Do you freeze?
- Thread starter Bruce T.
- Start date
Found this:
Cigar Beetle eggs can be killed by exposure to temperatures easily obtainable by home refrigerators/freezers. An industrial deep freeze is not required, as rumor has indicated.
There is a direct correlation between the time it takes to kill and temperature. The colder the temp, the shorter it takes to kill eggs.
The figures below are time to kill 95% (abbreviated LT95) of eggs exposed to the environment. Keep this in mind when applying these figures to cigars because 1) we want to kill 100% of eggs and 2) any eggs inside our cigars have a thick layer of insulating tobacco that must be cooled before the eggs will reach that temperature.
5c (41f) requires ~12 days (275 hours)
0c (32f) requires ~9 days (220 hours)
-5c (23f) requires ~4 days (100 hours)
-10c (14f) requires less than 24 hours
-15c (5f) requires less than 24 hours
-20c (-4f) requires less than 24 hours
The length of time you should freeze your cigars depends on the temperature your freezer is at. I highly recommend that everyone using their freezer to treat cigars keeps a fridge/freezer thermometer in there so they know roughly what temp range their freezer runs at. These are available at most grocery stores, usually with baking supplies. From experience I have seen home freezers that run anywhere from 1 degree below freezing to as low as -25c.
Right now I am trying to get data on how long it takes a cigar to go from room temp to 5c, and from 5c to -20c. Based on data from other consumables I estimate it would take a cigar at least 24 hours to reach the same temperature as the freezer (equilibrium) when it is moved into the freezer from the refrigerator. Based on this alone one should add 24 hours to amount of time cigars are kept in the freezer.
The times given above are to kill 95% of eggs. I have not found times required to kill 99.9% of eggs but doubling the LT95 for that temperature should be more than sufficient.
IN SUMMARY
Double bag your cigars and let them spend 24 hours in the refrigerator. I think everyone agrees that this gives the cigars a safe transition from room temp to near freezing. Move the cigars into the freezer. How long they should stay there depends on your freezer temp. If it is below -10c 72 hours in the freezer should be sufficient. That's 24 hours to get the cigars to -10c, 24 hours to kill 95% of eggs, and an extra 24 hours for good measure. When coming out of the freezer it is a good idea to let the cigars spend 24 hours in the fridge, and another 24 hours at room temp STILL SEALED IN THE BAGS. This protects the cigars from rapid changes in temp/humidity.
I know there are some out there who prefer to avoid freezing because of potential damage to cigars and the rest period required afterwards. The time required will vary greatly based upon the temp of your fridge. Keep in mind the temp will also fluctuate based on door opening/closing etc. (Although this occurs in the freezer, it is less of an issue due to the comparatively short time required) With an LT95 of 12 days at 5c I would personally keep cigars in there for at least 3 weeks.
This information should be applied to uninfested cigars for prevention of a beetle outbreak. If you have cigars that are infested or you know have been exposed to beetles they should be subjected to more lengthy treatment because they will presumably have far more eggs present than any uninfested cigars that picked up some eggs during manufacture.
Cigar Beetle eggs can be killed by exposure to temperatures easily obtainable by home refrigerators/freezers. An industrial deep freeze is not required, as rumor has indicated.
There is a direct correlation between the time it takes to kill and temperature. The colder the temp, the shorter it takes to kill eggs.
The figures below are time to kill 95% (abbreviated LT95) of eggs exposed to the environment. Keep this in mind when applying these figures to cigars because 1) we want to kill 100% of eggs and 2) any eggs inside our cigars have a thick layer of insulating tobacco that must be cooled before the eggs will reach that temperature.
5c (41f) requires ~12 days (275 hours)
0c (32f) requires ~9 days (220 hours)
-5c (23f) requires ~4 days (100 hours)
-10c (14f) requires less than 24 hours
-15c (5f) requires less than 24 hours
-20c (-4f) requires less than 24 hours
The length of time you should freeze your cigars depends on the temperature your freezer is at. I highly recommend that everyone using their freezer to treat cigars keeps a fridge/freezer thermometer in there so they know roughly what temp range their freezer runs at. These are available at most grocery stores, usually with baking supplies. From experience I have seen home freezers that run anywhere from 1 degree below freezing to as low as -25c.
Right now I am trying to get data on how long it takes a cigar to go from room temp to 5c, and from 5c to -20c. Based on data from other consumables I estimate it would take a cigar at least 24 hours to reach the same temperature as the freezer (equilibrium) when it is moved into the freezer from the refrigerator. Based on this alone one should add 24 hours to amount of time cigars are kept in the freezer.
