Freezing cigars

[kingpin]

A couple of years ago after learning the hard way about Tobacco beetles I began to freeze every cigar I purchased or received even though I monitor my humidor regularly and never let it exceed 70/70. Do others do this or am I being overly cautious?

 

[texasaggie]

I've heard some people say they do, and others say never to do this, I personally don't, and haven't had any problems, I also have a beetle trap in my humidor I check regularly to see if there's any. I don't because I figure freezing the water in the tobacco would probably either dry them out, or would crystalize the water, and when they thawed out would not be the same, they don't freeze them in the cigar making country's so I figure there's no need to do it at my house.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[emodx]

I freeze everything that comes in a pass or trade, and a lot of stuff from the vendors. Double ziploc it and put it into the fridge for 24 hours, then into a deep freeze for 48-72 hours, then into the fridge for 24 hours, then room temp. The freezer has to get to below 0 degrees F or something like that. Hope that helps.

Emo

 

[dixieland_conjunction]

I freeze everything that comes in a pass or trade, and a lot of stuff from the vendors. Double ziploc it and put it into the fridge for 24 hours, then into a deep freeze for 48-72 hours, then into the fridge for 24 hours, then room temp. The freezer has to get to below 0 degrees F or something like that. Hope that helps.

Emo

So you probably have zero food in the fride now after the air raid

Cheers,
Dixie

 

[marcsheldon]

hey aggie, where did you get/buy your beetle trap at?

 

[texasaggie]

The shop I go to sells them.

 

[lucasbuck]

I don't freeze but I keep my sticks between 60-65f year round.

 

[kingpin]

I don't keep my humidor quite as low as that I try to stay around 65%. but still do the fridge/freeze/fridge thing. It may be overkill but I got hit pretty hard and don't want to see it happen again.

 

[CoventryCat86]

I don't freeze cigars either. The finished basement where my coolerdors are never gets over 65F

 

[golfgar]

I don't because I figure freezing the water in the tobacco would probably either dry them out, or would crystalize the water, and when they thawed out would not be the same, they don't freeze them in the cigar making country's so I figure there's no need to do it at my house.
Just my 2 cents.

IMHO I do not freeze unless absolutely necessary, like there is a beetle hole. Otherwise, I feel like the expansion of the H2O as it crystalizes must have some effect. Think about the frozen foods and how the freezing changes the taste. However, sometimes I have found it necessary and it certainly doesn't totally ruin the cigar.

A huge cigar smoking friend of mine always freezes his cigars before putting them in the humidor, even the expensive ISOM stuff and says it doesn't cause problems, but I'm not 100% convinced of the necessity of this, and the basement is always below 70% anyway.

 

[El_Malo_de_Cali]

I don't freeze mine. I have heard and read that freezing cigars only kills larvae, pupae and adult beetles. It does not kill eggs. So it seems that even if you freeze your cigars you still have a chance of getting beetles if your humidity is cranking in your humidor.

 

[Scott1966]

I have never freezed my cigars.

 

[ryan7107]

I have never freezed my cigars.

And I have never frozen mine.

 

[gregor22]

I freeze 'em.

 

[JWJ]

I never freeze them. I keep my ingloodor and humidors at about 68%-70% and never had a problem.

 

[stogieman]

Livin' here in Florida, I freeze em' and have yet had any problems (knock on wood)..... :thumbs:

 

[Muley]

IMHO I do not freeze unless absolutely necessary, like there is a beetle hole. ...

I may be mistaken, but if you see a beetle hole, isn't freezing them a moot point? That'd be kind of like throwing a match into a fireplace that was already burning.

 

[golfgar]

For that particular cigar it is done. But there may be others from the same box that have the larvae that have not yet turned into beetles. It would be the hope to kill them an thus save those cigars that have not yet had those perfect little round holes.

 

[dvickery]

i freeze everything i bring home from cuba...have seen evidence of beetles almost everytime(beetle dust,holes ,dead beeltles etc).

if i get cuban cigars from somewhere other than cuba...they have already been frozen(ask your vendor...they will usually tell you)and i dont freeze.

derrek

 

[BobDoLe]

I don't go into cigar shops anymore, but there's one that I'll run into if I'm on the road and need an Ashton VSG or basically any Arturo Fuente. The last time I ever went in there, we had a light conversation with the owner and I asked him what he does to safeguard against tobacco beetles.
The look on his face was totally unexpected and indescribable. Like he had seen a ghost or something.
He was fumbling with his thoughts and said that there are traps that totally get rid of beetles, "Sucks them all up like magic!" But that he doesn't worry about them because he doesnt let the humidity get too high. He said its not a problem for him because he has a smaller walk in humidor and people are not constantly walking in and out, blaming the beetles on the constant opening and closing of the door.
He talked about them like he had some serious battles and swore by the beetle trap "made by some company." It was kind of disturbing. My top source freezes everything (and prices for sticks are about 60% of any walk in cigar shop I've found). Maybe the freezing thing gives me false peace of mind? I think if I froze them myself, I'd ruin them. For now, I'm sold on a source that freezes.