Have you discovered an old bottle of vape juice that’s been stored in a desk drawer or closet for a long time? If you have, there’s a good chance that the e-liquid in the bottle has begun to turn brown. When you originally bought that bottle of Juice Head, you definitely remember it being clear. Now, though, the color may range anywhere from medium yellow to dark brown depending on how long the bottle has been stored. What happened? Why did your vape juice turn brown?
Here’s the good news: The processes that cause vape juice to turn brown are natural and unavoidable, but there’s generally no reason to believe that a bottle of e-liquid is unsafe to use simply because it’s begun to change color. It’s possible that the e-liquid won’t taste quite as good or won’t be quite as satisfying as when it was new, but you can almost definitely still use it in a pinch. To learn exactly what’s happening, though, you’ll have to continue reading.
So, why did your vape juice turn brown? Let’s explore the answer to that question.
Oxidation of Nicotine Causes Vape Juice to Turn Brown
The reason why vape juice turns yellow or brown over time is because the nicotine in the e-liquid oxidizes. The oxidation happens when the nicotine is exposed to air and ultraviolet light, and the process can happen even more quickly if the e-liquid isn’t clear when it’s new. Some tobacco-flavored vape juices, for instance, are slightly yellow or golden in color even when they’re freshly made. They’ll darken more quickly than clear e-liquids.
Is My Brown Vape Juice Safe to Use?
If you have a bottle of vape juice that’s turned brown after several months of storage, chances are that it’s still completely safe to use. If you look at the label, you might see a best-by date. If that date hasn’t passed yet, there should be no problem. If the bottle doesn’t have a date, try to remember when you originally purchased it. Usually, vape juice is meant to be used within a year of its date of manufacture. If you bought the bottle less than a year ago, you should be well within that window.
Even if you’re a little past the e-liquid’s best-by date, it’s still likely that you can use it without any problems. Modern e-liquids are made under extremely sanitary conditions. In addition, vape juice’s two main ingredients – glycerin and propylene glycol – have antimicrobial properties. It’s highly unlikely that any microbe could ever manage to grow in a bottle of vape juice. If the liquid in the bottle looks cloudy of has visible solids, toss it. Otherwise, as long as the bottle is close to a year old, you should be fine.
It’s important to note that while it’s generally safe to use a bottle of vape juice after it’s turned brown, you may not necessarily want to. One of the reasons why nicotine oxidizes so readily is because it’s volatile. Over time, it degrades into another substance called cotinine. Cotinine has some interesting properties of its own, but it will do absolutely nothing to satisfy your nicotine cravings. A bottle of vape juice that’s a year old will still have some active nicotine in it, but the nicotine content will not be the same as it was when the bottle was new.
Vape juice also changes in flavor over time, and that’s what we’ll discuss next.
Some People Age Their E-Liquids Intentionally
Some of the flavoring agents used in vape juice are extremely strong. They’re used in small amounts to add complexity. When a vape juice using one of those strong flavoring agents is first bottled, though, the overall flavor profile of the e-liquid may not quite be perfectly balanced because certain flavors stick out and cover the other flavor notes. The e-liquid requires a bit of aging before it’s ready to use.
People who vape call the process of aging an e-liquid “steeping,” although it isn’t really steeping in the traditional sense. Steeping usually involves soaking a solid in a liquid in order to extract its flavor or medicinal properties. You’re probably familiar with steeping tea, for instance. Members of vaping forums began using the term many years ago, though, and it has stuck ever since.
These days, all of the vape juice manufacturers that are still in business have their steeping processes down to a science. If an e-liquid requires a little aging before it tastes just right, the manufacturer holds it back just long enough so that it’ll taste perfect when it reaches your hands. There’s generally no need to let an e-liquid age further once you’ve purchased it. After steeping for too long, an e-liquid’s flavor notes will often start to become dull and undefined.
Although aging an e-liquid after buying it usually doesn’t change its flavor in a desirable way, you may occasionally encounter a vape juice that hasn’t been given enough time to age before you purchased it. You may find that the e-liquid tastes a bit sharp or harsh – and in this case, it’s possible that allowing it to age will actually be beneficial.
To steep an e-liquid, open the bottle for a moment to allow air to enter. Close the bottle again and shake it well. Do this every day for a week. At the end of the week, taste the e-liquid. If you’re still unhappy with the flavor, repeat the process for a week – tasting the vape juice at the end of each week – until you’re happy with it. Once you are happy, you should use the e-liquid right away because it won’t benefit from further aging.
Can I Stop My Vape Juice from Turning Brown?
Because modern vape juice is almost always pre-steeped before you buy it, you’re probably not here looking for advice about how to age your e-liquid. It’s more likely that you actually want to know what you can do to make your vape juice last longer and stop it from turning brown.
To maximize the shelf life of your vape juice, always follow these steps.
- Don’t open the bottle until you’re ready to use it.
- Store the bottle in a cool, dark place to minimize exposure to heat and sunlight.
- If you need to store vape juice for a very long time, consider putting it in your refrigerator or freezer to slow the oxidation process as much as possible.
