63 year old rookie joining this forum

[Tom Short]

Hello to all of you!

After 45 years of 2 pack of Camels a day, I have finally found a pleasant way to quit. And am enjoying my Backwoods Brew Casablanca (12mg) more than any Tcig. It has been two months now analog free - the first two weeks I would sneak a few a day, but since then have not even had the urge! In addition to the conveniences and better taste of vaping, is the long term cost savings. The initial cost of my Aspire Atlantis rig was minimal compared to the cost of searching for the right juice. The Casablanca is it - just ordered a 120 ml bottle.

Question: Backwoods Brew recommends a couple of weeks steeping, but what is the best method to do this? With the first batch I just left the bottles in a dark cool place with the lids off - and shook them up every 24 hrs. Is there a better way?

Sorry for the long post - really just wanted to introduce myself - from Houston, TX.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[mcol]

Welcome! Everyone has an opinion on steeping.
My own personal preferred way with most juices is I leave the
caps off for about 12-24 hours, a couple of times a day I
will squish in some air to the bottles. After 24 hours I
re-cap, shake a lot and sit in a cool dark place. I prefer
my juices well steeped, with the exception of a couple
of places I order from that are already well steeped by the
time I receive them. I order juices at least a month in
advance and many times am three months or so behind
before using them. For example, I'm just finishing up
bottles from July. Enjoy your stay! I smoked for 29 years
and am 18 months smoke free.....thanks to vaping!

 

[glointhedark]

My daughter and I just put the unopened bottles in a cool, dark place - I use an el cheapo plastic toolbox from Walmart. We do not really have a good place to put uncapped bottles of eliquid where the furbabies cannot get at them. Some vendors do not list a "born on" date for their eliquids, so I use a Sharpie to mark the date I received the shipping notification from the vendor on the bottles when I receive them. It helps me keep track of how long the eliquid has been sitting there.

My daughter and I tend to treat steeping recommendations as suggestions, not hard and fast rules. My daughter especially likes to try new flavors straight out of the mailbox. If she likes the flavor, she continues to vape it. If she thinks it still needs something, she will let it steep. For me, I have found that creams/custards/some bakery flavors do not "come into their own" until they have steeped for at least 2 weeks, sometimes more. An awful lot depends on how you perceive the flavor with the equipment you are using. With ordering larger bottles, additional steep time might be a good idea. My daughter and I enjoy changing flavors frequently, so I usually order a variety of flavors in smaller bottles, 10 to 30 ml size.

Welcome to ECF. Have fun.

 

[Eitje]

For me, the main reason to steep is for the flavor to 'settle' down and to get some of the harseness to mellow a bit.
So far best thing proofed to be time or in other words, mix it and put it away for a couple of weeks. You can shake it now and than but provided you gave it a good shake to begin with, I doubt it will do much. Hardest thing is waiting

 

[Kriengsak Wangdulyakiti]

Another example of juice is the key to quit smoking. When found the flavor that the person really like it, quitting smoking is really easy.

 

[Eitje]

Another example of juice is the key to quit smoking. When found the flavor that the person really like it, quitting smoking is really easy.

Agree fully to that statement. Once you have a pleasant all day'er it kinda goes automatically and simply not restocking is often sufficient to leave the analogues behind.

 

[rgerber]

Welcome "oldtimer" from another old fart. The ECF family should be a good fit. While I'm not the oldest old fart here (75)...I may be the most cranky one.

 

[classwife]

Welcome to ECF Tom Short !
Glad you found us !

 

[Wolfenstark]

Hello and Welcome Tom.

 

[dcfluegel]

howdy! and welcome!

 

[oldvaporuser]

Hello to all of you!

After 45 years of 2 pack of Camels a day, I have finally found a pleasant way to quit. And am enjoying my Backwoods Brew Casablanca (12mg) more than any Tcig. It has been two months now analog free - the first two weeks I would sneak a few a day, but since then have not even had the urge! In addition to the conveniences and better taste of vaping, is the long term cost savings. The initial cost of my Aspire Atlantis rig was minimal compared to the cost of searching for the right juice. The Casablanca is it - just ordered a 120 ml bottle.

Question: Backwoods Brew recommends a couple of weeks steeping, but what is the best method to do this? With the first batch I just left the bottles in a dark cool place with the lids off - and shook them up every 24 hrs. Is there a better way?

Sorry for the long post - really just wanted to introduce myself - from Houston, TX.

Thanks,
Tom

I smoked for over 45 years two to three packs a day. I just turned 68 last month so I would like to welcome you the the old farts club. There are several of us who are well past 60 who vape so don't feel alone.

 

[zoiDman]

Hello to all of you!

After 45 years of 2 pack of Camels a day, I have finally found a pleasant way to quit. And am enjoying my Backwoods Brew Casablanca (12mg) more than any Tcig. It has been two months now analog free - the first two weeks I would sneak a few a day, but since then have not even had the urge! In addition to the conveniences and better taste of vaping, is the long term cost savings. The initial cost of my Aspire Atlantis rig was minimal compared to the cost of searching for the right juice. The Casablanca is it - just ordered a 120 ml bottle.

Question: Backwoods Brew recommends a couple of weeks steeping, but what is the best method to do this? With the first batch I just left the bottles in a dark cool place with the lids off - and shook them up every 24 hrs. Is there a better way?

Sorry for the long post - really just wanted to introduce myself - from Houston, TX.

Thanks,
Tom

Hi Tom. Welcome to the ECF.

Thank you for Posting because it shows that it is Never Too Late to Quit.

As to Steeping. You get a Lot of Diverse ways to Steep an e-Liquid. For Me, I do it the Old School way. And that is to just place it in a Cool Dark Place undisturbed.

 

[WindyCityJoe]

Hello and welcome @Tom Short

 

[57chilicat]

Welcome from a fellow Texan! Congrats on your 2 month mark! It will be two years before you know it!

 

[Winchester]

Hi and Welcome to ECF.
I feel a lot better now knowing I am not the only Old Fart on this forum! You guys made my day!

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

Welcome!

 

[Grimwald]

Welcome old timer. It's amazing at our age that we can still claim to be a rookie at something...anything.

As for steeping. I've heard a lot of methods...cap on...cap off...hot water bath...swinging a dead chicken over your head during a full moon...

Some flavors don't take much steeping, but more complex flavors do...especially darker tobacco flavors. My method is to put them in my dark cool storage area (no dead chicken swinging) and forget them for 2 weeks to a month. Take them out at the next full moon and enjoy. The trick is to have enough on hand to allow you to wait.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Welcome Tom! I read most each day here. I learn. It is a good place for discovery.

 

[Ablonz]

Hello and welcome Tom!!!! Congratulations on your 2 month mark!!! As a fellow DIYer, I would suggest to just put it in a dark cool place, like a root cellar in the basement. Give it a really good shake and then keep the cover on and let it sit. If it has a strong chemical smell to it right away, the most I leave the cap off is 2 hours as to not have it open for any dust or what have you settle down into it. Unless you by chance have a clean, dust free, monitored laboratory room to store it in. You can give them warm baths (soak in warm water or what have you) or some people use heated ultra sonic jewelry cleaners. Those will only get you so far. Time is the best way for juices to age to perfection. Hope this helps and Happy Vaping!!!

 

[billgharley]

Welcome Tom. Congrats on quitting analogs and hitting the 2 month milestone. Keep on doing what you're doing because it's working.
Good threads on steeping if you use the Search feature on the top right of the page.
Tons of good info here in the various forums and lots of helpful folks.