Sealed Ziploc Bags in Coolidor/Humidor

[Ethan]

Gentlemen

If I have just received some new sticks and I want to "keep an eye" on them for beetles etc while having them in my main coolidor with all my other sticks, can I have them in a sealed ziploc bag that doesnt contain a boveda or waterpillow? Will the humidity from my heartfelt beads in coolidor transfer into the baggies since I assume that are not 100% completely AIRTIGHT even when sealed?

Or is it just creating its own little atmosphere that has no humidity?

Would be interested to hear what you guys think

 

[CigarGavin]

Gentlemen

If I have just received some new sticks and I want to "keep an eye" on them for beetles etc while having them in my main coolidor with all my other sticks, can I have them in a sealed ziploc bag that doesnt contain a boveda or waterpillow? Will the humidity from my heartfelt beads in coolidor transfer into the baggies since I assume that are not 100% completely AIRTIGHT even when sealed?

Or is it just creating its own little atmosphere that has no humidity?

Would be interested to hear what you guys think

As long as the bag is sealed (for the bug protection from main stash) and the cigars where humidified prior to going in the bag you should be fine. If you plan on keeping them in the bag indefinitely I would grab a boveda and throw it in. If your just doing the "2 week or so check to make sure" then your good.

 

[UpInSmoke]

Why not just freeze the sticks before you put them in with the others

 

[javajunkie]

FWIW NC manufacturers ship sealed and cello'd product all the time, which is stored intact in humidified back stock untill us greedy bastards buy it. the bags are not 100% vapor non-pourous, but enough for short term. especially as you are not planning on leaving them for too long, i wouldn't sweat it. YMMV. o)

 

[srduggins]

I don't think a plastic baggie will stop a beetle. As far as humidity goes, you'll be fine.

 

[Chrisso]

From my understanding, beetles have worked their way through cello, to spread around a stash of sticks. I would imagine a ziploc would be the same. I havent experienced this first hand, but have seen pictures of it. So I would be wary of that thought.

Like UpInSmoke said, I would just freeze the stash in question, just to rule out any possibility.

Best of luck,
-Chrisso

 

[Clint]

Freeze...Don't risk it.

Also, those sticks will definitely not get nearly the same humidification if the ziplock is sealed.

 

[CigarGavin]

It has too be asked... are you assuming bettles based on origin of the tobacco or from visual inspection.

If its origin; freeze
If its inspection; THROW THEM OUT!
If its just a "feeling"; freeze for a few days (72 hours under 32), put in the fridge (48 hours to bring closer to temp), then throw in the humi and bring back to humidity slowly (week or so)

 

[AlohaStyle]

I don't think a plastic baggie will stop a beetle.

Someone sent me a 5er for a contest. These cigars were not for me so I simply kept them in the sealed baggie until the contest was over. A few weeks later I pulled them out and noticed beetles. I was pissed as the person later admitted he knew his humidor had a beetle issue but didn't think these cigars were affected. Luckily for me, the baggie kept them inside... but they had 5 cigars to eat up. If they were in there longer, who knows if they would've eaten their way through the baggie.

They will keep the beetles contained in the near term which is better than nothing!

 

[CigarGavin]

I don't think a plastic baggie will stop a beetle.

Someone sent me a 5er for a contest. These cigars were not for me so I simply kept them in the sealed baggie until the contest was over. A few weeks later I pulled them out and noticed beetles. I was pissed as the person later admitted he knew his humidor had a beetle issue but didn't think these cigars were affected. Luckily for me, the baggie kept them inside... but they had 5 cigars to eat up. If they were in there longer, who knows if they would've eaten their way through the baggie.

They will keep the beetles contained in the near term which is better than nothing!

This whole thread is making me itchy.... and now you must excuse me while I check every cigar I own, thanks guys

 

[Ethan]

Thanks for all your input. Yea just when I get new sticks from people that live farther away or CC stuff I want to be careful. Have no problem freezing but my home freezer doesnt get nearly cold enough right?

