Nicoticket Steeping

[zero7starz]

I read on here the other day that Nicoticket juice is pre-steeped, depending on the juice, for a specified amount of time. Except I don't remember what the specified time was for the juices.

Which makes me curious because I've always read folk recommending to steep them after arrival for about a week.

The experience I did have with my last order of CLS, a half 15ml bottle steeped for almost a month before I finished that. I did notice a change in the juice from first tank to last, or perhaps I just enjoyed it more after circling back around to it.

I have two untouched bottles of CLS and Creme Bur Le, bottles on 1/29/14. I'm trying to decide when to start them :B

So what are your experiences with steep time after arrival?

How fresh do you vape them? Always?

Have you noticed a change from first to last tank?

Was that change (if any) positive?

I'd say, unless it's a juice I'm super excited about but ordered it knowing I had to steep it, I usually vape FOOB. Almost without exception if it's a new flavor :B

To the exception of one, non Nicoticket juice, steeping is a positive affect.

 

[Nailz]

I think all NT juices are vapable fresh, but they just keep getting better with time.

Personally I like to have a 3-4 week steep on CLS and CB, so I always order well ahead of when I need it.

 

[gotalotgoingon]

I read on here the other day that Nicoticket juice is pre-steeped, depending on the juice, for a specified amount of time. Except I don't remember what the specified time was for the juices.

Which makes me curious because I've always read folk recommending to steep them after arrival for about a week.

The experience I did have with my last order of CLS, a half 15ml bottle steeped for almost a month before I finished that. I did notice a change in the juice from first tank to last, or perhaps I just enjoyed it more after circling back around to it.

I have two untouched bottles of CLS and Creme Bur Le, bottles on 1/29/14. I'm trying to decide when to start them :B

So what are your experiences with steep time after arrival?

How fresh do you vape them? Always?

Have you noticed a change from first to last tank?

Was that change (if any) positive?

I'd say, unless it's a juice I'm super excited about but ordered it knowing I had to steep it, I usually vape FOOB. Almost without exception if it's a new flavor :B

To the exception of one, non Nicoticket juice, steeping is a positive affect.

They are all vapable to me right away. Clark says the fruit doesn't need any steeping and the bakery vapes need 2 weeks I believe, to reach their peak. As for the tobacco's, The Virus is good right out of the box and continues to develop up to 8 weeks before it hits it's maturity, at least in my experience. Some people prefer to let it steep and some like to experience the twist and turns it gives during the maturing process. As for Radioactive, I am not too sure on that one. I had a sample of it and finished it off 3 weeks after I got it.

 

[CayCay]

i steep if i feel it needs it. personally i fell in love with cls the day it came in the mail. if it "gets better" that's just a bonus. doodle i put in the cabinet. the cinnamon is too dry and overwhelming. i'll try it again in 2 weeks. but doodle mixed with cls is pretty yummy!

 

[AnotherADDiction]

What is the verdict on using ultrasonic cleaners to help steep - does it work? Does it just speed things up, or enhance in other ways?

 

[Kent Brooks]

What is the verdict on using ultrasonic cleaners to help steep - does it work? Does it just speed things up, or enhance in other ways?

As a general rule - steeping does nothing but help the flavors balance.

I know there are people passionate about ultra-sonic cleaners, but I don't personally recommend them... the three enemies of eliquid are light, heat, and air... I tried heat steeping (not ultrasonic, just dripping bottles in warm water) and it certainly seems to speed the process, but, in my (very limited) experience it did something to the flavor I didn't like... but, I am sure there are some out there that don't detect any difference regardless of steeping methodology. I patient - I just let nature take it's course... I have found any substitute for time, regular shaking, and brief exposure to air (after shaking). Of course, store in a cool dark location, away from children and pets...

 

[AnotherADDiction]

Thanks, as with most things in life, there is no substitute for time. I guess the biggest issue is being able to wait.
How about something like the automatic watch winding boxes that rotate the pieces. Big market for ornately crafted storage boxes
Kidding on that one, but always trying to automate the mundane as I am lazy and forgetful.

 

[jdrewry]

As a general rule - steeping does nothing but help the flavors balance.

I know there are people passionate about ultra-sonic cleaners, but I don't personally recommend them... the three enemies of eliquid are light, heat, and air... I tried heat steeping (not ultrasonic, just dripping bottles in warm water) and it certainly seems to speed the process, but, in my (very limited) experience it did something to the flavor I didn't like... but, I am sure there are some out there that don't detect any difference regardless of steeping methodology. I patient - I just let nature take it's course... I have found any substitute for time, regular shaking, and brief exposure to air (after shaking). Of course, store in a cool dark location, away from children and pets...

