Ciggar Beatles

[ciggy]

Maybe you've been asked this in the past but I couldn't find it. Anyways say you walk into one of your favorite local cigar store humidor to see whats new to try. You reach into a box to inspect a stick and you see it has a pin hole in it. So you take out about 10 and maybe 3-4 have these pin holes. You really want to ty one so you look for the nicest one and take it home. I did this, but when I got home I put the stogie in the freezer for awhile. However it makes me wonder about buying boxes and putting them into my humi's. I have had no problems yet but I wonder if this is something that can happen in transit and should you check/inspect every cigar before going into the humi. I usually just break the seal and store. So what's your take on this?

 

[daniyal]

There are numerous threads on the dreaded cigar beetle.. Tobacco bugs usually occur due to either excessive humidity or high temperatures its a part of life and can happen to anyone the best advice in the instant case would be to buy from reputable dealers or at least those who store their sticks in the right conditions 70/70 is the minimum standard.

 

[daniyal]

oh some brothers here myself included often use a quarantine box. I make it a point to inspect boxes before I buy them and put them in a quarantine box for a bit to see if the bugs show up if not they go into the regular storage. I've had one infestation but the B&M was happy to replace the box for me. Mostly pin holes in cigars wouldn't neccessarily imply infestation (in my case you could see the little bastards eating at the leaf). If you do find your sticks are infested throw away the affected sticks and freeze the rest to be on the safe side.

 

[ahbroody]

I freeze everything which goes into the igloo. It is a simple step and while my collection is still kind of small I dont want to loose it.
I have noticed freezing the sticks adds about a month to when I feel they are smoking well. If its singles I have a little 50 count desktp that serves as my short term box. You should just freeze for safety. While vendors and distributors generally store correctly, when sticks are in transit it is generally not temperature controled and this can cause issues.

Better safe then sorry.

 

[twenty5]

I freeze everything which goes into the igloo. It is a simple step and while my collection is still kind of small I dont want to loose it.
I have noticed freezing the sticks adds about a month to when I feel they are smoking well. If its singles I have a little 50 count desktp that serves as my short term box. You should just freeze for safety. While vendors and distributors generally store correctly, when sticks are in transit it is generally not temperature controled and this can cause issues.

Better safe then sorry.

Freezing your cigars IMO is a great way to stop the continuation of a beetle problem, but not something that needs to be or should be done with every cigar you receive. At most put them in a different container for a week or 2 but freezing could create problems all on its own. When water freezes, obviously it expands, cracking wrappers etc... Beetles are not as big of a problem as some people think. Obviously a big deal and can ruin your entire collection if not looked at for a long time but not worth the risk or time of freezing every cigar...... IMHO

 

[CWS]

On top of that most home freezers will not get cold enough to do the job.

 

[ahbroody]

guess I been lucky as far as cracks and water expansion. That said I dont just throw in freezer and yank back out. The whole process takes about 6 days. Fridge to freezer to fridge. I guess I have just seen to many pictures of sticks and boxes destroyed by beetles. I know Habanos is supposed to be freezing sticks now, but I just dont trust it. I have seen NCs destroyed by beetles as well, but dont know if it was cross contamination.

I definetly dont have a big collection or even a medium sized collection. Infact its kind of pathetic in relation to others I have seen. That said I try to buy good stuff when I buy and dont have to many sticks I could stand to loose. I guess I just figure its better to be safe then sorry. I have 3 little kids and have to pick and choose what I buy very carefully as my budget is tight and it seems shrinking by the month. I guess thats why I do it. I have read a few articles on the best way to freeze and so far it has worked perfectly and I have the peace of mind knowing I should not have any issues. We have a dedicated freezer at the house because with the little ones we need it. The temp is definelty correct for freezing. I almost never have the ability to buy a box outside of certain PCs. So most of my sticks are from splits or splits of splits. hahhahaha. So that said my boxes in the humi have sticks all jumbled together. I would hate to have one stick ruin a bunch of others.

not trying to sound confrontational or start a war. Its just for me I cant see not doing it given the budget I am working with and what I like to smoke. Caviar dreams on a PB&J budget. I will say it definetly extends the time of when they are able to be smoken on the CC side for my goat pallet.

Anyways to each his own just figured I would voice my opinion of why I do it.

 

[ciggy]

Just want to say thanks for all the advice. I haven't had any problems yet and I hope not down the road.
Thanks everyone!

 

[Mitch]

I think a temp controled humidor is also great insurance. Eggs don't hatch below a certain temp, so even if you get a bettle there will be no next generation of bettles hatching to cause problems. The horror storeies I've seen had to have been well into the second or third generation to do what I saw. One bettle pisses me off, a few hundred will make you cry.

 

[ahbroody]

I figured today would be an excellent day to bump this thread because of what I recieved in the mail today. A reputable vendor who ships in the yellow bags which many many botls use sent me a box today. The box was an 08 sealed box of SLR Regios. Upon opening the box I found the following

Now this is an 08 box which was reported Habanos SA has allegedly been freezing everything. Introduce this box into your collection and you could screw yourself.

This is why I freeze everything. Better to be safe then screwed.

 

[kmckinn3]

Wow. never thought of that. good lookin out

 

[ahbroody]

What pisses me off is that Habanos SA I read in a CA article is claiming they freeze everything after production and prior to shipping. They clearly are lying or there freezing method is crap. This box was December 08 with the Hologram seals.
Have the box in my garage far from my humi in the house. Waiting to hear back from vendor. Hopefully tomorrow as they were closed when I got the mail here on the west coast.

 

[kmckinn3]

Maybe the damage occurred before freezing?

 

[weskimad]

I was always my understanding that freezing does not kill the eggs, only any critters that have hatched or are in the process of hatching.

Say Habanos freezes the boxes, and then ships the boxes out. Those boxes might sit in a truck over a hot weekend, again allowing any eggs to start their life cycle.

Is this incorrect?

 

[Moro]

I was always my understanding that freezing does not kill the eggs, only any critters that have hatched or are in the process of hatching.

Say Habanos freezes the boxes, and then ships the boxes out. Those boxes might sit in a truck over a hot weekend, again allowing any eggs to start their life cycle.

Is this incorrect?

In a way, incorrect. Depending on the temperature, freezing should KILL the eggs. Depending, that is.

 

[CWS]

I would guess damage was done before freezing. Any live activity?

 

[strife]

I could swear I read somewhere that there is a vacuum process somewhere during production that is supposed to destroy the eggs. :dunno:

 

[ahbroody]

no live activity that I could see. I contacted the vendor and they made it right.
Freezing anyway. I see no reason to take a risk by not doing so. Still will probablly keep them in a seperate small 30cnt after anyway. They smoke great though