 

[StogieNinja]

my home freezer doesnt get nearly cold enough right?

freeze for a few days (72 hours under 32), put in the fridge (48 hours to bring closer to temp), then throw in the humi and bring back to humidity slowly (week or so)

I was under the assumption they needed a loooot longer than that to kill beetle larvae?

 

[CigarGavin]

my home freezer doesnt get nearly cold enough right?

freeze for a few days (72 hours under 32), put in the fridge (48 hours to bring closer to temp), then throw in the humi and bring back to humidity slowly (week or so)

I was under the assumption they needed a loooot longer than that to kill beetle larvae?

Ive heard any where from 3 days to 10 and temps ranging from under 32 to under 0. I was using the "feeling" as an indicator (no actual larve found) if there where larve or beetles longer and more extreme measure (10 days; under 0) would probably be the way too go.

 

[Cigary43]

Ziploc bags can be used for short term storage and can be an advantage when getting cigars from Vendors, Friends, etc. where you can watch them. The right idea is to manage things so that it doesn't cause problems in storage and I have seen people use the large gallon freezer bags as a part time humidor...drop a pillow or boveda in them and just keep an eye on them. Outside temps need to be watched so don't use ziplocs where the outside temps are in the 50's and most people won't put a hygro in a ziploc...but they will use a boveda because they precisely ensure that the inside will be whatever you drop in them. At the end of the day you can buy a tupperware device that will work with you and can be a permanent solution w/o worrying or having to manage your new cigars at all. I've used tupperware and put 5 finger bags inside...wrote on the outside of the bag the date I got em...who they were from...etc. and everything was fine. Some of the ziplocs are pretty thick to deal with an outbreak of beetle attacks and I'd always use a heavier ML thickness...not the kind you buy from cheap Vendors.

 

[deckardjk]

http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/cigar-pests.pdf

Everything you'd need to know about the tobacco beetle. 4 hours at -15 C... which is about what a freezer would be set at is all that is needed. That said... the cigar actually needs to reach and hold at that temperature.

So I just stick to the 24 hours in fridge, 72 hours in freezer, 24 hours in fridge routine that I see a lot of other botl doing. I haven't had a problem.

 

[pbibby]

Habanos SA freezes all exported cigars for 5 days at about 4 degrees F. Post 2006 CCs should not have too many problems with beetles....

 

[Jfire]

Freeze...Don't risk it.

Also, those sticks will definitely not get nearly the same humidification if the ziplock is sealed.

^^^^ Please explain the lower Clint. Cause if humidity from the bag is escaping along with air being exchanged.... Then whatever humidity you have in that humi is going right back into that sweet little Baggie. If not you would have a vacuum.


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[YodisMatt]

Freeze...Don't risk it.

Also, those sticks will definitely not get nearly the same humidification if the ziplock is sealed.

^^^^ Please explain the lower Clint. Cause if humidity from the bag is escaping along with air being exchanged.... Then whatever humidity you have in that humi is going right back into that sweet little Baggie. If not you would have a vacuum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is my take on it as well, if the bag is in the same environment as all your other sticks it should be fine. Those bags are not air tight (and if they were wouldn't the sticks then make the environment as they are?) and allow your sticks to breath, I am super tight on space and have plenty of singles in baggies within my cooler, they all seem to smoke great.

 

[CWS]

Tupperware or similar. Boveda pak. Relax and watch.

 

[Clint]

Freeze...Don't risk it.

Also, those sticks will definitely not get nearly the same humidification if the ziplock is sealed.

^^^^ Please explain the lower Clint. Cause if humidity from the bag is escaping along with air being exchanged.... Then whatever humidity you have in that humi is going right back into that sweet little Baggie. If not you would have a vacuum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I meant that the actual amount of air flowing through a sealed bag would be very limited, so depending on what relative humidity was already in the sealed bag, the sticks might dry up. (I may be wrong...I am always learning, so feel free to correct!!)