Best method for storing juices?

[madison360]

I am sure this has been asked, so I apologize. And I admit that I have not gotten my order yet, and it probably says in the packing, so again, I apologize for being overly eager. Just gathering info. Refridgerator? Cool, dark place like a cabinet? Thanks in advance!

 

[Renzuli]

Just a cool dark place , drawer , closet . That sort of thing . Never in the refrigerator .

 

[madison360]

Just a cool dark place , drawer , closet . That sort of thing . Never in the refrigerator .

Thanks for the info.... Anxiously awaiting our gear so we can get started!

 

[mohawkx]

Well, just to mix it up a little........ I live in Arizona. We set our air conditioner thermostat at 86 degrees. I know that seems hot for some but when the temp is 115 outside and you walk into the house, 86 feels like walking into a meat cooler. But anyway, I noticed when I left my juice out on a shelf that there was a sour smell to the juice when I'd walk by it. Now in the heat of summer, I keep my juices in the refrigerator with the exception of a 10 ml bottle I decant from the 30 ml bottle and use for filling. Right out of the frige the juice is bland but if you let it sit for a while and warm up to room temp it is fine and I experience no loss of flavor that I can tell.
I have asked this question before and I've never gotten a straight answer yet. Why is putting it in the fridge bad? Only answer I"ve gotten so far is condesation build up. From what I've gathered on ECF freezing is OK but refridgeration is not. Someone give me an actual reason why not and I'll change my system. I have a lot of money invested in juice.

 

[oldsoldier]

Mohawk you hit it on the head, condensation is the reason that people counsel against refrigeration. One vendor I use recommends refrigeration for longer term storage.

 

[madison360]

All good information! Thanks, guys!

 

[J MacLeod]

Unless you are ordering a year's worth of juice at a time, no special storage is required other than a cool, dark space like Ricanrod suggested.

If you are planning to really stock up, it's safe to assume that the basic ingredients used in ejuice (PG, VG, Nicotine) have an average shelf-life of between a year to 18 months depending on when the base ingredients were manufactured.
While some ejuice vendors will state between 24-27 months for their product, I've purchased pure PG from US distributors that had an expiration date on the bottle that was within 18 months, and the lab certifications I've received on the Nicotine I've purchased state 12 months when stored properly.
To get the longest possible shelf-life, store ejuice in opaque containers (or out of the light), with as little air as possible to prevent oxidation and bacteria, and keep in the freezer until ready to be thawed and remixed before use.

To answer mohawkx question, some people have reported loss of flavor, flavor and/or color changes, as well as a rancid taste after refrigerating ejuice for a long period of time. This could be due to reactions by the extra, unknown ingredients used in "store bought" juice, due to bacterial growth, or due to some other factor.
At this point we don't have a definitive answer, so most advice errs on the side of caution.
Of course, YMMV, and if in doubt, contact your ejuice vendor and ask for their recommendations on storage for their particular product.

 

[mohawkx]

Thanks for the clarification, oldsoldier. I only put my juices in the fridge for about 3-4 months out of the year. Rest of the time the house is cool enough.
So if I understand correctly, the juice may collect 1 or 2 drops of condensation while in the fridge and this will tend to mute the flavor? If this is all, then I can live with that but if the juice tends to break down in structure then I'll need to develop a different system.

 

[JWebb]

I store in the fridge and see no condensation or impact on taste.

 

[emus]

I've stored unflavored nic stockpile in freezer near 2 years w/o issue.
My DIY flavored batches get used quick so I just keep them on the desk.

 

[Analogue Nemesis]

I have some juices as old as 2years and 2 months. Most vendors caution beyond 2-years. My opinion is that if you have not used your juice in 2-years, you probably never will.

 

[2mtech]

I am sure this has been asked, so I apologize. And I admit that I have not gotten my order yet, and it probably says in the packing, so again, I apologize for being overly eager. Just gathering info. Refridgerator? Cool, dark place like a cabinet? Thanks in advance!

To add to the atmospheric location advice, I picked up several wooden Dominican cigar boxes at a flea market that work great for storing/organizing juices and larger equipment. This should also mean I don't need to clear cabinet space. My girlfriend was glad to get my ".... lab" off the dining room table I'll admit it was beginning to take up a good bit of it!

 

[J MacLeod]

I agree with the above posts.
I keep a few tobacco juices that are "steeping" under refrigeration along with my base PG and VG.
Nicotine is kept in deep freeze.
None of my own juices have experienced any negative changes because of it, that's why I referenced "Some have reported" in my first post.

As Nemesis stated, if a juice is going to sit unused for that long, then it's probably one you're not going to ever use so you may as well offer it up to someone else, or trade it for something new.