Why is it?

[Tjloa]

OK I'm very perplexed to this question in my head because it really doesn't make sense.

Why is it that some made to order juices are ready to vape while others aren't? I have spent a small fortune on juices and don't understand why some suppliers are able to make juice on the spot ready to go and vape while others can't. Then what happens as i try them in an ATTY they taste like all kinds of unpleasant things. So ill steep them just like i have read here forget about them for a while try again and yet still aren't even close to be able to vape. This waiting weeks on end for a juice to be ready just isn't practical especially for beginning vapor's. I mean isn't the whole point of vaping is to quit the analogs? And not having something thats ready to use when trying to quit analogs isn't going to help anyone in the long run except the vendor who took your money.

Hows does a juice vendor justify their juice not being rdy to vape? How do they justify a claim that the juice tastes like (insert flavor here) when in actually it doesn't even come close even after steeping? They took your money quick enough so is it really too much to ask for the juice you purchase to be ready to vape and taste like its claims when you get it?

Then the other thing that boggles my mind is that while i have ordered a few diff flavors from single vendor some in that order are rdy to go and some are not. Maybe its just me but that really doesn't make any sense to me. I'm finding this very frustrating and just a big waste of money. Can anyone explain this logically in lay-mens terms for us newbies?

Now I have read on a few occasions here on the boards people claiming that the same juice will taste diff to each person but my problem with this claim is that an apple is an apple and the taste for diff people would not be on the opposite sides of the spectrum as juice flavors seem to be for vaping. Can an apple taste better to someone while to others its not that appealing. Absolutely but not like some of the diff Ive read here on the boards again its the same flavor just not appealing to some. There should not be someone saying its the sweetest apple flavor Ive had while another person trying the same juice says it tastes like perfume chemicals. Thats not possible. So the only thing this leads me to believe is that there is no consistency in the mixing. As a trained and practiced culinary chef i can honestly say that the only reason somethings taste would vary so widely is in the consistency of the recipe. The only way a restaurant is successful and able to stay open is in the consistency of the flavors in there food. Why aren't juice vendors held to that standard as well by us consumers? So how does a vendor justify that?

Thoughts anyone?

 

[KeithB]

I believe the push for juices that need steeping come from the fact that you know it's fresh when you get it. Some vendors don't want to mix juice in advance because they have no idea how long it'll stay on the shelf before it sells. If you get a juice that is pre-steeped the question is 'How long has it been steeping for?' Days? Weeks? Months? Longer?

In my experience, lighter flavors like fruits and sweet candy flavors are usually good when they are made. The juices that seem to benefit from steeping are darker, richer flavors like coffee and tobacco; also more complex flavors with four or more different flavorings.

I believe that the subjective nature of taste is genetic, kind of like how some people can smell the bitter almond smell of cyanide and some can't. Not everyone has the same receptors.

 

[Reidus]

TJ, this is a complicated problem. Part of has to do with the complexity of the recipe. There's a reason chili always tastes better on the second day: A good chili recipe has a lot of different herbs and spices that take time to "marry". Similarly, some juices are better after steeping for the same reason.
So why don't the vendors steep the juice before sending it out? Economics and logistics. There are a few vendors out there who don't release juices "before it's time". Their juices are much more expensive. Most juices are made to order. This is done so that the vendors don't have to throw out juices that don't sell, as well as this way, they don't have to have room to store juices while they steep. HHV, for example, was operating out of a spare room in her house. She's since moved and her operations are now in her basement. She simply didn't have room to have juices steeping for weeks or months.
As far as why the same juice tastes different to different people, that's easy: everybody's taste buds are different. For example, my nephew had a series of ear problems as a toddler, and his taste buds were damaged. He literally can't taste salt. My sister used to abhor sour cream. After her first pregnancy, she loved it and does to this day. The sour cream didn't change; her taste buds did. That's why you should always take juice reviews with a grain of salt.

 

[cherrycakes]

I hate steeping too. Usually if you get sample sizes you don't have to deal with it, it's only when you buy bigger 30 ml bottles that you do.

(looks on shelf, eyes bottles hopefully)

 

[Lessifer]

What KeithB said.

Simpler flavors seem to be ready to vape rather quickly, while more complex flavors need time to meld and mature. Think of it in cooking terms, if you make a stew it might be edible after 30 minutes of cooking, but if you let it simmer for an hour or two it will taste even better. Also some of the flavoring ingredients seem to be made with different substances, some come in an alcohol base, and if you don't let that evaporate off it will effect the flavor of the juice.