I must have at least 15 bottles of eliquid steeping away in the darkest corner of my closet (stashed in what I call, "The Vault"). I've never tried anything fancy about steeping. Ive been vaping on a bottle of Creme Brulee that I had steeping for 2 months, and I can't put it down. It's the first eliquid that I have vaped for a straight week and a half. I can only imagine what the Frenilla, CLS, Doodle, GCD, and Oreo are going to taste like whenever I get to them. Right now, any order I place with Nicoticket gets the "Deep Steep" treatment. My thinking is, "Oh, I know they're good now--but let me try them in a few months".

By then, I might have a get a real "Vault" to store them in....

 

[ScandaLeX]

What is the verdict on using ultrasonic cleaners to help steep - does it work? Does it just speed things up, or enhance in other ways?

It works fantastic for me & several others who've taken this route. I'm not the most patient so therefore ultrasonic it is!!!

CheriePie can steer you in the right direction if you choose to use one.

Sent from a BIG phone.....Galaxy Note 3

 

[CheriePie]

What is the verdict on using ultrasonic cleaners to help steep - does it work? Does it just speed things up, or enhance in other ways?

As a general rule - steeping does nothing but help the flavors balance.

I know there are people passionate about ultra-sonic cleaners, but I don't personally recommend them... the three enemies of eliquid are light, heat, and air... I tried heat steeping (not ultrasonic, just dripping bottles in warm water) and it certainly seems to speed the process, but, in my (very limited) experience it did something to the flavor I didn't like... but, I am sure there are some out there that don't detect any difference regardless of steeping methodology. I patient - I just let nature take it's course... I have found any substitute for time, regular shaking, and brief exposure to air (after shaking). Of course, store in a cool dark location, away from children and pets...

It works fantastic for me & several others who've taken this route. I'm not the most patient so therefore ultrasonic it is!!!

CheriePie can steer you in the right direction if you choose to use one.

Sent from a BIG phone.....Galaxy Note 3

I use an ultrasonic from anywhere for 2-4 hours (over the course of several days) for most of my juice. When I do, I don't use much heat. My UC unit contains a heater, but I use it only to heat the water to the point of shower temp (I like a warm, steamy shower, but definitely far from scalding). The continual shaking of the bottles for an entire hour (while the liquid inside is slightly warmed to help it viscosity) really helps to mix up the molecules and get a great head start on the steeping. As Clark pointed out however, too much heat can sometimes damage the liquid. I discovered this the hard way with some of my more delicate AiV juices. So unless you're into DIY and mixing some strong bacco or something, keep the heat to a minimum.

An hour in the ultrasonic is equivalent to approximately 1 week of steep time, give or take based on a couple different factors. Plastic bottles for example, the plastic absorbs some of the ultrasonic waves, something glass doesn't do, so ultrasonic steeping is a bit less efficient in plastic than in glass. It'll still work, but just something to keep in mind when applying the 1 hour in UC -> 1 week steeping calculations.

You can use an inexpensive $30 ultrasonic like used for jewelry but be aware that the motors can burn out quickly on those when used for steeping juices, especially if you're running it an hour at a time. So whenever you reset the timer, feel the unit where the motor is and if it's feeling really hot, let it cool down for a bit before running it again. I found 1/2 hour for those cleaners tended to get the motor real hot so when I first started and used that kind, my 1 hour session was usually broken down into two 1/2 hour sessions, with an hour of cool down time in between.

Keep in mind that most ultrasonic cleaners have a timer, and because you'll have to continually reset the timer for these longer sessions, you're best off trying to find one with a longer timer if you can.

The $80 Harbor Freight model Lex and I use is fairly hardy, but has only an 8 minute timer. That's okay... I just pop back up and reset it every 8 minutes.

The Ultrasonic Steeping thread here on ECF has more information than you could ever want to know, though I've tried to summarize most of it above. There have also been several recommendations for units. If you want to step up from the $35 and $80 models, you can start getting into the industrial units for about $150. This one on eBay would be a good place to start looking: Industrial Grade Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner Heater for Lab Dental FCC App | eBay (check the dropdown for more sizes and models).


Did I cover everything? I think so... LOL

 

[ScandaLeX]

I use an ultrasonic from anywhere for 2-4 hours (over the course of several days) for most of my juice. When I do, I don't use much heat. My UC unit contains a heater, but I use it only to heat the water to the point of shower temp (I like a warm, steamy shower, but definitely far from scalding). The continual shaking of the bottles for an entire hour (while the liquid inside is slightly warmed to help it viscosity) really helps to mix up the molecules and get a great head start on the steeping. As Clark pointed out however, too much heat can sometimes damage the liquid. I discovered this the hard way with some of my more delicate AiV juices. So unless you're into DIY and mixing some strong bacco or something, keep the heat to a minimum.

