Has anyone tried pre-steeping their bases?

[CCS]

I’m thinking of trying something which I haven’t heard discussed anywhere. My everyday vape is a very acceptable diy strawberry cream. I use a cream base with 5 flavors in it. I also use a strawberry trinity. Both of these are premixed as one shots. 5% strawberry with a 10% cream makes a nice juice in whatever nicotine strength and pg/vg ratio I want. The only problem is that the cream needs a long steep, and while that is occurring, the strawberry fades. My idea of one solution is follows:

I’m thinking of mixing a 60 ml strawberry and cream recipe by mixing in every ingredient except for the strawberry flavor. This means the flavoring, nicotine, pg, and vg. I will let this recipe steep for 3 or 4 weeks to allow the cream base to fully develop. Next, I’ll transfer some of this to a smaller bottle, add the correct amount of strawberry, and shake-n-vape.

If this test is successful, I will mix larger quantities of the base and always have it on hand, fully steeped. I will apply this same method to my custard and cheesecake bases. I could also have a variety of premixed flavor concentrates ready to be added in. I’m thinking strawberry, peach, and caramel, all of which could be added to any of the bases.

Has anyone here ever tried anything like this? Or even seen this concept discussed? Helpful information is always appreciated.

[Sprkslfly]

If I may, I’d like to correct some terminology misunderstandings/mis-application here.

What you are describing doing (at least with combining flavors and letting them sit for a bit), is referred to as a stone.
Incidentally, you are unlikely to need more than 3-4 days (not weeks) in most cases for these flavors to meld (interact) together. Why? Because PG is thin, and flavors can disperse easily within it in much shorter order.

Second, the term “steeping” (by most) refers to the process in which the flavors permeate the VG. (in which case, the higher the amount of VG, the longer it takes certain flavors to penetrate the VG).

Stones have been done by many, for a long time. As it makes it faster to grab one bottle when it comes time to mix, rather than grab 4-10 (or however many) bottles, one at a time, during a mixing session.

I can also say, that depending on when you sample your mix, you can experience different things between the two processes (using a stone vs adding the flavors one at a time). I speak from experience, not from something I’ve read.

Bottom line, try many methods. Whichever one suits you best, is the one you should use!

[Rocky02852]

Yeah I do this with a couple recipes, Example: I like Brandy ( FA) off the shake , I find it fades with steeping, so steep completed recipe minus the brandy then add and Shake & Vape.
Big Smiles

[SessionDrummer]

Stones are VERY useful for anything that you use frequently, and/or take a long time to mature. Either way, stones can make those issues fade away.

[Rocky02852]

Got it I was referring to the OP issue of the strawberry fading after mixing with the cream base (stone, or one shot in this case) prior to steeping in the finished recipe with nic, pg, vg.
I’m sure I’m not the only one that adds a final flavor later prior to shake & vape, but who knows

[CCS]

Actually, I think Rocky02852 best understood what I was attempting to ask about. I understand how stones, bases, one shots, etc. work. The main issue I’m trying to address is that part of my mix, the cream components, benefit most from a long steep, while another part, the strawberry components, benefit most from a very short steep. I’m glad to hear that a last minute flavor addition works for him, and I’m more confident that it will work for me.

[fidalgo_vapes]

@CCS

Has anyone here ever tried anything like this? Or even seen this concept discussed?

yes it has been discussed here b4 and people have done this …Steep Your cream base then add the fruit so the fruit is sitting on top.of the steeped cream …Keep.in mind SB needs 3 days or so to meld with that cream base

[xxanalogxx]

Hell yes @CCS! I have been doing this for a couple of years now . I do this with with a lot of my MF flavors due to their long steep time. I always have quite a few of my MF bases and select single flavors on hand. This can work well not only for your recipe but if your cream base is really good your not limited to just strawberry either. You can mix to your mood. I dont get hung up on the exact PG VG I just increase my vg about 2% in my base to accommodate the added flavors.( I mostly use SC’s so 2% is plenty of room for me.)

[Ths1MxrChk]

I’ve definitely done this! It’s been a while since I’ve done it but I’ve presteeped ice cream and cheesecake and then added fruit in later. I’ve also had a few combinations of two recipes that taste great when I mix them in a tank (or 50/50 in a bottle at the last minute), but the combinations taste completely different (often muted and boring) when steeped all together.

The downside of doing this is you can’t just set it and forget it, but the upside is that it’s very quickly customizable to whatever preference you have at the moment. And obviously with your strawberry mix the benefit would be a bright fresh strawberry that hasn’t had a chance to tame down yet on a matured cream base. Absolutely nothing wrong with that method!

[CCS]

Since starting this thread 2 months ago, I have implemented this idea and it is working out very well for me. Thank you to everyone who has replied and encouraged me. Pre-steeping my most used bases has both simplified my final mixing and improved my flavors. I really can’t find any negative points to this method.