Disparity in Shelf Life of Eliquid...

[chapeltown]

So I was under the impression that most eliquid had a shelf life of around 12-18 months, depending on storage.
Apparently I was wrong.

Vendor "A" says: 24 months is alright if I keep it in a "cool dark place" which I do.
Vendor "B" says that the shelf life is 3 months for their liquids.
That is an awfully wide range!
I did find, upon opening a bottle from vendor "B" after leaving it be for 2-3 months, that their expiration date is accurate.

Why is this? I have juices that are older that taste just like the day they arrived.

What does this mean for my diy juices?
What starts the ball rolling?
Do I need to go through my collection and add expiration dates based on vendor?

Help!!!

 

[New2vaps]

Just curious, who is vendor B ?

In general, organic/natural flavors - 6- 8months. Artifictial flavors -12 months

 

[Rickajho]

I don't know what to make of "B". Unknown to me what they could be using that would go bad that quickly. It should not be their PG, VG or nic. Properly stored (freezer) that stuff can be good for years. Only vendor I've heard of - whoever it is - making a statement like that.

 

[chapeltown]

Vendor B is Johnson Creek, believe it or not. And although I swear I saw a 3 month somewhere on their website, the overall is apparently six to eight months, which is still pretty short:
General FAQs - Learn Johnson Creek Smoke Juice

Shelf life and Storage
Q: How should I store my Johnson Creek Original Smoke juice?

A: Make sure to always store the bottles in a dark, cool, dry place. Excessive exposure to sunlight can damage the juice and cause discoloration to the liquid.
Q: What is the shelf life of Johnson Creek Original Smoke Juice?

A: The shelf life of Johnson Creek Smoke Juice is approximately 6 months if stored in a cool, dark, dry place away from direct or indirect sunlight. If stored in the refrigerator, the shelf life is approximately 8 months. We would encourage you to never store Johnson Creek Original Smoke Juice in a car, or within reach of children and pets.

 

[retired1]

I'd hazard a guess that they're using extreme caution with their estimates. Nothing wrong with that, mind you.

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

When it comes to juice, it's all in what they use. Natural & Organic juices, in my experience, tend to go bad much faster than those that are 100% artificial. PG acts as a preservative, but it doesn't work in the same way PGA would to preserve quality and taste, so over time, if the juice has natural & organic flavoring (i.e. true extractions, flavors etc), the juice is going to go "bad" faster.

Now, the definition of bad is going to vary. It could simply be a loss of flavor, or it could be a nasty rancid flavor (I've had both happen). It just depends on how much of what they are using when mixing.

There are ways to preserve DIY juice a little better, though not all companies may use such methods. You can add PGA & Saline (.9%) in to the mix at various levels, but you do have to fight off an alcohol taste or let it sit out and evaporate over time.

As far as temperature, "cool", to me, is between 55-65 F with a max of about 68 F, anything higher and I define that as warm/warming. You have to consider that in a cabinet, air doesn't flow as freely, so if you're using a cabinet near the stove or near a source of heat, chances are it's not staying all that cool in there.

 

[vjc0628]

Vendor B is Johnson Creek, believe it or not. And although I swear I saw a 3 month somewhere on their website, the overall is apparently six to eight months, which is still pretty short:
General FAQs - Learn Johnson Creek Smoke Juice

6-8 month or 3 month's?


6-8 month's might be right if using natural organic flavoring but 3 month's does not make sense

 

[chapeltown]

I keep my juices in a small sterilite container that I covered with duct tape. And it stays in my basement, where it doesn't ever get incredibly warm and pretty much stays dark 85% of the time. I did read recently about the saline and have been anxious to add it, but all I can find around town is the Arm & Hammer simply saline in a can. I finally did buy some, but I couldn't use it when it got home because I apparently am cross-eyed and grabbed the can that had the additional "Aloe"and about five extra ingredients. *grumble*

 

[TJVJR]

I was going to ask a similar question ;I bought several ( mostly PG or 60/40 ) bottles for my wife about a year and a half ago ( give or take a month or two ) and she is ready to give vaping a try again .They have been stored in a cool place . Is loos of taste all I should be concerned about or are there actual health issues that can arise ? Thanks all.

 

[Camaroboi13]

If it helps, on 10/20/11 I bought some Totally Wicked red label tobacco flavor...didn't like it, thought it tasted bad. Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago, I noticed I still had it in a drawer over 2 years later and I tried a couple drops and it tasted just as bad as it did before lol.

 

[chapeltown]

TJV JR-- if you go back to page one of this thread, Tactical gave a really good response. You may very well be fine! Wouldn't hurt to go over to high desert vapes this weekend though! They are having a massive half off sale on their juices.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[pamdis]

depending on storage

depends on the storage at the supplier(s) as well.

Vendor X makes your e-liquid 'fresh' today, but the nic was purchased 6 months ago, or the flavorings 8 months ago, or 1 flavoring in it is 1 day old and one is 12 months old. Vendor Y has high production and it was made 5 months ago and stored in a warehouse. Vendor Z made it last week with supplies he received last week, but how 'old' were each of the ingredients before he received them?

Trick question: How long is it good for when it arrives in your mailbox?

 

[TJVJR]

Good point. I put a few drops of each on a lil atomizer , they seem to be fine.....tangerine had a bit of a clay taste to it but the bottle only had a few drops left in it.

 

[Criticalmass]

It depends on the ingredients they use and how long it was sitting before or after they mixed it, and how it was stored from the moment of its inception. I have a french vanilla that went bad over 4 weeks from a local BM. It turned bitter so I put it up for a bit to see if it would go back to what it was, and now it is completely rancid and I had to toss it as it smelled like rat poison.

So what I'm doing now is when they get to a stage where I like the flavor, into the fridge they go. Seems to be working just fine.

The hard part is trying to determine how long your stock needs to steep vs. when to put it into the fridge vs. not keeping too much on hand and risk it going bad vs. running short... Sigh. Honestly, I guess at this stage I'd rather risk a bit of it going bad vs. running short (because the thought of that causes me to go into some kind of nic-fit worry-mania that I will run out). But it's also a bit tough to realize that I'm literally pouring money down the drain. Yes, I also get upset when we buy bananas and no one eats them before they go bad. hehe.

Buying from high-volume businesses like Nicoticket and Mt. Baker Vapor at least I am reasonably sure that the product hasn't been sitting for months before I get my hands on it.

 

[chapeltown]

Pamdis!! You just had to go and muck things up by *thinking* about it! How could you?!?!?

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