My latest and greatest quick steeping method

[Topacka]

I don't know if anybody has tried this, so I'll explain it in it's entirety.

From what I've read and from personal experience, the process of steeping is used because the flavor needs time to meld and incorporate into the substrates used in the juice (pg/vg). This can be done in a few standard ways.

Time: the most common method, letting the bottle sit open for hours to months with the occasional shake.

Heat: heating a small amount of water and putting the juice in it (in a closed bottle). The heat thins the glycerine and allows the flavoring to more easily integrate throughout the juice.

Shaking: shaking the juice is probably the simplest but least effective way of steeping a juice. It takes much more effort and ends up doing a lot less from my experience.

I was thinking about steeping one day, and while I was in rapturous thought about how delicious my juice was going to taste (laugh track) I found myself fiddling with my dropper bottle. I had noticed that when the dropper is squeezed above the top of the juice, it creates air bubbles inside the juice. I kept at it for about 30 seconds and the top of my juice was almost frothy. I tasted it, and low and behold my juice was steeped! Magic!

This method does require a little bit of hand eye coordination so that you don't pull the dropper out of the bottle and squeeze it all over the floor or your hand. It also requires that you have a glass dropper bottle.

You could vary this as well, you could squeeze a full bottle of juice that's in a nippled plastic bottle, into a similar bottle, over and over again. This would create the same effect without a glass dropper.

Has anybody tried this? Am I the first to think of it? Thoughts?

I steep all my juice this way now, it works very well and is really quick.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to General E-Liquid Discussion

 

[The Torch]

Leaving the juice in my tank when taking the airplane seems to have made it much better. Of course, some of it came out of the tank, but I'm thinking pressure changes like in a desiccator might have some positive effect.

A cheaper, simpler and faster way to do this could be:
"Rinse" a syringe without the needle with your juice: put the juice in a small open container and then fill the syringe fast and empty it back fast in the container. Repeat multiple times. Pressure changes, quick mixing and most likely airing effect all at once. I'll have to try that one when I get some fresh juice this weekend.

 

[Sally_]

I use a syringe often to fill my tanks. I remember watching a show about people using syringes for a much different reason. To make sure they get everything out of the syringe, once they push the plunger all the way down emptying the syringe they pull back a bit and then push it back down. This is done to get every little bit out including that tiny bit that usually is left inside the syringe needle.

I figured hey why not, liquid can be expensive, am I right... *crickets*

Ok moving on, I noticed that the liquid becomes white and frothy from the extra air being pushed out of the needle (along with that little bit of liquid) I can't believe it never occurred to me to use that as a way to 'steep'/mix the liquid.

Although going back to the original post and for those who don't have or want to use syringes (it does look rather shady to have a syringe when others find/see it for first time) that method could be done with any type bottle and a eye dropper you can pick up at a store, usually in the pharmacy or infent sections, even once saw them in pet section. Just remove the tip from a plastic dropper bottle, use the eye dropper as described in OP, voila.

 

[Jdbaker82]

what about the ultrasonic method? I was going to order one and try it

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[The Torch]

After spending last day vaping an excellent tasting airpplane-steeped Canadian tobacco juice, I had to refill my tank and it now tasted a bit like dirty sock juice again. So, I got tired and tried airing half a mil with a syringe and put that in my tank (which probably had about the same amount left in it):

-It was a very small amount for a 3mL syringe so plenty of air came in (I use tipped syringes, not the Luer lock type, which makes it easier)
-I kept going for less than a minute (I think... didn't check the clock)
-It made a sound reminiscent of teenage years spent in the closet with a Playboy magazine
-The end color also reminded of the above, so I knew it was aired plenty.

What do you know? It worked great and I had a syringe ready to fill my tank, all in barely more time than it takes to just fill the tank!

What do you think I did next? Well, I emptied the whole tank in my mixing container to find out I had a total of 1.5mL, meaning I had only 1/3rd of steeped juice in it, and I did it again. EVEN BETTER! It is tobacco juice, though, so I will be timing something like 1 or 2 minutes of "syringe rinsing" next time, but it's definitely soooo much better now. Next I'll try it with my Havana juice when I feel like I need something stronger

Thanks for the fast and readily available solution!

what about the ultrasonic method? I was going to order one and try it

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If it's within your price range (and you'd like to clean some jewelery at the same time) it seems like the method is well accepted. While you're here, you might as well test the cheaper and faster method with us before spending the price of a couple of bottles of juice or even an entire mod.

 

[The Torch]

I can't believe there is not more interest in this thread...

I just tried the syringe method again with a 30mL syringe and about 7mL of juice; I pumped the e-juice up and kept going all the way until the rest of the syringe was full with air. Did that for a few minutes until I got bored. There was plenty of air going in and plenty of happy gurgling going on. When I tasted the vape, I really felt like something was off by quite a bit. It turns out the vape is tasting like it should! I did mix it in with juice I had aired with the small syringe, so I still have to confirm if the process should be repeated a few times for perfect taste, but it's perfect for an emergency solution at least.

