Is there a list somewhere for...

[Sed Contra]

Which companies should I steep their juice?

In other words, are there some companies where steeping isn't going to make any difference, so I shouldn't waste my time?

Is there some sort of rule or rationale for which companies or which types of juices to steep and which ones not to?

Thanks...still learning...A LOT!

 

[InTheShade]

Yes, there is a list.

1) All of them

Even the most disgusting juice you can imagine will change over time. Now, I'm not saying it'll be vapeable but it will surely change. In fact I can probably count the number of juices that I tried new and disliked, that I liked after an extended steeping.

Some vendors sell pre-steeped juice, usually for a premium. I tend not to buy it as I don't really see the point. One thing I have is plenty of juice to use while I wait for the new juice to steep.

But, all the juice I have ever bought has changed flavor over time.

 

[Rickajho]

What it comes down to:

If the site you are looking at says their liquids are custom mixed at the time of your order they will benefit from steeping. If they do state "mixed as ordered" they will typically give you info about steeping on their site as well.

The places selling long pre-mixed stuff like Dekang, Hangsen or rebranded/rebottled "house" versions of the same won't make any mention of "fresh" anything or required steeping because those liquids could be months old already before you order them. They won't get any better than what they are by the time you receive them.

 

[Sed Contra]

Yes, there is a list.

1) All of them

Even the most disgusting juice you can imagine will change over time. Now, I'm not saying it'll be vapeable but it will surely change. In fact I can probably count the number of juices that I tried new and disliked, that I liked after an extended steeping.

Some vendors sell pre-steeped juice, usually for a premium. I tend not to buy it as I don't really see the point. One thing I have is plenty of juice to use while I wait for the new juice to steep.

But, all the juice I have ever bought has changed flavor over time.

Gotcha. Thank you. One difference between you and me, then, is that I am so new that I don't have plenty of juice to use while I wait for the new juice to steep! I'm sure that'll change quickly, though...lol.

What it comes down to:

If the site you are looking at says their liquids are custom mixed at the time of your order they will benefit from steeping. If they do state "mixed as ordered" they will typically give you info about steeping on their site as well.

The places selling long pre-mixed stuff like Dekang, Hangsen or rebranded/rebottled "house" versions of the same won't make any mention of "fresh" anything or required steeping because those liquids could be months old already before you order them. They won't get any better than what they are by the time you receive them.

Great. That's more or less what I wanted to know. If it's MADE TO ORDER, then there's a greater likelihood that steeping while be of greater benefit.

Any other tips? For example, do certain flavors generally benefit more from steeping than others, e.g., fruity flavors or coffee flavors, maybe flavors that smell more of alcohol, etc...?

Thanks again, guys!

 

[retic1959]

I agree with Aglet they all will change . Sometimes not for the better as far as individual tastes are concerned , you'll find some you like fresh and others steeped . The only way to find out is to sample your juices weekly as they age. But they all will change .

 

[ephemerata]

Here are some things I've learned about liquids in the two weeks that I've been doing this. Some liquids will taste good to you right away and you can vape them immediately, but they'll probably benefit from steeping, especially if they're complex. Sometimes these will taste better with just a hard shake. If you get a scratchy feeling in your throat, especially if it's coupled with weaker tasting liquid, that's alcohol, and it'll benefit from breathing with the cap off. I think the hardest part for me is deciding whether you should steep something you already like, especially when you're desperate for something new but don't want to use all of it before it steeps.

 

[Sed Contra]

I think the hardest part for me is deciding whether you should steep something you already like, especially when you're desperate for something new but don't want to use all of it before it steeps.

I bought some extra glass dropper bottles for situations where I might want to put some aside to steep, yet still want some right away.

Thanks for letting me know about the scratchy feeling being due to alcohol. I couple of samples that I got today reeked like alcohol right from the get go, and they tasted rather horrible...sounds like steeping material. Thanks!

 

[Rickajho]

ephemerata has a really good take on it. And that alcohol thing - this is why you don't want to place a huge order with any place you have never tried before. That alcohol thing when you get it is from the carrier used in the flavorings. Chances are if one liquid from a place has that issue, most of the other liquids from the same place will have it too. I don't like it and I generally avoid places with an alcohol/perfume issue. The only way to drive it off is to evaporate the alcohol and that kind of steeping can take 4 -6 six weeks with the cap off.

