How to steep?

[nocturn4l3030]

Sorry, newb question here.. but I just received my first order of juices (ever) from BWB and am pretty excited

I know to shake it regularly.. the only question I really have is do I leave the caps off or on? And by removal of cap.. is it literally the cap or the whole dropper thing under neath it too?

Thanks!

 

[wrigleyvillain]

Uh not sure where the questions about the caps are coming from as I don't see a lot of discussion about that. Leave them on when you're not dripping liquid. You definitely don't want to remove the dropper unless for some reason you are transfering containers.

Steeping just means let it sit for a few weeks at least, the flavors tend to blend more and others can even emerge/be more pronounced. A cool, dark place is best.

I'm not saying don't try any now but if you can let some stick around for awhile it may get different and/or better.

 

[nocturn4l3030]

awesome thank you. leaving the caps on then it is!

 

[wrigleyvillain]

Yeah while not quickly I'd guess it can probably evaporate and also if it tips over it will leak.

 

[whiskey]

Also by leaving the caps off it will change the chemistry if the mixtures...Making the tastes alter as well.

 

[LegioX]

Also by leaving the caps off it will change the chemistry if the mixtures...Making the tastes alter as well.

Whiskey, are you just making a statement or saying its a bad/good thing?

The over-exposure to oxygen is definitely not good, but what about the oxygen inside the bottle being replaced whenever you squeeze the bottle - as well as the fact that the less liquid that is in the bottle the more oxygen there will be? That question is open to anyone, I'm very curious.

Does steeping work because of the fact that its the same oxygen in the bottle all the time, and eventually it becomes 'stale' and has no further effect on the liquid? Its interesting stuff and I'm not sure if anyone really knows that much in detail about it...I have been squeezing the air out of my new bottles and then never opening them again until I want to use them weeks later...I also shake them all up together every day or so.

 

[ejoker]

i don't steep, at least not on purpose.
the amount of oxygen that changes or doesn't change in my bottles is irrelevant, cause they never last very long ...

 

[Wharf Rat]

I don't think it's an issue of oxygen, I think it's an issue of evaporation with the cap off.

To me it's not necessarily steeping, but melding. Kind of like some good stews or soups that taste better the next day. Some Brews I can taste different components when it's new. After time they meld into a complex unified flavor.

 

[SubOnAux24]

I think we are basically fermenting rather than steeping

 

[whiskey]

Whiskey, are you just making a statement or saying its a bad/good thing?

The over-exposure to oxygen is definitely not good, but what about the oxygen inside the bottle being replaced whenever you squeeze the bottle - as well as the fact that the less liquid that is in the bottle the more oxygen there will be? That question is open to anyone, I'm very curious.

Does steeping work because of the fact that its the same oxygen in the bottle all the time, and eventually it becomes 'stale' and has no further effect on the liquid? Its interesting stuff and I'm not sure if anyone really knows that much in detail about it...I have been squeezing the air out of my new bottles and then never opening them again until I want to use them weeks later...I also shake them all up together every day or so.

I am saying that the more the caps are off to full air exposure the sooner the chemistry changes, Don has stated that it is his preference not to steep with caps off, although I am not a chemist , he may be able to explain why, better than I can...I think Ejoker said it best, mine doesn't last long enough to worry about that

 

[Debian Dog]

"Steeping" wine with new oxygen makes vinegar

Beamed from my DroidX