How to Freeze and the Science behind it. Long Post

[CoronaCigar]

Excellent info here, I have several wineadors and after doing all the research I have finally decided to start freezing my sticks. So far wineador #1 is complete, and the second one is in the freezer as I type this. Triple bagging might be overkill, but I don't mind taking the extra time to make sure moisture stays in! Great information on this thread!

[baust55]

I am still freezing OCD helps keep me on track !


Austin

S.E.Nebraska

[8zeros]

I have to admit I never freeze. I also have never seen a beetle hole on one of my cigars. I think it's because my main storage is in the basement where it is always cool all year long. First beetle hole I see and I will become the Freeze Avenger. For now, what the heck.

[airtrade]

Has anyone had a stick damaged from freezing too fast. No fridge time?

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by 8zeros

I have to admit I never freeze. I also have never seen a beetle hole on one of my cigars. I think it's because my main storage is in the basement where it is always cool all year long. First beetle hole I see and I will become the Freeze Avenger. For now, what the heck.

Yeah, I'm with you on that!

[T.G]

Originally Posted by airtrade

Has anyone had a stick damaged from freezing too fast. No fridge time?

Manufacturers along with some distributors and even a few vendors typically utilize blast freezers in this process, which will cool the cigars much faster than a residential freezer and to much lower temps. Additionally, no real refrigerator time is used either; the cigars are just wheeled in, blast frozen, left at temp for a few days, then wheeled out to warm up. Sustaining damage to the cigars via this process is very rare.

On a residential level, I've never bothered with the refrigerator step, I don't feel it's necessary, I just stick them right into a deep freezer (-10F) for a week and I've never had a cigar damaged by skipping the refrigerator steps.

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by T.G

Manufacturers along with some distributors and even a few vendors typically utilize blast freezers in this process, which will cool the cigars much faster than a residential freezer and to much lower temps. Additionally, no real refrigerator time is used either; the cigars are just wheeled in, blast frozen, left at temp for a few days, then wheeled out to warm up. In neither case are there typically any damages.

On a residential level, I've never bothered with the refrigerator step, I don't feel it's necessary, I just stick them right into a deep freezer (-10F) for a week and I've never had a cigar damaged by skipping it.

I have mine inspected and nitrogen packed in shipping and I've been okay so far.

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by T.G

On a residential level, I've never bothered with the refrigerator step, I don't feel it's necessary, I just stick them right into a deep freezer (-10F) for a week and I've never had a cigar damaged by skipping the refrigerator steps.

Same here. Straight from freezer to cabinet, no issues. I've even smoked a still slightly frozen cigar on occassion and not had any issues.

[airtrade]

Good to know. I have always gone from shipped to freezer to cooler.
Thought maybe I've just been lucky.

[Sweet_Leaf_PDX]

Reading through this I came up with a question. When you freeze the cigars, do you take them out of the box or keep them in the box?

[markem]

Originally Posted by Sweet_Leaf_PDX

Reading through this I came up with a question. When you freeze the cigars, do you take them out of the box or keep them in the box?

If you plan to freeze the cigars when they first arrive, no need to take them out of the box. If you find beetles after the fact, no issues freezing them out of the box.

However, on the off chance that an egg is sitting free in the box, I'd freeze the box as well.

[Sweet_Leaf_PDX]

Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted to know.

[baust55]

Recently I pulled a cedar wrapped cigar out to smoke ,when I removed the cedar wrapper I found a beetle hole that must have happened before I got the cigar ......very glad I froze all of my cigars .


I put a finger over the hole and smoked it . yum

[JLMraider]

I've been thoroughly frightened. I put my meager collection into the freezer this morning. Thanks for all the info in this thread, better safe than sorry.

[JLMraider]

Update: I put a thermometer in my deep freezer with my cigars today and it has been consistently reading around -5 F~ -20.5 C. So I think they're good.

I'll let them warm overnight and stick them in the humi sometime tomorrow. Thanks again. Maybe I'll enjoy one of my low end sticks tomorrow sometime.

[Chainsaw13]

Jonathon, I skip the warming step and just put right into the humidor. Never an issue. Heck, I've smoked cigars right out of the freezer.

[samnuts]

great post! very useful info. the aircon in my apartment dries everything out badly.

[DonutLuvr]

After ordering some bundles and boxes on the devil site and getting my shipmemt in today, I remembered that three-four years ago I caught an infestation in my humidor before it became too bad. I specifically remember the cigars, two Pinar Del Rio's from a 5 pack I ordered off Cigarbid. I think that's how I first found this forum when I was searching for answers on what the holes were! Lol.

Mainly I haven't been keeping over 20 cigars on hand the past two years or so and have only been using my small tupperdor. I haven't froze in a while since the small amount I've been keeping on hand I smoke relatively quick.

First thing I did when I got my boxes and bundles in today was take them to the foodsaver and vacuumed sealed them and placed them in the refrigerator. They will go in the freezer later tonight.

This thread will be a timeless thread to help many brothers even years from now. Thanks to the OP for putting it together.

[IlmProcess]

So, it's been years since this was posted, but I read through every reply. Thank you.

I will begin freezing as my first new orders start trickling in. As for the two lonely cigars sitting at home in the humidor, they will be smoked when I get in from out of town.

Hello

There will be constant discussion around whether or not to freeze your cigars and whether it impacts flavor or not.