 

[StereoDreamer]

Isn't there a vendor out there that is offering (for an additional fee) "Oxidation/Aeration" for juice they sell, which essentially forcing oxygen through their juice with some sort of bubbler tube or aeration stone?

This syringe method sounds like a much less costly and low-tech version of that...

 

[The Torch]

Thanks, but now you're giving me even more ideas... bubbler tube / aeration stone = aquarium filter output? Steep your juice in one night sleep

It still tastes a tiny bit like dirty sock juice, so next I'll have a timer next to me while doing it. Still, it's an amazing improvement over the fresh stuff. I'm also thinking about doing it a second time after letting it sit for 24 hours, but this is for tobacco flavor juice. Topacka's method is probably simpler and even much quicker for non tobacco flavors...

 

[Topacka]

I can't believe there is not more interest in this thread...

I just tried the syringe method again with a 30mL syringe and about 7mL of juice; I pumped the e-juice up and kept going all the way until the rest of the syringe was full with air. Did that for a few minutes until I got bored. There was plenty of air going in and plenty of happy gurgling going on. When I tasted the vape, I really felt like something was off by quite a bit. It turns out the vape is tasting like it should! I did mix it in with juice I had aired with the small syringe, so I still have to confirm if the process should be repeated a few times for perfect taste, but it's perfect for an emergency solution at least.

I guess I should have described the end result (aeration) for a better turn out, but oh well, at least I shared and it helped somebody.

 

[The Torch]

I guess I should have described the end result (aeration) for a better turn out, but oh well, at least I shared and it helped somebody.

Yes and I thank you a million times. I'm sure others have their methods too (or just buy ahead like I'm planning to start doing soon) and some juices don't need much to taste fine. It's those tobacco ones that need some serious help.

 

[Sally_]

I couldn't agree more with Torch, tried this out for s&g on a bottle of juice where I mixed a couple flavors (a favorite vanilla based flavor and a tobacco). I already thought the liquid was great, but I used a syringe to aerate it, just to see how it turned out. I was really shocked at the difference, the flavors melded together beautifully. I can still taste each flavor, but now one doesn't overpower the other. I'm hoping it will do some good for some liquids that I'd given up on and ended up in the back of my liquid drawer.

It's really quite amazing how something so simple works so well, and the fact there are tons of steeping methods out there, and this one is not more widely known/mentioned/talked about... the closest method I've seen mentioned is I think someone mentioned a paint mixer, and a guy taping a couple bottles to a sawzall to shake bottles to aerate their liquid.

 

[The Torch]

I couldn't agree more with Torch, tried this out for s&g on a bottle of juice where I mixed a couple flavors (a favorite vanilla based flavor and a tobacco). I already thought the liquid was great, but I used a syringe to aerate it, just to see how it turned out. I was really shocked at the difference, the flavors melded together beautifully. I can still taste each flavor, but now one doesn't overpower the other. I'm hoping it will do some good for some liquids that I'd given up on and ended up in the back of my liquid drawer. [...]

Last night I tried using a 25mL syringe and letting the liquid sit in it for a minute every time I filled it (~10 mL of liquid, the rest with air). The air bubbles were very present and I could actually could participate to the forum at the same time. I'd say the results are the same. It seems like a little time in the cupboard is still needed for a full steep on tobaccos, but this works wonders when you don't have enough juice to be ahead of the curve.

[...]It's really quite amazing how something so simple works so well, and the fact there are tons of steeping methods out there, and this one is not more widely known/mentioned/talked about... the closest method I've seen mentioned is I think someone mentioned a paint mixer, and a guy taping a couple bottles to a sawzall to shake bottles to aerate their liquid.

extreme measures for extreme causes

 

[skimmer02]

I am super interested to try this! I'm gonna give it a try tonight. I hate waiting for juices, but a sonic cleaner thingie isn't in my budget right now. I hope it works. If it does I'd be willing to try an aquarium bubbler/aereator(?). I googled them and I can snag one at Wallyworld for like $5. I could work with that! Thanks to the OP! It's a new idea to me for sure, and I haven't heard anything about it before, and believe me, I have spent a looooooooot of time lurking threads on this forum!

 

[skimmer02]

Well, I started with an eyedropper but my fingers got tired quick. So, here is what I did next. I found a Mcdonalds straw in a kitchen drawer, about 8" long. Stuck it in my small test bottle, pretty much a perfect fit, so no splash back, and blew bubbles in that juice like an 8 year old burbling into a Coke. My first surprise was how warm, actually hot, the juice got. I guess from my own 98.7 temperature. But that should be a good thing, right? Second was the smell of the juice coming up (not inhaling!). I dripped it, and it was good, but this test was not conclusive, as this was my least steeped juice, but it has still been around about a week. I have to make a test bottle tonite and try this on a fresh made juice. Obviously caution should be exercised with the bottle-straw-mouth combo. But it is definitely aereating like a son of a gun.

 

[Miata GT]

What about using an aquarium tank bubbler?

