Steepen or the maturing of a DIY e-liquid.
After completing all the steps and calculations for making a DIY e-liquid, you end up with a base to which a flavour concentrate has been added. Just a little longer and the liquid is ready to vape!
Steepen
The final step in making liquid yourself is to let the liquid steep (ripen), this is done so that all components can mix well and the flavour is stronger in the liquid.
Shake
To allow a liquid to ripen, it must first be shaken well so that all the components are properly mixed. It should then be kept in a cool and dark place and after a while (1-2 weeks), this process can be repeated.
Duration
How long a liquid has to steep differs according to ratio, taste and of course personal preference Fruit flavours are usually good fairly quickly and can be vaped after a day or 2. Pastries/dessert flavours are usually good after about 6-10 days and tobacco flavours may take up to 2.5-3.5 week before steeped enough. If you buy your liquids ready to use, steeping it will not be necessary as this process has already been done. Sometimes steeping these can still make a flavour tastier/better so no harm in trying it.
Finally some tips
In addition to the duration, there are other things that can be done before/during the steeping to influence the taste, for example, leaving the bottle cap open for a while during steeping so extra oxygen reaches the liquid, this will result in a less sharp taste. Do not let the cap off for too long because you might lose some flavour.
Finally, you could put the liquid bottle in warm water for a while. Heat makes the liquid thinner, making it easier to mix. If you decide to work with warm water make sure the water is not too hot and leave the e-liquid bottle in the water until the water has cooled off. Then replace the water with warm water, shake the liquid well and put it back in the fresh warm water. Repeat these steps a few times and let the liquid rest afterwards for at least one day in a dark place before using it.
