I use Aobosi sous-vide cooker for heat steeping. Temp can be set 68-212 degrees F, with timer up to 99 hours. $65 for the unit.
Steeping experiment
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That looks like a neat gadget. Could save me having to babysit the steep in that slow cooker I used.
Just as an update, after sitting overnight the pecan has smoothed out on this. It's still there, but it's a role-player instead of being the dominant flavor. The tobacco in this is really starting to shine, I haven't normally been a fan of strong tobacco flavor but the chocolate is offsetting it nicely so it doesn't have that "brightness" that gets cloying to me.
I'd say that the heat steep was successful, from what I can tell so far. The flavors have blended well and the pecan smoothed out faster than the other batch at 24 hours. I'm actively vaping this and it's just 12 hours old, which seems absurd for a complex recipe. I still want to get a good comparison with the other batch, but so far so good.
Cheaper than Harbor Freight's 2.5L ultrasonic and noise/rattle-free. Another advantage is I can use a tall 500ml Erlenmeyer flask for steeping base flavors on a deeper container.
I use a 2-gallon bucket from HomeDepot and hang this heater on the side. Yes, it comes with a hanger. This bucket can hold three 500-ml flasks. The temperature is so precise that I just leave them for the whole 99 hours at 120 degrees F.
@ThermoNuker did i read that right? 99hours? Do you use nicotine at all? And do you fill the bucket with water and steep open flasks in them? What flavors are you doing?
I only do tobacco flavors. Yes, I used the unit's max timer... 99 hours. My flavor bases are 12mg NIC and I capped the flasks with rubber stoppers. At 120 degrees, I don't see any NIC change at all, before and after, using this test kit.
BTW, 99 hours is overkill but, since the temp is so precise, I'd say why not? The longer steeping time the better.
@ThermoNuker have you ever done one at 50hrs and did taste test with that and the 99hrs?
I just wanted to show you the method I use which is an improvised concept of crock pot method, with added precise temp control. Whatever you do in a crock pot will be same. I get a perfect Tribecca Clone#26 after 99hrs.
And, I would like to point out that this method have been discussed 4 or 5 years ago by vet ECF'ers. I just improvised the process because wife won't let me use her pot anymore
Try this: For a quick steep with no NIC, 150 degrees F for 4 hours should be good. Reference here. Again no NIC. It's been proven by our vets that nic compounds break down beyond 120 degrees F.
I thought I read 140-150 degrees before the nic breaks down somewhere. I didn't test for nic before or after my steep so I don't know if there was any loss, I'm not noticing a difference vaping it. I only steeped it for an hour though.
I've read same...so I experimented first with a small 18mg vapemix before making a big batch. Vaped it so I can make a comparison before and after (I"m sure you all know what's vaping like with 18mg eliquid).
For above mix, I used MFS 100mg/l NIC in 100%VG and VG+15%DW only, no flavoring. Simulated steeping for 4 hours at 150 degrees on a crock pot. It was quite a work to maintain that temp (this is before I got my sous-vide gear). Results: Smooth...very minimal to no TH at all. And the peppery "smell" sensation when you draw a mouthful, slowly blowing it and inhaling through your nose was gone. If I have a test kit at that time, I'm pretty sure the result will agree.
Hope this helps.
It does, I think. I'm guessing the time makes a difference, you heated for 4 hours while my steep was only 1. This recipe seems to have really liked the 1 hour steep at 140, so I'm guessing I could do that again, but longer heat steeps I'll probably need to turn down the temperature. If you can steep for 4 days at 120 I'm guessing that's safe.
So some things I've noticed after vaping this on and off through the day: First is if I vape this a while, I start to lose the minor flavor notes and I taste the tobacco too strongly. Rotating it with apple seems to help, I think it sort of desensitizes my tongue to the fruitiness of the tobacco and lets me taste the chocolate and caramel more. So this isn't an ADV, but when it's good, it's good.
But there's something else. When I switch from the apple back to it, there's a peppery taste there. It only lasts for 2 or 3 pulls and then I kinda stop noticing it. I don't mean peppery like the normal nicotine tingle, it's like there's some black pepper flavor in there. I wonder if this is from overheating it. Like I said, it fades so I should be able to finish vaping this batch (assuming it doesn't get worse) but I think I'm going to take the temperature down to 120 on the next one, maybe for 2 hours. I may see about getting the Aobosi cooker @ThermoNuker mentioned.
But there's something else. When I switch from the apple back to it, there's a peppery taste there. It only lasts for 2 or 3 pulls and then I kinda stop noticing it. I don't mean peppery like the normal nicotine tingle, it's like there's some black pepper flavor in there. I wonder if this is from overheating it. Like I said, it fades so I should be able to finish vaping this batch (assuming it doesn't get worse) but I think I'm going to take the temperature down to 120 on the next one, maybe for 2 hours. I may see about getting the Aobosi cooker @ThermoNuker mentioned.
Not at all at 120 degrees.
Another bonus with this steeping gear at 120 degrees: Toss in a vacuum sealed steak while steeping your favorite juice and you'll get a wonderfully cooked rare steak. Sear both sides with flame and treat yourself a wonderful dinner. Pair it with your favorite wine and your newly-steeped flavor... heavens!
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So I'm pretty sure the peppery taste is getting worse.
It's not a dominant flavor. But it creeps in and lingers in the aftertaste. It's like it's taking over the place where the caramel and chocolate live, and soon all I'll be able to taste is pepper and tobacco. Yuck.
I don't know if this is going to be vapable much longer. RIP. It started off so well too.
So this has to be from overheating it, right? Has this happened to anyone else?
It's not a dominant flavor. But it creeps in and lingers in the aftertaste. It's like it's taking over the place where the caramel and chocolate live, and soon all I'll be able to taste is pepper and tobacco. Yuck.
I don't know if this is going to be vapable much longer. RIP. It started off so well too.
So this has to be from overheating it, right?
Has this happened to anyone else?
So I'm pretty sure the peppery taste is getting worse.
So this has to be from overheating it, right?
Yea i've been there ,mine was from the nic i was using and i ended up having to toss the nic
some nic stays good for a long time,others goes peppery real fast
OK, good to know, thanks. Nicotine gets peppery when it goes bad.
My hypothesis now is that overheating degraded some of the nicotine and now it's oxidizing into...something. Peppery nastiness. Not good. Will definitely try less heat next time.
@stols001 you might be able to help. What is the mixing method that people use to dilute 100mg vg nic?
I would think you'd just add whatever proportion of PG/VG to get the ratios you wanted. There are ejuice calculators out there that help with this, you tell it what nic level and PG/VG ratio you want and what you're using and it tells you how much of each to add.
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