Steeping, is it Really That Important? Or Just Posturing?

[Rwb1500]

I've been vaping for a few months now, long enough to have had bottles sitting around for as long. I'm a bit skeptical. I tried a search but found mostly conflicting answers.

Is there any science behind any of this steeping business? We're not talking about wine here. Is it possible for certain flavors to actually worsen over time rather than improve? What defines improvement? If I bought a very expensive tobacco juice because I wanted a dry, non-sweet vape and it sweetened over time I'd be unhappy.

I'm starting to think that being told to steep all your juices maybe isn't the best advice 100% of the time.

This all started a few minutes ago reading a thread on HHV tobacco juices. There was a recommendation to steep for six weeks or more, and I found that a little ridiculous. Maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone have any scientific basis other than anecdotal "Well, it tastes better".

There's a lot going on, your taste buds and the cycle they change and adapt on, I'm sure certain properties of certain flavors used in e-liquid, and probably a hundred other factors I can't even think of.



Comments, concerns, criticisms, death threats?

 

[SPchief]

There's several flavors that I've found has worsened as it sat over time

 

[elprup7]

mostly the flavors "blend" better after steeping .I.E. the juice that is a mix of a couple extracts will taste more complete or full after some steep time. steeping for months (6 weeks??) is unheard of, at least for me. Seems like hype

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

Some flavors don't need steeping at all. But I've found nearly all tobacco flavors and complex dessert flavors need steeping to meld the flavors together. Tobacco needs the longest steep times. Some flavors may get weakened over time.

I've gotten some flavors that were horrid when I first bought them. I let them steep for about 10 days and wow...the change was amazing. Some tobaccos I've steeped for over a month to get it to taste good.

 

[doots]

Yes, almost all mixes need to steep for some time. How long depends on the flavors.. There is no specific time that can be applied to this. The variables are the flavors being used.. IMHO

 

[Nick.G]

Just heard about this today in a shop and was weary.. great thread, thought about posting it myself! I'm letting mine steep right now actually!

 

[Storm52]

Many of the juices I get have a floral or even alcohol smell to them. I pop the tops for 24 hours, then do a daily shake. After a period of time, that varies between vendors, the "off" odor dissipates. I have some juice that darkens over the period of steep, which allows the flavors to meld. Some vendors have gone so far as providing recommended steeping time.
I've found that most fruit flavors don't gain anything with a long steep.

 

[Rwb1500]

Some flavors don't need steeping at all. But I've found nearly all tobacco flavors and complex dessert flavors need steeping to meld the flavors together. Tobacco needs the longest steep times. Some flavors may get weakened over time.

I've gotten some flavors that were horrid when I first bought them. I let them steep for about 10 days and wow...the change was amazing. Some tobaccos I've steeped for over a month to get it to taste good.

Why? I'm really looking for some science here. Not trying to be obstinate or argumentative, just curious. If a naturally extracted tobacco only has one ingredient flavoring it why would it need to steep?

I will say that I bought an espresso liquid and found it absolutely horrible at first. After a few weeks I tried it again and really enjoyed it, but I can't say 100% that the flavour actually improved. I had been exclusively using very bright fruit flavors and needed a contrast, the espresso was perfect. Correlation doesn't imply causation though. Did the juice actually improve or did my perception of it just change because of juxtaposition between the espresso and all the bright tart fruit flavors?

I dunno.

It's hard to even recall what a juice tasted like a month ago. I have juices I used to love now I really don't like at all. Do your taste buds change enough to trick you into hating something you loved a few weeks ago? And what about recent ex-smokers? Our taste buds are a crap shoot as it is.

 

[EBates]

Yes, I do believe in steeping (and possibly the easter bunny and santa claus, lol). I have bought a bottle of juice from a local shop. After having really liked the sample I tried in the shop. Tried it at home and it was entirely different from the sample. Sat it aside and did nothing to it for approx a month tried it again before vaping it forward. It was what I had tried at the shop. I did not, however, remove the top or shake it daily. I just set it aside in a relative cool, relatively dark room (my mini home office).
I have also noticed that a couple of 50 ml bottles of one of my ADVs has darkened while sitting in the fridge.

So since, in my mind at least, steeping does exist. My wife and I sample juices using a dripper when we get them. If they taste good we vape 'em, If not we steep 'em, try 'em again in a week or so. Vape forward what we can, trash the rest.

 

[Mrsobie]

I have found that fruity based flavors and sweet address the ones that that to steep. My black cherry tastes awful first day and by 2-4 weeks later it had that great flavor but there are others that get worse from steeping. I was told the alcohol based flavors (the flavors that have alcohol in them are the ones that get worse over time but I think it's all preference is all relative to what your taste is

analog free since August 27 th 2013

 

[retic1959]

I've been vaping for a few months now, long enough to have had bottles sitting around for as long. I'm a bit skeptical. I tried a search but found mostly conflicting answers.

Is there any science behind any of this steeping business? We're not talking about wine here. Is it possible for certain flavors to actually worsen over time rather than improve? What defines improvement? If I bought a very expensive tobacco juice because I wanted a dry, non-sweet vape and it sweetened over time I'd be unhappy.

I'm starting to think that being told to steep all your juices maybe isn't the best advice 100% of the time.

