Thanks in adavance. What are people's thoughts on doing the crock pot steep method heating up the ejuice vs just the old fashioned letting time take it's course?
THOUGHTS? Correct Mixing is not a theory or work in progress. These methods have been locked down in labs for over 15 years. Steeping included and all is taken from chemical engineering methodology that is over 150 yrs old.
STOP TRUSTING BAD INFO (Time Method/Natural Method)
#1 - if you steep using plastic to steep your result will not be consistent or nominal. GLASS is required - plastic can be used for dripping after everything involving mixing is done. Any company or site that says it doesn't matter or make much difference; doesn't know what they're talking about.
A large majority of your questions and guesses can be independently confirmed by basic search results from reliable (non-BB) sources. Microwaving anything outside of rocks will change the molecular structure of that thing, essentially changing it into a different version of itself. If you microwave WATER or a hot dog there is a noticeable difference in the way it tastes because the molecular structure has been altered. The difference is not "negative" for everyone to care - but the change is substantial;. Not only is it a bad idea to microwave something you will be inhaling but the results are totally unpredictable and impossible to duplicate. Stay away from the microwave - in general its a smart idea to use microwaves sparingly.
END THE DEBATE; NATURAL METHOD: If you prefer to steep naturally - fine, but that "method" is only the final step of the correct lab method and was spread by an amateur - its laughable. If you think you prefer those results - its all in your head and you should try it the correct way because you've been given wrong advise. Someone took a short cut and claimed it as effective - it isn't - otherwise there would be NO debate about Steeping what-so-ever. Its a debate because some people have no standards about taste - they just want nicotine. At the lab level (large retail E juice manufacturers) absolutely ALL use a similar device that has a heated plate + magnetic stirrer in every single circumstance; It'd be like being a Deep Sea Diver but not into using Oxygen Tanks. HEAT is required or you're just not doing the same thing. - You're diluting i guess.
STEEP : Extended Heat & Stirring is Essential. I use a lab machine that heats, vibrates and mixes all in one.. depending on the recipe, a crock pot steep should be a minimum of 6 hours in a crock pot, with 2 mixing cycles during the steep. ( take out of the crock and stir, put back) if you were to do this "naturally" - it would take 5 weeks to get the results that you get in just a 2 hour heated/mixed steep. Not to mention the heating of oils is essential to the process - heat is the catalyst that causes the flavors to mix and "note" themselves - causing a chemical reaction and resulting in the final result of "Pegasus Milk" for example. An impossible result without heat! This isn't something people should debate - there's wrong ideas and the correct method. There are no natural alternatives to Chemical engineering - sorry. Suggesting there might be is silly.
Nicotine decays when exposed to heat for an extended period of time - period. The reason the labs don't add nicotine in the beginning is not only because of decay, but because it will significantly alter the flavor and the entire goal your're trying to accomplish. If you decay the nicotine, that means your left with the solvent nicotine is mixed with - VG or PG. This will water down your mix and the result will be bland and not be what you intend - Nic is added after the Steep - Period. You can add it after the Crock-pot or add it 6 hours before you Vape it - maybe 2 hours. (ALWAYS KEEP NIC IN FREEZER)
GET PREMIUM LEVEL FLAVOR EASY: Everyone can ge the same results that our Lab gets; but more often than not - people don't use commonsense, take short cuts, ignored the basics; or grow impatient and just toss the process out the window. The problem is they think they've done something brilliant and share that non-sense on message boards. IF you try to make chicken casserole, and toss the recipe out and wing it using spaghetti, jellybeans, mayonnaise and the freezer - It Tastes amazing to you but you didn't reinvent chicken casserole everyone will love - just because you don't mind eating a frozen pile of shit.
If you mix properly - it will become very easy and quickly accomplished - the heated steep is essential if you want to make something worthy of your time; not a non-chemical reaction, bland base made by an amateur. Add the Nic after the heated steep and let it sit - natural steep style - placing the bottles in a Dark, Dry place for 5-14 days (the rip-off short-cut step). Longer won't make too much difference - not positive difference. IF you forgot to add NIC - you can do it here too - just wait 3-6 hours before vape.
Your mix will be superb and near professional level. If you just let your mix sit "Natural Steep" style - even after 6 weeks - Its will be WEAK and taste muted; if you like sweet- you will always be disappointed with this method; if you want a powerful punch of flavor - heat is essential. PG Favors are not sold as "oils" but that is exactly what they are - oils mixed in solvent (PG). When creating a flavor - we mix PGs together - in a heated mix exactly as described above. It should now be commonsense that heat is required unless you want a cheap, dull, weak, bland vape you're freinds will think you're bizarre for enjoying.
Its like cooking. Thanksgiving Turkey is not just tossing a dead turkey on the table. There's a huge amount of preparation, ingredients, seasoning, salt, herbs, spices and HEAT. Unless the cook used spices or flavoring - and used a "turkey baster" the entire time it cooks in order to baste "oil" or fat over the bird - it will be dry and gamy. DIY is the same way - To get the advanced "Raspberry Italian Cookies" it requires 11 ingredients and 12 hours of steeping or you'll never taste the apples or caramel cream.
INDUSTRY TRICK MOSTLY UNKNOWN:: mandatory in almost every single recipe - Saline. Normal Saline solution will transform every recipe with more than 1 ingredient - especially anything with nuts (chocolate,coconut, peanuts,coffee) or cream and draws out berries to the forefront.
2 drops per 30 ml; peanut butter mixes might use 5 drops.
Don't use Sucrose - that is not a lab flavor and its bad for your coils (lungs).Don't use that junk.
EM is not "sweeter" but an additive that simulates sweetness (fullness or realism) in the mouth but does a lot more; Ethyl maltol 1.5% Max / 30ml - too much will mute everything and give you something similar to a "natural steep" product.
You can't lose with Capella's v2 Vanilla Custard - for everything - no matter what company or flavor you like - CapVCV2 is ubiquitous. .
Using a Granular Scale would be a better way to mix but I understand those who don't want to add.
Saline and Ethyl maltol should be in almost everything you make as beginners. Stay out of the microwave - remember that you're inhaling this stuff - be clean and think "organics" - use Glass when steeping. Also mixing if possible.
The nicotine is an important part of the process, since as it ages (oxidizes) it affects the end result in taste.
