Tobacco Beetles, Temperature spikes and all other things that go bump in the night

[HumidorJuan]

I was out of town for two days, and upon my return I check my boveda butler and GASP my humidity and temp shot up huge (it was 78rh/80temp) southwestern Ontario gets hot and swampy and the season really broke while I was away. I don't really have another place to put my hum in the house so I cracked them both open, took my boveda packs out, and set a fan up blowing directly on them to bring the rh and temp down and it seems to be working (the humid are at 70 rh/74 temp and I hope they continue to drop). I've inspected them all for little holes and I seem to be fine (for now) and reading through the FOH posts of yesteryear I saw one where Prez mentions that Habanos started freezing stock to cut down on a beetle problem in like 05 or something. so...

1. Does Habanos still freeze outgoing stock

2. any other suggestions on how to keep a humi cold when the only option is a hot room

 

 

 

[slowsmoke]

1- I'll take a guess at the answer: "Mostly."  But beetle reports seem pretty rare on FOH, which is a good sign.  Most will say freeze them on your own, and then don't worry about it.  But many don't even bother.

2- There's not much you can do unless you get a wineador or some other climate controlled space.  Even those are not foolproof.  A good coolidor will help slow down the swings, and maybe reduce short spikes, but if it's hot for hours on end, eventually the coolidor will be too.  If the sticks have been properly frozen, there's probably not much harm in 80 deg temps, as long you can control the humidity.  If the external humidity is really high, you will need to run a little desiccant.

[GrouchoMarx]

I freeze everything I buy when IN cuba. (48 hours in the deep freeze - then fridge, then out for 1/2 day - then humi).

Otherwise... meh.... I've been lucky?   2500 sticks and not one.

[CaptainQuintero]

1- supposedly but they're not trustworthy imo 

2- first off check your cigars, the hygrometers might just be on their way out. Do the wrappers have any crackle to them or are they soft and squishy?

You've a few options, you can control the humidor but if you go down that route and get a wine fridge etc then you need to build a system in to remove the moisture that having them turned on will introduce into your humidor or you're going to get mould

You can control the room temperature that the humidor is in

You can freeze everything then you don't need to worry about beetles again, you just need to control rh with something simple like beads

 It depends what your budget/time/energy demands are

 

[rk1900]

I've been down your road living in So Cal. 

The solution to your problem is one word, "Freezador", but it really depends on your budget/needs.

[Fuzz]

Unless you are not freezing new stock before going into your humi, the chance of getting beetles is remote, in my opinion (unless you live right next to a tobacco plantation).

I don't know about you guys, but I seriously doubt tobacco beetles travel hundreds (thousands?) of kms in search of your cigars, when they can just stay on the farm. The only reason they leave plantations is because some human has carted them off in a big bundle of tobacco leaves.

I'd be more concerned with mold than a beetle outbreak.