Science behind steeping?

[PureCuriosity]

So, there are many experience the differences by steeping.
I am very new and haven't read too much on this, but...

The compounds are pre-simple, it seems to be and yet I didn't find many scientific back ups.
By the way, the difference between cheese/wine n e-liq is that e-liq does not ferment.
If there are any chemical reaction besides from oxidation, what could that be?
My thought was that oxidation may take the edge off of certain flavor n therefore bring out the others or something.
But then, im just big noob and missing something very basic...



I will appreciate it if we can share the hypothesis of what's going on inside instead of "hey, mine have really changed after a couple weeks." Thank you.

 

[Levitas]

I'm not sure at all how or why juices seem to taste better after steeping (not all, but most that I use), and honestly, I don't know if it has something to do with oxygen or not. I do not leave the caps off of my juices that I let sit (though, oxygen is in there, no doubt) and literally after a couple of weeks, there's not only a taste difference, but often a color change.

So, what does this color change indicate? I don't know. But, the evidence is in seeing the juice change before your eyes after weeks of sitting, but mostly the taste. I'll use one juice, that most will undoubtably know by now that I am slightly obsessed with, Malty Toffee made by Backwoods Brew.

When Malty Toffee comes to your door, it comes in a real bright tan/ light gold color and the flavor tends to have a little bite (not like cinnamon or menthol, but almost and I hate to say it but chemically) But, literally after 7-10 days, the bite is nearly gone and you can start to distinguish the subtle ingredients in the juice. Now, after 6-8 weeks of sitting, the juice changes from the that light/bright tan color into a much darker brownish hue. And the taste, WHEW!, the taste is almost a different animal alltogether (imo). The original bite that I could taste is gone completely and you're left with a smooth and sweet though subtle but more present than before, if that makes any sense. (Ignore the seemingly contradictory statement of how new MT has more bite and older MT has more presense. I am saying that older MT has more taste presence and almost no taste bite as fresh MT has, imo of course).

In another juice, Boba's Bounty made by Alien Visions E-Liquid, after around 6-8 weeks of steeping, I can notice a substantial taste and TH change. When fresh, the juice seems almost sweeter, and even smoother but as it ages, the tobacco "feeling" and taste seem to peek out more giving the juice an almost rugged albeit non-harsh feeling and taste, which by the way, I love.

So, perhaps steeping gives the juices mixture time to settle and fully mix it's ingredients fully? I dunno. Perhaps someone knows a much more logical, scientific way of explaning it but I found that I don't really mind why it's doing what it's doing, but I am just glad it is doing it, once again, in my opinion.

2 cents.

 

[base234]

I'm watching this thread. I'd really like to know also.

 

[PureCuriosity]

there's not only a taste difference, but often a color change.

Nicotine in liquid form is colorless to slightly yellow, and it turns to bark as it gets exposed to the air.
This is what i read in some chemical database.


I think I never heard someone's base with nic-juice turns into bark, but if there is please let me know.
And if it does change only after mixing with flavoring, then its those two reacting somehow.
Does someone know the pH of any flavoring?

Also opinion of anyone who vape the non-nic juice and experienced improvement in flavor over time would be much appreciated.

 

[Levitas]

Nicotine in liquid form is colorless to slightly yellow, and it turns to bark as it gets exposed to the air.
This is what i read in some chemical database.

Turns into bark? Like a bark color? I've many clear liquids that do not darken like Malty Toffee does, there is some sort of inconsistancy there. I dunno?

 

[Mr Jones]

I steep my juices as well. I've had a few juices I purchased turn into a substantially better tasting experience after a few days or a couple of weeks.

When I DIY my own juice, before I put a label on it, I sit the bottle in hot water until the water cools. This speeds up the steeping process and I can get a better taste for the juice quicker than waiting 48 hours like I originally did. I believe this breaks down the bonds between the PG/VG, E-Liquid and Flavorings faster in order for the various ingredients to meld together, but I am no chemist.

It's like making a drink, when you tend bar you put the liquor in first and then the other ingredients. If you do not stir the drink the customer will get a huge hit of alcohol in the beginning but will be drinking mainly syrup and what not for the rest of the drink reaching their buzz faster, but at the cost of not having a not so great tasting drink. But if you mix the drink well they have a nice refreshing and balanced alcoholic beverage throughout the whole glass.

