Steeping: top off? or top on?

[PhoenixD]

I just got a bunch from AiV and all the flavors were too "weak" for me. Not bad, just very weak (all but one). They are the "sample pack" which is quite tiny. Do I have to take all the tiny caps off to steep it? Or can I just let it all sit "in the back" for a couple days/weeks and try again?

Same for MBV, I loved my first few that I got and when they had that 16% off sale I bought about 10 more! But most of them are weak to me :-( Do I need to leave the little caps off? And then I am in danger of spilling them all since they are like, 10 ml bottles Do you need a rack to set open bottles on if you are "steeping" them all at once?

I'm not sure I "get" the point of taking the cap off and possibly attracting insects dust and so on

I searched the treads and there are many many ones on steeping, so many that I don't know where to begin. I once did a google search for some topic and got better results for ECF than I did with the ECF search

1 month vaping, I wish it was a 'straighter course' but I might be just having a bad day, I have more than one close loved-ones diagnosed with terminal cancer(s) at the moment and notice it screws with "good thinking" THANKS so much for any help!

PHX

 

[Tony_B]

There are a few youtube vids on steeping. Usually if I can't narrow down tutorials/reviews on google, I try there.
Basically, it boils down to this: Shake juice like crazy to get a really good mix. Remove cap and let sit for 24 hours. After 24 hrs, put cap back on and let it sit for a week. Done. Some juices may need to go another week (or more, for best flavor), but most are good after a week.
I don't know how much of a difference it makes, but what I do is, squeeze the bottle till the juice gets right to the edge of the opening, and then release before you put the cap on. I know some blenders use alcohol, and I figure that recirculating the air will get rid of anything that evaporated inside the bottle.

 

[double_aa_ron]

All that shaking and removing caps is a pain in the ars and not necessary. It might expedite the process, but you don't need to do it. When I get a juice in that I feel needs to steep I just put it at the back of my juice shelf and forget about it for a couple of weeks. I don't shake it, remove caps, or put it in a dark place (I do keep all my juices out of direct sunlight though). The main ingredient in steeping is time.

 

[bhswmc01]

My AiV samples were very weak-tasting when I first got them, too. I let them sit in the dark (caps on) for a week and a half and tried them again - better. Let them sit for another month - WOW. Flavors were much more developed. I'm not a patient person, but in this case, it's worth it.

 

[PhoenixD]

All that shaking and removing caps is a pain in the ars and not necessary. It might expedite the process, but you don't need to do it. When I get a juice in that I feel needs to steep I just put it at the back of my juice shelf and forget about it for a couple of weeks. I don't shake it, remove caps, or put it in a dark place (I do keep all my juices out of direct sunlight though). The main ingredient in steeping is time.

AH-HA! this is what i was hoping to hear! I will try this, because the prospect of spilling them is a bummer. I have already spilled a few just reaching in there with those tiny bottles :-( I am going to try this first, thanks!

 

[Caridwen]

I steep my DIY juice with the top off for a day because I use super concentrated alcohol based flavoring a lot and it gets rid of that smell. Other than that I throw them in a drawer.

 

[K.Dart]

Had this question as well concerning my sampler from AiV. Looks like they'll be banished to the cupboard for a while. Darn. Thanks for the info you guys!

 

[Tony_B]

All that shaking and removing caps is a pain in the ars and not necessary. It might expedite the process, but you don't need to do it. When I get a juice in that I feel needs to steep I just put it at the back of my juice shelf and forget about it for a couple of weeks. I don't shake it, remove caps, or put it in a dark place (I do keep all my juices out of direct sunlight though). The main ingredient in steeping is time.

Some flavorings contain alcohol, and some juices contain distilled water that needs to evaporate. Not sure how this will happen for you with the caps on.

 

[v1k1ng1001]

I steep my DIY juice with the top off for a day because I use super concentrated alcohol based flavoring a lot and it gets rid of that smell. Other than that I throw them in a drawer.

^^^ This person speaks wisely.

 

[Cr0tchF4i]

I use a MUCH simpler method.

Cap off-. I put them on my warm cable box and within 2-3 days the flavor is far greater. Easy enough for me.

 

[Jim Diamond]

Personally, I do the microwave thing (10 sec for 30ml) then caps off for a couple of days.
Then, caps on and shaking every couple of day for a week or two. Then, I will start to vape it and continue to steep the bottle.