eLiquid Steeping

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NiNi

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Kinda depends on how long you've been vaping and how well your taste buds have recovered. Tastes change. I've done it long enough to see and taste what steeping does. I have some juice that was toxic 4 months ago, and could still burn your nose hairs off just taking a whiff, went an ugly florescent green, no worries, it came from out of the country. I have some MBV that I got back in January, still hit it occasionally and it's better than what I remember, which was good anyway.
When you start vaping, go with flavors your taste buds KNOW. Don't get some strange named concoction that you have no clue as to what it's supposed to "taste" like....unless you've got bucks to burn and they come in sample sizes. Stick to what your tongue knows and go from there.
I have one "go to" vendor, some juice is fantastic right out of the bottle, others take at least a week, others a month. They're complex flavors and I wouldn't have appreciated them one bit, had I tried them almost a year ago. My nic level is lower, 24mg down to 11mg, my vape gear has changed dramatically from when I first started <-----that ALSO makes a huge difference, nic levels, VV, VW, top/ bottom, dual, coils, dripping, etc, etc.

I'd recommend anyone first starting to go to MBV. They are the company that is part of the standard, if not THE standard for vapers getting their feet wet, and many who just like a juice that is what it says it is, no detective work. And you don't have to steep if you don't want to, just order extra flavor shots. They also have varying nic, pg, vg, sweetener levels, so you can get a "custom order" without giving up an arm and a leg. In my opinion, they are part of the "learning curve" we all go through finding our juice ingredient levels.

I spent very little finding and adjusting my nic, pg, and vg levels with MBV. I also learned about steeping, just by cracking open a bottle of MBV that had been sitting for a few months, taking a vape and wondering why I had put it back on the shelf when I first got it.

If you have a funky bottle of juice, set it aside, shake it occasionally, get a blank cart, fill it up and try it every few weeks. You've got nothing to loose and very rarely does a crappy pre-made juice continue to be crap. And then you've got to ask yourself if you just don't like that particular flavor?:2c:
 

mkbilbo

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As you probably know, Mt Baker Vapor eLiquid is all made to order, so it's fresh. They recommended steeping on the site but don't really explain how or what that means. How exactly does a person go about steeping successfully (i.e., best type of place to steep in, etc.)? It's really cold here, if that matters.

I'm gonna dissent from the commonly accepted wisdom and say if you wanna vape it the day it arrives, go for it. I do. :)

Steeping is a highly, highly subjective issue. It has to do with taste and taste has no hard and fast rules. Or at least not many.

What I understand is one of the big issues steeping turns on is freshly mixed liquids have not had time to truly "blend". There may be other aspects but that seems the big one. And it only makes sense. If it's just been mixed, it may not have had time for all the components to evenly mix right?

Now, there are all kinds of contortions (and some very interesting widgets some have made) to do good mixing (including ultrasound devices!). Or you stick the bottle in a dark, cool cabinet and remember to shake it up now and then. Me? I can't tell much difference. Before I started doing my own mixes, I ordered a lot from MBV. I'd open the pack, grab a bottle, shake it like I was having a seizure, then vape it. No "steeping" at all. Did fine. Tried setting some aside, shaking them once a day, letting them steep... couldn't tell a difference.

I don't believe there's a "hard and fast" rule here. Yes, you want a freshly made juice to be well mixed. So make like a human paint shaker a while. Works for me. :)

If I do that and don't like the juice, then I'll try a full "steeping" thing and try it again in, oh, a week. So far, for me, that's made no difference. If shaking wasn't enough, steeping doesn't help.

I also have a "long term" steep cabinet. Stuff I've tried both ways that I set aside and forget about for who knows how long. Once in a while, pull out a few and try again. Sometimes--but only very rarely--I've found a long term steeped liquid (one that I didn't like the day it arrived) to be something I like. Almost never happens.

You'll have to try different things and see what works for you. Myself, I'm not impressed with steeping.

As in, we just got a vape shop so nearby, it's on my route to the grocery store. So, yesterday, I stop to check them out. Tried some juices and found one that I seemed to like so bought a 10ml of it. Now, we're talking serious made-to-order here. Guy made it on the spot right?

I started vaping it in the car. Tastes great and I'm going back for a big bottle maybe Monday. A good, vigorous shake and off we went.

So I've not bothered with steeping in months now. Like so many other things in vaping, your mileage, of course, may vary. :D
 

Scotticus93

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Steeping generally takes a week to two imo. with some juices maturing up to a month after you get them. also sweet and fruity juices tend to take less time (sometimes good out of the mail and/or just need a few days). tobacco juices need at LEAST a week. do not try to vape tobacco juices out of the mail unless you want an unpleasant surprise. take the dripper cap off, let it set in a dark cabinet for a day or two. put it back on shake it up. and let it sit for a few more days. its a pretty easy process.
 
I love the mudslide from Mt Baker Vapor. I dont really like to get juices I have to steep since I like to get my juice ready to vape and full of flavor... I mean I will try juices and will let them steep if they need it. The best place to steep is somewhere that is dark and warm.... The more you let it steep the better the flavor.... Vapeman12 Doesnt really like mt baker vapor only juice he likes from there is mudslide... That only one I tried from there but he tried a few others that just didnt care for.... Taste is subjective... take the cap off and put it somewhere that kids and fur kids/pets cant get to it.... Let it steep few days but cap back on shake and try.... Remember to always shake the bottle of juice before putting it in your tank or dripping atty...
 
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