Just completed a 2nd full round of flavor tasting.
I wanted to compare/update results from a year ago and got some new ones.
I started DIY 2 years ago for 2 main reasons:
1) I know what's in it - I avoid diketones.
2) Saving money!!
My favorite flavors:
-Blueberry Wild TFA
-Butter Pecan FW
-Ripe Strawberry TFA
-Caramel FA
-Butterscotch FA
-Vanilla Swirl TFA
-Sweet Cream CAP
Least favorite: Grape Candy TFA, DX Hazelnut TFA, Vanilla Bean Gelato TFA, DK tobacco TFA
Taste is extremely subjective.
Hope some might find this useful for a starting point or for comparision.
Here's a screenshot of my flavor spreadsheet: green=good / red=bad
The notes 'Butyric Acid' and 'dx'y' are related, and refer to the TFA DX flavors. (=dx'y)
Keeping my flavor choices non-diketones often means using TFA DX or CAP V2 flavors.
TFA especially, often uses butyric acid in their DX flavors to eliminate diketones.
Unfortunately, it's a taste profile I dislike, and most of the flavors that use it, for me, are unusable.
I use mostly TFA - great flavors and prices.
However, some flavor types are better elsewhere.
For example, I feel the FA carmel is by far the best.
And I LOVE the FW Butter Pecan!!
- - - - -
What process to use to taste flavors?
I start with a good whiff upon opening the cap.
Hmmm, tasty - no butyric acid!
Then dip a toothpick in for a drop or two on the tongue. Zing!
Then time for a tester mix.
(Just starting out DIY, a '100 drop test' can be good way to go.
Helps to get an idea of what strength you might like the flavor at.
Using Bill's 100DT Taste Test Method | E-Cigarette Forum )
Now, I go for a 2ml tester.
1ml PG - 1ml VG - .05ml flavor = 5% flavor.
For tobaccos or known strong flavors, 2% is a better starting point.
Then it goes in my rda, firstly holding it a few feet away with the topcap off and getting a smell of the produced vapor.
vape away! with several 'tongue resets' with a saltine cracker and.. grape koolaid <- also a good cure for 'vapor-tongue'
Put some notes in your calculator.
HotRods is great:
New Calculator to try
File links for: Setup_V8.0.0.8zip
GoogleDrive: JuiceCalculator - Google Drive
or
DropBox: Dropbox - JuiceCalculator
Now, do the 'magic-juice dance', have a drink, and contemplate how to mix it.
Start with a new mix at 5ml, no nic, and just a couple of flavors.
Repeat a few times, adding/changing flavors/%'s and taking notes.
I use the calculator for notes, and name them progressively :
1st mix : 100 Blueberry. Next mix: 101 Blueberry etc.
Then they list in order and I can look back on them.
FINALLY - time to move to 10ml and some nic.
A real Vape - whoohoo!
And repeat until...... well - only time will tell!
- - - - -
What to use for tasting flavors/juice?
I struggled with a tasting setup for along time.
I wanted something easy to quickly change,
yet use a device with decent flavor.
I finally settled in on a cheap RDA over a bridgeless atty etc.
I got a Shield by Neutral Works ($70 originally) for $5.
Its offset posts makes it easy to put in a 'semi-vertical' coil.
Then a very small piece of wick can easily be slipped in.
And the top cap removes easily for quick access.
IGO-L's are an extremelly popular 'old-school' RDA for tasting.
A hadaly is the 'Best thing ever to test flavor. There are plenty of clones of it now.'
for many. An excellent/popular 'newer' style taster.
- - - - -
Which finally leads to - - - RESULTS!
Here's my ADV for the last 2 years recipe:
Blueberry Pie Filling
Nicotine Strength 7.00 mg
PG Level 58.00%
VG Level 42.00%
Blueberry Wild (TFA) 10.00%
Blueberry Extra (TFA) 4.00%
Vanilla Swirl (TFA) 2.00%
Sweet Cream (CAP) 1.00%
Sweetner (TFA) 1.00%
To keep it interesting, I mix in 0%-20% of my S&C recipe.
Strawberry & Cream
Strawberry Ripe (TFA) 5.00%
Strawberries-Cream (TFA) 5.00%
Sweet Cream (CAP) 2.50%
Vanilla Swirl (TFA) 1.50%
Sweetner (TFA) 1.00%
Thanks to all the wonderful people on ECF for all the knowledge along the way!!!
