How to Freeze and the Science behind it. Long Post

After rethinking my last post, I agree with you about not wanting to introduce more problems, i.e. insects and lizards and maybe even a stray "gator" from the conservation pond in the back yard. So, have decided to go with the 60 degree temp for a week or two and systematically check my sticks over the next few days before rushing to purchase a freezer. However, any sign of the beasties and I will be first in line at Walmart/Target.
ylo2na

Thanks SilverFox, great info! To the freezer my little babies

Great information. I've never had this happen to me, but I'll start freezing all cigars before they go in my humidors.

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by Duke9192

Great information. I've never had this happen to me, but I'll start freezing all cigars before they go in my humidors.

It's a great practice, especially as you expand your collection. Think of the money invested. Small piece of mind to help insure your investment doesn't go to waste.

Nice post, any suggestions on freezing more then one cigar at a time? Is it ok to put say 10 cigars in a bag when freezing?

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by Sherlockholms

Nice post, any suggestions on freezing more then one cigar at a time? Is it ok to put say 10 cigars in a bag when freezing?

Sure, you can put more than one cigar in a bag at a time. Just do your best to squeeze out any air. You can also do whole boxes this way.

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Sure, you can put more than one cigar in a bag at a time. Just do your best to squeeze out any air. You can also do whole boxes this way.

Thanks for the reply. That works, My stash should be OK and is small but I have been meaning to freeze some that came from a few retailers that I'm a little leery about. I will take the weekend and freeze them, The last few cigars I froze I used those ziplock freezer air seal bags. The ones where you pump the air out, and they worked pretty good.

[bonjing]

Matthew, Just make sure you freeze everything, all sticks. It's better to start now if you have a small stash versus going back and then saying, oh crap I should have froze everything.

[jesseboston81]

Originally Posted by bonjing

Matthew, Just make sure you freeze everything, all sticks.

Freezing some and not others is pretty much like freezing nothing at all. Freezing doesn't make cigars immune from beetles, just kills any eggs/larvae/beetles that happen to be in them. Put a frozen cigar next to a never-frozen cigar and any beetle issues that start in the never-frozen cigar can easily transfer to the frozen cigar. General rule: don't trust anyone; it's your stash and up to you to protect it.

[jesseboston81]

Originally Posted by Sherlockholms

Thanks for the reply. That works, My stash should be OK and is small but I have been meaning to freeze some that came from a few retailers that I'm a little leery about. I will take the weekend and freeze them, The last few cigars I froze I used those ziplock freezer air seal bags. The ones where you pump the air out, and they worked pretty good.

Similar to the last two posts, if you previously froze some cigars and then mixed them with never-frozen cigars, you're going to want to freeze them all, even the ones you froze previously.

They all shall be freezed then. I got half in the freezer right now and I will get the other half ready to freeze.

[kgoings]

So I have a question. How long can an egg lay dormant? I mean if an egg doesnt hatch for say a year...will it ever hatch?

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by kgoings

So I have a question. How long can an egg lay dormant? I mean if an egg doesnt hatch for say a year...will it ever hatch?

I have not been able to find any studies done on this, and the ones that do address it, use words like "for some time". Also of note, some studies simply say that unless a temp of 80F is reached the Lasioderma serricorne will remain dormant. So that leaves the door wide open.

[688sonarmen]

I will be freezing mine this weekend, until then I have a suspect box in my old coolidor. Can I freeze a box that is not full (ie has 20 out of 25 sticks) or should I just unbox and freeze all 20 together? I'm thinking the latter. Has anyone had any issues from not removing enough air? I'm going to buy a bunch of the freezer food saver bags but if I can do it with big ziplocks that would be better. After having beetles hatch it's going to be a relief to freeze and not worry every day above 72f in the house.

Originally Posted by 688sonarmen

I will be freezing mine this weekend, until then I have a suspect box in my old coolidor. Can I freeze a box that is not full (ie has 20 out of 25 sticks) or should I just unbox and freeze all 20 together? I'm thinking the latter. Has anyone had any issues from not removing enough air? I'm going to buy a bunch of the freezer food saver bags but if I can do it with big ziplocks that would be better. After having beetles hatch it's going to be a relief to freeze and not worry every day above 72f in the house.

You can use the big freezer ziplock bags, just make sure you suck as much of the air out as you can with a straw. I got mine in the freezer today. One bag I used a ziplock vacume seal bag. Sucked the air out, then put it in a freezer ziplock bag and sucked the air out. The other two I just used the big ziplock bags, did the same thing and then bagged them again etc. Hope that helps some.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by 688sonarmen

Can I freeze a box that is not full (ie has 20 out of 25 sticks) or should I just unbox and freeze all 20 together? I'm thinking the latter. Has anyone had any issues from not removing enough air?

Either/or, it doesn't matter. Why would it matter if you remove all the air or not?

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Either/or, it doesn't matter. Why would it matter if you remove all the air or not?

I think freezer burn maybe? I read it somewhere. Something about moisture trapped in the air, so any extra air or too much and you can get frost on the sticks. Something or another. Ill have to see if I can find where I read it.

[bobarian]

Freezer burn takes weeks to occur. As long as you get most of the air out you should be fine, the main thing is to be sure you freeze long enough. 72-96hours.

[688sonarmen]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Either/or, it doesn't matter. Why would it matter if you remove all the air or not?

Originally Posted by Sherlockholms

I think freezer burn maybe? I read it somewhere. Something about moisture trapped in the air, so any extra air or too much and you can get frost on the sticks. Something or another. Ill have to see if I can find where I read it.

I don't know, I'm just assuming it could cause the cigars to burst since there is all the talk about removing air. I don't see any mention of it. I think as long as they are sealed in the RH that I would what to store them in I should be safe from and drying effects in the freeze. What the hell I'm going to do it and quit yapping.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by Sherlockholms

I think freezer burn maybe? I read it somewhere. Something about moisture trapped in the air, so any extra air or too much and you can get frost on the sticks. Something or another. Ill have to see if I can find where I read it.

Sorry bro but that makes no sense to me. Moisture is much higher in the cigars than in a bag you just put them in. That tiny, tiny amount of room temp air isn't going to harm anything. Been freezing for almost 6 years and never had any problems. It's not rocket science. Double bag the cigars, leave in freezer, take cigars out and let them acclimate to room temp then in the humidor.