Steeping

Really getting into DIY and testing different flavors etc.

I keep seeing mention of steeping. I know some flavors take some time to mature "steep".

what exactly is steeping? And what's the difference between open bottle,closed bottle. Ultrasonic bath. And all the other things I'm finding on here.

Let me know guys thanks

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I only steep most fruit/bakery recipes for 24hrs, but custards & tobaccos can take up to a month.
(Many just shake the crap out of em' and vape away)

Just mix them up, shake them good, and put away in dark place for some time. (easiest)

Ultrasonic helps agitate the flavors, and most have some heating to help out too. (fairly simple and can use plastic bottles)

Many use a crock pot set to 150 deg, for an hour, up too whatever. (fastest, but you should use glass bottles only IMO)

Warm bath to thin the VG and help the Flavor "Spread". ( I use the bowl of hot tap water and it sits in there til its cool method.)
Shake the piss outta it, multiple times doesnt hurt.
And have at !
If ya wanna see what the difference is a week later, make a big enough sample so as to have some to save back.

My experience has been.....
It ALL tastes better after at least 24/48 hrs.
Some are good right after mixing, but 24hrs later they "Settle", or "Meld" a bit and get a little smoother.
But you will get a pretty good idea of what its gonna be like after a GOOD mixing....... later it just gets better !

Now the exceptions...............
Most Tobacco flavors benifit GREATLY from steeping.... some you will not recognize 3 weeks later as that same funk you tried right after mixing, but that will be few and far between as even Tobaccos will give you a hint of where they going right after a good mixing.
( Steeping will not magically transform a horrible recipe into Something Great.)
Creams, chocolates and coffees almost ALWAYS do better with some time under their belt... how much depends on your taste. ( And will power to save it !)

Again rare......
But I have had some flavors fade as time passes.
Blueberry, Key Lime, a few other I cant recall ATM.
Now this does not mean they get wasted..... Key Lime softens a bit losing its "edge', and gets sweeter.
So I gauge for that when using it.

Tops off in my experience has only been necessary for Flavor concentrates that contain alcohol.
Theory is to let the alcohol flash off and evaporate..... Does it work for sure ?
Maybe the steeping alone would have done it..... but slower....

All just my Experience.........
Have fun and figure it out...... thats the best part !

I'm a big fan of the crock pot. I give all of my juices a 4 - 8 hour bath, shake the hell out them a few times in between, then let them rest a day or two. Most of my juices are ready then, even the custards. The only exception are the juices that are super creamy; they're quite good after crock pot aging, but continue to get better over the next week or so.

So I've seen mention of stir plates will this serve the same effect? I can make them for about $8 each so can I use one of those in exchange for a heat bath or does the heat play a large part as well?

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I am curious on what folks use to mix...preferably while still in bottle. Right now I give my bottles an old fashion shake. What about those machines they use to mix paint at the home improvement stores.

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Crock pot at 150 degrees (on low with lid cracked) for the first 4 hours. Then let it cool and rest for a day works wonders. I was using UC with heat but kept getting harsh tastes. I use cp evert time. Custards really come alive

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Jim_MDP said:

Watched some stoned "reviewer" tape a bottle to the blade of his Sawzall, held across his thighs.

Kept watching for the 911 call. Never came.


.

Click to expand...

Oh that sounds safe

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Brandontf8o8 said:

Really getting into DIY and testing different flavors etc.

I keep seeing mention of steeping. I know some flavors take some time to mature "steep".

what exactly is steeping? And what's the difference between open bottle,closed bottle. Ultrasonic bath. And all the other things I'm finding on here.

Let me know guys thanks

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

GREAT Thread and good question . I was just fixing to ask the same thing . Thanks for the post .

Brandontf8o8 said:

So I've seen mention of stir plates will this serve the same effect? I can make them for about $8 each so can I use one of those in exchange for a heat bath or does the heat play a large part as well?

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Click to expand...

I use a stir plate, along with a warm bath. I mix in a small beaker. I heat some water in a shallow dish in the microwave, and put the heated water on the stir plate. The juice goes in the bath, in the beaker, and gets stirred for about 30 minutes.

