Expert: James Yee - 3/21/2010

Question
James,
After opening my humidor for a smoke I noticed a cigar with a hole in it.  Upon further exam I noticed a few dead and a few live beetles near the cigar.  After reading on what to do, I placed all my cigars in freezer bags and put them in the freezer.  I will leave them for 48 hours.  I read elsewhere that after the freezer they should go to the fridge for another 48 hours.  Is this true?  I will vacuum then wipe the humidor with a light coat of Isopropyl Alcohol.  At what point and other things should I be doing before I put them back in the humidor?  Do I need to re-season.  Also, I threw out any smokes with holes in them.  Thanks, for any help you may provide.

Answer
Hi Lou,

Placing your cigars in the refrigerator after freezing them is optional.  Some people recommend this step because it lets the cigars gradually return to normal temperature but I find it's unnecessary.  After freezing your cigars for 48 hours, it's perfectly fine to return them to your humidor without refrigerating them.  Refrigeration is more ideal for treating cigar mold and not required when treating tobacco beetles.

You should definitely re-season your humidor after wiping it down with isopropyl alcohol.  In addition, be sure to check the internal temperature of your humidor.  Tobacco beetles hatching in your cigars is an indication that the temperature inside your humidor is too high.  The temperature in your humidor should not exceed 74 degrees Fahrenheit.  If the temperature in your humidor is greater than 74 degrees, relocate your humidor to a cooler part of your home (ie: basement, cellar, closet) or keep your humidor in an air-conditioned room.  If either option is not possible, consider upgrading to a thermo-electric humidor that allows you to custom set the humidor's internal temperature level.  When the temperature is greater than 75 degrees, tobacco beetle eggs will begin to incubate and hatch.

Hopes this helps!  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James