How to Steep Your Juice: What's your method?

[Jeremy Evans]

I have noticed that the more tobacco based ones are the ones of mine that require steeping more than fruity ones. My favorite flavor is a hand mixed one and my only gripe is that sometime the mix seems to vary batch to batch. So much to the point that once I think I have the flavors nailed down, the next one I get has a completely different flavor to it. It's actually frustrating bc I want to try to make my own but want to know my starting point.

 

[LilSweetie785]

I know this is an old thread but i'm hoping maybe someone is still lurking. What do you do if your just starting out? Any sites that have steeped liquids? I have a pack and a half of cigs left and just ordered everything to start out today. I really don't want to buy anymore cigarettes but I will before I vape burnt rubber.... Got Cowboy, Hazelnut, and Strawberry Waffle w/Cream from vaporbomb.com

 

[LaciJ]

I vape everything that comes through the door as soon as I get it. I load a small cartridge tank for my eGO C and vape. If it's not ready yet, the cap and dropper gets taken off and they go in the top drawer of my desk. I don't shake them everyday. I shake them once a week when I'm ready to put the dropper back on it and test it again. Length of time, I'm finding, depends on which juice it is. But, usually a week to 2 weeks.

My Delaware Vapor Peach Green Tea gets vaped the day I get it and I can't stand to let it steep because I want it NOW.

 

[darkhood]

Steeping E-juice explained

 

[unquiet]

So...how"cool" and how "dark" is meant by a cool and dark place?

Right now I've got a bunch of small bottles in the closed bottom drawer of a tool-box-turned-vape-box, which is sitting on the floor in my bedroom.
Caps are off, but not tips.

So is any 'steeping' happening or not?

 

[charly1954]

Cap on or Cap off, thats the question. There is only one way to find out if it matters.

Has anyone made 2 identicle batches for testing leaving cap off 1 and cap on with the other?

In my opinion some it would matter while others it wouldn't.

Also the time frame would make a differance, some may be good right after making, some need a week, while others may need a month.

My main vap is straight French Vanilla TFA(20%). Doesn't have allot of a taste right after its made. Set it in a cup with warm running faucet water(120deg) for about 6 hrs then let it set a week and its very good.

 

[swearbear]

So...how"cool" and how "dark" is meant by a cool and dark place?

Right now I've got a bunch of small bottles in the closed bottom drawer of a tool-box-turned-vape-box, which is sitting on the floor in my bedroom.
Caps are off, but not tips.

So is any 'steeping' happening or not?

yes, please help with this, on or off? i just learned about steeping now and want to get it done right

 

[Pappy]

For juices that have alcohol in them, I think you have to take the drippers off to let the alcohol evaporate. I do it that way for all my juices and it works for me.

I do 2 days with caps and drippers off, put them back on and shake them, and sit them in the back of my vape closet. I try to shake them every day (more often if I think of it) until they are ready to vape. For some juices, that's 3 or 4 days; for others it's 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[Robino1]

Something I wrote up about steeping:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/robino1/3343-steeping-why-critical-fresh-juices.html

It explains a bit why steeping is kind of important for some liquids. The more complex, the longer it needs. Simple flavors need less time for the flavors to marry or meld.

 

[themyst]

Funny reading about steeping from mtbakervapor reviews and now this section of the forum. I think I've been steeping in some cases inadvertently by letting new bottles sit and stew for sometimes a few months. I still have some china PG e-liquid sitting in my refrigerator from 2010. I vaped some of that in a pinch and it was fine.

My preference is clear or light colored juices (e.g. menthol, fruit-flavored stuff). The dark stuff (e.g. chocolate, coffee) just doesn't do it for me at all.

Do the dark juices (in general) require more time? Maybe I should unretire that bottle of coffee that I thought was utterly disgusting for another chance.

 

[Robino1]

Funny reading about steeping from mtbakervapor reviews and now this section of the forum. I think I've been steeping in some cases inadvertently by letting new bottles sit and stew for sometimes a few months. I still have some china PG e-liquid sitting in my refrigerator from 2010. I vaped some of that in a pinch and it was fine.