The times given above are to kill 95% of eggs. I have not found times required to kill 99.9% of eggs but doubling the LT95 for that temperature should be more than sufficient.
IN SUMMARY
Double bag your cigars and let them spend 24 hours in the refrigerator. I think everyone agrees that this gives the cigars a safe transition from room temp to near freezing. Move the cigars into the freezer. How long they should stay there depends on your freezer temp. If it is below -10c 72 hours in the freezer should be sufficient. That's 24 hours to get the cigars to -10c, 24 hours to kill 95% of eggs, and an extra 24 hours for good measure. When coming out of the freezer it is a good idea to let the cigars spend 24 hours in the fridge, and another 24 hours at room temp STILL SEALED IN THE BAGS. This protects the cigars from rapid changes in temp/humidity.
I know there are some out there who prefer to avoid freezing because of potential damage to cigars and the rest period required afterwards. The time required will vary greatly based upon the temp of your fridge. Keep in mind the temp will also fluctuate based on door opening/closing etc. (Although this occurs in the freezer, it is less of an issue due to the comparatively short time required) With an LT95 of 12 days at 5c I would personally keep cigars in there for at least 3 weeks.
This information should be applied to uninfested cigars for prevention of a beetle outbreak. If you have cigars that are infested or you know have been exposed to beetles they should be subjected to more lengthy treatment because they will presumably have far more eggs present than any uninfested cigars that picked up some eggs during manufacture.
Dominican56
CRA #99997657
Yep, good info.
I don't worry about tempering my cigars. It's really not that steep of a ramp rate in our of temperature when using a home freezer.
I don't worry about tempering my cigars. It's really not that steep of a ramp rate in our of temperature when using a home freezer.
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
Here's the deal.....freezing is a "tool" just like any other tool in our cigar tool box..it has a use but if you know your Vendor then you can alleviate your fears and I've been with my Vendor for 20 years and he guarantees each and every cigar/box etc for quality. For his vigilance he receives a cigar as a "tip" for his services.....1 per box or order. The worst place to purchase cigars is in Cozumel, Cancun and the Bahamas....esp. Nassau as they have more counterfeits than anybody.
Cultivate relationships with good Vendors...it's well worth the time and money as they work for you esp. when you tip them well and when I order Cohiba Espys and they get one as a tip,....they bend over backwards to keep me coming back much to the chagrin of my Credit Card.
Cultivate relationships with good Vendors...it's well worth the time and money as they work for you esp. when you tip them well and when I order Cohiba Espys and they get one as a tip,....they bend over backwards to keep me coming back much to the chagrin of my Credit Card.
Dominican56
CRA #99997657
You are in the “make ‘em yourself” area.
It’s a different kettle of fish when using raw agricultural products such as tobacco.
Freezing raw leaf or home rolled cigars isn’t a bad idea.
I’ve had real live beetles in raw tobacco leaf. I freeze my raw leaves at least a couple of weeks before it goes into my inventory.
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2018
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Help!!! Dealing with cigar beetles as we speak. My Leaf Only Connecticut shade wrapper is infested with beetles, and has several holes in it now!! My Brazilian arapiraca also has a few dead ones in it. Should I intact LO, just throw out the leaf and order new leaf or try to salvage it?? I’m hesitant to try to salvage, because I don’t want it to infest my toat!!
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Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
The OP posted about commercial as well as leaf... I referred to the commercial side. Raw leaf is indeed a horse of a different color and would probably be a good idea to freeze as you don't have a history of it. Not sure what the protocol is for DIY raw leaf storage . .. . would be interesting to read others experience.
I always read the cigars should be placed in the refrigerator after coming out of the freezer so they won't be damaged by a rapid change. I did that originally but have not done it for years now. I don't believe the temperature change is all that "rapid". I also don't think a temperature change bothers the cigar at all. A rapid change in RH defiantly puts the cigar at risk but since the cigar is in a zip-lock then the RH should be stable.
Has anyone ever had a problem with cigars being damaged by going in or out of the freezer?
Has anyone ever had a problem with cigars being damaged by going in or out of the freezer?
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2018
- Messages
- 80
I can and will.
I've not had any live beetles come thru from either of the two main vendors for leaf. Plenty of dead ones and eggs (or what I assume to be eggs) but nothing alive so far.
Let us know how they resolve this for you, inquiring minds want to know....
Never !