Does anyone freeze their Tobacco?

[RUNSUPRIVER]

I've placed fresh rolled cigars in the freezer for a couple days before, and I've heard others talk about the practice.

It's even been spoken about by some mighty fine rollers on the youtube.

I've heard it called "curing" and it's supposed to help kill bugs.

Just wondering what others thought about the freezer and if they've had good or bad effects from it.

Thanks!

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I freeze my dip( and snus) when I make a big batch to prevent mold. The flavor is no different compared to the unfrozen dip. The only thing freezing a cigar will do is to kill bugs. It would not add to any flavor enhancement. If people are freezing their cigars and calling it "curing" they are mis-speaking. Curing is the process of converting the raw green leaves into dried brown leaves.

 

[MarcL]

Tobacco beetles are usually in tobacco. I don't think we can eliminate that. I've had them in cigar tobacco. not in cigarette tobacco. I will freeze any cigar tobacco I get for 3 days. That will kill it. and it's all good, no bad as long as if it is your cigars, and you don't let them worm up before smoking them. that might not turn out .

 

[Planter]

I do that with store-bought cigars for a week before they go to the humidor (although it seems to be common practice among all major importers, so usually has already been done).

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

So it is pretty common practice then.

Just wondering if the freezing breaks any of the plant cells and weakens the leaf or the structure of the cigar.

Does the freezing put bugs dormant, or does it kill them outright?

Interesting stuff...

Do most people who roll their own freeze their leaf and sticks?

Is it really needed?

Thanks!

 

[deluxestogie]

Freezing green leaf will damage its cells. Freezing cured leaf does not.

Most vendors of whole leaf tobacco will take precautions against tobacco beetles. If you ever notice new holes in any of your own leaf, then it's a good idea to freeze it (in batches if necessary), or expose it to higher temps (inside a closed automobile in summer), to kill the tobacco beetles. Either method outright kills them.

If you store 50,000 pounds of tobacco, this is an important issue. If you have a few pounds, just keep your eyes open for new holes. If I get a big batch of burley straight from the tobacco farm, I'll treat it. If I get leaf from WholeLeafTobacco.com, then I just keep an eye out.

No biggy.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

Do most people who roll their own freeze their leaf and sticks?

Is it really needed?

Thanks!

Most likely. Not sure but I do rather then not. It was a little while before I saw my first beetle but, after that I would just freeze the leaf first for a few days.

 

[BarG]

Tobacco beetles in Texas aren't picky between cigar or cigarette leaves, even flue cured. Freezing cured leaf works well to kill larvae and adults. I use one or 2 of my chest freezers to handle any problems. I do 6 days in 10 days out to let eggs hatch and 6 days in again. I did all my bagged leaf recently. Mostly 5 lb. bags of homegrown. These are ones I like to access more frequently in a relatively low to medium case for ready use.

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

BarG-

6 days, 10 days then 6 days again-

Do The bugs have a life cycle that uses freezing to time a hatch?

Trying to learn more about the bugs.

Thanks!

 

[deluxestogie]

A decent article on the tobacco beetle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasioderma_serricorne

Bob

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

Interesting Freeze "HOW TO" and Tobacco Beetle info-

http://www.cigarsinternational.com/cigar-101/article/25/tobacco-beetles

 

[DirkReids]

Yes I do freeze tobacco.. My friend told me it is good for long lasting of tobacco and also kills bugs