How long does ejuice continue to steep?

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DaveP

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I've only had bad juice stay in a bottle for a long period! How do you tell when it's not good anymore if it was bad on day one and day 365?

Seriously, I threw out half a 30ml vendor bottle yesterday when I was looking for something else and saw it. It smelled fine way after two years in the closet, but wasn't my favorite at the time.

I think it depends on what's in it. Creams probably don't last as long as fruit and candy. Tobaccos are probably depend on the ingredients used. A touch of alcohol probably prevents mold growth.
 
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DaveP

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I would think the actual "steeping" process eventually ends. Then it becomes more of an issue with oxidation. I don't think mold can grow very well in PG, so that may not really be an issue.

I've never detected mold in my juices or in vendor juices, but I guess it's possible.

Steeping is supposed to be the gradual integration of the molecules in the mix, so yes it would probably reach a stasis point where everything was the same throughout the mix.

Shaking may or may not be as critical as some say, but I like to shake my new DIY bottles daily for the first couple of weeks and then every time I use liquid out of any given bottle.

I haven't tried the ultrasonic cleaner method yet for fear that my Brother Labelmaker labels might slide off during the process, but I do want to give it a try using two identical mixes, one steeping at room temp and the other in the UC.

According to the manufacturer, they should be fine in hot water.
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ChelsB

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I've never detected mold in my juices or in vendor juices, but I guess it's possible.

Steeping is supposed to be the gradual integration of the molecules in the mix, so yes it would probably reach a stasis point where everything was the same throughout the mix.

Shaking may or may not be as critical as some say, but I like to shake my new DIY bottles daily for the first couple of weeks and then every time I use liquid out of any given bottle.

I haven't tried the ultrasonic cleaner method yet for fear that my Brother Labelmaker labels might slide off during the process, but I do want to give it a try using two identical mixes, one steeping at room temp and the other in the UC.

According to the manufacturer, they should be fine in hot water.
Brother P-touch Labels and Tapes - all you need to know

Lol! I'm using a label maker too and had that exact same worry! Thanks!


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DaveP

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I think that e-Liquids sitting too long actually begin to separate again because I had one sitting for a while that I could actually see different layers in the bottle but a quick shake and it was all one color again.

Shaking is a good thing. I tend to shake juice a few times before I fill my tank out of a bottle. It's habit, but it can't hurt.
 

ChelsB

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I seem to have noticed no difference in taste of my juice after 3 weeks of steeping so that is my goal with all of them now

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Thanks, Falco78, that's exactly the kind of info I'm seeking!


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zoiDman

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I know ejuice is good up to 2 years, but I'm wondering if it can over steep?


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Are you familiar with the concept of "Increasing at a Decreasing Rate".

function-increasing-ex.gif


To me, this is what I have seen with the Non-Tobacco Flavors I have DIY-ed.

That the Amount of Change in Flavor due to "Steeping" occurs Rapidly in the first Couple of Days. But then falls of Quickly afterwards.
 
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ChelsB

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Are you familiar with the concept of "Increasing at a Decreasing Rate".

function-increasing-ex.gif


To me, this is what I have seen with the Non-Tobacco Flavors I have DIY-ed.

That the Amount of Change in Flavor due to "Steeping" occurs Rapidly in the first Couple of Days. But then falls of Quickly afterwards.

Good to know, as being a former menthol smoker I only do fruits and mints


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zoiDman

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I know ejuice is good up to 2 years, but I'm wondering if it can over steep?


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BTW - I just Noticed that you live in Santa Rosa. I did my Lower Units at SRJC before transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the early 80's.

I have some Very Found memories of Santa Rosa and the Surrounding areas.
 

zoiDman

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Good to know, as being a former menthol smoker I only do fruits and mints


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I've mixed a Lot of Fruit Flavors. And I don't think (for me) there is Much of a Perceivable change in their Taste after sitting in a Cool Dark Place for 10 ~ 15 Days.
 
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DaveP

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Are you familiar with the concept of "Increasing at a Decreasing Rate".

function-increasing-ex.gif


To me, this is what I have seen with the Non-Tobacco Flavors I have DIY-ed.

That the Amount of Change in Flavor due to "Steeping" occurs Rapidly in the first Couple of Days. But then falls of Quickly afterwards.

I agree that flavor grows along an F(x) curve and levels over some period of time. There's also variations of X with different brands and flavors.

I usually wait 7-10 days before trying tobacco flavors. I've also had some that didn't get really good (stronger tobacco flavor) until 3 weeks out. Until then, it was blah and suddenly became an ADV.

I think it depends on the brand and the flavor as well as the concentration used. Some juices are good on day 1 or day 7 and slowly get better/more flavorful over a couple of weeks.

Sometimes, I wish that flavors came with a chart with annotations about color, flavor, and the nuances over time. HIC does well with his comments about flavor by doing several bottles at different percentages and commenting on flavor over steeping time.

HIC's "My notes on"
 
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ceeceeisme

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I think how long it last has a lot to do with its ingredients and how its stored. A full unopened bottle will keep longer than an opened half empty bottle.

+1 to this statement, emphasis of course on how it's stored (glass or plastic, air in the bottle or no air, cool or warm environment, exposure to light or in darkness).

I would think the actual "steeping" process eventually ends. Then it becomes more of an issue with oxidation. I don't think mold can grow very well in PG, so that may not really be an issue.

+1 to this statement as well - there is a condition in chemistry known as "maximum entropy", that is when decay is complete and the compound cannot decay any further. Maximum entropy will occur in food grade ingredients in varying degrees depending on the total number and property of constituents used. With e-liquid I would guesstimate it could be as long as 10 years or more down the road as e-juice is made with PG and VG, both of which have a very long shelf life and PG does in itself act as a carrier and a preservative. I believe most of us would have thrown that bottle out long before the 10 year mark anyway. Maximum entropy would not be a good thing in your e-liquid. :eek: *yuck*

Most commercial e-liquids will note a shelf life of 2 years because after that time much of the flavor will have faded and if nic is added, will mostly have decayed. Again, glass or plastic storage will be a factor as well as exposure to heat, light and air.

So to address your specific question, yes I suppose your juice can "over steep" in a manner of speaking. The question is, are you going to want to vape a 5 or 10 year old bottle of e-juice? lol Probably not.

And of course, to make aging or steeping matters more complicated, there is the factor of personal taste preferences. Some people feel their custard recipe (to use one example) is perfect at 4 weeks, others will prefer it at 2 weeks but not past 3. Another person may wait 8 weeks before touching it. It all depends on how you like it.

I have a cat that will only eat wet cat food if it has sat in the dish for 12 hours or more and mostly dried up. Of him I always say, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, 9 days old.... some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot, 9 days old. :)
 

zoiDman

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...

I think it depends on the brand and the flavor as well as the concentration used. ...

It Most Definitely Does. And this was something that I Learned Quickly after having Initial Success doing Single Flavoring Recipes.

That once I started to do Multi-Flavored Mixes, I couldn't accurately gauge what the Effect on the Final Flavor would be by Tasting right after Mixing. I had to wait for a week or so and then Re-Taste. Something that can be Hard for an Impatient Person.

Because Some Favors were going to becoming Stronger as the Mix Aged. And some Flavors weren't going to Change all that much.

This is where taking Detailed Notes Really Helps.

Because once you know that a Single Flavor in a Multi-Flavor mix Isn't going to become much Stronger via time, if you want to have More of that Flavor, you alter the Recipe to include a Larger % of that Flavoring.

Whereas some Flavors are going to get Stronger as the Mix Ages. So you use a Lower % than you would think you should use.
 
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