Ok gang... steeping is something I know well. Im the guy from ECF that nailed down the most used method for crock pot steeping. So rather than heading over to that other vaping forum and reading thru hundreds of pages and thousands of posts on testing using crock pots or UC's Ill keep it simple for you. Also adding some recent scientific tests to my info done by another member of that very forum.
First off those tests. They show that a HEATED UC and crock pot steeping will offer nearly indescernable results in the same amount of time. My advice is if you have a crock pot at home dont run out and buy an ultrasonic cleaner to steep juice. Its just not necessary. Im still waiting on more info regarding nicotine concentration loss when heating juice but it looks to be negligible, if at all, based on the temps we are using. So have at it. Ill update with more info if I find out that changes at all.
So my tried and true, tested for two years and counting method. Also done by many many others with stellar results.
1) Fill crock with hot water to below the level of the neck of your bottles.
2) Put crock on low heat setting to heat up. It should be at or near 150° F for steeping. This is your target temp and what you want to maintain for the duration of your steeping.
3) Mix your juice. I personally use glass boston round dropper bottles.
4) Cap it, hard shake it by hand till mixed thru.
5) Once mixed if you prefer to "off gas" any alc base flavoring or heavy aromas in your juice (liquor flavors or heavy floral scents for example) place it in the crock pot with the cap off for the first hour. Then cap for duration. If thats of no concern, cap it and put your juice in the crock.
6) Let it sit in that crock at 150° for a total of four hours. You can go longer but you will likely find it unnecessary.
This four hours will shave about 2 to 2.5 weeks off your steeping for ANY juice. All tobaccos included. Even the most stubborn of them. Shaking is absolutely unnecessary with this method. The heating causes the juice to mix and all on its own.
Yes, you can put it in the closet for weeks. On a window sill. In a hot car, or even in your bra and itll be just fine.... in time. A crock saves time, and effort. Plus this is a hell of alot easier than dropping bottles in reheated cups of water over, and over, and over again (how I started using my crock was because of that).
Ive been mixing juice over two years. Im a mostly VG guy too btw, 80% VG usually. Its the method I use and Ive used all the others as well. It is the best way to do it.
But, use any method you like and gives results you prefer. I just dont like waiting weeks on my tobacco flavors and I vape alot of them. I used to closet steep when I first started mixing, never again will I do so. Even if I know a juice needs four weeks for full maturity itll still go in the crock for four hours just to shave a couple weeks off it, and it works for that as well.
And no, microwaving juice is a bad idea esp in plastic bottles. More so if the flavoring is a tank cracker containing triacetin, a plasticizer used in making flavorings. Use glass folks. Its better and lasts longer, looks nicer, and preserves juices better.
Have fun!
