Tobacco beetles

[Daytodaze]

Hey guys,

I was looking around for some cigars and found a very nice deal on a variety pack that came with a humidor. The humidor looks pretty decent, and some of the cigars I'd buy anyway, so I went for it.

After doing a little research, I'm concerned about pests! I'm in Arizona, and during the summer, the temperature outside can go over 115 degrees. I don't keep my house very cool when I'm gone during the day (it's expensive, and relatively futile to fight the afternoon sun), so I'm concerned that the humidor temperatures will be perfect for tobacco beetles to hatch and eat my cigars. Anybody have experience with this?

 

[gasdoc]

Two ways to combat this. One is to keep them in a wine-a-dor with the temp turned down. The other is to freeze everything to kill the eggs. If you need any more info, please Message me and I will explain either option further.

-matt

 

[August West]

I found this.

 

[Boro62]

I have not had any issues with tobacco beetles, but have had the same concern as you since the temperature down where i am at in southern california gets up into the 100's pretty easily in the summer. This is why i chose to build my wineador to help keep the temperature more constant in the hot summer months.

I have read that you can freeze your cigars in your freezer which helps eliminate the whole beetle issue, but there is some debate on if this actually works or not.

The route I took was I turned a cooler and turned it into a humidor also known as a wineador. You use the wine cooler chilling aspect to regulate temperature.

Outside of that, keep your AC running in the hot summer months. And keep your humidor in a room of the house that has the minimal amount of outside walls and make sure its in a nice shaded corner or closet.

Feel free to ask if you need more details on anything.

 

[Daytodaze]

Two ways to combat this. One is to keep them in a wine-a-dor with the temp turned down. The other is to freeze everything to kill the eggs. If you need any more info, please Message me and I will explain either option further.

-matt

PM sent.

thanks for the replies! The wineador is a possibility, but I'm looking into the freezer idea.

 

[Commander Quan]

Freeze them.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

View attachment 378527

 

[the_edski]

Oh man, great pictures in this thread!

 

[Commander Quan]

They do make a fun popping sound when they burn.

 

[oc_in_fw]

View attachment 378527

Nuke it from orbit- it is the only way to be sure.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

Nuke it from orbit- it is the only way to be sure.

 

[Bula]

Keep the humidity on the low side, and keep that humidor in the coolest spot in your house. I've only had issues when my humidor was getting beat on by rays from a near by window. If your humidor is full of spendy sticks, it may be worth keeping that thermostat a little lower than normal. I know how hot it gets here. Dig the Tele avatar btw...

 

[oc_in_fw]

View attachment 378539

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aCbfMkh940Q[/video]

 

[Daytodaze]

Keep the humidity on the low side, and keep that humidor in the coolest spot in your house. I've only had issues when my humidor was getting beat on by rays from a near by window. If your humidor is full of spendy sticks, it may be worth keeping that thermostat a little lower than normal. I know how hot it gets here. Dig the Tele avatar btw...

Thank you! It's not mine, but I own one very similar.

my stash isn't very exclusive, but it would suck to lose a good cigar to pests. My bedroom is most likely the best place. Neighbors house and some strategically placed trees protect it from most of the daily sun.

 

[Toirtis]

Freezing can work, but those that have experimented with it suggest a slow cooling of the cigars in a refrigerator over a period of a couple of weeks, then freezing for something like 10 days, followed by another 10 days in the fridge, then to room temp.....you will need to search it online for the exact process...it apparently helps preserve the tissues in the cigars.

 

[Whiskey Badger]

I can't look at the Hank Scorpio .gif without laughing.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

I can't look at the Hank Scorpio .gif without laughing.

 

[gasdoc]

Freezing can work, but those that have experimented with it suggest a slow cooling of the cigars in a refrigerator over a period of a couple of weeks, then freezing for something like 10 days, followed by another 10 days in the fridge, then to room temp.....you will need to search it online for the exact process...it apparently helps preserve the tissues in the cigars.

that is overkill. I usually skip the fridge or just put them in for 24 hours. 3 days in the freezer, another 24 hours in the fridge then leave out on the counter at room temp for 12 hours before putting them back in the humi. Just need to make sure they are as vacuum packed as possible (ziploc bag, triple bagged, with as much air sucked out by straw as you can manage)

 

[Toirtis]

that is overkill. I usually skip the fridge or just put them in for 24 hours. 3 days in the freezer, another 24 hours in the fridge then leave out on the counter at room temp for 12 hours before putting them back in the humi. Just need to make sure they are as vacuum packed as possible (ziploc bag, triple bagged, with as much air sucked out by straw as you can manage)

Probably....never felt confident enough that the process would not affect the taste and smoke of the cigars to try it myself.

 

[gasdoc]

Probably....never felt confident enough that the process would not affect the taste and smoke of the cigars to try it myself.

I understand your concern. I have smoked many a frozen cigar and have noticed no issues, but I am far from a connoisseur with a refined palate. as with all gentlemanly things, YMMV