moryc Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Couple of days ago I cam across two cigars in two different boxes with beetle holes. 1. Montecricto Double Edmundo - Box 10 - purchased on the island at LCDH Cayo Santa Maria in June of 2014 - I noticed this one back in July. 2. Siglo VI (ouch ouch) - Box 25 - purchased on the island at LCDH Cayo Santa Maria in October of 2014 - I noticed this one a week ago. In both cases the beetle was dead in the box and no damage has been done to any of the other cigars. I keep my cigars in their original boxes in a thermal electric wine cooler and the temperature is at 65f with humidity 65% - 67% (measured inside the boxes). I have quarantined the two cigars in to two separate Ziploc bags and have been monitoring both boxes on daily basis and nothing else. I am still going to smoke the cigars and the holes are near the foot (No way I am throwing out a Siglo VI) I have been reading quite a bit on here and all over the internet if Habanos freezes their cigars. However, everywhere I look its a different answer. Some say they do and some say they don't. Some say that the freeze for export but not what is sold on the island. Could it be possible that the beetles hatched before the freezing processed and were frozen? Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthson Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Note to self, don't shop at LCDH Cayo Santa Maria! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbandz Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 They would not have eaten their way out of the cigars if they were frozen as adults. Possibly they got in afterwards, or they were never frozen. Search tobacco beetle and see if your bugs are the ones, also you will see life cycle info on how long it takes to hatch an egg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuzi16 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 the lava stage is the dormant stage for the tobacco beetle. if they were frozen for too short of a time and there was lava present they could grow to an adult and eat their way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moryc Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Could it be possible that they hatched between the time the cigar was boxed and the freezing. The beetle hatched, got out and then the box was frozen and it died. I've purchased quite a few boxes from that shop in the past and never had any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaDisco Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Had something similar with a PSD4, beetle hatched out of the foot. Upon dissection I also found a dead larva in the cigar. All the rest of the box of tubed PSD4's were fine. Nino posted pics on here of the gigantic freezers that they use, but it is a slightly imprecise science so it's possible for the rare bug to slip through. The freezing temperature and duration are different for the adult, the larvae and the temperature acclimated larvae; and, as you might imagine, freezing in giant master cases could easily result in one temperature at the center of the case and a different temperature at the periphery. Anyway, it seems that they do a pretty good job with the freezing and something rarely slips through. And when something does slip through you need two since the tobacco beetle reproduces sexually, so just one beetle might ruin a box, but it won't reproduce and destroy an entire humidor. Stuff that doesn't come from Habanos SA is not getting the factory freezer treatment though, so be careful with your temperature control, or freeze everything yourself when it arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarbreak Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 PM sent. I had similar problem from there in June i believe in 2014. Freeze the lot you got from CSM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Could it be possible that they hatched between the time the cigar was boxed and the freezing. The beetle hatched, got out and then the box was frozen and it died. The above is quite likely. I have seen it a fair few times over the past 8 years. Single beetle, DOA. If it had gotten in post freezing then you would have a live beetle/beetles. If they had never been frozen then the beetle would spawned a host. As has been mentioned. Freeze everything from those boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallclub Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 the lava stage is the dormant stage for the tobacco beetle. The larva is NOT dormant, It's precisely the larva that dig galleries by eating the tobacco… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 The larva is NOT dormant, It's precisely the larva that dig galleries by eating the tobacco… THAT'S what you're fact checking?! What about the part where he mentioned that there would be LAVA present Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallclub Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 What about the part where he mentioned that there would be LAVA present My bad, it's the dreaded lava of the volcano beetle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moryc Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks for all the advice. In the freezer they go today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthson Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks for all the advice. In the freezer they go today. Best of luck and when you smoke them, listen for the snap, crackle, pop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moryc Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 So I am ready to freeze these two boxes. A little bit paranoid I must admit since it is my first freezing and it is a box of Siglo VI. I have been reading quite a bit about freezing over the past little while, but never actually got around to doing it. I found this post on Puff.com about freezing and it seems to me that some research into this so it looks good to me: http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-cigar-discussion/324594-complete-guide-freezing-cigars.html I tripled bagged each of the boxes in freezer bags and I sucked out as much air as possible with a straw. I put the bagged boxes into the fridge for 24 hours. I measured the temperature in my freezer and got a reading of -10 C so according to these charts the duration in the freezer should be 48 hours plus 2 hour cool down so lets say 72 hours to have 3 full days. