Is there a verdict on steeping?

[Jerms]

I know this might be a touchy topic, but I'm curious if there has been a final verdict on steeping. It's been accepted to many people (and apparently some suppliers) that e-liquid that has been recently mixed will undergo drastic changes in flavor if left to sit for some time. I've seen suppliers recommend that the product even be handled in a manner that includes leaving it open for a period of time and shaken on regular intervals.

My initial impression has been that the whole idea is silly. This product isn't a fine wine nor a chili that needs time to develop complex flavors. It's simply pg and or vg mixed with nicotine and flavoring. In my experience my impressions of the flavors I vape do change quite drastically on a day to day basis, but that's do to many factors that have nothing to do with the actual taste of the liquid.

I think the part that frustrates me is the reasons given to let a juice "steep" don't make sense to me but there is so many people that insist on it that I have to admit maybe there is something I'm not getting. Is there really a drastic difference to freshly made liquid and liquid that has been "steeped"?

 

[AngusATAT]

My own personal opinion is that yes, steeping makes a difference in some cases. However, I've only noticed a difference in e-juice that comes from a company that mixes it to order, and not all e-juice that comes from them needs to steep. For example, a previous order I made with Tasty Vapor had quite a few different flavors of e-juice. A couple of them didn't taste quite right when I initially got them, while the remainder of the order was just fine. A couple of weeks later when I tried the two again, they were just fine.

Do I know the scientific reason why they needed to steep a little longer? No, not really. But I've been ordering from companies pretty much exclusively for a while that mix their e-juice to order, and there are always some that need just a bit of time before they taste just right.

 

[JerryRM]

I have found that some flavors improve with time and some don't. I wouldn't recommend leaving e-juice open, to let it steep, since that could lead to evaporation.

My advice is that if you don't like a flavor, let it steep for a couple of weeks and see if the flavor improves. If you like a flavor, use it fresh.

 

[Kurt]

Color change, I believe (being a chemist), is from flavor compounds interacting with nicotine oxides, and it take very little oxides to do this. On their own oxides are strongly colored brown (yellow when dilute), but some flavor compounds can pair with the oxides and change their color a bit. This is generally in the red to brown range. I've also had unflavored VG-nic I made up change to a rose color over time. Might be interaction with VG or even water present. The oxides are going to form no matter what you do, but they are generally in very small amounts, and are considered harmless.

 

[Sallana]

I've just found that if I really detest a flavor, letting it sit for a couple weeks doesn't change my opinion. If a flavor is sort of mediocre, a couple days more will bring out the flavor better, and maybe improve it. I honestly haven't noticed a drastic difference in some juices that I've had sitting here for months. Although some of them have gotten stronger and more flavorful.

Again personally, I think steeping is only a logical solution if whatever you tried and didn't like, seemed to LACK flavor. If the taste is just bad, I don't think it will change much, at least not in my experience.

 

[rolygate]

My experience is that most doesn't need it, some does, and some, in contrast, has to be consumed early as it deteriorates (for example mixes containing natural peppermint oil). Other's experience may well be different because people use different e-liquids from different suppliers.

Suck it and see

[that's a local expression from where I live, it just means 'try it yourself, your mileage may vary']