My preference is clear or light colored juices (e.g. menthol, fruit-flavored stuff). The dark stuff (e.g. chocolate, coffee) just doesn't do it for me at all.

Do the dark juices (in general) require more time? Maybe I should unretire that bottle of coffee that I thought was utterly disgusting for another chance.

No one can really say absolutely in regards to dark liquids. Naturally extracted tobacco's (NET) generally DO need more time. Coffee and tea liquids, might. Because vendors sometimes make their own extractions, those definitely need more time. I would give that coffee one another shot, if it still is blech, more than likely it will always be.

From everything I've read on ECF, the coffee vapes are the hardest to get right.

 

[charly1954]

Why do some say steep in a cool place? Cool places like the basement I would think cause a slower chemical flavor reaction than a warmer place.

I ask this because allot of peeps say to first steep in a very warmed place, like running faucet hot water. If warming them cuts the steep time down, why not steep them in a warm dark spot?

Not saying a cool place is not the best, just wandering why some say a cool place.

Also, I have read some use a jewelrys cleaner. If thats what I think it is, it would vibrate the liquid in a warm envirnment. So does vibrating the liquid makes the aging go faster?

 

[Robino1]

Why do some say steep in a cool place? Cool places like the basement I would think cause a slower chemical flavor reaction than a warmer place.

I ask this because allot of peeps say to first steep in a very warmed place, like running faucet hot water. If warming them cuts the steep time down, why not steep them in a warm dark spot?

Not saying a cool place is not the best, just wandering why some say a cool place.

Also, I have read some use a jewelrys cleaner. If thats what I think it is, it would vibrate the liquid in a warm envirnment. So does vibrating the liquid makes the aging go faster?

I can't answer the cool place question but I can add my thoughts to the shaking one. Think of it this way, flavors are added together. Each ingredient has a different molecular structure. They don't combine we'll unless they are shaken to break them up and then they are able to meld together. I'm guessing the warmth helps to soften those molecules so they break down faster. The shaking would then introduce those molecules to the others.

 

[ProngATO]

If it still smells to perfumie or hard to describe to much perfume is all I can say is leave the top and cap off and let it sit for a few days. Then try again. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don't. I got a bottle of coconut that I thought I would love. After 4 weeks of letting it steep cap on and cap off dark closet. No other juice allowed around it. I'ts still not what I really wanted. So I give up on Coconut juice for now. Which is a bummer cause I love the taste of coconut.

http://highbrowvapor.com got their coconut (with double flavor, standard 80/20 mix, 12mg nicotine) and it was AMAZING! I didn't steep it at all, maybe steeping it would make it even better, that would be damn near orgasmic then. If you haven't tried then yet, I would give it a shot. I was VERY impressed with the flavor. It was spot on. Hope this helps

 

[Michael McDonald]

The microwave for 10 seconds worked great for me!

 

[charly1954]

I can't answer the cool place question but I can add my thoughts to the shaking one. Think of it this way, flavors are added together. Each ingredient has a different molecular structure. They don't combine we'll unless they are shaken to break them up and then they are able to meld together. I'm guessing the warmth helps to soften those molecules so they break down faster. The shaking would then introduce those molecules to the others.

You said," I'm guessing the warmth helps to soften those molecules so they break down faster ".
Thats my thoughts, so would someone post why its said to keep in a Cool place, I would think that would slow down the process.

 

[Tripster]

Keep the caps on and place the bottles above my sink away from the sun and excessive heat.

 

[Red_Bird]

Basement cupboard with door shut in amber or cobalt glass bottles.....I bring up a few bottles a week.

 

[tingting44]

just learnt about steeping now! i take it you can not steep past the use by date? i just got some fruit mix from vape escape and the made date is 26/4/13 and use by 25/4/2015

very intriged by this steeping tho im going to pour 10ml of my current fruit mix and forget about it for a year then come back to it see if it makes any change lool

 

[Cara T]

I am in the trial and error phase of steeping/aging as well...right now I have 8 or 9 bottles that have sat in the closet since Sunday. If I am planning on letting them stay there for a week, do I need to remove the caps for the entire time or a few hours before I vape them?