For all DIY vapers ( Do It Yourself: Do it yourself), the steeping or steeping represents a part not to be neglected to obtain homemade e-liquids rich in flavour. In this article, we explain how to put the odds on your side to make your DIY successful and improve the maturation time of your e-liquid preparations .
What is steeping?
The word ” steeping ” or ” steeped ” comes from the English vocabulary, which means in French ” to let stand, to macerate “.
As its name suggests, the operation of ” steeping ” an e-liquid, therefore, consists in leaving its e-liquids to rest between its manufacturing stage and the moment of vaping to improve its taste. Here we are very close to what can be done for other consumer products whose taste can improve over time, such as wine for example, or pancake batter that must be left to rest to refine its texture…
“Why is steeping necessary when you make your e-liquids? »
An e-liquid is composed of vegetable glycerin, Propylene glycol, flavours and nicotine (optional).
These molecules have different chemical compositions and to facilitate the dilution between them, it takes a little time to create bonds between each molecule.
The maceration of an e-liquid improves this standardization by letting time do its work and thus accentuating the restitution of the flavours of your e-liquid.
Indeed, when you buy a “ready to vape” e-liquid, between the moment it is designed at the manufacturer, and then transported to your seller, several days have already passed before you vape it. It is therefore considered that the steeping was carried out during this period.
For a homemade e-liquid preparation in DIY, the context is different, you are the one who makes your e-liquid so your final mixture has not had time to macerate. This waiting period can seem frustrating when you have just made your e-liquid, but you will see for yourself that the taste of your electronic cigarette liquid is much better after a few days or weeks of rest.
A different maturation time depending on the aromas
The experience accumulated since the beginnings of the vape allows us to note that the maturation times are different according to the categories of aromas: this can range from a few days for fruity flavours to several weeks for gourmets and classic tastes (tobacco ).
The best advice we can give you is to follow the ripening instructions recommended by the brand or manufacturer.
Here are the steep times we recommend for our DIY aromas :
Fruity aromas: 2 to 5 days
Gourmet aromas: 2 to 3 weeks
Complex premium aromas: 2 to 3 weeks
Menthol aromas: 1 to 2 weeks
Cocktail aromas: 2 weeks
Floral aromas: 1 week
Classic aromas: 3 to 4 weeks
Tips for steeping and storing your e-liquid
There are several methods to improve the maceration of your e-liquid preparations. However, some steps are essential to optimize the steep time of your liquids.
Among them, it is recommended to shake your bottles of preparations from time to time during the steeping time to accentuate the dilution of the different molecules that make up your mixture ( Vegetable Glycerin, Vegetable Mono Propylene Glycol, aromas, nicotine, etc.).
The good storage and resting conditions for your DIYs are also a crucial step in improving the flavour of your e-liquids. It is advisable to macerate your well-closed bottles in a dry place at room temperature and away from natural light.
Indeed, the UV rays of the sun deteriorate the chemical qualities of flavours and nicotine.
For example, you can put them in a box, a cupboard or a locked drawer (precautions about children). Avoid leaving your vials open as much as possible. Indeed, the air tends to oxidize the molecules of your aromas. You risk having the opposite effect hoped for, with a loss of flavour in your preparations.
The material needed to accelerate the maturation of an e-liquid
Before discussing instruments or techniques that can help improve or accelerate the maceration time of your DIY e -liquids, it is worth mentioning the most reliable technique to date and which has never been denied: ” patience ?.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for ripening time and you should be fine.
Agitators: the movement effect will optimize and accelerate the mixing of all the molecules of your preparation when making your e-liquid, whether magnetic or mechanical. Subsequently, the stirrer will also be useful for shaking your e-liquids from time to time during the steeping period.
We find this type of material among professional manufacturers of vapes.
Heat can accelerate the chemical reactions between the different molecules and therefore reduce the waiting time for the maceration of your DIY e-liquids. At home, a simple shelf (bottles on top) placed on a radiator can do the trick. This operation of approximately 1 hour is to be carried out only during the first stage of your preparation, just after having mixed all the components of your DIY recipe. We recommend the use of glass bottles when heating your e-liquid. Indeed, PET (plastic) bottles can release chemical components when heated.
It is considered that one hour of exposure to heat can save approximately 1 week of steep time.
All tastes are in nature! So don’t take this article literally either. Steeping will satisfy many very demanding vapers on the taste of e-liquids. But know that it is quite possible to vape your DIY e-liquid immediately after its manufacture and find it good! Steeping is therefore not a mandatory step. The best thing is that everyone makes their own opinion by testing their e-liquids at different stages of the steep time. You will be able to see for yourself if the taste of your e- liquid changes and improves over time.
If you have any advice to share for steeping your e- liquid or if you simply want to share your experience on this theme with other vapers, don’t hesitate to leave your comments at the bottom of the page! ? Thanks