Freezing Cigars????

[05Venturer]

I know there are varied ideas about freezing cigars on whether to or not to. I have been asking questions and doing so e online research and it all seems like a mixed bag of results but I would say a few more say not to unless you have a problem.
Here is one excerpt from an article I found.

"Went to a Don Pepin Garcia event yesterday and thought I would run the ref/freezing cigars past him and others that were there.

I am bad with names and appoligize to some. I asked Mr. Garcia his opinion and the roller that was with him through an interpreter. Also asked Jose Ortega that was along and is the new sales VP for Garcia cigars. And the 2 reps that were also there.

Since I only began doing this ref/frez thing last Nov. and some have disgused it here and other forums I thought since I had a chanse to ask the folks who make a living at producing and selling cigars their thoughts, I would.

Well each and everyone of them stated it is not a good thing to do unless you have a beetle problem and a chance to maybe salvage cigars depending on how bad the infultration is. You stand a very high probabilty rate of losing the flavors in the cigars due to the temp and humidty fluctuations. They highly discourage it.

Just thought I would relay their opioions."

 I am really unsure at this point and would love to hear a few more opinions as I do regard the members here as the best knowledge base on the web.  

I would really appreciate the opinions of the guru's here.  

[hebron]

I'm in no way a guru. But I've pondered the same question myself. My feelings is the same as Rebecca expressed in this post:

Rebecca Silverwolf - 4/9/2013  1:27 AM

I don't like the idea of freezing my cigars as a prophylactic against beetles, the chance of damaging my sticks makes me shy away from it. If I were to have a beetle outbreak, I might feel otherwise. My method of using a cooler and blue ice typically keeps my sticks between 65 and 70 degrees. No beetle outbreaks for me so far. Even at low temperatures and fairly low humidity beetles and mold can occur, and checking on your sticks regularly is important.

[gitfiddl]

The only time I  freeze cigars is when I'm dealing with cigars from an unknown source.

[hebron]

gitfiddl - 4/12/2014  7:58 PM

The only time I  freeze cigars is when I'm dealing with cigars from an unknown source.

Could you define unknown? Internet cigar shop? Fellow geek?

[Ken Kelley]

I have never frozen a cigar intentionally...other than those I've smoked in the winter when it was cold outside. I've only seen one verified tobacco beetle and a couple of sticks with holes in them sent to me by...well, who sent them to me is not important.

I have more trouble with mold...and that is admittedly a minor problem. I'm careful to maintain my humidity levels but my control of temperatures is a bit iffy. I rotate my sticks regularly and make sure I pop the tops of my tupperdores every so often so I keep things down to a dull roar.

I tend to agree with not freezing cigars as a prophylactic measure. I have a suspicion the freezing-thawing cycle, no matter how gently done, is probably not good for them.

But...do what you want to do!  

[lubrix]

gitfiddl - 4/12/2014  11:58 AM

The only time I  freeze cigars is when I'm dealing with cigars from an unknown source.

X2 Though I do put mine into the quarantine humidor when received for a month,then re-examine them before they enter general population.

[Ken Kelley]

hebron - 4/12/2014  1:04 AM

gitfiddl - 4/12/2014  7:58 PM

The only time I  freeze cigars is when I'm dealing with cigars from an unknown source.

Could you define unknown? Internet cigar shop? Fellow geek?

Well, just between you and me, I would be REAL suspicious of any cigars I might have occasion to receive from a certain person whose initials are "Dave"! Who knows what kind of cooties them nekkid pole dancin' midgets might have passed on!  

[DonM]

Knock on wood, I have never had a problem with beetles and never freeze any cigars. And check this out, when Brown shows up with a box in the summer, the whole box is like 90 or so degrees. I let them cool off to room temperature and in they go to the humidor. The only segregation I do is low end yard gars go into the bottom drawer.

[Ken Kelley]

DonM - 4/12/2014  1:54 AM

Knock on wood, I have never had a problem with beetles and never freeze any cigars. And check this out, when Brown shows up with a box in the summer, the whole box is like 90 or so degrees. I let them cool off to room temperature and in they go to the humidor. The only segregation I do is low end yard gars go into the bottom drawer.

That'll work!
That'll work!  

Thanks for the post, Don.
Thanks for the post, Don.

 
 

[lubrix]

Hilarious!.^^^^^

[hebron]

Ken Kelley - 4/12/2014  8:47 PM

hebron - 4/12/2014  1:04 AM

gitfiddl - 4/12/2014  7:58 PM

The only time I  freeze cigars is when I'm dealing with cigars from an unknown source.

Could you define unknown? Internet cigar shop? Fellow geek?

Well, just between you and me, I would be REAL suspicious of any cigars I might have occasion to receive from a certain person whose initials are "Dave"! Who knows what kind of cooties them nekkid pole dancin' midgets might have passed on!  

[Brlesq]

As I mentioned to you last night on the herf, I freeze every cigar no matter the source unless I intend to smoke it in the next couple of days.  Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad, but I sure do sleep better at night!

[05Venturer]

Brlesq - 4/12/2014  2:22 PM

As I mentioned to you last night on the herf, I freeze every cigar no matter the source unless I intend to smoke it in the next couple of days.  Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad, but I sure do sleep better at night!

That is what really got me thinking about it Bruce,  

There are so many theories that I am now thoroughly confused  

In all reality tho I really do appreciate everyone's point of view.    

[DonM]

Ken Kelley - 4/12/2014  2:00 PM

DonM - 4/12/2014  1:54 AM

Knock on wood, I have never had a problem with beetles and never freeze any cigars. And check this out, when Brown shows up with a box in the summer, the whole box is like 90 or so degrees. I let them cool off to room temperature and in they go to the humidor. The only segregation I do is low end yard gars go into the bottom drawer.

That'll work!
That'll work!  

Thanks for the post, Don.
Thanks for the post, Don.

 
 

There I fixed it wise ass!

[DonM]

I will probably whine like a bytch if I ever get a beetle but I do keep the humidor under 75 in the summer and at 65 to 67 RH for that reason. If you research the lil bastids, cigar co's do a lot to eliminate them from their tobacco before the rolling begins

[bmac7754]

The freezing process may loose some flavor but I think it's what makes you rest better that counts.  I usually don't worry about it, but if its an unknown batch like I mentioned before I got 150 cigars from a lottery I froze that when they came in.  The only other time I did this was when a fellow Geek here posted he got a bomb and one of the cigars had beetle holes.  Well I had a bomb from the same person, and same cigar that week and it freaked me out thinking about it.  Thankfully the bomber notified me that there may be a problem and I grabbed all the cigar in that humidor and headed to the freezer to be safe, and smoked the one in question right then and there.  I had to do only 50-60 cigar in a humidor, but the other Geek had hundreds to do.

[amigodecigars]

There are 2 options that I know about.

1.) fumigate in the warehouse, fumigate in the production room, fumigate the storage area after rolled.

2.) freeze the cigars after they are rolled.

Do you think that all of the fumigation can affect the tobacco, hence the taste of the cigars?

[toby2]

I thought the big companies put their cigars in a vacuum chamber to kill any beetles before boxing. I thought I read that somewhere?

[toby2]

here is one article  I just found

[Vroomp]

I seem to remember that Chris Harper of Perdomo told me Perdomo freezes all their cigars before they leave the factory...........

[Camshaft83]

Good article.