Ready Steeped Ejuice Liquid Storage Recommendations

[VapeHacker]

Hi Vapers,

I was thinking to ask where do most of you Store your ejuice after Steeping and Ready to Disseminate ?

ie. After production of 1000 ML of ejuice and Steeped for 2 weeks at a cool wooden box away from the sun, Shaking it once per day . And now what ?

I was thinking to Disseminate the juice into 100 ML | 30 ML | 10 ML respectively and store in a Wooden Box Storage, Away from the sun and closed in a Wardrobe.

Or would it be better to be stored inside the Glass Bottle that i already have and disseminated upon request ?

Also Nicotine i believe is best stored at least in my case as i am in Cyprus ( Hot island ) Freezer,

Would it make sense to Store the Ejuice in the Freezer also ? After complete production for premium storage ?

Finally, Is there a Storage Box Electronically functioning at a perfect temperature as a fridge in order to store lets say several litre of ejuice ? or a fairly large amount ? even for small ? just as in the Wine Fridge which are manufactured to be set at specific temperature for each wine i guess.

Thanking you in advance !

Vape on !

 

[dannyv45]

If it's fully steeped and you wish no further oxidation of the e-juice and are storing them for the long haul store them in glass bottles in the refrigerator. They should stay good 2 or more years.
As a side note I have juices in plastic squeeze bottles over a year old stored on a shelf on my computer table that are just fine.
As far as size bottles to use well that's really a personal choice and depends on what your individual consumption volume is. The biggest consideration would be limiting the content to exposure of air, light and heat which would cause it to oxidize faster. Rule of thumb would be to bottle in sizes that can be consumed in 3 - 4 months (keep out a 3-4 month supply refrigerate the rest).
The same consideration would be given to raw nicotine solution if freezing (keep out a 3-4 month supply freeze the rest).

You are correct as far as Nicotine solution. Store in glass in the freezer. There are no hard facts about storing already made juice in the freezer. Some say it will stay good others say the flavoring molecules will change, altering the taste. So the best thing to do is experiment by freezing a small amount of e-juice and revisiting it in a few months.

For your last question as far as a temperature controlled box. I think as you mentioned a wine chiller would work nicely but I see no issue with a regular refrigerator either.

 

[VapeHacker]

If it's fully steeped and you wish no further oxidation of the e-juice and are storing them for the long haul store them in glass bottles in the refrigerator. They should stay good 2 or more years.
As a side note I have juices in plastic squeeze bottles over a year old stored on a shelf on my computer table that are just fine.
As far as size bottles to use well that's really a personal choice and depends on what your individual consumption volume is. The biggest consideration would be limiting the content to exposure of air, light and heat which would cause it to oxidize faster. Rule of thumb would be to bottle in sizes that can be consumed in 3 - 4 months (keep out a 3-4 month supply refrigerate the rest).
The same consideration would be given to raw nicotine solution if freezing (keep out a 3-4 month supply freeze the rest).

You are correct as far as Nicotine solution. Store in glass in the freezer. There are no hard facts about storing already made juice in the freezer. Some say it will stay good others say the flavoring molecules will change, altering the taste. So the best thing to do is experiment by freezing a small amount of e-juice and revisiting it in a few months.

For your last question as far as a temperature controlled box. I think as you mentioned a wine chiller would work nicely but I see no issue with a regular refrigerator either.

Firstly i would like to thank you for your reply, Its so informative that i have to memorize it all !

no further oxidation of the e-juice

I have a sub question, im not familiar with the oxidation on the ejuice making, i did left the glass bottle open on the 2 weeks steeping process once for like 30 minutes, but then my guts said to me dont do it again .... now is it mandatory to open the cap of your ejuice and let it air out for how long ? or its ok not to oxidize it at all and just shake once everyday for 2 weeks and its ready ?

The point of storing for long term is answered very clearly, thanking you again on this.

So the best thing to do is experiment by freezing a small amount of e-juice and revisiting it in a few months.

This is on my list to experiment

And finally, something was worrying me a bit, if you are planning to store ejuice lets say both cases, short and long term however i assume its longterm for this case. and the bottle is half filled and half empty, there is " AIR " there in the bottle, does this creates oxididation ? would it be better to be like fully filled and stored in order to minimize that air ? or really its just too much thinking that im going into now and it should be ignored ? meaning the " AIR " is not affecting anything inside the bottle...? ?

