Freeze or no Freeze

[dacregan]

Should I freeze these upon arrival or have they already been frozen to kill off any beetles? 

[Fuzz]

Welcome to FOH! It is customary to introduce yourself here, before asking the Forum for assistance.

 

[NSXCIGAR]

1 hour ago, dacregan said:

Should I freeze these upon arrival or have they already been frozen to kill off any beetles? 

Cuba freezes all cigars before export but that doesn't mean they can't get back in and lay eggs. They can sit around for a while before reaching their final destination. I freeze everything upon receipt or I freeze in Cuba as soon as I get them. I've seen beetle holes appear in as little as a day or two there. Once the eggs hatch the larvae burrow out very quickly. 

Also only a throrough freeze is needed which should take about 4 hours at standard freezer temps. Personally I've never noticed a problem smoking a cigar after as soon as it defrosts and reaches ambient temp. 

[MagicalBikeRide]

I freeze sticks I’ve taken direct from Cuba, but not those which I’ve bought from the vendors I trust. 

[Nevrknow]

I freeze everything no matter what. I'm not risking my collection because I don't want to waste time freezing. I mean come on, a few days to protect what is now an investment? 😂

[ha_banos]

I tend to freeze only custom rolls and anything secondary. So far so good. Just checked through a load of boxes 😁 All good still.

[Lt4-396]

I have seen the damage beetles can do in a very short timeframe. I have a massive collection and sleep better at night knowing I personally froze every single cigar I have.

When done correctly it has zero negative impact on the cigars and really isn't much added work at all, especially when considering the impact and cost of a beetle outbreak.

[Rhinoww]

Every box to the freezer. Farm rolls get a big extra time just because I’m paranoid. 

There was a vendor a few years ago that had issues with some tubos. Nothing is safe unless you are. 

[ha_banos]

I remember seeing belle holes in a box of (afaik) legit talisman a while ago...

Also how much risk is there with the power cuts these days?

 

[Bijan]

My collection is stored at 17C or under. Currently at 9C. Goes as low as 2-3C during the winter.

There's probably a 2-3 week window where eggs could maybe hatch (17C is about lower limit). But anything that goes through a winter is practically as good as frozen.

 

[MrBirdman]

I only freeze customs. Nothing from trusted vendors. I used to be more paranoid. Yet after watching boxes from Oz sit in sweltering heat at LAX for weeks on end during peak COVID, and then arrive bug-free, I learned to stop worrying. 

[Galamaad]

1 hour ago, MrBirdman said:

I only freeze customs. Nothing from trusted vendors. I used to be more paranoid. Yet after watching boxes from Oz sit in sweltering heat at LAX for weeks on end during peak COVID, and then arrive bug-free, I learned to stop worrying. 

Great point

[Odessa]

5 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I only freeze customs. Nothing from trusted vendors. I used to be more paranoid. Yet after watching boxes from Oz sit in sweltering heat at LAX for weeks on end during peak COVID, and then arrive bug-free, I learned to stop worrying. 

Never underestimate use of your own condom during a sex, even if you 100% sure your partner is disease free. You may become liable for a child support. 🙂 The same could apply to cigars. But, there is always personal choice. 

[Greenhorn2]

How does Cuba freeze cigars when the power is off more than it is on? I freeze mine just to be safe rather than sorry.

[rolaand]

I’ve never frozen any of my boxes from vendors fwiw.

[CaptainQuintero]

There's zero downside to freezing, only potential positives. 

[Capn_Jackson]

For sheer peace of mind, I freeze everything that doesn’t have a cellophane on it. Not that cellophane will stop beetles, but cigars with celo are NC’s that have likely been very well frozen before shipping out, from places with far less qc issues than Cuba. The ones that do have celo, I store separately, and I love to see that turn yellow or brown before lighting up the smoke. I also don’t want to freeze with that on, as I’d be worried about trapping moisture inside.

Everything without celo, though? Fridge, freezer, fridge. Doesn’t take long, and I live in TX. 10 months out of the year, a power outage will ensure my house stays at 85 degrees or above. 

[Fuzz]

Remember, just because the cigars were frozen by the manufacturer, doesn't mean that a beetle can't jump on board after leaving the factory.

[BossHogg]

I have never had to freeze them, but I am 100% invested in a trusted source 👍 

[UK2Cuba]

Been buying in Cuba direct since 2004 and never frozen, never had a single issue. Sample size is probably around 120-150 boxes over the years.Maybe it's luck, who knows, draw your own conclusions.