Good Advice from Seabrook

Seabrook;5433357 said:

I would really strongly advise you to keep it much more simple to begin with. You are reading a lot of posts of experienced DIYers who have DIY'd for months. I think I can speak for most of us in that we all started off with just the basic flavorings and the EM (Cotton Candy) and/or Marshmallow as enhancers/sweetners. All this recent posting of the vinegar and lemon juice is something we have recently found to help - and can be added later if you wish. Trust me, if you order nothing but the flavors, you will still be totally jazzed at what you brew up - really. If you use the basic rule of mixing Capella's flavorings at 12-15%, you won't fail. I'm just concerned that you may feel overwhelmed with all the extras instead of just having a heck of a blast mixing your basics.

1) Mask something or other? Do I need this?
FA Magic Mask is for the more savory flavors and tobaccos. Kind of like adding Accent or MSG to foods - just a tiny bit.

2) Tart and sour? Isn't this another week acid, like acetic (vinegar) or citric (lemon)?
Tart and Sour is also a flavor enhancer. Use it sparingly to bring out the flavor of the fruits and the tartness. If you add a lot, it will turn sweet.

3) Koolaid? OK, not Koolaid, but something like that.
TFA Koolada is to give a cool/cold/icy effect like a smoothie, ice cream. I use it only rarely.

4) Menthol crystals? Not planning to make menthol, but is there some other use?
I got menthol crystals a couple of months ago and still have not used even a pinch. Some ppl add one drop to make a flavor "pop," while others who like menthol add more. If you get some, why don't you keep it simple and buy it in the already liquid form from TFA.

5) Any additive I've missed?
Your flavors are going to be outstanding if you use nothing else but Cotton Candy or Marshmallow if you wish to sweeten and/or smooth out the flavors somewhat.

The most important part of DIY'g is to have fun with it! It should never be an overwhelming or doubtful experience.

You might think of getting a bottle of Everclear (PGA) to sterilize your bottles, needles and to dilute your flavorings that have an oil base.

One last piece of advice from me would be to always replace the dropper tip immediately after you take it out if you use a syring to measure by mls for larger batches. Those little bottles have a way of flopping over on their side and spilling out.

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