So, let’s say that you just stocked up on tons of e-juice from Mad Hatter Juice. There’s nothing like doing that first taste test that allows you to savor the flavor of each new juice that you just purchased. But, before you get too excited, it’s important to know that vape juices can lose their freshness if you don’t use them in a timely manner.
The good news is that there are several simple ways to ensure that your e-juice continues to taste fresh long after the purchase date. By following the tips below, you won’t have to worry about your precious supply going stale.
First, however, we’re gonna explain the science behind e-liquids so that you understand how and why they can go bad in the first place.
Does E-Liquid Go Bad?
When we hear the term “go bad,” a couple of examples we tend to think of are lettuce rotting in the fridge or milk that’s starting to curdle because we didn’t use it up before the expiration date. Because e-liquids don’t contain ingredients that decompose in the way that food does, your juice won’t go bad in the sense that it becomes dangerous to vape because it’s developed mold and bacteria.
Still, e-liquid can go bad in the sense that it’s no longer enjoyable to vape. Over time, the molecules in liquid begin to change as they’re exposed to trace amounts of oxygen. This causes certain molecules to evaporate including flavor molecules and nicotine molecules. Therefore, after a while, your juice won’t have a satisfying flavor.
Additionally, vape juice that’s gone bad probably won’t deliver that powerful hit of nicotine that you crave when you reach for your mod or pod system.
How Long Does E-Liquid Last?
Generally speaking, e-liquid has a shelf life of about two years. This is about how long it takes until the liquid changes on a molecular level in a way that interferes with its ability to satisfy the vaper’s needs. However, many vapers find that certain jucies can still be enjoyed after those two years have passed. On a similar note, some vapers find that certain vape flavors lose their freshness after just a year.
A lot of this has to do with the ingredients that’re used to produce the e-juice. For instance, it’s believed that fruity flavors tend to taste fresh for a shorter period of time than juices that contain menthol or tobacco.
How Do I Know if my E-Liquid is No Longer Good?
There are some easy ways to tell if your e-liquid is no longer fresh enough for it to be enjoyed properly.
• One way is to just look into the bottle.
• Does your e-juice look a lot darker than it did when you first purchased it?
• Has it taken on a syrupy consistency that could clog your tank and cause the vape juice to burn? If so, it’s probably no longer good.
• Smell the bottle. If the smell is stale or one-note, it’s no longer good.
• And, of course, you’re welcome to vape it to see how the flavor is.
Methods For Freshness
Now that we covered how it happens and what to look out for, here are seven ways to keep that bottle of e-liquid fresh.
Method #1: Leave the Cap(s) On
We can’t stress this one enough. Leaving the caps on your e-liquid bottles is essential. Without their caps, they will be exposed to way too much oxygen in a short period of time, causing them to evaporate. Too much oxygen interferes with the taste of your juice as well as the molecular integrity of nicotine.
If you’re prone to losing the caps, invest in some empty bottles so that in the event that the cap does disappear, you can transport the batch to a new, fresh bottle.
Method #2: Give Them a Shake
One way to help stabilize e-liquid as it sits in your room is to give it a very gentle shake once a day. This helps redistribute the variety of molecules so that they’re more homogenized. This will make it less likely that the liquid will separate and that certain molecules will evaporate. Be careful not to shake it too much or else it can have the opposite effect, causing your juice to over-oxidize until it’s no longer fresh-tasting.
Method #3: Don’t Over-Steep
Many vapers are committed to the practice of steeping, which involves allowing trace amounts of oxygen to enter into the vape juice before it’s vaped. This process helps add depth to the flavor and a punch to the nicotine because of the way in which it promotes the bonding of certain molecules.
However, over-steeping will ruin your e-liquid and cause it to lose its freshness. For instance, if you like to store your bottles of juices in a dark closet for a couple of weeks, make sure that you don’t forget about them once those couple of weeks are up or else, they’ll lose their freshness at a rapid pace.
Method #4: Purchase Glass Bottles
It’s widely believed that plastic bottles promote over-oxidization far more than glass bottles. Because of the thin plastic material from which these bottles are made, the e-liquid is more likely to be essentially ruined by bright lights and high temperatures. It’s these two factors that can speed up the oxidization process so that your juice loses many of its flavor and nicotine molecules.
Method #5: Only Buy as Needed
It might be tempting to stock up on loads of vape juice when your favorite brand or e-juice distributor is having a sale. Sure, you’ll save lots of money at the time of purchase, but you really have to ask yourself if you’re going to be able to finish all of that e-liquid before it starts going bad. Generally speaking, we suggest only buying e-liquid as needed.
Method #6: Label Your Bottles with Dates
It’s wise to label all of your e-liquid bottles with the date of purchase so that you know how long you have until the juice is no longer going to be flavorful.
Method #7: Keep Them Away from High Heat and Bright Light
Heat and light, as we said, are two factors that can speed up the oxidization process which evaporates the molecules that keep your e-liquid tasting rich, complex and generally delicious. Hence why it’s always recommended that bottles of e-juice not in use, are stored in a cool, dark place. If you have a dark closet or a cabinet, that will do. And, never leave your bottles of liquid in a hot car as this can quickly ruin the flavor.
Follow These Tips for Fresh-Tasting Vapes
These tips will help you keep your e-juices tasting fresh and hitting nicely in terms of nicotine. Fortunately, they’re all very easy to follow and require basically no effort. If you want your juice to taste fresh and delicious and vape the way it was made to; for a long time to come of course, this guide is essential.