I think steeping allows the ingredients to blend well over time resulting in a more satisfying vape, and heat makes this process quicker.

So yeah... my 2c.

 

[db13berry]

To me, steeping is kind of like that vegetable soup you made 2 days ago. The first day, it was good, but the 2nd and 3rd day, it's the best stuff ever! After all those veggies have had time to mix and mingle, the taste is the greatest!

Not all juice needs to be steeped to be at its best. I think it sometimes depends on how many different flavors are used. A single flavoring is usually good after only sitting for a few minutes. Combined flavorings need more time to mix and mingle. Like the vegetable soup.

This is only my opinion.

 

[MagnusEunson]

I swirl and apply mild heat to fresh bottles to quicken the process. The question I have from the above is have any of the vendors tested the component content of their juices before and after? The change in color comes from a change in structure and content. Oxidation is the easiest answer and seems most likely. Anything else would likely be more exothermic and build up pressure in the bottles which would be easily detected, no? -Magnus

 

[ShannonA]

I have no idea what's going on in those bottles. My guess is the different ingredients combined create some type of reaction. Its very rare I let abotle sit with a lid off and most of the time I don't remember to shake them.... sometimes I don't even shake them right before I load my carto.

I have noticed most of my juices except the clear ones (and possibly the ones from VR because they are in amber bottles) tend to darken at around a week or so. I also noticed that even the flavors I like right when I get them tend to taste better after I've had them awhile. at first I thought it was me getting used to the flavors (developing a taste for them like with wine or beer) but even if I only touch a juice once and then let it sit for a week before trying it again I notice this.

On a related note does anyone know if the beginning color of the nic says anything about it quality or purity?

 

[Justice]

To me, steeping is kind of like that vegetable soup you made 2 days ago. The first day, it was good, but the 2nd and 3rd day, it's the best stuff ever! After all those veggies have had time to mix and mingle, the taste is the greatest!

Not all juice needs to be steeped to be at its best. I think it sometimes depends on how many different flavors are used. A single flavoring is usually good after only sitting for a few minutes. Combined flavorings need more time to mix and mingle. Like the vegetable soup.

This is only my opinion.

+1 I was gonna use a good stew or chili as an example but u hit the nail on the head

 

[ShannonA]

Originally Posted by db13berry
To me, steeping is kind of like that vegetable soup you made 2 days ago. The first day, it was good, but the 2nd and 3rd day, it's the best stuff ever! After all those veggies have had time to mix and mingle, the taste is the greatest!

Not all juice needs to be steeped to be at its best. I think it sometimes depends on how many different flavors are used. A single flavoring is usually good after only sitting for a few minutes. Combined flavorings need more time to mix and mingle. Like the vegetable soup.

This is only my opinion.

+1 I was gonna use a good stew or chili as an example but u hit the nail on the head

I think there's more to it than that. With a good vegetable soup the flavors meld and intensify with steeping (aging) some flavors lessen generally the unpleasant ones. Others strengthen. I'd love it if someone with an aptitude for science looked into this phenomenon and how it works.

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

I'm getting there but so far all I can gather is oxidation of the nic and flavorings....maybe a little bit of combining better...but that is mostly moot w/o shaking the bottle...I will know more once I have about 10 or 15 more bottles so I can to a comparison and some testing of a few theories...hopefully someone already knows the answer...it will be a month or 2 for me to get enough bottles...and it will save me the hassle of running multiple bottles of the same juice...

basically it seems from what I have read the its the equiv of the vegetable soup or as I was going to use "the potato salad" analogy...

 

[Levitas]

I swirl and apply mild heat to fresh bottles to quicken the process. The question I have from the above is have any of the vendors tested the component content of their juices before and after? The change in color comes from a change in structure and content. Oxidation is the easiest answer and seems most likely. Anything else would likely be more exothermic and build up pressure in the bottles which would be easily detected, no? -Magnus

I've no idea if any vendors have done any actual experimenting with their juices, before and after that is. The change of color, I was thinking the same, due to oxygen in the bottle (even without opening the bottle, of course there's still oxygen in there).

But my question is more of a clarification, are you asking or implying rather if, (other than color,) that change in a juice is due to outside heat and pressure (shaking, squeezing, movement of juice)? If so, this is definitely a question for the vendors or at the very least, those DIY'ers out there. An experiment would be moot if one had to have juice delivered through the mail because of course, in the mail, the juice will be subjected to heat and movement.