 

[IDJoel]

Hi @Vaping Cyprus and welcome to the ECF community!
I second the solid advise Danny already gave you. In regards to your follow-up questions:

I have a sub question, im not familiar with the oxidation on the ejuice making, i did left the glass bottle open on the 2 weeks steeping process once for like 30 minutes, but then my guts said to me dont do it again .... now is it mandatory to open the cap of your ejuice and let it air out for how long ? or its ok not to oxidize it at all and just shake once everyday for 2 weeks and its ready ?

@dannyv45 has a pretty good overview of what resting/steeping is all about: Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum
He also has several other good blogs and a bunch of additional resources in the link he has attached to his signature line at the bottom of all of his posts.

The reason a mixer will choose to let a new mix rest with the cap off (allowing it to "breathe" or "air out") is to allow certain undesired volatile molecules/compounds to evaporate. The most common is ethyl alcohol that is used in the making of certain flavors. (alcohol can leave a mix very harsh and unpleasant.) Uncapping can also help to reduce the "plastic" or "chemical-like" tastes that sometimes found in a fresh mix. The problem is that you are also simultaneously loosing desirable volatiles (often the lighter, brighter, more floral notes of flavor).

First I make small (10mL or less) test batches if I am making a new recipe. I don't wish to waste resources or time dumping or trying to "fix" larger batches. Then, after a very thorough shaking to mix I will vape taste the new creation right away to get a benchmark for taste.
Now I decide how it tastes:

• it might taste good to vape right now in which case NO resting is required; we often refer to these as "shake and bake" recipes.
• or maybe it tastes ok but the flavors don't seem balanced, or blended, or one flavor seems too strong or too weak. This is a good candidate for resting/steeping.
• or it might taste like either of the previous two AND also have harsh, or artificial, or chemical types of tastes to it. This would be a good candidate to give some resting time with the cap off. How much? Again; you are going to have to experiment. But I would start with roughly an hour then shake and re-taste.
• You may choose to do this once or twice a day, or multiple times a day, for as many days as needed to off-gas (get rid of) the unwanted notes. But don't forget to be tasting for the loss of desired tastes as well (this can be quite a lot or nothing at all; it really depends on what flavors were used in the mix).
  
• Some mixers will also choose to accelerate this process by adding low temperature heat (60 degrees Celsius, or lower). Note that heat is also one of the accelerants for nicotine oxidation as well (which is usually not desired).

One last clarification on your above statement: oxidation IS NOT the same as "breathing" a juice. Oxidation is a chemical reaction between oxygen and another chemical; most often nicotine in discussions of e-liquid. Breathing is the process of off-gassing unwanted volatile compounds. There is some collateral oxidation taking place while allowing a mix to breathe; but that is generally not the intended, or desired, result.

When DIYers discuss oxidation; they are most often talking about the incedental, or intentional, manipulation of pre-diluted nicotine. Oxidation will effect the taste and perception of the nicotine.

And finally, something was worrying me a bit, if you are planning to store ejuice lets say both cases, short and long term however i assume its longterm for this case. and the bottle is half filled and half empty, there is " AIR " there in the bottle, does this creates oxididation ? would it be better to be like fully filled and stored in order to minimize that air ? or really its just too much thinking that im going into now and it should be ignored ? meaning the " AIR " is not affecting anything inside the bottle...? ?

Short answer is I would NOT worry a lot about this. At least for mixes I'm not expecting to be around for less than 6 months to a year. Not real sure why I would want to mix with a longer period intended.

Long answer, like pretty much everything else with DIY, is "it depends." It depends on how large of a bottle AND how much airspace. And how long are you going to store it. The more of each you have; the more potential for loss or change.

Bigger bottle + more airspace + more time + warmer storage temperature = more potential for change

The more airspace you have; the more potential you have for continued off-gassing, AND oxidation of nicotine. Air can only absorb so much from the liquid, and has only so much oxygen to react with the nicotine. So a smaller airspace will help to minimize these effects. but this is all effected by time and temperature (and light too; in the case of oxidation).

Time, higher temperatures, more repetitions of opening the bottle, agitation of the contents, can all accelerate this process.

But what hasn't been discussed yet is: it also depends a lot on the flavors used too. Light flavors like lemon, orange, hibiscus, honeysuckle, and cherry blossom tend to dissipate rather quickly. You may find that they have a shelf-life of 3-6 months (or even less) no matter what you do. Others like tobaccos, coffees, and custards, can easily last for more than a year.

