Why do some people hate steeping

[Beast_Biter]

I don't know why you think it would knock out 95% of the vendors out there. I have used several vendors and the only one that gave me a juice that I was told to steep was a place called mount baker Vapor. The Vape Room was good straight out of the bottle, all six flavors I got. Halo, fantastic. Wicked, pretty good. Vape Dojo, pretty good juice, had a variety flavors for months and they all tasted the same from day one to the last day. Personally I think steeping is just a myth. Juice contains VG, PG, flavoring and nicotine. There's nothing there that would require it to sit for a few weeks before it tastes good, in my humble opinion. My own DIY flavors taste good the second after I make them. I'm just not a big believer in the whole steep mythology.

I kind of agree to an extent. A few days so the flavors can blend together and taste like one? seems reasonable...one month to 3 months like I've seen in some recommendations?? That seems nuts. I've tried maybe 30 juices, so far some do change a little over time but not a huge amount and some don't but I've never really had a bad juice turn good just from steeping.

Sometimes the steeping advice seems like go back and try this crap in a few months and then maybe you won't be so mad that you bought it.

 

[firephly]

You don't see the problem? Ok, here's a problem for you:

Take a vendor that offers 80 different flavors, in 5 different PG/VG ratios, at 6 different nic levels for each of those flavors in each of those PG/VG ratios, and has to keep at least 500 of each on hand to meet any potential demand for pre-steeped liquids. (And keep track of exactly which ones have been steeping for how long. But I digress.) Now pull out your calculator, do the math, and find the answer to the inventory problem.

ETA: Oh, forgot - you have to factor for how many different size bottles the vendor is carrying. In the case of a place like Mt. Baker multiply the result you get from the above times four.

Ok I digress, you're right.

In some cases it seems to work though. It seems like some of the best vendors have fewer flavors, and they're generally flavors that they've put a lot of thought into and it shows because they are just great! And they don't sell them in many sizes or nic levels. Take two examples, Grizzly Vapes, they make 3 flavors, and have one size, and 3 nic levels, one VG/PG level (max VG) and the juice is pre-steeped and is excellent and complex, and has a lot of fans so I imagine it moves pretty fast. And it is reasonably priced at $15 per 30ml.

I haven't tried Five Pawns, but it is also well liked and has 5 flavors plus that limited edition one. It has 5 nic options, one size option, one PG/VG option, is pre-steeped. Not as much of a deal for $27 and up per 30mg though, but still sells like crazy.

I've learned that brands that make tons of flavors are *sometimes* lower on quality anyway.

There are other brands like my current favorite, Free State, that make about 12 flavors or so, and are all excellent and tasty out of the box so far. They don't advertize being pre-steeped but they sure don't take long to taste great and clean and wonderful.

 

[anavidfan]

 

[firephly]

Ok I digress, you're right.

In some cases it seems to work though. It seems like some of the best vendors have fewer flavors, and they're generally flavors that they've put a lot of thought into and it shows because they are just great! And they don't sell them in many sizes or nic levels. Take two examples, Grizzly Vapes, they make 3 flavors, and have one size, and 3 nic levels, one VG/PG level (max VG) and the juice is pre-steeped and is excellent and complex, and has a lot of fans so I imagine it moves pretty fast. And it is reasonably priced at $15 per 30ml.

I haven't tried Five Pawns, but it is also well liked and has 5 flavors plus that limited edition one. It has 5 nic options, one size option, one PG/VG option, is pre-steeped. Not as much of a deal for $27 and up per 30mg though, but still sells like crazy.

Mad Murdock would be another example, limited sizes, limited nic options and PG/VG, but not limited on immediate flavor, and sells very fast for the most part.

I've learned that brands that make tons of flavors are *sometimes* lower on quality anyway. How much thought did they really put into 'creating' those 80 flavors?

There are other brands like my current favorite, Free State, that make about 12 flavors or so, and are all excellent and tasty out of the box so far. They don't advertize being pre-steeped but they sure don't take long to taste great and clean and wonderful.

