Beginner mixing tip - I just learned

[jmunk]

Ok this might be obvious to everyone but me but I thought I would put it out there just in case.

When I mix my liquid I mix the flavors with the base and let those sit and shake together for 1 week. I then let my nicotine air out for 48 hours to release any flavors that might come in the nicotine. Then I add my nicotine to my base and enjoy or maybe let the new mix steep a little while longer.

Well the light bulb in my head went off today when I was adding the nicotine to the 8 bottles that have been steeping, when I noticed not all of them where the same height in the bottle due to me sampling my recipe over the past week. So to be more accurate I remeasured all of my base bottles and was surprised almost each bottle required a different about of nicotine.

Well I hope this made sense and I hope this helps someone else.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

 

[Visus]

When you expose nicotine to air it starts to lose potency .
Air and light, but if your buying nic with a flavor ya need to buy from another vendor..

 

[jmunk]

I am currently getting my nicotine from wizard labs. I have read this guys blog for a while and noticed a big difference when I let my nicotine breath out. How to mix DIY e liquid

"Nicotine and Preparation

Before I begin any DIY I prepare my Nicotine at least 2 days before.
Nicotine has a strong peppery taste and aroma. Obviously, this transfers to your final mix.

NicotineI purchase 24mg Nic mixed in 100% VG.
Generally I cut it down by diluting it with PG and or VG.
I vary my levels of PG depending on flavor type.
24mg Nicotine solution - 250ml



128Pour Nicotine into an open glass bowl and cover with a paper towel
Store it up high, away from heat and light for at least 24 hours
This will help to reduce the peppery taste and aroma"

 

[Hoosier]

Hmmm, makes me glad I've never had a chance to obtain any WL nic...

I'm really curious what your mixes taste like before the sitting and stuff though. The vast majority of my mixes are, squirt all the stuff in the bottle, shake, vape and enjoy. (I keep as much air away from my nic as I can manage, but it doesn't have an odor or flavor either.)

 

[RocketPuppy]

I've been purchasing nic from WL for quite sometime, and I have never received it with a smell. Air is one of nicotine's worst enemy, along with light, heat, and moisture. I usually like the Vapor's Table, but that information is incorrect. Exposing it to air can result in a bitter taste and loss of potency.

In terms of steeping, you want to steep the flavors and base with your nic.

 

[RocketPuppy]

The title says beginner mixing tip. What was the tip?

 

[jmunk]

Hoosier where do you get you nicotine? Rocket Puppy the tip for me was when adding the nic. to account for lose while tasting.

 

[Hoosier]

Xtreme Vaping or Vapers Tek are the only nicotine solutions I use that I like.

 

[Crunktanium]

Exposing it to air can result in a bitter taste and loss of potency.

Exposing certain flavors to air will greatly reduce the steeping time needed. I find RY4 double comes out so much better with a 48 hour cap off period. If I wanted to wait a month I could get the same with cap on but I don't have time for that.

 

[RocketPuppy]

Exposing certain flavors to air will greatly reduce the steeping time needed. I find RY4 double comes out so much better with a 48 hour cap off period. If I wanted to wait a month I could get the same with cap on but I don't have time for that.

I was referring to the op's comment about letting the nic sit out for 48 hours.

Have you tested your nic after letting it aerate?

 

[RocketPuppy]

Exposing certain flavors to air will greatly reduce the steeping time needed. I find RY4 double comes out so much better with a 48 hour cap off period. If I wanted to wait a month I could get the same with cap on but I don't have time for that.

Exposing your mix to air or time oxidizes the nic. It's why many juices get darker. The flavors aren't changing; the nic is oxidizing.

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

Wow! You should never expose your nic to air and light any longer than the minute you are mixing. If you are getting bad nic you should search elsewhere for better quality. I've never had bad tasting nic. I never allow mine in light nor any air unless I'm mixing. I'd advise you to find a different source of reading if this is what they recommend. Air and light are the worse possible exposures for nicotine.

 

[RocketPuppy]

I'm curious. Why are you letting the flavor mix sit for a week before mixing them with your nic base?

 

[ajaymes2001]

The steeping process as I understand it, is to allow flavors time to mix/meld. Fruity flavors generally require a day or two, more complex flavor combos and darker colored flavorings generally take longer, up to a week or two depending on taste. Cap off seems to be the favored way, but I've also heard that warm steeping will work if you are in a hurry to get a good taste of your mix. If one were to vape unflavored nic, I would presume if you are using good quality nic to begin with, no steeping time would be required at all.