For the widely varying subjective nature of the flavors... We're all smokers here, who knows what damage we've done to our taste buds? I have a butterscotch flavor that people rave about, and it smells fantastic, but I can't taste it at all.

 

[Wharf Rat]

Last question first. Caviar consistently tastes like Caviar yet some love and some can't stand it. I've had members send me juice that they love and I don't... and vice versa.

As far as steeping every blend is different. In your terms an Alfredo sause is matured in minutes where some takes hours if not longer to get the flavors to meld. I DIY a juice that has 6 flavorings and it takes longer to mature than a one flavor juice.

Tobacco juices tend to take much longer to steep. I had a bottle of Casablanca that everyone raved about that I couldn't stand. Four months later I was bored and pulled it out and loved it.

As far as justifying a juice not being ready to vape, maybe look for pre-mixed instead of made to order. You can vape it now while letting others steep. A friend just sent me some juice and it was great. I asked for the recipe and he sent it with the disclaimer to let it steep for two months.

And again TJ be easy We have all bought juices everybody has raved about that we couldn't stand. When we were new we chased juices across the board and finally found what we liked and you will too.

Hope this helps

 

[xanderxman]

Vendors that offer a lot of flavors, multiple nic mixes, extra shots, etc. would have a hard time predicting demand. I prefer to order from a vendor that mixes juice as it is ordered and I have adjusted to the steep time. Others want something good to go out of the box. For example, every Pink Spot flavor I have tried (all 4 of them) was good to go right away. I am currently stuck on MBV and some of their juices are ready when I get them and some need a few days to steep.

I know this can be hard for new vapers and maybe we need a sticky of vendors that have juice ready to go when you get it. That would solve the issue of new vapers not understanding steeping and hopefully keep them off of cigs. After spending several months finding good juice, I am willing to order ahead of time and steep when needed. But I would not be ready to do that unless I had the vendors with good to go juice when I started. I see a need for both types of juice.

Experienced vapers are willing to spend good money on juices that need time to steep because they enjoy the flavor. There is, however, a need for vendors that premix juices and have them ready to vape when they are received.

From what I have seen, the vendors with fewer flavors generally have ready to go juice. The vendors with tons of options mix to order. That is not gospel but it is mostly true. And it makes sense. How could a vendor with hundreds of flavors be expected to mix all of them, in different nic and PG/VG ratios, and have them ready to vape?

 

[Tjloa]

Thanks for the responces.

But the marring of flavors in e juice is in no way as complicted as with food. Almost all juices ive seen vendors selling are very basic in flavors now i said almost not all. With that said there is no reason these juices shouldnt be ready to go. Are there some with several flavors that would need to marry as in the chili example yes. But again most vendors stay away from those and sell simple flavors and combos.

Even freshly made these simple combos should not taste like chemicals or perfume but yet they do. I have more then several simple straight up flavors no combos that taste absolutely awfull. Example for me is a mango flavored one i got. Pretty simple flavor wouldnt you agree? But yet in no way does it taste like mango it tastes like chemical perfume. Ive had some combos where it almost tasted like it should but not quite but yet the flavor was there and it was fresh not sitting around steeping. I know this because i requested the combo be made myself. Another example is a combo of 4 flavors i ordered and when i recieved it the flavor was spot on again freshly made not sitting around steeping. So this is why i have asked the above. It just doesnt add up.

 

[xanderxman]

I would say that the marrying of flavors in juice is much like with food. The longer different flavors sit around together, the better or stronger they taste. Which is why anything containing fresh onion is a no go for me the second day. Tastes way too much like onion.

The chemical taste in some juices could be affected by the flavorings. Some of them contain alcohol and until you let enough of it evaporate from the juice it will taste off. That is not necessarily true in all cases but it is true in some cases. Maybe your varying experiences are due to the lack or presence of alcohol in the flavorings used by different vendors.

 

[cherrycakes]

as far as mango goes, unless you are buying 100% natural and organic flavorings, they're probably artificially flavored.
which means chemicals. which means it's probably going to taste like chemicals until it steeps.

 

[Wharf Rat]

The few vendors I've got chem/perfume taste I tossed and moved on. I had a mango that tasted better after 2 weeks.

 

[xanderxman]

I don't necessarily toss a juice and forget the vendor if their juice has a perfume/chemical smell. For example, I ordered a bottle of Grappler from MBV. It is a grape/apple combo. The day I got it, it smelled strange to me. I took the lid and drip top off for 24 hours. It smelled much better the second day but still not quite right. I have been shaking every few hours for two days and it now smells like what I expected. I am planning to taste it tonight.

