Anyone aging their liquids in open air?

[stols001]

Even if juice is "custom" mixed to a specific nic level and PG/VG, sometimes a "base, flavorless, nic free" steeping happens, and all that's added is the right proportion of PG steeped base, PG steeped VG, and nicotine, then all mixed together. I don't think all mixes are assembled completely from scratch. With that said, it's also possible with some custom juice makers who will let you select all of your flavors, and include things like distilled water or other unusual "requests" well those juices may require steeping. It's also possible to get a steeped, and a less steeped bottle, depending on when/how flavor-makers prepare their batches. If you don't find a problem with the juice, it's fine to just vape it. Otherwise, if it seems weak, or unready, you may have to wait a period of time.

I never steep with the bottle open, although I will sometimes "air" my mixes for 5--10 minutes periodically (and I mean, not often) because I use Distilled water in my mixes and don't want it all evaporating. There is really no "one" practice, most DIY folks figure out a process that works for them, and then uses it, with the caveat that some flavors (think custards, cremes tobaccos) may require more steeping time than say fruit flavors and some other mixes.

This is why keeping notes at every stage, even when it feels laborious in the beginning, tends to generate increasingly excellent, repeatable results.

Best of luck,

Anna

 

[BrotherBob]

I'm a noob, so fair warning! I am curious about this part of the vaping 'thang. I don't plan on making juices, but I was reading about steeping liquids you buy. I know there are manufacturers who sell pre-steeped juices. That doesn't mean *all* other juices need to be steeped, right? The fellas at my first vape shop (I've only been into a few) didn't mention anything about steeping the juices they mixed up for me. I've been happy with the flavors of the juices I've used so far. I just don't want to miss out on any potential good schtuff.

The article below may tell you more than you probably want to know.
Might want to read:
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...ed-to-know-about-steeping-and-then-some.5010/
If your question is geared more to buy off the shelf vendor e liquids, I'm guessing the overwhelming majority of store bought e-liquid mixers have some sort of aging process incorporated within the recipe before it is sold. Some e-liquid mixes can be what we call SnV = Shake and Vape, some are good to go the after mixing and don't require steeping/aging. Some e-liquid mixtures may loose, partial or even most of their taste after weeks/months aging and are meant to be consumed rapidly. Since taste is subjective, there are no hard and fast rules to steeping/aging. Most off the shelf e-liquids, unless otherwise directed, are most likely good to vape immediately.

 

[untar]

There's far too many variables involved to say what's really going on. In addition to the things mentioned above there could also be "back contamination" from the atty chamber/wick into the tank. This could be condensate from vaping (water with parts of juice in it) or juice that got heated but only partly vaporised.
This both could have an effect on color and taste.
Change in color just means there's some chemical reactions going on that change the energy levels of some electrons. What reactions? Don't know. My chinese USB mass spectrometer is still in the mail
Breakdown of some flavor components can be good or bad for the taste, apart from ripping a fat cloud from it there's no way to tell.
There's no general rule relating color to taste. I've had both, better and worse tasting liquids after color changes/steeping.

 

[IDJoel]

I was reading about steeping liquids you buy. I know there are manufacturers who sell pre-steeped juices. That doesn't mean *all* other juices need to be steeped, right?

Correct.

Some mixes taste as good as they are going to get right after mixing. Others benefit with a few days. Still others need a couple of weeks, ore even a month (or more), before they really shine.

As others have said, the only real way to know when an e-liquid is going to taste best to you, is by repeated tasting over a period of time... by you. Taking notes, recording your own perceptions, can help create a better understanding of what (if anything) is changing.

One of the big problems with commercial juices (and knowing whether to age), is not knowing how old they are all ready. Some makers are puting a "mixed on" date on the bottle and that can help. But, there are still a myriad of things that can affect the aging process: specific ingredients, method of mixing, exposure to air, exposure to light, exposure to heat, bottle type, cap type, thoroughness of mixing, batch size, can all influence how any given recipe might age.

So again, taste often, and try to note how/if it changes. There is nothing wrong or "dangerous" in tasting a juice too early.

If it doesn't taste great; park it in a drawer or cupboard for a week, and then taste it again. Repeat as necessary. If it gets less appealing; then you have overshot the "tastes best" window... remember for your next purchase.

The fellas at my first vape shop (I've only been into a few) didn't mention anything about steeping the juices they mixed up for me.

Ask them. If they really know their product; they should be able to given you some idea. (Buyer beware: I have been in plenty of shops where the clerks had no clue. Tasting is still the only "sure" way.)

I've been happy with the flavors of the juices I've used so far. I just don't want to miss out on any potential good schtuff.

If you like them; you are vaping them at the right time!

If you are really curious, ration out the liquid over the course of several weeks, and see how it changes... for you.
Enjoy!

 

[Skunk!]

From my experience tobacco flavors taste best after about a month. For some reason they seem to take much longer than any other flavor types. I do not heat steep. I use 100%vg so I get it warm to make it thin enougb to mix. It seems that since I have stopped long hot steeping, that the nicotine seems less peppery. I leave the bottle uncapped for a day or more depending on how much I made. Last time I did almost a liter and I left it uncapped in the medicine cabinet for a week. If you are concerned about things getting in there you can set the cap on top unscrewed.

 

[Fidola13]

I get a card with my order from Vape Wild to shake occasionally and wait 2 weeks to let it steep. I usually don’t wait the full 2 weeks tho.

 

[bubba106]

Yeah, I was always told to leave the cap off a few minutes, but if left off for a long time the flavor starts evaporating.