 

[jmunk]

if someone could point me in a direction to where all the science is that points to nicotine being degraded my leaving exposed to air for 48 hours? Because I have done a little bit of research and I came to the conclusion after reading a few studies that show nicotine left out in air and in light only degraded the nicotine by about 3% over the course of 2 months. And all that happened was a reduced amount of testable nicotine. As for the oxidization of nicotine the only effect this has is a loss of flavor and a slight color change IF oxidization happens at all.

I have only been doing DIY for a few month, and I am still learning and trying to grow and to be safe so if someone could please point me in a direction that would help educate me on the fact that nicotine gets degraded by air in 48 hours I would really appropriate it. I know my nicotine has never changed colors before. If it's just "Bro Science" then I get it and I will probably "keep on keeping on" but if their is science behind the claims I would really like to research it. Thank you.

 

[RocketPuppy]

Aerating is done in order to eliminate alcohol. Steeping is done with the cap on.

In terms of data, I will post links tomorrow evening. I'm on my phone, and all my research is on my computer at home.

 

[RocketPuppy]

Bro science? That's a new one for me. Unless something is backed by factual data, I wouldn't comment...unless it's an opinion, which I would state.

 

[chellemmm]

1. Spectrum Laboratories : Chemical Fact Sheet - Cas # 54115 CASRN 54-11-5

2. Nicotine - PubChem

3. Characterization of environmentally friendly nicotine degradation by Pseudomonas putida biotype A strain S16

4. http://datasheets.scbt.com/sc-212834.pdf

 

[dannyv45]

if someone could point me in a direction to where all the science is that points to nicotine being degraded my leaving exposed to air for 48 hours? Because I have done a little bit of research and I came to the conclusion after reading a few studies that show nicotine left out in air and in light only degraded the nicotine by about 3% over the course of 2 months. And all that happened was a reduced amount of testable nicotine. As for the oxidization of nicotine the only effect this has is a loss of flavor and a slight color change IF oxidization happens at all.

I have only been doing DIY for a few month, and I am still learning and trying to grow and to be safe so if someone could please point me in a direction that would help educate me on the fact that nicotine gets degraded by air in 48 hours I would really appropriate it. I know my nicotine has never changed colors before. If it's just "Bro Science" then I get it and I will probably "keep on keeping on" but if their is science behind the claims I would really like to research it. Thank you.

I admire your attempts and as your getting the results that are acceptable to you I can understand why you think your method is correct. The old saying "If it isn’t broke don't fix it" may at this time seem appropriate but many experts have given very valid tips in response to your post and you should look at these tips with an open mind. I have been mixing for a while now and have also done much research. I have also listened to the experts and adopted there methods and suggestions to get me to where I am today.

So I would like to pass some of this on to you. I as well as others that have already responded to you in this thread have written blogs with proven methods that work and have participated in these test that you keep eluding to and dispense help on this forum on a daily basis. Please look at this suggested reading below because there's a lot of good information to help teach you proven methods. I still learn and find new things on the art of mixing everyday.

Read my blogs

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

hoosier's blogs are the result of many years of solid experience.

E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs

the stickies at the top of the page are a resource of solid information.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

 

[Wingsfan0310]

I don't let my Nic sit uncapped for any longer than absolutely necessary. I don't steep juice with the cap off (in fact I mainly shake and vape). I think steeping for the most part is overated, 99% of a good juice is quality ingredients and a good recipe, 1% is a steeping imo. I think time can sometime make juice a tad better, but not the night and day difference some people preach. Mine are good from the start and if they do improve marginally tank by tank, I consider it a bonus. If they are bad at the time of mixing, steeping for a month is just going to give me month old bad juice. The only way to fix bad juice is to adjust the recipe imo.

Airing juice out (cap off) should only be done to evaporate off an alcohol/chemical smell. I've only done this once or twice to store bought juice (didn't really help) and never to my DIY. I think if I had to do that to my juice, I would have been because I overflavored it or used flavoring that I just don't like. I know the prevailing view here is steep everything or it's unvapable, I strongly disagree, but to each his own.

Cheers,
Steve