This routine is not for everyone and I am not trying to say that it is. I am willing to go through it to try a juice that I have seen others rave about. A new vaper should order from vendors that have juice ready to go. There are many MBV flavors that are such but some that are not. I would hate to have discounted MBV due to one flavor that needed time to steep as they have plenty of delicious flavors that don't.

 

[unquiet]

I'm frustrating, I completely agree.

The steeping, well I'm gonna have to learn some patience I guess - it certainly doesn't come naturally to me!

The vastly different opinions on the same juices under same conditions is still confuzzling though. I mean, if I love granny smith apples and you love granny smith apples, and you say, OMG, this juice is amazing, it tastes exactly like granny smith apples...logic should dictate that I too prefer it to vaping vomit at least, no?

 

[lladnar550]

...I mean, if I love granny smith apples and you love granny smith apples, and you say, OMG, this juice is amazing, it tastes exactly like granny smith apples...logic should dictate that I too prefer it to vaping vomit at least, no?

Taste, unfortunately is very subjective. I'll give you an example. I have Strawberry Ice from several different vendors (Vape Dudes, Mt Baker, and Mad Vapes). One of which I love (Mt Baker), one which is good (Vape Dudes), and one that I can't stand (Madvapes). My sister has tried all 3, and prefers the one that I can't stand. If we both describe the one we like, the descriptions sound almost identical. If we describe the ones we don't like (Madvapes in my case, mt baker in her case), we each talk about flavor notes that the other one just doesn’t get. The more complex the flavor and the more complex the recipe, the more likely you are to find flavor notes that other people don't. Also liquids taste very different based on the delivery device and the voltage/atty combo you are using. My sister is a carto tank, non vv user, while I use a vv/vw device with clearo's. I also use a dripping atty to taste test juices, and the taste from that compared to my clearo is different. (The dripping atty gives me the best taste, but it is too cumbersome to use on the go.)

 

[Rocketpunk]

Have you thought about trying flavors from vendors who sell pre-steeped juice?

A quick Google search would turn up some vendors.

The NicQuid brand has some DELICIOUS flavors, and my B&M store, Vaporcast, only sells pre-steeped juices (not just the NicQuid line). And they are also delish. I vape the crap out of their Dem Buns (now known as Sinnabun). Vendors who sell the NicQuid brand, off the top of my head: Vaporcast, Smokeless Image, and AltSmoke.

Vaperite sells pre-steeped juice.

Mountain Oak Vapors sells pre-steeped juice.

I think Ahlusion may offer some pre-steeped juices, as well.

The options are out there. Good luck in your search!

 

[Rocketpunk]

Even freshly made these simple combos should not taste like chemicals or perfume but yet they do.

I'm going to paraphrase Oldsoldier here: "They are artificial flavors, after all."

Does a grape Jolly Rancher taste like a grape? Does Hi-C taste like orange juice or a real tangerine?

EDIT: The reason why you see so many posts about steeping is because it works. Go to Dagobah. "Patience, for the Jedi it is time to eat as well."

 

[Baditude]

Over the last 3-4 months, I've settled on just three e-juice vendors for all my needs.

All three use all-natural, all-organic flavoring. And it's not because of "health" reasons, but the flavors are just cleaner, purer, more "natural". No artificial, chemical tastes ever.

A few of these do benefit from steeping a few days, but most do not. All offer choices in pg/vg ratio and flavor strengths.

 

[Tjloa]

Over the last 3-4 months, I've settled on just three e-juice vendors for all my needs.

All three use all-natural, all-organic flavoring. And it's not because of "health" reasons, but the flavors are just cleaner, purer, more "natural". No artificial, chemical tastes ever.

A few of these do benefit from steeping a few days, but most do not. All offer choices in pg/vg ratio and flavor strengths.

Links please bro.

 

[BlueSnake]

The other big thing is there has been explosive growth over the past year and many vendors are having problems keeping up with demand let alone having the time to make sure all the juice is pre steeped.

Some vendors are very professional and have small labs set up so they can exactly duplicate all there recipes. They buy in huge volume and make sure to use the exact same ingredients in the exact same proportions.

Others are small Mom & Pop stores they just don't have the time or resources to be exact and probably never anticipated this level of growth.

I think these are the simplist answers to your questions.

 

[cherrycakes]

try virgin vapors.
HOWEVER if you get the kind with alcohol in it you need to leave the cap off for like 30 minutes.