An hour in the ultrasonic is equivalent to approximately 1 week of steep time, give or take based on a couple different factors. Plastic bottles for example, the plastic absorbs some of the ultrasonic waves, something glass doesn't do, so ultrasonic steeping is a bit less efficient in plastic than in glass. It'll still work, but just something to keep in mind when applying the 1 hour in UC -> 1 week steeping calculations.

You can use an inexpensive $30 ultrasonic like used for jewelry but be aware that the motors can burn out quickly on those when used for steeping juices, especially if you're running it an hour at a time. So whenever you reset the timer, feel the unit where the motor is and if it's feeling really hot, let it cool down for a bit before running it again. I found 1/2 hour for those cleaners tended to get the motor real hot so when I first started and used that kind, my 1 hour session was usually broken down into two 1/2 hour sessions, with an hour of cool down time in between.

Keep in mind that most ultrasonic cleaners have a timer, and because you'll have to continually reset the timer for these longer sessions, you're best off trying to find one with a longer timer if you can.

The $80 Harbor Freight model Lex and I use is fairly hardy, but has only an 8 minute timer. That's okay... I just pop back up and reset it every 8 minutes.

The Ultrasonic Steeping thread here on ECF has more information than you could ever want to know, though I've tried to summarize most of it above. There have also been several recommendations for units. If you want to step up from the $35 and $80 models, you can start getting into the industrial units for about $150. This one on eBay would be a good place to start looking: Industrial Grade Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner Heater for Lab Dental FCC App | eBay (check the dropdown for more sizes and models).


Did I cover everything? I think so... LOL

YES!!!! You covered everything. Makes having to read that extensively long steep time thread pointless. And thanks for that eBay link. I added it to my collection to revisit later if I ever decide to upgrade my cleaner. I don't see it happening anytime soon but it's good to have other choices.

 

[Kent Brooks]

I use an ultrasonic from anywhere for 2-4 hours (over the course of several days) for most of my juice. When I do, I don't use much heat. My UC unit contains a heater, but I use it only to heat the water to the point of shower temp (I like a warm, steamy shower, but definitely far from scalding). The continual shaking of the bottles for an entire hour (while the liquid inside is slightly warmed to help it viscosity) really helps to mix up the molecules and get a great head start on the steeping. As Clark pointed out however, too much heat can sometimes damage the liquid. I discovered this the hard way with some of my more delicate AiV juices. So unless you're into DIY and mixing some strong bacco or something, keep the heat to a minimum.

An hour in the ultrasonic is equivalent to approximately 1 week of steep time, give or take based on a couple different factors. Plastic bottles for example, the plastic absorbs some of the ultrasonic waves, something glass doesn't do, so ultrasonic steeping is a bit less efficient in plastic than in glass. It'll still work, but just something to keep in mind when applying the 1 hour in UC -> 1 week steeping calculations.

You can use an inexpensive $30 ultrasonic like used for jewelry but be aware that the motors can burn out quickly on those when used for steeping juices, especially if you're running it an hour at a time. So whenever you reset the timer, feel the unit where the motor is and if it's feeling really hot, let it cool down for a bit before running it again. I found 1/2 hour for those cleaners tended to get the motor real hot so when I first started and used that kind, my 1 hour session was usually broken down into two 1/2 hour sessions, with an hour of cool down time in between.

Keep in mind that most ultrasonic cleaners have a timer, and because you'll have to continually reset the timer for these longer sessions, you're best off trying to find one with a longer timer if you can.

The $80 Harbor Freight model Lex and I use is fairly hardy, but has only an 8 minute timer. That's okay... I just pop back up and reset it every 8 minutes.

The Ultrasonic Steeping thread here on ECF has more information than you could ever want to know, though I've tried to summarize most of it above. There have also been several recommendations for units. If you want to step up from the $35 and $80 models, you can start getting into the industrial units for about $150. This one on eBay would be a good place to start looking: Industrial Grade Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner Heater for Lab Dental FCC App | eBay (check the dropdown for more sizes and models).


Did I cover everything? I think so... LOL

Nice round-up CP, very well done. As you can see, it's not really a question of "do I use an ultra-sonic cleaner or not." There's definitely an "art" to it... admittedly, it's an art I have not yet mastered. CP is much more experienced than me, I'd certainly take her advice over mine... she could probably tell you which of my liquids respond well, how much time she uses with each specific liquid, etc... she's a detail girl like that. (I paint in broad strokes) I guess the bottom line is, in moderation (and with minimal heat) its sounds like a real option.

