kind of screwed.

jw517

Like when I pick Brocoli from the garden and the wife is concerned there may be a worm hiding in it. I tell her,"it's the worm that should be concerned".

Usaf06

Cigar-20064664 said:

Like when I pick Brocoli from the garden and the wife is concerned there may be a worm hiding in it. I tell her,"it's the worm that should be concerned".

If your feeling froggy go to your settings and give yourself a forum name instead of the prison ID the forum gave you

Bob_Luken

Cigar-20064664 said:

In my 37 years of smoking cigars I have never seen a beetle and I've gotten some from some septic looking places. I have seen small holes in the wrapper on a couple over the years but nothing to get me excited. ( maybe my poor eye site )?

Most guys don't need to worry about it at all if they keep their stash from getting to warm. It's jut that I have been unlucky when it comes to beetles/larvae. Three times   That's the only reason I pretend to be an expert. I don't recommend anybody bother with freezing their stuff until they actually catch them critters munching on their sticks. Then it would be time to consider it. 

Bob_Luken

dirtdude said:

My freezer only gets down to 14F so I guess I am kind of screwed.

You can do it at 14F but it just takes longer. How much longer? You'd have to find that old chart somewhere online that lists exactly how long at each degree.