Someone mentioned they get "alcohol" from Mt. Baker stuff. I've never got that and I've been ordering from them since they opened.

Never got "alcohol" from the flavorings The Vapor Room uses either.

Two places you may want to try. (Hint, hint)

As far as the question of some flavoring needing more steep time than others? There's a bit of truth in that, perhaps. I think the bigger issue is the overall source of the flavorings the vendor is using. TVR flavorings across the board seem to develop their complexity and strength at pretty much the same rate. "Alcohol" all seems to take a long time to get out of a liquid. Stuff like that...

 

[Sed Contra]

ephemerata has a really good take on it. And that alcohol thing - this is why you don't want to place a huge order with any place you have never tried before. That alcohol thing when you get it is from the carrier used in the flavorings. Chances are if one liquid from a place has that issue, most of the other liquids from the same place will have it too. I don't like it and I generally avoid places with an alcohol/perfume issue. The only way to drive it off is to evaporate the alcohol and that kind of steeping can take 4 -6 six weeks with the cap off.

Interesting. Actually, I got 5 flavors from Johnson Creek today and only one of them (Solstice) had that alcohol/perfume issue; additionally, of the 6 flavors that I got today from Virgin Vapor, only one of them (Organic Pineapple Party Animal) had that issue, too.

I hear what you're saying - perhaps as a general rule, but in this case, only two hit me that way.

Thanks again, man. I really appreciate it. It sounds like after the remaining sampler packs come in over the next week, I need to rethink how I order: it seems that I should order some for now and others for next month or the month after.

 

[UntamedRose]

Sure.....none.

Look if you Hate the juice your not going to like it in a week a month a year or even if you dance naked with it under a full moon doing the hokey pokey
If you Like the juice..........you might like it more in a week.
(and just like the soup analogy, crappy cooking doesnt taste better in the morning)

IMO steeping only takes a couple days if that......so by the time it gets to you it should be just fine. Steeping is for DIYers....... not its made then takes 3 days to get to you-ers.

 

[Rickajho]

Look if you Hate the juice your not going to like it in a week a month a year or even if you dance naked with it under a full moon doing the hokey pokey

Hey! Hey! Hey! We just had someone do that to fix a carto tank problem and it worked! (But I think there was a rubber chicken involved.)

 

[Rickajho]

Interesting. Actually, I got 5 flavors from Johnson Creek today and only one of them (Solstice) had that alcohol/perfume issue; additionally, of the 6 flavors that I got today from Virgin Vapor, only one of them (Organic Pineapple Party Animal) had that issue, too.

I hear what you're saying - perhaps as a general rule, but in this case, only two hit me that way.

Thanks again, man. I really appreciate it. It sounds like after the remaining sampler packs come in over the next week, I need to rethink how I order: it seems that I should order some for now and others for next month or the month after.

Well you're picking pretty high end vendors so I would be surprised with those two if "alcohol" showed up straight across the board. I'm waiting on a sampler of JC stuff myself, that the Post Office already delivered... Somewhere... Not to me... (Sigh...) I was so looking forward to that.

The biggest point is to proceed with caution when trying new vendors or new flavors. Find stuff you like in your sampling, order more of that in large sizes, and tack on a few more samples to the next order. And repeat...

 

[Susiejo]

I usually order from MBV and some of theirs needs to steep and some doesn't. The single flavor fruit juices seem fine to me as soon as I get them but the multi-flavored ones seem to need steeping for all the flavors to blend and taste right.
As I tend to order mostly fruit flavors I can't speak as to how the others from MBV do. I have gotten the caramel coffee and it tasted better after sitting for about a week.

 

[InTheShade]

I have mentioned the perfume in MBV juices before. Most of their juices need some cap-off steeping for a day or two, then they get better over a period of a few weeks just being put in a cool dark place. They change color over time too - I have a few drops of a 3 month old hawk sauce that is almost the color of caramel.

Again, my personal opinion and experience.

 

[hvac999]

Most of the e-liquids I use right away. Only every now and then do I need to steep.