FREEZE EVERYTHING!!

[tapewormboy]

Just got a box of Bolivar Gold Medals yesterday (non-FOH source) and found a LIVE beetle eating away at one of the sticks. This is a 2007 box!!! (TEB AGO 07)

It was just in its larval stage, meaning it hatched recently. I'm guessing he hatched before shipping since the larval stage is supposed to last for 5-10 weeks. The box was only traveling for 1 week. I noticed a bunch of beetle feces in the box and the rest of the box has gone into the freezer.

I'd been reluctant with the whole freezing process until now.

FREEZE EVERYTHING!!!

Here's some pictures:

Box with feces:

After tapping the cigar on a piece of paper (I was studying at the time):

I felt a soft spot near the foot and started digging with a paper clip to see if I could find him. You can see him in the groove:

White, fuzzy, and still moving:

[CIGARHead]

I would NOT chance that box. Let the vendor know and get a refund or another box sent. A bigger problem would be putting these in the humidor after freezing and find that they have survived and are now feasting off your other cigars.

[Colt45]

» I noticed a bunch of beetle feces in the box

Would that not mean that there were adult beetles in the box? It sounds like there may be some

kind of "infestation" wherever these came from.

I think I'd probably advise the supplier as well.

[tapewormboy]

I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken care of. I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing practices aren't 100% effective.

[Fuzz]

» I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken care

» of. I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing

» practices aren't 100% effective.

Could the bettle have come from another box from the vendor's stock and hitched a ride? Are any NC manufacturers using the freezing technique to bug-proof their stock?

[tapewormboy]

» » I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken

» care

» » of. I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing

» » practices aren't 100% effective.

»

» Could the bettle have come from another box from the vendor's stock and

» hitched a ride? Are any NC manufacturers using the freezing technique to

» bug-proof their stock?

Almost zero chance...the beetle was embedded inside the stick with zero damage on the outside. I'd say it's an isolate case, but it worries me since Habanos was supposed to be taking care of it.

[Colt45]

» Almost zero chance...the beetle was embedded inside the stick with zero

» damage on the outside. I'd say it's an isolate case, but it worries me

» since Habanos was supposed to be taking care of it.

Then where did the beetle poop come from? :-D

Here's a thread discussing beetle "migration":

[link=http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=70763&page=0&order=time&category=all.tld/]Link[/link]

[mkz]

I always freeze, though I actually never seen one of those little buggers.

-25 degrees celsius for atleast 24 hours...

[dolly]

» Just got a box of Bolivar Gold Medals yesterday (non-FOH source) and found

» a LIVE beetle eating away at one of the sticks. This is a 2007 box!!!

» »

I have a few boxes of Boliva Gold Medals with the same date as yours.

(TEB AGO 07). What should I do with them? I never understood the concept of freezing it. :-|

[First Lady]

What a bummer :-(

Sorry to hear about that honey....... Guys as a rule you should freeze everything as it can happen...

Just like the plugged cigars should never been seen again... yeah right :-D We send boxes back at least once a week ( a variety of brands) that are plugged or not up to our standard. You can trust things are getting done 100% all the time

Lisa

[Fuzz]

I say light 'em up and smoke the little buggers.

Though I wonder what flavour a bettle infestation would impart to a cigar....

[mkz]

» (TEB AGO 07). What should I do with them? I never understood the concept

» of freezing it. :-|

I put the cigars in airtight plastic containers wich are suitable for freezing and the empty box in a ziplock bag.

Then: Freeze everything. In my case -25 celsius for atlest 24 h.

After the freezing I put everything in the fridge for another 24 h and after that, atleast I feel safe.

[crazypoet]

» I'd been reluctant with the whole freezing process until now.

»

» FREEZE EVERYTHING!!!

I've found beetles in NCs, but this is the first I've seen in a CC - thanks for putting this up, and sorry about the sticks - what a heartbreak!

[dolly]

» » (TEB AGO 07). What should I do with them? I never understood the

» concept

» » of freezing it. :-|

»

» I put the cigars in airtight plastic containers wich are suitable for

» freezing and the empty box in a ziplock bag.

»

» Then: Freeze everything. In my case -25 celsius for atlest 24 h.

»

» After the freezing I put everything in the fridge for another 24 h and

» after that, atleast I feel safe.

