DIY Liquid Mixing and Temperature

[CJB85]

Hi Everyone

I am starting to really like the DIY thing and I think my palette has become used to the non-commercial flavours that many of the DIY recipes have. Now I need to get serious and start doing things as correctly as possible.

What is the deal with mixing temperatures?
I see many of the recipes and sites listing preferred temperatures at well over boiling point (I assume they refer to a water bath and not the actual liquid). Is this necessary, does it improve the quality of the liquid you create? I don't have an ultrasonic, so if temperature does make a difference I was going to simply let the bottles sit in a pot with boiling water (taken off the heat) after the first shake, then shake again after a few minutes?

Any advice about the temperature concept would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lawrence A]

In my experience, heating the liquid will only degrade it and/or the nic.

I have never run into any issues by simply mixing, shaking the bottle vigorously for a minute or so and leaving it in a cool dark cupboard until the required steep is over.

If you 'schedule' your mixing such that you always have a few bottles steeping and a few finishing their steep, there should be no need to ever 'speed up' the steeping process as you will always have juice 'available'.

 

[CJB85]

In my experience, heating the liquid will only degrade it and/or the nic.

I have never run into any issues by simply mixing, shaking the bottle vigorously for a minute or so and leaving it in a cool dark cupboard until the required steep is over.

If you 'schedule' your mixing such that you always have a few bottles steeping and a few finishing their steep, there should be no need to ever 'speed up' the steeping process as you will always have juice 'available'.

Thank you!
Yeah, I never really have an issue with steep times as I usually mix up at least one liquid that has a quick 3-5 day steep time. I was wondering if the temperature will actually improve the liquid's taste, which now appears to do quite the opposite.
I appreciate the feedback and will stick to the old elbow-oscillator for future liquids.