 

[AnotherADDiction]

Wow, thanks for the great info and links. I have always wanted an uc, this may push it over the edge. I am surprised HF has such a pricy one, but the coupon that's always sent in the mail should bring it to the 50 dollar range or so - I need to get some magnifying things for these tiny coils anyway. Probably there will by a mech mod or bottom feeder first...and the Origen, and the...damn it will never stop will it?
I do hate waiting though, and any truly beneficial gear I can always justify to myself
Thanks

 

[CheriePie]

A couple other minor things I didn't mention... (see I knew there'd be more LOL)

I usually like to let the last part of the steep happen naturally, so most of the time I usually only steep for 2 hours. Nearly all my juice is perfectly vapeable at this point, even if it wasn't that great fresh out of the mail, though some continue to get even better beyond that. So most times I usually only use my UC to get a 2 week steep on a juice and let nature do the rest so that I can gauge the changes manually and determine if a juice is a long steeper or not, as well as the various changes it goes through as it steeps.

Also, there's some truth behind the concept of seed steeping, which simply involves dropping a little bit of well-steeped juice into the unsteeped one (same flavor of course). The fully steeped molecules from the steeped version do a bit of magic in helping the unsteeped juice to steep a bit faster. Neat huh?

 

[AnotherADDiction]

Very interesting, reminds me of sourdough starter and yeasty things.
I went on here to say this...all of these conversations on steeping is going to be a moot point for me, at least initially until I can stock the bunker.
How the heck can any of you manage to have this stuff just sit around and not be vaping it?!? I don't know if this can happen for me yet, I will need a whole lot more then a 50, a30, and 8 15 ml bottles to allow me to contemplate doing anything other than snorting this stuff like illicit drugs.
Which is quite a shame because I can taste the nuances and depth of the flavors that must really come out with some time.

 

[Kent Brooks]

...damn it will never stop will it?

No, not really... unless you quit vaping entirely (in which case, you're probably going to pick up another hobby anyway)

 

[Kent Brooks]

Very interesting, reminds me of sourdough starter and yeasty things.
I went on here to say this...all of these conversations on steeping is going to be a moot point for me, at least initially until I can stock the bunker.
How the heck can any of you manage to have this stuff just sit around and not be vaping it?!? I don't know if this can happen for me yet, I will need a whole lot more then a 50, a30, and 8 15 ml bottles to allow me to contemplate doing anything other than snorting this stuff like illicit drugs.
Which is quite a shame because I can taste the nuances and depth of the flavors that must really come out with some time.

I think the best route is to

1) Sample flavors with the 15ml bottles
2) Identify your "top flavor" and buy 100ml. Maybe 50ml of a second flavor as soon as you are able.
3) Never, ever, allow yourself to come close to running out... always buy 2-4 weeks before you need the liquid.

 

[AnotherADDiction]

Amen to that, currently at step 1

 

[jdrewry]

Very interesting, reminds me of sourdough starter and yeasty things.
I went on here to say this...all of these conversations on steeping is going to be a moot point for me, at least initially until I can stock the bunker.
How the heck can any of you manage to have this stuff just sit around and not be vaping it?!? I don't know if this can happen for me yet, I will need a whole lot more then a 50, a30, and 8 15 ml bottles to allow me to contemplate doing anything other than snorting this stuff like illicit drugs.
Which is quite a shame because I can taste the nuances and depth of the flavors that must really come out with some time.

I had a few bottles from other vendors that I wanted to finish. While I was finishing those, I started ordering what I wanted to steep from Nicoticket. I was putting orders in for 3 to 4 30ml bottles at a time (I do it that way because my brother, who started me on my vaping odyssey, comes by to grab a bottle every now and then if he's running low on his stash). I just kept ordering (no, I'm not finished ordering yet).
I know they're good to go when you get them, but I got a taste of an older bottle that I had, and it was really good, and it led me to ask, "How long will these eliquids store before I have to worry about them going bad?" I want to test that; so, I plan on steeping everything for as long as I can. I figure I'll start vaping the steeped stuff in another month or so (that will be 3-4 months of steep time for Frenilla, CLS, CB, GCD and Doodle). I plan on putting in another order around the 15th; who knows when I'll get to vaping any of that order, but it'll probably have about 5-6 months steep time before I touch it.

 

[Fenris4024]

I've got a UC that I use (for the most part) for steeping some liquids that "NEED" it.... such as a few of my DIY tinkerings, etc... I haven't tried this with my small selection of NT juices (YET). I've got some Frenilla and Gravity on the way (should be in this afternoon), a 50ml of CLS and a 30ml of GCD was just shipped as well (Thanks for the bonus Clark!).

Aaaaand I mighta just ordered in some of the Virus and Radioactive, to give the 'bacco's a try.

But if my loving SO asks, I got the UC to clean her jewelry and our glasses... yeah... that's why I "really" bought it...

I don't have one of the beefier models, so, like Cherie said, let the unit cool if you're using one of the "cheaper" models. I can say, that for the DIY mix I've been tinkering with, it DOES make a difference. Also, Seed steeping really does work, so if you have an older bottle with some still in it, drop a mil or so into the new one, it certainly seems to move things along as well