For a new vaper though, struggling with a heavy cig addiction, and also struggling with dry hits, flooded coils, etc, feeling sometimes like they're about to throw the whole setup across the room, the least they should be able to expect is something flavorful to look forward to, it sure helps.

EDIT: wow not sure how i double posted that...oops

 

[DaveOno]

I primarily vape Halo juices. Their on-hand inventory isn't as complex, as they have one blend per the 22 flavors (vg/pg), only the 2 sizes, and 5 nic levels. There is a bit of agreement on steeping Voodoo, and I could see steeping a few of the more perfumy tobaccos (Cap't Jack, Longhorn, Southern Classic).
But Malibu, Torque, Prime is consistent, from out of the box til the last drop.

I'm OK with a 2 to 5 day steep, and for me, it's more of the perfuminess(?) to dissipate a bit. Off flavors tended to leave. I haven't experienced anything that increases in flavor with time. I think it's possible, but not to my experience.

To the OP topic: Why do I dislike Steeping? Cause I want it now. If the flavor improves with a steep, then either don't sell it to me until it's ready, or give me clear warning before I buy.

I mean, if you don't know the steeping requirements, then you'd either have to steep everything, or try some right away, steep, then compare.

The problem is this: Logically, won't some juices get worse, some stay the same, some get better? I want to know if I should order a smaller bottle of it degrades, or order in advance if it needs the wait.

And with the tastes buds still evolving after 90 days, all I thought I knew of flavors is moot.

 

[Steamix]

Zen and the art of steeping.
Steeping means patience.
Watch it steep while waiting under the mailbox for that order from China.
Delivery time and steeping time usually match

Patience, young yeDIY, patience

 

[Jay-dub]

I'm not a fan of steeping. Vaping is the only consumable item I've used that isn't ready for use when delivered. It's like ordering wine and getting a grape mash full of sugar and yeast in a bottle with a venting cap. What's this? It's wine...or it will be in a few weeks.

 

[Thunderball]

I DIY and find my most of my juices dont need steeping in general. Some taste a tad better after 2 or 3 days. Many of mine are very complex as in 7 flavors and can be vaped immediately.

To be fair, I dont do tobacco's and hear they do need aging.

(I prefer the word Aging to Steeping)

 

[SnowDog]

I DIY and find my most of my juices dont need steeping in general. Some taste a tad better after 2 or 3 days. Many of mine are very complex as in 7 flavors and can be vaped immediately.

To be fair, I dont do tobacco's and hear they do need aging.

(I prefer the word Aging to Steeping)

Thanks for sharing that. Although I'm not interested in DIY just yet I have been wondering how the folks that do it deal with aging. If aging were a major player it seems like it would be a frustrating guessing game trying to achieve the flavors that you want. In some cases you might have to wait a month or more just to find out that you have to do it all over again because it didn't turn out quite like you hoped it would.

I used to make my own beer and I gave that up partly because I never really knew for sure the end results until about 6 weeks after I started a batch. I never made a bad batch, thank goodness, but the waiting was pure torture.

Your comments are good to know if I ever want to try my hand at DIY.

 

[RT88]

in a year or two production will be sky high for some of our favs, so it will prob happen. Look at Ahlusion xpress

but it will only happen when its practical, not to satisfy the impatient

 

[Caridwen]

I have been reading that some people refuse to buy juice that requires steeping. Why is steeping such a big deal to some people, I really don't get it because that knocks out like 95 percent of vendors out there. I mean the way I see it is that if you buy custom made juice that it's always going to require steeping no matter what to evaporate some of the chemicals and to let the flavors blend.

The longest I've ever waited was a week or two.

Most of the liquids I vape are fine as is. If not I wait a couple weeks. Steeping isn't going to make a bad liquid taste great.

I DIY most of my liquid now and for most, a couple days and they're fine.

 

[Criticalmass]

No idea, But they must be the same people that have never had a good cigar as they show up green and in need of age as well.

 

[Kropotkin]

The longest I've ever waited was a week or two.

