Freezing - A preventative measure and Odours....

[Erol]

I know i'm a newbie who's asking too many questions and they will stop! but just quickly,

how many of you freeze your cigars as a preventative measure before aging?

after doing this does it matter what temp you store them at?

also, what effect would placing a humidor in a room with a faint odour do? will the humidor overpower the odour and not affect the cigars? or overtime will the cigars absorb this faint odour?

thanks!

[El Presidente]

» I know i'm a newbie who's asking too many questions and they will stop! but

» just quickly,

» how many of you freeze your cigars as a preventative measure before

» aging?

»

» after doing this does it matter what temp you store them at?

»

»

»

» also, what effect would placing a humidor in a room with a faint

» odour do? will the humidor overpower the odour and not affect the cigars?

» or overtime will the cigars absorb this faint odour?

»

» thanks!

Ask as many questions as you need to Errol...we have all been there ;-)

We supply many clients in tropical areas and almost to a man they freeze their cigars. When I mean freeze...they deep freeze the cigars in the majority of cases for 7-10 days (after placing the boxes in numerous zip lock bags). Done properly, they have no experiences with beetle hatches that I know. ***note*** there is a debate whether freezing cigars causes a change in flavour. Opinion is divided on the issue with good arguments on both sides. We did run an experiment with Monte 1's some five years ago freezing 5 from memory and tasting them a month after stabilisation with non frozen cigars from the same box. In our results there were no discernable difference in taste albeit there was a difference in aroma at cold with the Frozen Monte's displaying a more milk coffee aroma.

As for the Odour question...besides being intrigued at what the odour is ...I would hazard a guess that a closed humidor would handle almost anything on the basis that tobacco is quite pungeant. I can't fathom a reason why it would not overpower a faint room aroma.

[Claudius]

» I know i'm a newbie who's asking too many questions and they will stop! but

» just quickly,

» how many of you freeze your cigars as a preventative measure before

» aging?

»

» after doing this does it matter what temp you store them at?

I would think that it matters what temperature you store your cigars at, especially for aging! I dont see what freezing them beforehand could change? Cigars are usually already frozen at least once before you buy them anyway.

[Freefallguy]

As a prophylactic measure, I take them straight from the FedEx guy and toss them in the freezer for a minimum of three days. After that they rest in the coolidor for another 30 days before being torched.

Works for me.

[anacostiakat]

In the past I have never frozen anything. However I am starting to think that a minimum of 3 days in my stand alone freezer at home and then maybe the same amount of time in my fridge before going to the humi might work for new arrivals.

But if I order a "chilled" unit then it wont really matter will it! :cool:

[Erol]

» » I know i'm a newbie who's asking too many questions and they will stop!

» but

» » just quickly,

» » how many of you freeze your cigars as a preventative measure before

» » aging?

» »

» » after doing this does it matter what temp you store them at?

» »

» »

» »

» » also, what effect would placing a humidor in a room with a faint

» » odour do? will the humidor overpower the odour and not affect the

» cigars?

» » or overtime will the cigars absorb this faint odour?

» »

» » thanks!

»

» Ask as many questions as you need to Errol...we have all been there ;-)

»

» We supply many clients in tropical areas and almost to a man they freeze

» their cigars. When I mean freeze...they deep freeze the cigars in the

» majority of cases for 7-10 days (after placing the boxes in numerous zip

» lock bags). Done properly, they have no experiences with beetle hatches

» that I know. ***note*** there is a debate whether freezing cigars causes a

» change in flavour. Opinion is divided on the issue with good arguments on

» both sides. We did run an experiment with Monte 1's some five years ago

» freezing 5 from memory and tasting them a month after stabilisation with

» non frozen cigars from the same box. In our results there were no

» discernable difference in taste albeit there was a difference in aroma at

» cold with the Frozen Monte's displaying a more milk coffee aroma.

»

» As for the Odour question...besides being intrigued at what the odour is

» ...I would hazard a guess that a closed humidor would handle almost

» anything on the basis that tobacco is quite pungeant. I can't fathom a

» reason why it would not overpower a faint room aroma.

thanks for the feedback gentlemen, i'll look into getting myself a vaccuum sealer.

glad to hear the odour won't pose a problem. They stix were in my cold room and there was a faint odour of something, not unpleasant, maybe onions but its something you would only detect on your way in, and never again inside.

they're out of the cold room now but still in the basement. I'm having trouble getting that humidity down but its slowly coming, its averaging 71-72%, with a high of 74% ( i have no idea when),

the basement is humid so we've got the de-humidifier running. I hope that will help things.

thanks again to all of you!

