Steeping

[MaDeuce]

Just a quick question and maybe a little advice. How long should I let a new bottle of juice steep before I crack it open and start using it? I have read quite a few posts about about bad tasting juice that got better with a some steeping. I would like to avoid that issue and the good lord knows I have enough juice to practice a little patience. Thanks.

Keith

 

[samazon]

I have been letting mine sit open for a few days in a special "steeping bowl" (to prevent spillage) then I try them. If they're still weird tasting, I cap em and toss them into a drawer until I get a wild hair to try em again.

Tried to add a picture but instagram is stupid.

 

[Grimheart]

I open the bottles when I first get them and let them sit for a day. After that I just shake the hell out of them a few times a day and do this for a week or so. I have samples that I just toss into the juice box and try them months later and they are always good. Everyone seems to steep differently but I think most people let the bottle air out for a day or so. Always keep your juice in a dark place, away from sunlight.

 

[jerseyrob]

I do the same except I let the bottles sit for 2 days with the cap off. Then cap back on, and shake a few times a day for a week or so.

 

[Crazyinariz]

I uncap mine and just set them in a drawer on the right side for a few days and then put them at the back of the 'ready to use' stack on the left side. I use the '1st in, 1st out' method for the ready to use side so most of my juices will sit there for 3-4 weeks or so. While I don't shake while steeping I do shake each time before I fill a clearomizer.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kopfstimmen]

Depends on the juice, I guess. I get some that are good straight out of the bottle, and I had another that was different:
Day 1: It sucks.
Day 14: It still sucks.
Day 30: Why did I buy 30 ml?
Day 90: You know, mixed with some Black Cherry, this is pretty good.
Note that your taste buds change, too.

 

[CarbonThief]

Two days caps off here, for some juices that have an alcohol taste or odor to them, one day lids off for others, and some juices I prefer fresh and the first few weeks, so to slow down the steeping process, caps on at all times. You need to learn what works for you for a particular juice, trial and error, and ordering and reordering unfortunately because until you tried a given juice at every step of the way, which includes UNSTEEPED, fresh from delivery, you will not know when that particular juice has "peaked" for YOUR TASTE.

So yes, I highly recommend you try it fresh, to compare with 3 or 4 days later, to compare with 1 and two weeks later, a month etc. Then if you find that you liked it better say, between weeks 2 and 4, then you may want to do just one day lids off as that might extend the "peak" with the next bottle for an extra week, like weeks 2 to 4.

Trial and error, trial and error. Oh and take notes so you aren't left trying to recall what you did last time, when the peak hit, etc.

 

[Hoosier]

3 seconds, or as long as it takes to open it and try it, whichever is longer.

Steeping is leaving the bottle sit, capped tightly, out of sunlight for a period of time. Many juices do not need any steeping. Some do. Tobaccos and complex blends are the vast majority of juices that gain a benefit from steeping.

Leaving it open for a period of time is airing, or breathing, but not steeping, and allows aromatic compounds to evaporate, nicotine to oxidize, or alcohol carrier to evaporate. It also allows the juice to absorb water from the surrounding air because PG and VG like to do that. It has a completely different effect on juice. I find very seldom do juices actually get better from this, but I do have a recipe that goes from almost OK to great if it airs out for a bit.

I have no idea when airing and steeping became the same thing in some folks' minds, but my experience tells me it is not the same and it does help point out the folly of following conventional wisdom on some subjects.

 

[ego-theavy]

I uncap mine and just set them in a drawer on the right side for a few days and then put them at the back of the 'ready to use' stack on the left side. I use the '1st in, 1st out' method for the ready to use side so most of my juices will sit there for 3-4 weeks or so. While I don't shake while steeping I do shake each time before I fill a clearomizer.

Hope this helps.

i do this to but i use different drawers

 

[gthompson]

For a new juice, how will you know how much it changes, if it does, if you don't try it fresh?

 

[CarbonThief]

3 seconds, or as long as it takes to open it and try it, whichever is longer.

Steeping is leaving the bottle sit, capped tightly, out of sunlight for a period of time. Many juices do not need any steeping. Some do. Tobaccos and complex blends are the vast majority of juices that gain a benefit from steeping.

Leaving it open for a period of time is airing, or breathing, but not steeping, and allows aromatic compounds to evaporate, nicotine to oxidize, or alcohol carrier to evaporate. It also allows the juice to absorb water from the surrounding air because PG and VG like to do that. It has a completely different effect on juice. I find very seldom do juices actually get better from this, but I do have a recipe that goes from almost OK to great if it airs out for a bit.

I have no idea when airing and steeping became the same thing in some folks' minds, but my experience tells me it is not the same and it does help point out the folly of following conventional wisdom on some subjects.

Fellow Hoosier, you are absoulutely correct, steeping and airing are indeed two different things. They do often get combined into one term, steeping (process), but it is good to point out that you can certainly steep without exposing the juice to air. As you mentioned, airing them out is particularly useful with alcohol based extractions/flavorings when some alcohol remains, giving it a perfumey aroma and/or taste. For others not as necessary, but again as you pointed out, it does tend to help some juices, and likely hurts others. Everyone just has to order and reorder the same juice and try it peridically during steeping and/or aeration to see what works for the individual juice and vaper, imo.