I don't think I've ever noticed huge improvements after the two week mark either, except for extracted tobaccos, which took a couple of months and then really changed a great deal.

But that only makes sense. I'd expect different processes and ingredients to require different aging times, just as in bottling and preserving.

 

[Steamix]

.

Steeping isn't going to make a bad liquid taste great.

Could we have that framed and made a sticky ?

 

[tonyorion]

Here is a trick from the DIY vapers out there: you can accelerate steeping by using a hot ultra sonic bath. 3-4 cycles of 30 minutes will do it for most juices that need it.

IMHO, a hot ultrasonic bath should be part of everyone's kit, DIY or otherwise. Unless you are a carto use and toss guy, they are great for cleaning atty's, TC and BC heads, RBA's, and RDA's. A lot of guys swear by Vodka or Everclear, but I find that baking soda works just as well and is a lot cheaper. You can justify the expense by telling your wife that you purchased it to clean her jewelry. They are not that expensive, and a good one can be had at places like Harbor Freight, Amazon, or Ebay for $30.

I did not believe in steeping until I extracted some coffee flavors which completely bombed on me. I forgot about the bottle. I was ready to mix up new batches of other flavors, needed an empty bottle, and was about ready to toss it. I tried it on a whim, and it actually came out great.

 

[HawaiiVPR]

The only thing I have noticed with steeping is the juices I've tried that contain a strong chemical or perfume base in them tend to lighten up over time, but my remedy for that is simply not buying those kinds of e-liquids. Yeah, they may taste better because the perfume has evaporated, but why bother when there are awesome juice vendors out there like Dripeez or Velevet Cloud that vape great right out of the bottle? To each their own though, vape what you like and steep if that's your thing, no wrong way in doing so.

Probably unrelated, but I have noticed that about half of the juices (not cinnamon or citrus) I've used that needed long periods of steeping time fogged up my plastic tanks when used right out of the bottle. I wonder if it has anything to do with alcohol content that needs to evaporate?

 

[spartanstew]

For me it's a matter of organization. I've got a lot of juice. Some I've had for 4 months, some for 4 days. I'm not organized enough to know which bottles I've had for how long. I want to be able to grab any bottle of juice on my shelves and vape it without wondering if it's been steeped, and if so if it's been steeped long enough.

 

[edyle]

I have been reading that some people refuse to buy juice that requires steeping. Why is steeping such a big deal to some people, I really don't get it because that knocks out like 95 percent of vendors out there. I mean the way I see it is that if you buy custom made juice that it's always going to require steeping no matter what to evaporate some of the chemicals and to let the flavors blend.

For an accustomed vaper who wants a particular blend it may be no big deal, but for people just starting out, its just a whole lot of trouble for they don't know what.

 

[DenaInWyo]

The only time I don't mind steeping is when its a juice I always keep in stock..and that's only because I reorder when I crack a new bottle so I never have to worry about it.

When I first started vaping I *hated* having juices that needed to steep. It's exciting to get a new flavor in the mail and a bummer to find that it doesn't taste its best until you've had it for two weeks or more. It's not quite as bad now since I've obviously decided to prepare for the zombie apocalypse but I still prefer stuff that tastes good right away.

I always try stuff fresh from the mail. If it isn't that great I put it away for awhile and try it again. Some get better, some don't. Almost all change somewhat. Some are even better fresh than "steeped".

Any vendor that sells their stuff saying that it's good to go right when you get it gets a second look from me..whether that's because it's good fresh or because they presteep. Unless you do a ton of customization options, I don't see how it would be that hard to sell aged juice if you have a flavor that is moving well. If I were a vendor I'd get some kind of steeping rotation for stock set up kind of similar (on a much larger scale) that those of us with regular flavors have.

And, I also agree that if a juice is bad right away, 9 times out of 10, steeping doesn't really help anyway. It does, however, make some juices that are good into something really special.

 

[ambientech]

The problem with steeping is it has been advised way too often in situations that it won't help at. Most juices don't need it, and no amount of steeping will change it. For those that do need it, it is such a drastic change you have to experience it to believe it.