If you’re a vaper who likes to consolidate their e-liquids on a regular basis, you’re probably wondering about steeping. For those who don’t know, steeping is the process of allowing an e-liquid to be stored under specific conditions to bring out a stronger, richer flavor, and potentially a more potent nicotine strength. When an e-liquid steeps, almost always in a cool, dark place, oxidization helps break down certain chemical compounds, which allows flavor molecules and nicotine molecules to become more intensified.

E-Liquid Bottle Movement

There are some factors that can disrupt the steeping process, causing that e-liquid to lose its flavor and nicotine potency rather than increase it. If you tend to move small, pre-bottled e-liquid to large, empty bottles, you’ll want to keep reading.

#1: It Must be Airtight

The key to a successful steeping process is preventing as much oxygen from entering the e-liquid formula as possible. With pre-bottled, unopened vape juice bottles, this is easy. Not only are the bottles closed properly, but they have a seal around the cap that makes it extremely airtight. With empty, large bottles, they have no seal, because the seal must be removed so that you can add the e-liquid.

#2: The Bottle Should Be Filled as Much as Possible

Empty space in a bottle allows more oxygen to mingle with the vape juice, which can speed up the oxidization process, ultimately reducing the flavor and nicotine potency rather than enhancing it. If you pour vape juice into large, empty bottles prior to steeping, you want to make sure that the e-liquid is filled to the top.

#3: The Material of the Large Bottle Must Prevent Oxidization

Some empty bottle materials are more porous than others, which can allow too much oxygen to get in. Typically, cheap bottles are the ones made with inferior materials that can interfere with your ability to steep your juices properly.

The Bottom Line

Steeping e-liquid is a widely utilized process, but it requires specific conditions, or else you can end up with the opposite of the desired effect. If you’re going to transfer e-liquids to large, empty bottles, there are some challenges that you may face. That’s why ultimately, we recommend that you steep the e-liquid in the bottles that they came in, before moving the juice to large, empty bottles.