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moryc Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Best of luck and when you smoke them, listen for the snap, crackle, pop! With pleasure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthson Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Whenever I've bought customs, I've always frozen them for about 3-4 days, refrigerated for another 3, and then put them in my humi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanuckSARTech Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 IMO, if you're a new member here, and come here asking for help, aside from not posting in the Newbie forum to say hi and who you are, it's a bit of bad form to come here asking for help but then quoting a thread from another forum. Just saying. If you run a search, there's a couple threads on here of similar discussions, with lots of stories, comparisions, worthwhile info and charts, etc. That said... Yes, freeze what you have there. (I myself am a huge proponent of freezing everything you receive, no matter the source, as you can only be 100% sure of your own storage methods and non-infestation that way). Bag them up (cigars in boxes) in decent freezer bags. 1, 2 or 3 days fridge, 3 days deep freezer (sub 10 degrees Celcius or so), then 3 days back in fridge, then into humidor for a couple of days still in bag, and then open and inspect and let them settle out for 30 days. I do a 3-3-3 just so its easy to remember and minimalize issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soutso Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 IMO, if you're a new member here, and come here asking for help, aside from not posting in the Newbie forum to say hi and who you are, it's a bit of bad form to come here asking for help but then quoting a thread from another forum. Just saying. If you run a search, there's a couple threads on here of similar discussions, with lots of stories, comparisions, worthwhile info and charts, etc. That said... Yes, freeze what you have there. (I myself am a huge proponent of freezing everything you receive, no matter the source, as you can only be 100% sure of your own storage methods and non-infestation that way). Bag them up (cigars in boxes) in decent freezer bags. 1, 2 or 3 days fridge, 3 days deep freezer (sub 10 degrees Celcius or so), then 3 days back in fridge, then into humidor for a couple of days still in bag, and then open and inspect and let them settle out for 30 days. I do a 3-3-3 just so its easy to remember and minimalize issues. I didn't know that you could freeze them whilst they are in the box. I always take the cigars out, place them all in a bag, suck out the air with a straw and zip up. Then I place that bag inside of another ziplock bag and repeat the process. You've saved me most of the labour! Thanks Just out of interest can you freeze a half empty box? ie does the box have to be full or close to full? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick2021 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Place them in ziplock, remove the air, and into the deep freezer for 3 days (my deep freezer will get to sub 10 degrees). After that, into the frig for 6 hours (just personal preference on this) and then into the humidor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarbreak Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I dont think there's an exact science but what i have done based on the info floating around I fridge em for a day, double ziplocked, then freeze them for 4 days then fridge them for a at least 24 hrs. Then I let em sit on the counter for another 6-8 hrs and then put them in the humi. I'll reply back to your PM tomorrow. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanuckSARTech Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I didn't know that you could freeze them whilst they are in the box. I always take the cigars out, place them all in a bag, suck out the air with a straw and zip up. Then I place that bag inside of another ziplock bag and repeat the process. You've saved me most of the labour! Thanks Just out of interest can you freeze a half empty box? ie does the box have to be full or close to full? Yes, box and all. Doesn't help nor hurt anything - just less work, and added protection from damaging them in transition, I guess, if you happen to drop the bag or whatnot. And yes, half a box, no issues either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soutso Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Yes, box and all. Doesn't help nor hurt anything - just less work, and added protection from damaging them in transition, I guess, if you happen to drop the bag or whatnot. And yes, half a box, no issues either. Thank you my friend. Up until now when I've frozen my cigars, I take them all out. I don't mind doing it but I'd prefer not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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