Microwaving cigars to sterilise tobacco weavle eggs?

[jacques]

In the German cigar community people are obsessed with beetlephobia. Everyone freezes their purchases. 5-7 days. I have been doing it for years, no problems whatsoever.

[monkey66]

What's your process for freezing Jaques?

In the German cigar community people are obsessed with beetlephobia. Everyone freezes their purchases. 5-7 days. I have been doing it for years, no problems whatsoever.

[moidoid]

I have had a box from a reputable Swiss vendor that I picked up on my travels which turned out to have beetle. I unknowingly did a swap with a forum member which was very embarrassing indeed . Luckily he was a very decent chap but I certainly learned my lesson there and I freeze them all now when they arrive - wherever they come from.

[monkey66]

Ok - now i want to Freeze all my sticks.

can we establish an agreed freezing process, what are people doing?

[daverave999]

I've not done it myself but I found this paper which I posted in this thread which gives temperatures and other stuff.

[jacques]

What's your process for freezing Jaques?

No fuss. I just put them in a zip loc, put the bag in another bag (for added security in case my mother-in-law decides to freeze some chicken broth in my absence) and leave them there for a week. I defrost in the fridge although this does not seem to be necessary. Some people suck out excess air from the bag but I don't see the point. I've read that MRN doesn't loke frreezing but he stores at low temperature so beetles won't breed in the first place.

You can actually even smoke a frozen cigar!

[Flying Cigar]

All the cigars for export are frozen in a facility in Havana.

That is correct.

Do you know that for a fact Smallclub?

While I am not smallclub, let me post this : I have had the privilege of visiting the very modern central export warehouse of HSA on the outskirts of HAV with a Festival del Habano group and seen the large refrigeration chamber and been explained the process.

It is true that large national importers mentioned before also have their own freezing chambers.

My own method is to keep boxes below 18 C and wrapped in bags, but I have also frozen cigars after receiving them from unknown sources.

The method Jacques is refering to will involve 4-5 days of freezing the boxes well wrapped in bags at at least minus 20 C and then back to the humidor storage - should kill the eggs.

The problem chiefly arises if boxes/cigars are subjected to longer periods of above 22/24 C, then the beetle will "wake up" (provided it was there having a nap ) and be hungry .........

Nino

[Flying Cigar]

No fuss. I just put them in a zip loc, put the bag in another bag (for added security in case my mother-in-law decides to freeze some chicken broth in my absence) and leave them there for a week. I defrost in the fridge although this does not seem to be necessary. Some people suck out excess air from the bag but I don't see the point. I've read that MRN doesn't loke frreezing but he stores at low temperature so beetles won't breed in the first place.

You can actually even smoke a frozen cigar!

Vielen Dank, Jacques, ich wollte Dir nicht vorgreifen

[monkey66]

Hi Nino,

Great info. So if all Cubans are frozen before export then there is no need to re-freeze them?

[Smallclub]

So if all Cubans are frozen before export then there is no need to re-freeze them?

I have never frozen a legally exported and imported habano, and never will. As for boxes and custom rolled bought IN Cuba (LCDHs, hotels, etc.), it's safer to freeze them, or at least monitor them very closely.

[tippexx]

Hi Nino,

Great info. So if all Cubans are frozen before export then there is no need to re-freeze them?

Might need to know when the freezers were made operational Monkey .... then any boxes pre that time might need a close look at.

[Flying Cigar]

Hi Nino,

Great info. So if all Cubans are frozen before export then there is no need to re-freeze them?

Depends on your confidence in the cuban freezing process.

I have never frozen anything bought in Germany, Switzerland, UK or Spain.
Don't like to freeze anything other than stuff that I don't know where it came from.

Don't freeze my custom rolled ones either.

BUT : I store my cigars at very low temps and take precautions.

No general rule -Has to be decided on each's own storing habits/location/methods.

Nino

[EugeneSax]

Might need to know when the freezers were made operational Monkey .... then any boxes pre that time might need a close look at.

But how long can the eggs lay dormant but still able to hatch should the conditions become favourable?

[Smallclub]

Don't freeze my custom rolled ones either.

Hi Nino
some friends of mine bring back hundreds of custom rolls, two or three times a year (and they never got caught ), they never freeze anything?

[Flying Cigar]

Hi Nino
some friends of mine bring back hundreds of custom rolls, two or three times a year (and they never got caught ), they never freeze anything…

My compliments, Frank - you have good friends ..... hope you abuse them !!

LMK if there's a difference btw "frozen" and "natural" sticks

Nino