Steeping input welcome

[Foggy Trails]

Steeping input welcome:

Let me preface by giving you all an idea of my vaping profile.
I use 5 vape rigs on a daily basis: (buffet vaper)
(3) 35mm Steam Crave Ragnar RDTA
(1) 28mm QP Violator RTA
(1) 28mm Fat Rabbit RTA
The 35mm get (2) N80 quad core 28+38 / 3.5mm ID / 7 wrap @ 100W
The 28mm get (2) N80 dual core 26 +36 / 2.5mm ID / 7 wrap @ 87W
I go thru appx 1,000 ml of juice per month

Over the years I have experimented with many steeping techniques:
*Ultrasonic @ 140*F
*Crock pot @ 140*F
*Hand shaking / mechanical shaking
*Steeping from 1 week to 3 months
*Shaking every day / shaking every week

For last 2 yrs the method I use:
Make 3 months of juice in 200ml canning jars (15 jars)
70 VG / 30PG
*Heat in crock pot in warm tap water just enough to thin out a bit
*Shake at low speed, ~30 sec. with recip saw rig (home made)
*Creams: steep in cupboard ~2.5 months (no shaking)
*Fruits / Tobac: steep ~6 weeks - 2 months
*Add nicotine and give a shake when ready to vape

The juice turns out great, but there has to be something I am missing. I see all the mfgr recommendations for steep time as well as posts from other vapers. I am under the impression it should not take this long to make a really good batch of ejuice.
Am I missing something?

 

[Supernoob]

The juice turns out great, but there has to be something I am missing. I see all the mfgr recommendations for steep time as well as posts from other vapers. I am under the impression it should not take this long to make a really good batch of ejuice.
Am I missing something?

I'm too new for advice. But just a general thought. Whatever molecular process is taking place, it doesn't just stop after a given time. Perhaps you just have a highly developed taste for that level of the process. Like with food. New molecular compounds form over time. Like lasagna the next day, there's a reason the taste is different. Or in a different way, pickling things. You can half-sour pickle something, or let it develop fully. Or cured meats, etc.

 

[VapeOn1960]

So the ironic thing is you make huge batches of juice... I make very small batches... somewhere in between is the solution.
I do lots of experimenting but when I get a recipe down, I still just make 20 ml at a time (that's a big mistake for me) you seem do the opposite (200 ml is just too much... especially when it comes to steeping) Try doing around 50 ml batches and they will steep much faster. The day you mix them, shake like hell (several times a day) Then a couple times a day after that. Then let them rest and just shake once or twice a week. It also depends on temps (as I see, you use heat too but maybe with such large batches you are trying too hard) In the summer (and with my small batches) my juices steep quickly but now it's cooler I am having issues with slow steeping. I have no options to heat my mixes (well I do but not my house so everything has to stay locked in my room) Unless it's really cold, I don't feel you need to bother with that (although maybe for a few days at first to speed things up) Sometimes it just takes time. Hey, I've only been doing DIY a couple years so don't claim to know a lot but I have done so much experimenting and have learned so much. Some things like cheesecake need a long steep but I've also mixed juices and forgot so they actually may have steeped too long (mostly affects the fruit flavors... sometimes they fade) I mix my unflavored "base" (including nic) and keep it handy (maybe I need to dilute some juice or "flush" a tank between flavor changes) but I have heard people that mix and then add nic later so have no input on how that works. So the truth is I should be asking you for advice and tips. I am sure all you need to do is mix smaller batches.

 

[VapeOn1960]

This might sound obvious, but make sure you leave some "headroom"... air space for shaking. Shaking is useless if a container is full. Yes... it sucks because oxidation is a bad thing but it is a necessary evil.

 

[Wb80]

I use a battery operated milk frother. 1 min with that does wonders mixing it.

 

[Supernoob]

I use a battery operated milk frother. 1 min with that does wonders mixing it.

Someone told me about using the microwave. 5 seconds at a time, until it's the warmth of a baby bottle. But not over 110F. Prolonged exposure to over 110 speeds oxidation of the nic. No clue if this is good. But I am curious if anyone heard of this.

 

[VapeOn1960]

Just my opinion (and I've never tried using a microwave) but it makes more sense to just "nuke" some water and put the juice bottles in the water to warm up. I've learned a few things about what a microwave does to water so hesitate to try that. Also wonder what it does to the plastic bottles...

 

[ajvapes]

Steeping input welcome:

Let me preface by giving you all an idea of my vaping profile.
I use 5 vape rigs on a daily basis: (buffet vaper)
(3) 35mm Steam Crave Ragnar RDTA
(1) 28mm QP Violator RTA
(1) 28mm Fat Rabbit RTA
The 35mm get (2) N80 quad core 28+38 / 3.5mm ID / 7 wrap @ 100W
The 28mm get (2) N80 dual core 26 +36 / 2.5mm ID / 7 wrap @ 87W
I go thru appx 1,000 ml of juice per month

Over the years I have experimented with many steeping techniques:
*Ultrasonic @ 140*F
*Crock pot @ 140*F
*Hand shaking / mechanical shaking
*Steeping from 1 week to 3 months
*Shaking every day / shaking every week

For last 2 yrs the method I use:
Make 3 months of juice in 200ml canning jars (15 jars)
70 VG / 30PG
*Heat in crock pot in warm tap water just enough to thin out a bit
*Shake at low speed, ~30 sec. with recip saw rig (home made)
*Creams: steep in cupboard ~2.5 months (no shaking)
*Fruits / Tobac: steep ~6 weeks - 2 months
*Add nicotine and give a shake when ready to vape

The juice turns out great, but there has to be something I am missing. I see all the mfgr recommendations for steep time as well as posts from other vapers. I am under the impression it should not take this long to make a really good batch of ejuice.
Am I missing something?