Ultimately you need to decide whether it is "good" or "bad" change, and how much is acceptable. Then you can figure out what, if anything, you need to do about it.

 

[VapeHacker]

Hi @Vaping Cyprus and welcome to the ECF community!
I second the solid advise Danny already gave you. In regards to your follow-up questions:

@dannyv45 has a pretty good overview of what resting/steeping is all about: Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum
He also has several other good blogs and a bunch of additional resources in the link he has attached to his signature line at the bottom of all of his posts.

The reason a mixer will choose to let a new mix rest with the cap off (allowing it to "breathe" or "air out") is to allow certain undesired volatile molecules/compounds to evaporate. The most common is ethyl alcohol that is used in the making of certain flavors. (alcohol can leave a mix very harsh and unpleasant.) Uncapping can also help to reduce the "plastic" or "chemical-like" tastes that sometimes found in a fresh mix. The problem is that you are also simultaneously loosing desirable volatiles (often the lighter, brighter, more floral notes of flavor).

First I make small (10mL or less) test batches if I am making a new recipe. I don't wish to waste resources or time dumping or trying to "fix" larger batches. Then, after a very thorough shaking to mix I will vape taste the new creation right away to get a benchmark for taste.
Now I decide how it tastes:

• it might taste good to vape right now in which case NO resting is required; we often refer to these as "shake and bake" recipes.
• or maybe it tastes ok but the flavors don't seem balanced, or blended, or one flavor seems too strong or too weak. This is a good candidate for resting/steeping.
• or it might taste like either of the previous two AND also have harsh, or artificial, or chemical types of tastes to it. This would be a good candidate to give some resting time with the cap off. How much? Again; you are going to have to experiment. But I would start with roughly an hour then shake and re-taste.
• You may choose to do this once or twice a day, or multiple times a day, for as many days as needed to off-gas (get rid of) the unwanted notes. But don't forget to be tasting for the loss of desired tastes as well (this can be quite a lot or nothing at all; it really depends on what flavors were used in the mix).
  
• Some mixers will also choose to accelerate this process by adding low temperature heat (60 degrees Celsius, or lower). Note that heat is also one of the accelerants for nicotine oxidation as well (which is usually not desired).

One last clarification on your above statement: oxidation IS NOT the same as "breathing" a juice. Oxidation is a chemical reaction between oxygen and another chemical; most often nicotine in discussions of e-liquid. Breathing is the process of off-gassing unwanted volatile compounds. There is some collateral oxidation taking place while allowing a mix to breathe; but that is generally not the intended, or desired, result.

When DIYers discuss oxidation; they are most often talking about the incedental, or intentional, manipulation of pre-diluted nicotine. Oxidation will effect the taste and perception of the nicotine.


Short answer is I would NOT worry a lot about this. At least for mixes I'm not expecting to be around for less than 6 months to a year. Not real sure why I would want to mix with a longer period intended.

Long answer, like pretty much everything else with DIY, is "it depends." It depends on how large of a bottle AND how much airspace. And how long are you going to store it. The more of each you have; the more potential for loss or change.

Bigger bottle + more airspace + more time + warmer storage temperature = more potential for change

The more airspace you have; the more potential you have for continued off-gassing, AND oxidation of nicotine. Air can only absorb so much from the liquid, and has only so much oxygen to react with the nicotine. So a smaller airspace will help to minimize these effects. but this is all effected by time and temperature (and light too; in the case of oxidation).

Time, higher temperatures, more repetitions of opening the bottle, agitation of the contents, can all accelerate this process.

But what hasn't been discussed yet is: it also depends a lot on the flavors used too. Light flavors like lemon, orange, hibiscus, honeysuckle, and cherry blossom tend to dissipate rather quickly. You may find that they have a shelf-life of 3-6 months (or even less) no matter what you do. Others like tobaccos, coffees, and custards, can easily last for more than a year.

Ultimately you need to decide whether it is "good" or "bad" change, and how much is acceptable. Then you can figure out what, if anything, you need to do about it.

Ok i think i feel more knowledgeable already, i have read the link you sent me and indeed, very clear, i guess i might just let it air out for a day and test it out once its fully steeped however i believe that the flavors i used do not contain any ethyl alcohol , if im correct there are flavors without ethyl alcohol ? which in my case i guess maybe even airing it out would still ok not to do it ....

