Making juice -- and steeping

[John1952]

Here's something I don't understand.

How do people come up with excellent juices? In my limited experience, the best liquids require steeping for 7-10 days. Without steeping, many of them are almost tasteless.

So when you're inventing a new juice, do you try something, wait 10 days, and see how it works? And then try something else, wait 10 more days, etc. If that's how it's done, it can be a lengthy process.

 

[Caridwen]

I don't know if I've ever actually set a time on how long something needs to steep, but I'm not an expert at DIY. I make pretty simple 1 or 2 flavor liquids and they do taste better after a few days.

Edit: hmmm, I'll move this to DIY- that's where the experts hang out.

 

[buffaloguy]

I dont wait for anything to steep and you shouldnt have to either. If a juice isnt vapable and somewhat enjoyable immediately, as in right after you make it, then IMO it isnt done right for your palatte.

Thats not to say juices dont change over time, they absolutely do. Especially tobaccos. But in general I find that if I dont like it after making it and giving it a 20 minute hot water bath, then I wont like it 10 days from now either. Now, that doesnt always hold 100% true but I find it to be the majority of the time.

I only give tobaccos more than 24-48 hours to develop. Friut, drink, dessert flavors should all be good after 24hours. In my case thats what I find anyways. Tobaccos can change dramatically over time even after several weeks but it should be enjoyable and vapable during that time also. Like a fine wine, it gets better with age in most cases and I find only tobaccos do that.

 

[wizard10000]

I think you can get a good idea of how something's going to eventually taste without steeping it - I find I can set ratios fairly well before steeping and have adjusted them *after* a mix has steeped a bit. I keep a small bottle of 24mg unflavored in case I need to reduce a flavor, which has happened a couple of times. I keep good notes and generally it's in the ballpark before steeping.

 

[John1952]

I have zero experience with DIY -- and probably never will.

But I've bought liquids that had absolutely NO taste upon arrival. But after steeping for 7-10 days, the taste emerged. I used to think it was all superstitious nonsense, but I no longer feel that way. So that got me thinking about what it's like to create a juice that's tasteless for 7-10 days...

Maybe it's just me. In any case, thanks for the replies. Now I'm convinced it's all voodoo.

 

[buffaloguy]

You can always speed the process somewhat by giving the bottle some hot water baths the first couple days. Twice a a day drop the bottle into a cup of hot water and let it come back to room temp on its own. That should take several days off your steep time. Works for me. Shake it alot too.

 

[ohai]

But I've bought liquids that had absolutely NO taste upon arrival. But after steeping for 7-10 days, the taste emerged. I used to think it was all superstitious nonsense, but I no longer feel that way.

Totally. I've never been a patient sort of person, so at first, I tried them all the minute they got here and was disappointed in so many. Luckily, I had read about warming them and steeping for a week or so, and most if not all did improve significantly in time. I'm also a big believer in bra steeping- laugh if you need to, it really works!

So that got me thinking about what it's like to create a juice that's tasteless for 7-10 days...

Maybe it's just me. In any case, thanks for the replies. Now I'm convinced it's all voodoo.

I do think there is definitely an art to it, but it probably has a lot to do with patience, practice, a well trained pallet and sheer persistence, too. Think about developing a really fine wine or even cheese, for instance- you can't get good at it without devoting a lot of time and patience to learning the craft, to trial and error, and taking accurate notes so you remember what you did with each batch. When you think about all the potential factors involved in developing a successful complex flavor combination, it really does give you a renewed respect for the people who create those truly awesome recipes.