This all started a few minutes ago reading a thread on HHV tobacco juices. There was a recommendation to steep for six weeks or more, and I found that a little ridiculous. Maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone have any scientific basis other than anecdotal "Well, it tastes better".

There's a lot going on, your taste buds and the cycle they change and adapt on, I'm sure certain properties of certain flavors used in e-liquid, and probably a hundred other factors I can't even think of.



Comments, concerns, criticisms, death threats?

I'm a member of the HHV Army social group and I can tell you that we don't all agree on steeping time , I find 2 weeks adequate for most of their juices with some exceptions , NET's do contain organic materials and acids and enzymes from the tobacco plant itself and if you want a good example of enzymes at work go eat a good dry aged steak at a steakhouse , I'm also a professional chef and I can tell you it's not just wine that improves with age , soups , sauces and a lot of other items improve when the flavors have a chance to marry and cooking is a chemical process , one of my favorite HHV NET's starts to make a drastic change in flavor at 4-6 weeks of steeping , some of the others intensify in flavor , some mellow out , some of their juices I prefer fresh or just a little age on them others I prefer well steeped , I can assure you the results aren't bogus , it's a enzymatic and chemical process taking place .

 

[JaxMike]

I'm a member of the HHV Army social group and I can tell you that we don't all agree on steeping time , I find 2 weeks adequate for most of their juices with some exceptions , NET's do contain organic materials and acids and enzymes from the tobacco plant itself and if you want a good example of enzymes at work go eat a good dry aged steak at a steakhouse , I'm also a professional chef and I can tell you it's not just wine that improves with age , soups , sauces and a lot of other items improve when the flavors have a chance to marry and cooking is a chemical process , one of my favorite HHV NET's starts to make a drastic change in flavor at 4-6 weeks of steeping , some of the others intensify in flavor , some mellow out , some of their juices I prefer fresh or just a little age on them others I prefer well steeped , I can assure you the results aren't bogus , it's a enzymatic and chemical process taking place .

I was gonna say what he said, except without all the knowledge and experience

I don't know the science, but I know for an absolute fact that the tobacco juices I typically order are completely unbearable and offensive out of the mailbox, and delicious given a month of rest.

 

[Bunnykiller]

Steeping?? What are yall doing?, putting tobacco leaves in your juice? Steeping is the process of extracting flavors from a solid by infusing the solid in a liquid. I would be rather worried if I found solids in my juice... but I suppose there must be alot of people out there finding stuff in thier juice....

I age my juice... since my juice doesnt have solids in it I cant steep it...

Go steep some tea while your juice ages

 

[Brady2021]

Definitely steep you juice!
Most orders online take a few days to ship, in which time you should include into steep time.

 

[v1k1ng1001]

1. let sit with the cap off for 24 hours so that the alcohol evaporates

2. complex flavors/freshly mixed custom juice needs 2-6 weeks to steep--I cheat on the fruits as they're usually good to go but they do taste better over time

3. glass bottles > plastic bottles -- transferring complex, higher-end juices to glass bottles improves their taste over time in my experience

 

[snork]

steep da joos

 

[daviedog]

We live in an entropic universe. All compounds shed molecules & return to their original elements.
Fluids in solution diffuse, not steep. As the molecules shed, the remainder in the bottle changes in composition . For good or worse.
For more information, check out a college chemistry text. Valence rings is a good start.
Adding air, 28% oxygen does not aid or speed up diffusion. O2 actually speeds up oxidation which has a deleterious effect over time.
Everyone confused??..

 

[pulvia]

Is it better to place the juice in the fridge while steeping too?

 

[stevegmu]

I've had juices lose their flavor over time and others get better. I don't steep, per se, but have a lot of bottles that have been opened that I just don't get around to vaping very often.

 

[glointhedark]

There are a great many variables involved in vaping - the hardware being used by the vaper, the ingredients being used to mix the eliquid, the nicotine level and pg/vg ratios in the eliquid, the taste sensitivities of the vaper, etc. I have had eliquids that were good right out of the mailbox, and I have had others that benefitted from steeping. You have to go with what tastes right to you. If you have read that a certain eliquid needs to steep, but you find it pleasant and enjoyable right out of the mailbox, then vape it. Remember to shake the bottle (cap on, please) whenever you fill or top off your tank or carto.

When you get a new eliquid, smell it. If it smells good to you, put some in your tank or carto and taste it. If it tastes good, then vape it. If you do not care for the smell or taste, put it in a cool, dark place for a while. Check it in a few days or so. If you think it is OK, then vape it. If not, put it back for a while. All I do to steep is put eliquids in an old purse with zippered compartments. Nothing complicated - I just leave it alone for a while.

Your taste does change over time. That absolutely fantastic eliquid that you fell in love with when you first started vaping may become unpalatable to you over time. However, that eliquid that you absolutely hated the first time you tried it may become your new favorite in time. You may change your hardware and find that you need to adjust your preferences in eliquid.

The great thing about vaping is that it is so customizable to your individual tastes. If you choose not to steep any eliquid, then you do not have to. As long as you are happy with what you are vaping, it does not matter what anyone else does. It's all about keeping you happy and away from smoking.