Thanks also on the tips on how to test each ejuice in order to make actions accordingly, that is also helpful ~!

 

[IDJoel]

Ok i think i feel more knowledgeable already, i have read the link you sent me and indeed, very clear, i guess i might just let it air out for a day and test it out once its fully steeped however i believe that the flavors i used do not contain any ethyl alcohol , if im correct there are flavors without ethyl alcohol ? which in my case i guess maybe even airing it out would still ok not to do it ....

Thanks also on the tips on how to test each ejuice in order to make actions accordingly, that is also helpful ~!

You are most welcome my friend. I am glad you found it helpful. A lot of good folks help me too. So now I try to share what they taught me with others.

Like I said in the previous post (I know I said a lot! probably got lost in all my blather... ); vape a little now. How else are you going to know what, if any, effect letting it breathe might have? If you aren't tasting any unpleasant/bad flavors; I wouldn't bother letting it breathe. Or, if you are really undecided; split the batch into two separate bottles, and allow one to breathe, and keep the other capped. Then taste them after a period and see which you like better.

As for flavors containing alcohol; check the label.
I realize you are in Cyprus, and I am in the U.S., so I don't know what flavor manufacturers you have available and are using. Here in the states most of our larger flavor manufactures have at least a few flavors that use ethyl alcohol to some degree. If it is used it is included in the ingredients list on the bottle label and on the manufacturer's web site. I don't know if that is the case for you.

 

[VapeHacker]

You are most welcome my friend. I am glad you found it helpful. A lot of good folks help me too. So now I try to share what they taught me with others.

Like I said in the previous post (I know I said a lot! probably got lost in all my blather... ); vape a little now. How else are you going to know what, if any, effect letting it breathe might have? If you aren't tasting any unpleasant/bad flavors; I wouldn't bother letting it breathe. Or, if you are really undecided; split the batch into two separate bottles, and allow one to breathe, and keep the other capped. Then taste them after a period and see which you like better.

As for flavors containing alcohol; check the label.
I realize you are in Cyprus, and I am in the U.S., so I don't know what flavor manufacturers you have available and are using. Here in the states most of our larger flavor manufactures have at least a few flavors that use ethyl alcohol to some degree. If it is used it is included in the ingredients list on the bottle label and on the manufacturer's web site. I don't know if that is the case for you.

As far as i know, in Cyprus, i think we manufacture eJuice also ( not sure if flavors only but i think complete ready made ejuices ) dont count on my feedback, just rumors. But at the moment i get my flavors online, the ingredients are : Natural and Artificial Flavors. Propelyne Glykol and some contain water. No sign of ethyl..

 

[dannyv45]

Idjoel answered your questions expertly and correctly. Leaving the cap off airs off (Evaporates) undesired compounds such as undesired volitile chemicals and alcohol. it is not oxidizing. Oxidation is the chemical interaction between nicotine, light, heat and air within the mix over a certain period of time (Think of it like copper tarnishing over time). So to answer your question "the bottle is half filled and half empty, there is " AIR " there in the bottle, does this creates oxididation ?"

A bottle half full of air will oxidize faster then a full bottle so it's best to store a full bottle for long term storage. This is expecially important for freezing NIC solution. This is why I recommend a size bottle that will be large enough to hold a 3 - 4 month supply. The reason being is that when the bottle is in every day use it is exposed to air, heat and light and will last 3 - 4 months. So while that bottle is in use the rest stay fresh within the freezer or refrigerator.

 

[VapeHacker]

Idjoel answered your questions expertly and correctly. Leaving the cap off airs off undesired compounds such as undesired volitile chemicals and alcohol. it is not oxidizing. Oxidation is the chemical interaction between nicotine, light, heat and air within the mix. So to answer your question "the bottle is half filled and half empty, there is " AIR " there in the bottle, does this creates oxididation ?"

A bottle half full of air will oxidize faster then a full bottle so it's best to store a full bottle for long term storage. This is expecially important for freezing NIC solution. This is why I recommend a size bottle that will be large enough to hold a 3 - 4 month supply. The reason being is that when the bottle is in every day use it is exposed to air, heat and light and will last 3 - 4 months. So while that bottle is in use the rest stay fresh within the freezer or refrigerator.

Great ! ok then i thought so but i wanted to get the answer from the eyes of a true alchemist such as yourselves

Thanks again ! Vape on !