[hueynova]

» In the past I have never frozen anything. However I am starting to think

» that a minimum of 3 days in my stand alone freezer at home and then maybe

» the same amount of time in my fridge before going to the humi might work

» for new arrivals.

»

» But if I order a "chilled" unit then it wont really matter will it!

» :cool:

My understanding of freezing cigars is that it is important to thaw them very slowly, so freezer to fridge to room temp to humi is recommended.

[Colt45]

» they're out of the cold room now but still in the basement. I'm having

» trouble getting that humidity down but its slowly coming, its averaging

» 71-72%, with a high of 74% ( i have no idea when),

»

» the basement is humid so we've got the de-humidifier running. I hope that

» will help things.

Have you tried using a desiccant (un-hydrated beads/litter pearls) in your

humidor(s)?

[Erol]

» » they're out of the cold room now but still in the basement. I'm having

» » trouble getting that humidity down but its slowly coming, its averaging

» » 71-72%, with a high of 74% ( i have no idea when),

» »

» » the basement is humid so we've got the de-humidifier running. I hope

» that

» » will help things.

» Have you tried using a desiccant (un-hydrated beads/litter pearls) in

» your

» humidor(s)?

no... not yet..

where can i get those?

i used to have a "tupperdore" that worked well throughout the winter, then summer came and the humidity shot up, so much so that I coudln't control it, no matter where in the house.

stupid me used silica gel.... and that was the end of those cigars! it was not a huge loss, only 3 sticks not worth much

so i'm afraid to try any type of that stuff in the event that it'll taint the aroma of the cigars. but i'm willing to try anything to acheive a stable environment!

[Colt45]

Erol, silica gel is what you want to use - but don't add any water.

It will absorb the excess moisture.

Try to find an area of your house where climate changes are the slowest.

For me, it's my basement - temp and humidity changes are gradual.

Good luck!

[greenpimp]

Also, just an FYI, it is my understanding that the temperature required to be effective is not achieved with home refrigerators, only commercial ones, and the cigars are frozen for some time.

How warm does it get in your house?

[Erol]

» Also, just an FYI, it is my understanding that the temperature required to

» be effective is not achieved with home refrigerators, only commercial

» ones, and the cigars are frozen for some time.

»

» How warm does it get in your house?

Colt: so far the basement is the steadiest place for temp, but for humidity, though constant is high (like in the 70's and up)

pimp: well thats no good :-(, worth a shot anywyas, i dont think i'll do it now i'll worry about getting my humidor settled

basement is alwyas cool, which is why i want to leave them there for the summer. its like 15 C to 18 C. Upstairs is closer to 20-21 with air conditioning, without it can go to 28 C and really just reflect the temp outside.

I just hope i dont have to worry too much about the temp this summer

[greenpimp]

If it were me, I'd keep everything in the basement and use silica gel to keep the RH own. If you're worried about beetles, quarantine your new purchases for awhile.

Course I tend to not worry as much as others. I love my cigars but don't want to go completely off the deep end with worry over them.

[Freefallguy]

Erol, I will attest to the RH beads with great enthusiasm! I put them in my coolidor over the winter (US) and they have been phenomenal; it keeps the interior @ 65%RH, whereas the basement is closer to 80-90%.

As for the cigar with the onion odour, why don’t you pass one along to Ken… I’d love to see his review of that one!;-)

[Erol]

» Erol, I will attest to the RH beads with great enthusiasm! I put them in my

» coolidor over the winter (US) and they have been phenomenal; it keeps the

» interior @ 65%RH, whereas the basement is closer to 80-90%.

»

» As for the cigar with the onion odour, why don’t you pass one along to

» Ken… I’d love to see his review of that one!;-)

ahhaah thanks guys, that was amusing.

is there a store/product i should look for the beads? Tobaconnist or hardware/pet store? Brand name? brand type? I would love to get some!

lol i'm hoping that the onions didn't make their way into the cigars. They were there for maybe 1-2 weeks and the odour isn't strong (alwyas inside the humidor)... its just something in the room, but now they're out of the cold room but still in the basement.