I searched this page for “air bubbles” because of a thread 11hrs ago that caught my attention. People saying not to use the stupid little stirrer devices called drink stirrers. I’ve come across oxidation in the juice from too many air bubbles. Could anyone please explain this to me like I’m 5? Also I gathered it’s better to just mix and shake. Thoughts?
Ok. So, trying to figure out how much to dumb this down is a bit of a challenge... Normally you have a bottle of ejuice that has nicotine in it. Now, nicotine and oxygen hate each other, whenever they meet they'll fight, and nicotine always loses, so it's best to keep them apart. Normally the other ingredients in the juice will keep the big bad oxygen molocules away from the poor defenseless nicotine, but when you use mechanical agitation with a significant surface exposed to air, the nic isn't as protected. Clear?
Is that short exposure to air bubbles enough to have a noticeable effect? I use a sawzall attachment to shake my liquid.
Well, the plus side is that every nicotine molocule that is oxidized uses up the available oxygen. So in a sealed bottle, as long as there isn't a lot of oxygen present (ie: as long as the bottle is mostly full) there shouldn't be enough oxygen to oxidize much of the nic. When using a stir plate, usually the container used is open to the atmosphere and/or contains a fair bit of air; when using some sort of immersion blender, there is a definite access to open atmosphere (unless you've MacGyvered together something to prevent this) and that's where the main problem is. Now, if you use a Sawzall to shake your bottles and the bottles are only three quarters full, yeah that should oxidize the nic.
Maybe not so dumb... lol, sorry. I understand it does it but I can not comprehend why and what are the effects. I have made some juice with and without the stirrer. I assumed the darkness and weird tastes were from the type of flavor concentrations but it could be whipping oxygen into the nicotine? Maybe use the stirrer before adding nic then just vigorous shakes from them on out? I guess I just can’t find detailed information on why it all matters.
Basically, nicotine goes rank when it interacts. It's best to swill and steep after mixing the liquid completely- I believe that mixing the nic after can lead to it not blending through properly and having uneven strength.
I tend to shake in a circular motion for about a minute when first prepared, and then just give the bottle a gentle squeeze while it's steeping. This disturbs it enough without over-oxidising the liquid and making the nicotine go bad. So long as you steep for long enough I wouldn't worry about mixing it, most liquids don't need that much bothering.
Are you familiar with rust? That's steel or iron oxidizing. Some things oxidize quicker than others, mostly it depends on the affinity of the individual molocules for oxygen... but the process is simply the original molocule changes to a new molocule that includes oxygen. In so doing, the oxygen is removed from the atmosphere.
It will always be exposed to air regardless. Once you start using it and air replaces liquid inside the bottle. The bottle gets shaken and jostled around creating bubbles. When you drip or fill a tank from the bottle, air rushes in like a water cooler jug. There's no way around it.
I think people are just saying to minimize the exposure right off the bat when mixing fresh. After that, not much you can do.
Nothing steeps a liquid like time. All you're doing when you're shaking it is trying to space out all of the ingredients in the container evenly - all mixed together so that when you leave it, time does the rest and they mingle together properly.
Personally I use a 'milk frother' to mix my liquid, which works for me. I'd say mix, shake and leave for a period of time if you're concerned about oxidation.