 

[skimmer02]

Well, this was interesting. Made a fresh test batch and burbled it with the straw. Once again, the juice got hot, hotter than what seemed to be body temperature. So I stuck an instant read kitchen thermometer in it. 107.6 and then 107.7 the second time. How does that make sense? Either my thermometer is off, which is possible, I guess, but it feels that warm to the touch for sure, so I'm kinda inclined to trust it. Besides I use it pretty regularly, and 10 degrees can be a lot in cooking. I've never had reason to doubt it. So is there some kind of thermal reaction going on? Or can a regular input of 98.7 exceed itself in a closed system? I'm no scientist but that doesn't seem right. Interesting.

 

[The Torch]

Well, this was interesting. Made a fresh test batch and burbled it with the straw. Once again, the juice got hot, hotter than what seemed to be body temperature. So I stuck an instant read kitchen thermometer in it. 107.6 and then 107.7 the second time. How does that make sense? Either my thermometer is off, which is possible, I guess, but it feels that warm to the touch for sure, so I'm kinda inclined to trust it. Besides I use it pretty regularly, and 10 degrees can be a lot in cooking. I've never had reason to doubt it. So is there some kind of thermal reaction going on? Or can a regular input of 98.7 exceed itself in a closed system? I'm no scientist but that doesn't seem right. Interesting.

I doubt your thermometer is out of whack by that much, so your juice just HAS to be warmer than body temperature (I calibrate some types of thermometer as part of my job). You thermometer readings are very consistent too, which is a sign that what you read is probably close to reality. As to WHY you are getting this reading, that is a different question. Even if the juice took long to shed the excess temperature, it still couldn't get any warmer than the temperature coming in (the temperature of your breath, lower than 100F unless you're running quite a fever.)

Therefore, this is an exothermic reaction. Energy is being shed from the juice, likely due to some chemical bonding being catalysed by your blowing air and heat into the mix. I know, very technical stuff.

Your post made me realize something very basic: by pulling my juice into the syringe I am creating negative pressure, which could actually pull the air out of the juice before I finish pulling all of the juice in and then pull in air.

As a comparative test, I just did the opposite, although I used last night's batch of "negative pressure", or "syringe rinsing" juice that I have been vaping all day: I pulled air into my syringe, then blew it out into the juice for a few minutes, recreating your blowing bubbles in the juice with a straw, minus body heat. The result is even better taste than what I had before. My early guess at this point is that positive pressure, air bubbles and heat would likely be the fastest way to steep e-juice.

I hope I'm not being too technical here...

 

[skimmer02]

I doubt your thermometer is out of whack by that much, so your juice just HAS to be warmer than body temperature (I calibrate some types of thermometer as part of my job). You thermometer readings are very consistent too, which is a sign that what you read is probably close to reality. As to WHY you are getting this reading, that is a different question. Even if the juice took long to shed the excess temperature, it still couldn't get any warmer than the temperature coming in (the temperature of your breath, lower than 100F unless you're running quite a fever.)

Therefore, this is an exothermic reaction. Energy is being shed from the juice, likely due to some chemical bonding being catalysed by your blowing air and heat into the mix. I know, very technical stuff.

Your post made me realize something very basic: by pulling my juice into the syringe I am creating negative pressure, which could actually pull the air out of the juice before I finish pulling all of the juice in and then pull in air.

As a comparative test, I just did the opposite, although I used last night's batch of "negative pressure", or "syringe rinsing" juice that I have been vaping all day: I pulled air into my syringe, then blew it out into the juice for a few minutes, recreating your blowing bubbles in the juice with a straw, minus body heat. The result is even better taste than what I had before. My early guess at this point is that positive pressure, air bubbles and heat would likely be the fastest way to steep e-juice.

I hope I'm not being too technical here...

No, no, not a bit. Very interesting to me. "Exothermic" is actually the word lurking in the back of my brain, but I wasn't confident enough to use it! Did you note any temperature change in the juice in your second test? This seems like it's working, and seems to make some sense to me. I'm surprised that I've not ever heard it mentioned before as a technique, given the extents, costs, and experimentation that I've read about from others.

 

[The Torch]

No, no, not a bit. Very interesting to me. "Exothermic" is actually the word lurking in the back of my brain, but I wasn't confident enough to use it! Did you note any temperature change in the juice in your second test? This seems like it's working, and seems to make some sense to me. I'm surprised that I've not ever heard it mentioned before as a technique, given the extents, costs, and experimentation that I've read about from others.

No, I can't say I felt a temperature change in my liquid. Still, some chemical reactions do need a minimum of temperature to get going. Also, we're not at all likely doing this with the same juice at all since mine is made locally, so we have no idea if the compositions are even nearly the same. Many factors in play here, but at least we know what works for both of us. I started blowing bubbles in "virgin" juices so I have an idea of the difference between "rinsing" my syringes and just blowing into them.

I am myself puzzled that people would discover the ultrasonic bath method before this one... a fluke because someone just happened to have one??? I do have a cheap ultrasonic bath at work (unheated) and will eventually try that for comparison purposed at least, but I'm only getting started so I'll work it up nice and slow from here all the way up to becoming real picky about my juices. Eelse I might end up spending the big dough for the easy solution before I even get an RBA.