There are thousands of vape juiceoptions on the market, but unfortunately, they aren't all made equally. Juice companies that take pride in their juices are able to create smooth flavours that are consistent and maintain the flavours that the manufacturer intended. Sometimes though, vape juices are much harsher than expected and may even have a less than desirable alcohol flavoured taste. While sometimes this may be due just a terrible flavour blend, other times it can be something more manufacturer based - it may be a result of a lack of steeping by the manufacturer. Luckily, if your manufacturer didn't pre-steep your vape juice, it's really not too difficult to do it yourself, at home! In this post, we will examine all the steps to steeping vape juice the right way so that you can get the full flavour profile of every juice you vape!
What Is Steeping Vape Juice, Exactly?
By definition, steeping means to soak something in water to extract flavour or soften it. The term 'steeping' is typically related to food or tea, but the result of steeping is the same even when it comes to vaping - to really get the best out of your flavours.
Think about the last time you went to a restaurant and ordered your favourite steak (or whatever dish you prefer). It's delicious when you eat it, but when you take the leftovers home and eat it the next day, what happens? It becomes more than delicious & it becomes fantastic! As the food sits, the flavours settle and blend in the way that the chef intended. Sometimes greatness takes patience.
Vape juice follows a similar process when steeping. As the juice sits, it's VG/PG base, flavourings and nicotine blend together better. Like fine wine, ageing a vape juice helps you bring out its optimal flavour, remove harshness and get the most out of each vaping session.
Do I Need To Steep My Vape Juice?
Luckily, not ever vape juice needs to be steeped. Top manufacturers put a great deal of energy into making their flavours as complete as possible by steeping each juice bottle before it makes it on the shelf to be sold to consumers. Other manufacturers however, may skip this process to save on costs and get their products on the shelf quicker.
It can be difficult to tell whether your vape juice has already been steeped, but the juice's colour and taste can definitely give you an idea.
If you are using juice with nicotine but it is completely clear, likely it has not been steeped. When nicotine is steeped, it often takes on a darker brownish-red colour. However, some flavourings also have a colour; which could also cause a juice to take on a brownish red colour. As a general rule of thumb, if it has nicotine but is completely clear, it likely has not been steeped; but just because it isn’t clear does not mean that it for sure has been steeped.
Unsteeped juices are often harsh in flavour and may have a noticeable alcohol taste. If your juice is not as smooth as you'd expect, it may be because it has not been previously steeped.
If your juice has already been pre-steeped, you are good to go. Once a juice has been properly steeped, further steeping it won't really improve it by much. However, if your juice has not been pre-steeped, undergoing the steeping process yourself will improve your vape juice and give you a much more enjoyable vaping experience.
How To Steep Your Vape Juice
It doesn't take any special skill to steep vape juice, just a little time and patience. However, the steeping process proves that vapers probably aren't the most patient people in the world! Here are two extremely simple ways of steeping your juice.
Steeping The Right Way
process of steeping vape juice properly is actually easier than any quick steeping process, but it takes time - anywhere from one to two weeks. To steep an e-liquid, all you really have to do is store it somewhere dark, and open it up every few days to allow it to breathe. Steeping vape juice is as simple as following these five steps:
Lightly shake the e-juice bottle to further mix the ingredients. Turn the bottle upside down one time to ensure a good mix.
Remove the bottle's top and store juice in a dark area that is near room temperature (around 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Make sure to store it in a safe and secure location where it cannot be accessed by children or pets; or knocked over by a clumsy passer by. Allow the vape juice bottle to sit uncovered for approximately 24 hours. During this step, natural alcohols and solvents will begin to separate and evaporate from the e-liquid; only leaving behind the ingredients that we actually want in our juice - flavourings, nicotine and VG/PG.
If your e-liquid is contained in a glass bottle, alcohol will easily escape the bottle's wide opening. However, if your e-liquid is in a squeezable bottle with a small opening, you will need to slightly squeeze the bottle after 24 hours to allow the alcohol to properly escape.
Place cap back on and allow the bottle to sit for another 2-3 days.
You can allow your liquid to sit and further steep for up to 14 days; but make sure to open it every 48-72 hours, as the added oxygen will help speed up the steeping process.
The Quick Method
There's a reason that most people don't steep their vape juice. Simply put, many people really don't want to wait a week or two before they can enjoy their new flavour. While it's definitely worth it to steep your juice the right way if it has not been pre-steeped, many vapers just don't have the patience. There are several recommended methods for steeping vape juice if you don't want to wait it out, but none of them are quite as effective as doing it with a proper and patient process. If there is absolutely no way you can be patient for a week, try this quick steep method:
Fill up a bowl with warm water (warm to the touch, not scalding hot).
Put your e-liquid bottles in a Ziplock bag and place it in the water.
Allow it to sit in the water for about a half an hour.
Remove the bottles from the water and open the top to allow the alcohol and solvent gases to release.
Close the bottle and shake it gently.
There are many other methods for 'quick steeping' but the truth is, none of them are really that effective.
If time is a concern, use the long method but only steep for a few days instead of one to two weeks.
Buy Better Vape Juice and Never Steep Again
Some of us are just too impatient for the steeping process - we want to fill up our vape tanks and begin vaping immediately. The only way to get the best flavour from your juice without going through the steeping process is to purchase from brands that have already steeped their juices.
At vaping.com, we hand-select juices from the highest quality e-liquid brands to ensure fantastic flavour from the moment your liquid arrives at your doorstep. Check out our Vape Juice shop for one of the largest selections of top-quality e-liquids, and never go through the steeping process again!
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