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Steeping

Ephraim

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What flavors need to be steeped? Stemming is just opening the bottle and letting it set a couple weeks right?
 

Teresa P

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Anything can benefit from a good "sit" to give every component of your juice time to "mingle." Fruits don't generally take long, if any time at all, most are shake and vape, but anything with creams and custards will take longer, more toward the 1-3 week range. And I've found that the more flavors there are in a mix, the longer it will take to steep into what it should be.
I leave caps on and tuck them away on the shelf, give them a good shake every day or two. You'll hear some say heat steeping is best, some use mixers of one type or another, but I've found the best way to age juice is time. Nothing beats it. ;)
 

Ephraim

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Anything can benefit from a good "sit" to give every component of your juice time to "mingle." Fruits don't generally take long, if any time at all, most are shake and vape, but anything with creams and custards will take longer, more toward the 1-3 week range. And I've found that the more flavors there are in a mix, the longer it will take to steep into what it should be.
I leave caps on and tuck them away on the shelf, give them a good shake every day or two. You'll hear some say heat steeping is best, some use mixers of one type or another, but I've found the best way to age juice is time. Nothing beats it. ;)
I just open the bottle and use it. Never steeped anything.
 

Teresa P

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And some folks prefer that method too, thinking it'll never be any better than what it is. Not my thinking, but to each his own.
 

gopher_byrd

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When aging your juice leave the caps on! The molecules that escape may make your room smell wonderful, but they are better served infusing with your juice. You only leave caps off when mixing with alcohol based flavors. Most flavors do not have alcohol. So unless you know that you mixed with alcohol based flavors, keep those tops on!
 

Letitia9

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Aren't you using commercial juices Ephraim? With most the mailing time is sufficient unless it is made to order juice, those may need more time to mature.
 

OcagePH

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After mix if you taste alcohol maybe you can leave the cap off. But steeping as far as I learned so far let is sit in a cool dark place and shake it every day or time to time. Also take some notes when tasting it.
 

SteveS45

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I just open the bottle and use it. Never steeped anything.

Normally retail or store bought e-Liquids do not require time to infuse or age. With DIY even flavorless requires time for the different liquids to blend or infuse. I use a simple procedure to know if my DIY is ready and that is to shake it up and look at it. If I can still see the different components separated then it has not sat long enough. Now like Teresa said some flavors require a longer period of time and even though you might not see the separation it still has not had time to bloom.
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
Normally retail or store bought e-Liquids do not require time to infuse or age. With DIY even flavorless requires time for the different liquids to blend or infuse. I use a simple procedure to know if my DIY is ready and that is to shake it up and look at it. If I can still see the different components separated then it has not sat long enough. Now like Teresa said some flavors require a longer period of time and even though you might not see the separation it still has not had time to bloom.
Excuse me, question? Some of my current mix is kinda thin that looks like 50/50 mix but the truth ratio is 70/30 is there something wrong with my steeping its kinda hot in the Philippines.
 

SteveS45

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Excuse me, question? Some of my current mix is kinda thin that looks like 50/50 mix but the truth ratio is 70/30 is there something wrong with my steeping its kinda hot in the Philippines.

Are you sure you mixed it correctly is the 1st thing that comes to mind and yes temperature with cause e-Liquid to thin out. My 70/30 - 80/20 gets thin when heated to just 100°F.
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
Are you sure you mixed it correctly is the 1st thing that comes to mind and yes temperature with cause e-Liquid to thin out. My 70/30 - 80/20 gets thin when heated to just 100°F.
Yes the VG PG ratio is pretty accurate with my scale but the 30ml bottle doesn't get full with the recipe I have, I don't know why yet it is total to 30mls. I'll move my juices to my locker in the office where I work. lol, thank you steve :)
 

AndriaD

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Yes the VG PG ratio is pretty accurate with my scale but the 30ml bottle doesn't get full with the recipe I have, I don't know why yet it is total to 30mls. I'll move my juices to my locker in the office where I work. lol, thank you steve :)

My 30ml amber glass bottles actually hold about 34ml -- which is fine for mixing, gives plenty of room for shaking, but troublesome for storing nicotine -- I never know *exactly* how much nic I have stored, since I try to fill the 30ml bottles right to the bottom of the threads. My 60ml bottles OTOH are pretty much right on the money; I have to keep my recipes at 58ml to have any room to shake them at all, and if I used more than 13-14 percent Vg, I'd have to leave more, the stuff is so thick.

Andria
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
My 30ml amber glass bottles actually hold about 34ml -- which is fine for mixing, gives plenty of room for shaking, but troublesome for storing nicotine -- I never know *exactly* how much nic I have stored, since I try to fill the 30ml bottles right to the bottom of the threads. My 60ml bottles OTOH are pretty much right on the money; I have to keep my recipes at 58ml to have any room to shake them at all, and if I used more than 13-14 percent Vg, I'd have to leave more, the stuff is so thick.

Andria
What ratio do you use in your 60mls?
 

SteveS45

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30ml bottle doesn't get full with the recipe I have

Most bottles have what is known as Head Space which is why 30MLs does not fill the bottles. This room for expansion and such. If you want to check a bottle use a graduated cylinder and measure the amount of water you want to check. Good Luck
 

AndriaD

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What ratio do you use in your 60mls?

Currently (for summer humidity), I'm using 86.5% PG, so 13.5% VG. In winter I go to a simpler 86/14.

Andria
 

SteveS45

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What ratio do you use in your 60mls?

30/60/100/120 is the same ratio for the recipe. Size doesn't make a difference. When I vape my High VG in the Winter and I am outside I do raise the wattage a touch when the temperature is close to or below freezing. Need a bit more power when the air coming in is so cold.
 