Sounds like you have got this down to a science. I just use the recip saw on high for a minute and let sit as long as needed.....

 

[wildgypsy70]

For me, fruits don’t take long at all. SNV or maybe a day.
Creams, a week.
Custards? Depends on which one. Caps VCV1=at least a month. FA Custard Premium=a week.
Cheesecake=a week or so.
Tobaccos=two weeks+

Usually, because I have so much juice floating around, things will steep for weeks, unless I really want to get into them or it’s one of my own creations and have to keep testing it to see when it’s at its best.

But that’s just me and my tastes.

 

[Foggy Trails]

I'm too new for advice. But just a general thought. Whatever molecular process is taking place, it doesn't just stop after a given time. Perhaps you just have a highly developed taste for that level of the process. Like with food. New molecular compounds form over time. Like lasagna the next day, there's a reason the taste is different. Or in a different way, pickling things. You can half-sour pickle something, or let it develop fully. Or cured meats, etc.

Supernoob had a great explanation. Yes, that must be it !! I have a refined palate Strode my ego Most of my recipes have 4 - 6 ingredients ... maybe it takes longer to blend than just a one or two ingredient fruit recipe?

 

[Foggy Trails]

So the ironic thing is you make huge batches of juice... I make very small batches... somewhere in between is the solution.
I do lots of experimenting but when I get a recipe down, I still just make 20 ml at a time (that's a big mistake for me) you seem do the opposite (200 ml is just too much... especially when it comes to steeping) Try doing around 50 ml batches and they will steep much faster. The day you mix them, shake like hell (several times a day) Then a couple times a day after that. Then let them rest and just shake once or twice a week. It also depends on temps (as I see, you use heat too but maybe with such large batches you are trying too hard) In the summer (and with my small batches) my juices steep quickly but now it's cooler I am having issues with slow steeping. I have no options to heat my mixes (well I do but not my house so everything has to stay locked in my room) Unless it's really cold, I don't feel you need to bother with that (although maybe for a few days at first to speed things up) Sometimes it just takes time. Hey, I've only been doing DIY a couple years so don't claim to know a lot but I have done so much experimenting and have learned so much. Some things like cheesecake need a long steep but I've also mixed juices and forgot so they actually may have steeped too long (mostly affects the fruit flavors... sometimes they fade) I mix my unflavored "base" (including nic) and keep it handy (maybe I need to dilute some juice or "flush" a tank between flavor changes) but I have heard people that mix and then add nic later so have no input on how that works. So the truth is I should be asking you for advice and tips. I am sure all you need to do is mix smaller batches.

Good point about making smaller batches. That could very well be part of it. Unfortunately making smaller batches is not realistic for me. I do sell some of my creations to friends, just enough to support my vape obsession
I was also wondering if the number of ingredients has anything to do with it. I typically use 4 - 6 ingredients in a recipe, maybe they take longer to blend?

 

[Foggy Trails]

I use a battery operated milk frother. 1 min with that does wonders mixing it.

Yes, I have tried the milk frother technique. I works great on small batches. Just takes too long with 200 ml jars x 15 - 20 per batch.

 

[Foggy Trails]

Someone told me about using the microwave. 5 seconds at a time, until it's the warmth of a baby bottle. But not over 110F. Prolonged exposure to over 110 speeds oxidation of the nic. No clue if this is good. But I am curious if anyone heard of this.

I have never tried the microwave technique, just seemed like too many potential problems. Don't know what it would do to the molecular structure of the juice. If you are using plastic bottles I can tell you it is not recommended. God knows what chemicals and compounds would leak into your ejuice.

 

[nadalama]

I don't mix tobacco, and like creams better than custards, so I rarely mix anything that takes longer than a week or so to steep. I'll test a mix in an RDA and if it tastes ok, it goes into a tank. Then I can sample it every few days and know when it's really ready to vape. I shake my mixes a lot when I first make them, and whenever I take a bottle out to refill a tank, but I don't do any of the other things you all have mentioned,

Also, I only mix 30ml of a flavor at a time, but I have a bunch of flavors that I mix (when I'm mixing). Haven't mixed anything in a good while because I ran across some sales that were too good to pass up, so have been vaping a lot of pre-mixed juice lately. Still have a good way to go on it.

The other factor involved with me is that I don't vape Max VG. I try to get as close as possible to 35/65, so my mixes are a little thinner and easier to mix.