I wanted to compare/update results from a year ago and got some new ones.
I started DIY 2 years ago for 2 main reasons:
1) I know what's in it - I avoid diketones.
2) Saving money!!
My favorite flavors:
-Blueberry Wild TFA
-Butter Pecan FW
-Ripe Strawberry TFA
-Caramel FA
-Butterscotch FA
-Vanilla Swirl TFA
-Sweet Cream CAP
Least favorite: Grape Candy TFA, DX Hazelnut TFA, Vanilla Bean Gelato TFA, DK tobacco TFA
Taste is extremely subjective.
Hope some might find this useful for a starting point or for comparision.
Here's a screenshot of my flavor spreadsheet: green=good / red=bad
The notes 'Butyric Acid' and 'dx'y' are related, and refer to the TFA DX flavors. (=dx'y)
Keeping my flavor choices non-diketones often means using TFA DX or CAP V2 flavors.
TFA especially, often uses butyric acid in their DX flavors to eliminate diketones.
Unfortunately, it's a taste profile I dislike, and most of the flavors that use it, for me, are unusable.
I use mostly TFA - great flavors and prices.
However, some flavor types are better elsewhere.
For example, I feel the FA carmel is by far the best.
And I LOVE the FW Butter Pecan!!
- - - - -
What process to use to taste flavors?
I start with a good whiff upon opening the cap.
Hmmm, tasty - no butyric acid!
Then dip a toothpick in for a drop or two on the tongue. Zing!
Then time for a tester mix.
(Just starting out DIY, a '100 drop test' can be good way to go.
Helps to get an idea of what strength you might like the flavor at.
Using Bill's 100DT Taste Test Method | E-Cigarette Forum )
Now, I go for a 2ml tester.
1ml PG - 1ml VG - .05ml flavor = 5% flavor.
For tobaccos or known strong flavors, 2% is a better starting point.
Then it goes in my rda, firstly holding it a few feet away with the topcap off and getting a smell of the produced vapor.
vape away! with several 'tongue resets' with a saltine cracker and.. grape koolaid <- also a good cure for 'vapor-tongue'
Put some notes in your calculator.
HotRods is great:
New Calculator to try
File links for: Setup_V8.0.0.8zip
GoogleDrive: JuiceCalculator - Google Drive
or
DropBox: Dropbox - JuiceCalculator
Now, do the 'magic-juice dance', have a drink, and contemplate how to mix it.
Start with a new mix at 5ml, no nic, and just a couple of flavors.
Repeat a few times, adding/changing flavors/%'s and taking notes.
I use the calculator for notes, and name them progressively :
1st mix : 100 Blueberry. Next mix: 101 Blueberry etc.
Then they list in order and I can look back on them.
FINALLY - time to move to 10ml and some nic.
A real Vape - whoohoo!
And repeat until...... well - only time will tell!
- - - - -
What to use for tasting flavors/juice?
I struggled with a tasting setup for along time.
I wanted something easy to quickly change,
yet use a device with decent flavor.
I finally settled in on a cheap RDA over a bridgeless atty etc.
I got a Shield by Neutral Works ($70 originally) for $5.
Its offset posts makes it easy to put in a 'semi-vertical' coil.
Then a very small piece of wick can easily be slipped in.
And the top cap removes easily for quick access.
IGO-L's are an extremelly popular 'old-school' RDA for tasting.
A hadaly is the 'Best thing ever to test flavor. There are plenty of clones of it now.'
for many. An excellent/popular 'newer' style taster.
- - - - -
Which finally leads to - - - RESULTS!
Here's my ADV for the last 2 years recipe:
Blueberry Pie Filling
Nicotine Strength 7.00 mg
PG Level 58.00%
VG Level 42.00%
Blueberry Wild (TFA) 10.00%
Blueberry Extra (TFA) 4.00%
Vanilla Swirl (TFA) 2.00%
Sweet Cream (CAP) 1.00%
Sweetner (TFA) 1.00%
To keep it interesting, I mix in 0%-20% of my S&C recipe.
Strawberry & Cream
Strawberry Ripe (TFA) 5.00%
Strawberries-Cream (TFA) 5.00%
Sweet Cream (CAP) 2.50%
Vanilla Swirl (TFA) 1.50%
Sweetner (TFA) 1.00%
Thanks to all the wonderful people on ECF for all the knowledge along the way!!!