I have used the sawzall method and I can tell you it is the most violent shaking you could get, it will leterally turn it into creamy looking juice for hours, could I tell the difference using this method....not really I let it sit for a good 3-4 hours in the crock pot turn it off let it sit until the next morning and I'm off to vape it, to tell you the truth I'm just doing whatever at this point. Tired of waiting and trying things I just wanna have a good vape

Shake, then vape. Yeah, some taste better a day or so later, but most are good shake, then vape.

"Yes, I am."

Sounds a bit Disney, LOL. Post up if you think of it

Careful with Ultrasonic steeping. I have an industrial Ultrasonic from my time as a jewelry mfg and with the heat added by this for only an hour the smell was foul from a simple strawberry's and cream recipe . Without the heat the smell is great, tfa straw ripe, cap straw sweet and Bavarian cream.

Consumer ultrasonic are different, industrial must have heated it up too much , it smelled bad. I dumped both and made a second batch that is naturally steeping and it smells great.

Jim_MDP said:

Watched some stoned "reviewer" tape a bottle to the blade of his Sawzall, held across his thighs.

Kept watching for the 911 call. Never came.


.

Click to expand...

ha i guess weed DOES make you think outside of the box

Huckleberried said:

Shake, then vape. Yeah, some taste better a day or so later, but most are good shake, then vape.

Click to expand...

What Huck said. I try to mix so it tastes good when I'm finished mixing it (a short hot tap water bath doesn't count imo, that's more to thin the VG for better mixing). If it's bad after mixing, I tend to adjust the recipe until it's not or I get tired of messing with it . I'm not saying some things don't get better with time, if they do I call that a bonus/pleasant surprise

If something really does need to steep (the exception and not the rule imo), I find there is nothing better than putting it a drawer/cupboard and giving it some time.

As for mixing, I just put it in it's bottle and shake. Lately I've also been mixing in graduated cylinders (just received a 5 piece glass set - 5ml, 10ml, 25ml, 50ml, and 100ml). Pour about 4.5-4.75ml of my 4mg/ml premix in and whatever flavors sound good to me at the time, then put my thumb or finger over the opening and shake (just my own personal mixes, been making small 5ml testers and pouring them directly into my Billow V2). I keep track of how many drops of what flavors I put in and if it's really good I'll scale it up to a bigger batch and make what changes I think re needed. I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel , just trying to make some tasty juice Good luck!

Cheers,
Steve

Wingsfan0310 said:

What Huck said. I try to mix so it tastes good when I'm finished mixing it (a short hot tap water bath doesn't count imo, that's more to thin the VG for better mixing). If it's bad after mixing, I tend to adjust the recipe until it's not or I get tired of messing with it . I'm not saying some things don't get better with time, if they do I call that a bonus/pleasant surprise

If something really does need to steep (the exception and not the rule imo), I find there is nothing better than putting it a drawer/cupboard and giving it some time.

As for mixing, I just put it in it's bottle and shake. Lately I've also been mixing in graduated cylinders (just received a 5 piece glass set - 5ml, 10ml, 25ml, 50ml, and 100ml). Pour everything in and put my thumb or finger over the opening and shake (just my own personal mixes, been making small 5ml testers and pouring them directly into my tank). I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel , just trying to make some tasty juice Good luck!

Cheers,
Steve

Click to expand...

I guess I'm just being lazy using the stir plate It's not steeping, but getting a complete mixing done without breaking a sweat.

I use a UC, but this does a good job for shaking.



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I tried the sawzall/reciprocating saw the other day. Seems to work extremely well. Mix turns very airy/bubbly/creamy looking after a quick shake. A word of caution; make sure the bottle is secure. The first day I experimented with it, I hit full power on the button. A glass bottle containing 120 mls of Game Over Custard went flying about ten feet across the basement and shattered on the floor. My basement has never smelled better.

I wrapped masking tape around an old blade, then I secure the bottles with thick rubber bands