AndriaD

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30/60/100/120 is the same ratio for the recipe. Size doesn't make a difference.

This exactly, which is why recipes need to be expressed in percentages, not ml's. Percentages are scalable; ml's aren't.

Andria
 

SteveS45

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This exactly, which is why recipes need to be expressed in percentages, not ml's. Percentages are scalable; ml's aren't.

I was responding to @OcagePH about PG/VG Ratios and sizes of bottles. A VG/PG Ratio is a percentage so I have no freaking idea WTH you are talking about...................
 

AndriaD

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I was responding to @OcagePH about PG/VG Ratios and sizes of bottles. A VG/PG Ratio is a percentage so I have no freaking idea WTH you are talking about...................

I was talking about the entire recipe... and I use the same ratio of PG/VG for everything I mix.

Andria
 

SteveS45

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I was talking about the entire recipe... and I use the same ratio of PG/VG for everything I mix.

I was talking about ratios and bottles sizes. Some recipes I make with higher VG depends on the recipe. Since you mix basically ONE Flavor or Recipe I guess you would make the ONE the same. Everything you mix?
 

AndriaD

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I was talking about ratios and bottles sizes. Some recipes I make with higher VG depends on the recipe. Since you mix basically ONE Flavor or Recipe I guess you would make the ONE the same. Everything you mix?

I do mix other stuff sometimes, I just haven't found anything I like well enough to make again, or vape more than the initial bottle. I won't go to the trouble of mixing unless I know it's something I'll really enjoy... so far, nothing has been as good as my strawberry & cream (the very first successful recipe I created).

Andria
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
Most bottles have what is known as Head Space which is why 30MLs does not fill the bottles. This room for expansion and such. If you want to check a bottle use a graduated cylinder and measure the amount of water you want to check. Good Luck
That would be nice, I'll get graduated cylinder on my next batch of flavors and materials. Thank you so much. Additional question Steve, do flavor concentrates steep on its own?
 

AndriaD

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I would hate to see what you cook for dinner~! :giggle:

No you wouldn't. I'm a magnificent cook. Southern, you know? We know how to cook down here. :)

Andria
 

SteveS45

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Infusion is of all the components meaning VG/PG/Nicotine and the flavorings. Remember even flavorless needs time to infuse.
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
Infusion is of all the components meaning VG/PG/Nicotine and the flavorings. Remember even flavorless needs time to infuse.
Really disappointed right now with my mixes but I know patience is the key for my juice to infuse all the way. Do you shake your mixes daily?
 

SteveS45

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Really disappointed right now with my mixes but I know patience is the key for my juice to infuse all the way. Do you shake your mixes daily?

If I remember I let them age under a desk lamp next to my PC Desk so I guess at least once a day.
 

SteveS45

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No you wouldn't. I'm a magnificent cook. Southern, you know? We know how to cook down here. :)

But you can't figure out how to make an e-Liquid recipe which is as simple as mixing a drink. Sorry I can't believe it.
 

SteveS45

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Copy, making sure this waiting won't go to waste. Thank you so much :)

Patience is needed for DIY because sampling too soon can make you add more flavor which after some time to age can become overpowering. I once made a Lava Cake that after a few days was absolutely amazing and I put it on a shelf and forgot about it. When I found it months later I said Oooh this was so good and went to vape it and got a BIG Srrprise~! It got so freaking strong I had to cut it with VG/PG and Nicotine to make it vapable~!
 

SteveS45

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Also @OcagePH just because this is what I do, doesn't mean it will work for everybody and I do not claim to be a DIY Guru. But it works for me and any of my e-Liquids I have sent to or given to my friends they loved. If it works for you great but feel free to do whatever the hell you want or think might work for you. Good Luck
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
Patience is needed for DIY because sampling too soon can make you add more flavor which after some time to age can become overpowering. I once made a Lava Cake that after a few days was absolutely amazing and I put it on a shelf and forgot about it. When I found it months later I said Oooh this was so good and went to vape it and got a BIG Srrprise~! It got so freaking strong I had to cut it with VG/PG and Nicotine to make it vapable~!
I wish this will happen to my mixes, I'm kinda playing around but taking notes on my recipes and what I think changes day by day, yes I test them everyday and shake well. This is exciting.

Also @OcagePH just because this is what I do, doesn't mean it will work for everybody and I do not claim to be a DIY Guru. But it works for me and any of my e-Liquids I have sent to or given to my friends they loved. If it works for you great but feel free to do whatever the hell you want or think might work for you. Good Luck
It's all good and awesome to have tips from someone who have a wide experience on DIY, every suggestions and tips are all welcome and I won't go against it since DIY made me realize that this is some kind of art form, like what you've said making your own drink, make it sweet or nah and so whatever mix. Thank you so much Steve :)
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
You are very welcome my friend and you don't have to thank me. When I see you post a recipe that is truly amazing that will be thanks enough. :vino:
Lol, no thank you so much for always helping and replying through my posts. I kinda have my own mix right now, if you like somekind of Espresso type. I think I'll post it when I got home and tag you in it.
 

SteveS45

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Lol, no thank you so much for always helping and replying through my posts. I kinda have my own mix right now, if you like somekind of Espresso type. I think I'll post it when I got home and tag you in it.

I love my coffee but that is one flavor I just can't vape~! Tried a bunch but none tasted like a good Espresso more like a burned cup of coffee. Thanks though!
 

OcagePH

Member For 1 Year
I love my coffee but that is one flavor I just can't vape~! Tried a bunch but none tasted like a good Espresso more like a burned cup of coffee. Thanks though!
The sad part about that mix of mine its kinda turning to coffee instead of strong espresso. But I'll still hit you up when I got home haha.
 

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