Cigar Weekly

AKDiscer · 12-03-2014, 01:08 PM

I was reading the tobacco beetle post on JRC and had some questions.

Would it be prudent, even after inspection, to put freshly ordered cigars into the fridge/freezer before laying them to rest in their home? I guess some might consider this overkill, but I can imagine it'd be somewhat easy to miss these pin holes or eggs.

I'm okay with the extra effort if it keeps my beauties on the straight and narrow, so I'm guessing this is a "It is a preference thing..." I just wanted to read other folks' opinion on the matter.

My father has a similar process with his saltwater tank. He has what is called a "quarantine tank", so when he orders or purchases a new fish, it goes there for a bit before it gets introduced to the rest of colony.

Rob G · 12-03-2014, 01:18 PM

Unless you are ordering cigars from some third world country, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I don't freeze my cigars.

grtrx · 12-03-2014, 01:51 PM

I don't freeze either. I went through real frenzy over beetles long ago. I think many of us do.

AKDiscer · 12-03-2014, 02:07 PM

I forgot to mention, which was part of the impetus for this post, I received two cigars from an online retailer that were were infested. I received them in my cigar of the month package and I contacted them about it; they sent me a $10 gift card to make up for it.

I know this is somewhat rare, but I can't help but wonder every time a new package awaits at my door. I shall get over my modest paranoia.

Rob G · 12-03-2014, 02:40 PM

That's shocking, especially if it's a well known retailer.

CJ3 · 12-03-2014, 02:44 PM

Never had one from a commercial order.

My BIL gave me one from an overseas B&M after a trip. Smoked the F'er like playin' a flute in reverse...

BigO · 12-03-2014, 03:17 PM

JR's Statesboro warehouse had a huge commercial freezer that they froze every cigar that came into the warehouse (and this is a warehouse of multiple hundreds of thousands of square feet). Of course, this was in the Lew Rothman era, so practices might have changed (depending on which MBA is in charge this week). Since Statesboro is closing, that might also lead to a change.

I was lucky enough to have an upright freezer in NOLA that could get to the -20 needed to kill the beetle eggs. Even so, after Katrina, I had a box of Boli RCs that were almost reduced to powder by beetles in the three months we were without power. Heartbreaking to open a pristine box of aged Cubans out of a coolerdor that survived flooding by floating and find them reduced to almost dust by insects..

grtrx · 12-03-2014, 03:19 PM

I think all their shipping has been done out of Burlington for some time, quite some time, and I believe JR does freeze stuff

I would change retailers...

Mad Dawg · 12-03-2014, 05:19 PM

I've had exactly two beetles: a live one in a gifted third-world cigar (gave the smoke kind of a meaty flavor

)and a dead one in a bundle of Tio Pepe torpedos. Turned out there was something of a risk with the Tio Pepes in general, so I froze all of mine. End of problem.

For the record, the procedure is:

- Double-bag or vacuum seal cigars
- 3 days in the refrigerator
- 7 days in the freezer at -20F
- 3 days in the refrigerator

KatDad · 12-04-2014, 09:43 AM

Never froze any cigars, never had a problem.

Could be luck?

12-03-2014, 01:08 PM	#1
AKDiscer Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 528	Tobacco Beetle I was reading the tobacco beetle post on JRC and had some questions. Would it be prudent, even after inspection, to put freshly ordered cigars into the fridge/freezer before laying them to rest in their home? I guess some might consider this overkill, but I can imagine it'd be somewhat easy to miss these pin holes or eggs. I'm okay with the extra effort if it keeps my beauties on the straight and narrow, so I'm guessing this is a "It is a preference thing..." I just wanted to read other folks' opinion on the matter. My father has a similar process with his saltwater tank. He has what is called a "quarantine tank", so when he orders or purchases a new fish, it goes there for a bit before it gets introduced to the rest of colony.

12-03-2014, 01:18 PM	#2
Rob G Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Camillus, NY Posts: 16,119	Unless you are ordering cigars from some third world country, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I don't freeze my cigars. __________________ Rob If people can tell me where to smoke, I can tell them where to go, too.

12-03-2014, 01:51 PM	#3
grtrx Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 44,579	I don't freeze either. I went through real frenzy over beetles long ago. I think many of us do. __________________ "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill "A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption." - Guy de Maupassant

12-03-2014, 02:40 PM	#5
Rob G Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Camillus, NY Posts: 16,119	That's shocking, especially if it's a well known retailer. __________________ Rob If people can tell me where to smoke, I can tell them where to go, too.

12-03-2014, 02:44 PM	#6
CJ3 Club Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: The hell called New York State Posts: 2,899	Never had one from a commercial order. My BIL gave me one from an overseas B&M after a trip. Smoked the F'er like playin' a flute in reverse... __________________ Charter Member, MCLC Making others green with envy

12-03-2014, 02:07 PM	#4
AKDiscer Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 528	I forgot to mention, which was part of the impetus for this post, I received two cigars from an online retailer that were were infested. I received them in my cigar of the month package and I contacted them about it; they sent me a $10 gift card to make up for it. I know this is somewhat rare, but I can't help but wonder every time a new package awaits at my door. I shall get over my modest paranoia.

12-03-2014, 03:17 PM	#7
BigO Publisher/Owner El Chefé BBQ Guru Herf God Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta. Posts: 55,765	JR's Statesboro warehouse had a huge commercial freezer that they froze every cigar that came into the warehouse (and this is a warehouse of multiple hundreds of thousands of square feet). Of course, this was in the Lew Rothman era, so practices might have changed (depending on which MBA is in charge this week). Since Statesboro is closing, that might also lead to a change. I was lucky enough to have an upright freezer in NOLA that could get to the -20 needed to kill the beetle eggs. Even so, after Katrina, I had a box of Boli RCs that were almost reduced to powder by beetles in the three months we were without power. Heartbreaking to open a pristine box of aged Cubans out of a coolerdor that survived flooding by floating and find them reduced to almost dust by insects.. __________________ Every time you think you've become too cynical, the world finds a way to teach you that the real problem is that you haven't become cynical enough Free speech is free speech is free speech. There is no qualifier. If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention. Never attribute malice to that what can be explained as stupidity. Unborn lives matter too.

12-03-2014, 03:19 PM	#8
grtrx Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 44,579	I think all their shipping has been done out of Burlington for some time, quite some time, and I believe JR does freeze stuff I would change retailers... __________________ "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill "A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption." - Guy de Maupassant

12-03-2014, 05:19 PM	#9
Mad Dawg Administrator Herf Dog Herf God Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 34,199	I've had exactly two beetles: a live one in a gifted third-world cigar (gave the smoke kind of a meaty flavor )and a dead one in a bundle of Tio Pepe torpedos. Turned out there was something of a risk with the Tio Pepes in general, so I froze all of mine. End of problem. For the record, the procedure is: - Double-bag or vacuum seal cigars - 3 days in the refrigerator - 7 days in the freezer at -20F - 3 days in the refrigerator __________________ Gone, But Never Forgotten. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ That which does not kill me....has made a grave tactical error.

12-04-2014, 09:43 AM	#10
KatDad Herf God Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 30,265	Never froze any cigars, never had a problem. Could be luck? __________________ The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it George Bernard Shaw The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it H. L. Mencken The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants Albert Camus The Land of the Free Because of the Brave

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