Steeping takes on a different meaning in vaping.
If you are familiar with steeping tea or extracting flavor from something solid by putting it in water, you will find steeping in the vaping world somehow confusing.
The more appropriate term to call this process is aging your e-juice.
Steeping e-juice involves allowing it to age to achieve a better flavor.
Several ways can be done to achieve this; but in essence, it simply means to allow the e-juice to sit.
The most crucial element to consider is time. It’s only through time, that VG, PG, flavorings, and its nicotine content can blend well.
Furthermore, some e-liquids may have trace amounts of alcohol, based on the flavorings used.
Why is steeping necessary in vaping?
Steeping is a process that matters once you make your own vape juice.
Most often, the steeped e-juice tastes better than the freshly made e-liquid. The truth about e-liquids is that flavorings take some time to blend in.
It’s through steeping that e-liquid ingredients can congeal. As a result, you can have more pronounced and much smoother vape juice flavors and aroma when you vape.
Most of the e-juices that are out in the market are steeped since they are more likely to be on the shelves for weeks, but that’s not the case with made-to-order e-juices.
There’s a great chance for these e-juices to taste and smell better when you vape.
How do you steep an e-juice?
Steeping can be broken down into three processes: steeping, breathing, and “streathing.” Streathing is the combination of the other two processes.
You can start steeping by placing the closed e-juice bottles in a dark and cold place.
Examples of great steeping locations are drawers, cigar boxes, and cupboards.
Store the e-liquid bottles there for a prolonged period. It is highly recommended that you shake the bottle once in a while. This will help expedite steeping.
The reality is that this process takes time, but you can do some ways to make it steep faster.
How do you breathe e-juice?
It’s a simple process. Just remove the cap and let the bottle sit there for a couple of hours.
Vape juices that have alcohol content can benefit a lot from breathing because it is known to speed up alcohol evaporation.
It is recommended to breath e-juice for not more than 12 hours.
If it is breath beyond 12 hours, this may lead to spilling and unwanted elements flying into the bottle.
How do you streath an e-juice?
When it comes to streathing, you can start by shaking the e-juice bottle and then run it under warm tap water.
Remove the bottle cap and place the bottle in a cool and dark area for two hours.
Put back the cap and shake well again.
When you heat the e-juice bottle using warm water, the vegetable glycerin becomes thin and starts to become like propylene glycol.
This is so because flavor molecules are more miscible than the thinner base.
When glycerin goes back to room temperature, the e-juice also returns to its normal viscosity, leaving the e-juice flavors more pronounced.
Some Things to Know about the Steeping Process
Fruity flavors require the least amount of time to steep.
Vape e-liquids that contain fruity concentrates will reach their steeping peak in 24 to 48 hours.
Tobacco and creamy dessert vape juice flavors usually need more steeping to maximize their flavors.
The optimum steeping period is two weeks. However, it all boils down to your personal preference.
Most people like to steep the e-juice for 2 to 3 weeks while others prefer to steep the e-juice for months. What you need to look into is the color of the e-juice.
If it has turned darker, it’s a sign that it has been steeping.
Speeding Up The Steeping
There are no guaranteed ways to hasten the steeping process of e-liquids. However, the following are some hacks to consider for speeding up the steeping process:
Bath
Pour warm water into a bathtub, sink, or bowl. The water’s temperature is just right for your hand. Put the e-liquids in a plastic bag and leave nature to do its job.
Slow Cooker
Slow cookers can give low heat consistently for an extended period. Just fill the pressure cooker with water and set the temperature to the lowest. Put the bag of e-liquid inside and shake its contents periodically.
Seed Steeping
This is the process when you blend steeped e-juice with a fresh and unsteeped one. This will plant the seeds, speeding up the process.
Magnetic Stirrer
Move the e-liquid into a larger container and preferably a glass one. Put it on top of the magnetic stirrer and leave everything to science. This method is more suitable when you make your own DIY e-juice.
Some Precautions
It’s not recommended to steep for too long since this can result in loss of flavors and it can be too strong on your throat and taste buds.
Everything about steeping depends on the ingredients used in the vape e-juice. Nicotine also oxidizes over time, and this may add flavor to the juice.
This is particularly true when e-juice bottles are not stored in dark, cold, and dry places. Just remember not to overdo the process and not to go past the expiry date.
If the vape e-juice passes in terms of taste, smell, and appearance, then it is ready for vaping.
The consensus about steeping the e-juice is that it sometimes works but other times it won’t. The best way to go is to test it and experiment with caution.