Thanks, but where do you find a -25 celsius freeze. Does my home use fridge do the job?:-P

[Colt45]

» Thanks, but where do you find a -25 celsius freeze. Does my home use

» fridge do the job?:-P

The general concensus is that the freezer in your home fridge will not do the job. A deep freezer is

necessary to destroy the eggs. If the eggs are not destroyed, you could still have an outbreak with warm

enough temps, even though you may have killed any larvae.

There have been quite a few discussions here on the topic - try a search for beetles, freezing, etc.

Here's a link from some time back:

[link=http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=4997#p6569.tld/]Link[/link]

[mkz]

» Thanks, but where do you find a -25 celsius freeze. Does my home use

» fridge do the job?:-P

Our regular freezers goes down to atleast -30 celsius. Nothing strange here in sweden. I think its has something to do with ones residental power output. Here we have 220V but in other countries theres is only 110V.

Just put the freezer on max cold and put an thermometer in it for a while and see what it says...

I think the numbers for killing these infestations is:

-10 celsius kills everything (egg, larva, beetle etc) in 24 hours.

-15 celsius kills everything in 6 hours.

-20 celsius kills everything in 1 hour.

Or as one could say: Kill ´em all and let God sort ´em out!!! :-D

However. Consider that everything has to be frozen all the way through. It takes time for the cold to reach for the center of a product depending on how you pack it for the cold. Better freezing to long than to short, right?!

Remember!!! It has to be packed airtight!!!

And put the stuff in the fridge for a day or two after freezing so nothing cracks on those sweet sticks.

[Claudius]

» I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken care

» of. I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing

» practices aren't 100% effective.

I store the cigars at 59°F / 15°C. Never seen a beetle.

[dolly]

» » Thanks, but where do you find a -25 celsius freeze. Does my home use

» » fridge do the job?:-P

»

» Our regular freezers goes down to atleast -30 celsius. Nothing strange

» here in sweden. I think its has something to do with ones residental power

» output. Here we have 220V but in other countries theres is only 110V.

»

» Just put the freezer on max cold and put an thermometer in it for a while

» and see what it says...

»

» I think the numbers for killing these infestations is:

»

» -10 celsius kills everything (egg, larva, beetle etc) in 24 hours.

» -15 celsius kills everything in 6 hours.

» -20 celsius kills everything in 1 hour.

»

» Or as one could say: Kill ´em all and let God sort ´em out!!! :-D

»

» However. Consider that everything has to be frozen all the way through. It

» takes time for the cold to reach for the center of a product depending on

» how you pack it for the cold. Better freezing to long than to short,

» right?!

»

» Remember!!! It has to be packed airtight!!!

» And put the stuff in the fridge for a day or two after freezing so nothing

» cracks on those sweet sticks.

Yeah, I rather freeze it longer. No mercy! Kill them all. BTW, we use 220V over here too. I think it will do the job, but I will test the temp first. The weather here is getting warmer day by day. My aristocrat is still not finish. Getting worried.:-(

Thanks everyone. I will also search past threads for more info.

[gyosa]

here's what i do ...

when i receive a package , i immediately put it in the freezer , unopened ... i don't even unpack it .. it goes straight from my door to the freezer whilst still in the original shipping envelope ... - they are packaged very well and airtight ..

i set my freezer to it's lowest setting , and freeze for 7 days , then 1 day in the refrigerator ... then unpack , and into their boxes .

never had a problem in 12 years doing it this way ...

[skindiver]

I can almost remember a semi-sober discussion with Rob about freezing after he had talked with Habanos about their freezing capabilities. He advised me to freeze.

Not exactly like the Cuban police telling me to freeze, but I'm taking his advice. Everything I brought home last week is in the freezer now.

I have more than 19, too!

[tapewormboy]

Has anyone ever had beetles AFTER freezing? I just want to know if this is technique is close to 100% effective...

[Brickhouse]

Sorry to hear about this bro, great photos of the evidence.

[gyosa]

nope .... never. only prior to freezing.

however , i did once get a box of cigars that had a few beetle infested sticks upon arrival, ( prior to freezing ) , i did NOT co-mingle that box w/ my humidor ..... i promptly gave them ALL away at a local bar i frequent for football games.

even after freezing , i personally do not take any chances at all w/ any cigars that have any signs of infestation....call me paranoid , but it has served me well...... just not worth the risk , imo.

» Has anyone ever had beetles AFTER freezing? I just want to know if this is

» technique is close to 100% effective...