How do you test taste a lot of flavors?

[scfaster]

Greetings!

I have a bunch of different flavors from PA and TWEL for my Platinum Ice, and have had a time mixing and experimenting. The concentrations of the flavors are all over the place, and sometimes it takes a second or third batch to get it really A-1.

So my question is, how does a guy with 20ish flavors in stock taste test while mixing? I have a nice pile of cartos dedicated to a certain flavor, but that is adding up, and I hate having 4 different cartos per flavor as I find the ultimate mix ratio.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ast_Isis]

Not sure how to do this with carts. I use atomizers and drip when testing flavors. After I have tested the flavor, I blow out the atomizer, drip straight PG and vape till it is gone. That way I can use the same atomizer for different flavor tests.

NOTE: I had to dedicate one atty for testing liquids that contain menthol/mint and another for liquids that contain cinnamon.

 

[mondotoker760]

I think the best you can do is use a 306 atty with the wick pulled out.Its very easy to change the flavors in a 306 atty and when you remove the wick its even easier to change the flavors.Plus it picks up flavors nicely Ive been using a 306 atty on my ego for a week now and i cant say theres been much flavor meshing. The 306 is compatible with the 510 threading,so if your using a 510 you dont need an adapter.

hope this helps ya

 

[mianker]

Not sure how to do this with carts. I use atomizers and drip when testing flavors. After I have tested the flavor, I blow out the atomizer, drip straight PG and vape till it is gone. That way I can use the same atomizer for different flavor tests.

NOTE: I had to dedicate one atty for testing liquids that contain menthol/mint and another for liquids that contain cinnamon.

I tried many methods and have settled on the same method Ast_Isis uses, it just works best for me.

 

[Switched]

I think the best you can do is use a 306 atty with the wick pulled out.Its very easy to change the flavors in a 306 atty and when you remove the wick its even easier to change the flavors.Plus it picks up flavors nicely Ive been using a 306 atty on my ego for a week now and i cant say theres been much flavor meshing. The 306 is compatible with the 510 threading,so if your using a 510 you dont need an adapter.

hope this helps ya

Great tip wrt the 306. However, I would like to caution folks to use the same type of atty they intend to use with the mix. e.g a 306 does not vape like a 510 and vice versa.

 

[ddavelarsen]

For whatever it's worth, when testing flavors I also 'clean' the atty by blowing out the liquid, blotting with the corner of a paper towel and then vaping straight VG in my case, until the flavor is gone. I've also gone the route of dedicated cartomizers, but found that keeping them marked adequately was a real pain in the neck. So I just went the lazy route.

As a side note, I don't know what this might do to my attys but for a quick breakin I often 'hotbox' the atty with two or three loads of straight PG, or even my current liquid. I haven't noticed any problems with the attys from doing this, and it helps to get me up to speed when I switch to a new one. I really hate the taste and ineffectiveness of new attys! Want to break them in as quickly as possible. This seems to work okay for me.

Connection to testing is that I've often done a semi-dry burn this way to remove old flavoring from the atty too. Still want to follow up with unflavored though.

 

[scfaster]

Thank you all for your replies and for such a great community of people that help each other.

It sounds like I should dissect one or two of my clogged up 510 attys and pull the stuffing and make it a drip bridge.

I did the dedicated carto thing for a while, and even kept em labeled ok, but I really have pile of em and a big assortment of flavors from PA to develop still. So far peach is the jolly rancher flavor I was looking for, and absolute tobacco in alcohol is surprisingly good.

Thanks again!

 

[GoodDog]

I use contact lens cases and in one side I mix a small amount just to get an idea of the taste and strength. Then I dip a 401 atty in the mix and vape. In the other side I put plain VG and before testing the next flavor I dip the 401 in VG and mouth vape it until there's no lingering flavor.

When I'm working on a recipe and am getting close I use a drip-tip and do the same thing with VG between test batches.

 

[rock-farmer]

Along the same lines as GoodDog: We got these plastic paint mix containers from Hobby Lobby that are dirt cheap (16 for 1.99?). They each hold a few ml, come in strips of 8 with snap lids and are good for dipping.

We usually test 7 flavors at a time (starting at 1 drop flavor/19 drops unflavored nic to strength) and reserve the last one for straight unflavored to clear the atty with. If a flavor is too strong simply add 5-10 more drops unflavored...too weak, add another drop of flavor.

As we test, we make notes about ratio, flavor, how long it takes to get rid of the flavor in the atty, etc.

We don't have to try the same flavor at the same time. If one of us really likes one, they can dip it dry while the other tries a different one. If one really sucks, we're only out a few drops of unflavored nic juice.

For mixing flavors, it helps us zero in on a decent working combo by having multiple ratios available at once and testing one against another. ("Hmmm...I really like the one with 2 drops of cherry and 3 drops of oak." "Really? I like the one with equal amounts.")

 

[scfaster]

Thank you all for some very good ideas. I think that I have about 20 flavors in stock between PA and TW and I have actually come up with a few recipes that work. The stripped atty & wells system will help a lot with fine tuning. Thank you again!

 

[TwistedInFresno]

Along the same lines as GoodDog: We got these plastic paint mix containers from Hobby Lobby that are dirt cheap (16 for 1.99?). They each hold a few ml, come in strips of 8 with snap lids and are good for dipping.

We usually test 7 flavors at a time (starting at 1 drop flavor/19 drops unflavored nic to strength) and reserve the last one for straight unflavored to clear the atty with. If a flavor is too strong simply add 5-10 more drops unflavored...too weak, add another drop of flavor.

As we test, we make notes about ratio, flavor, how long it takes to get rid of the flavor in the atty, etc.

We don't have to try the same flavor at the same time. If one of us really likes one, they can dip it dry while the other tries a different one. If one really sucks, we're only out a few drops of unflavored nic juice.

For mixing flavors, it helps us zero in on a decent working combo by having multiple ratios available at once and testing one against another. ("Hmmm...I really like the one with 2 drops of cherry and 3 drops of oak." "Really? I like the one with equal amounts.")

Thinking for another option like this... at the local $$ store i've seen the kits you put your vitamins/meds in...7 days worth. Maybe that would work for a less extensive set of flavors?

 

[Karla Lyle]

What do you mean by dipping? Do you dip the atty in or drip onto the atty. I saw 2 of you day dip now and I've never heard of that? Thanks

 

[blueeyeddevil]

What do you mean by dipping? Do you dip the atty in or drip onto the atty. I saw 2 of you day dip now and I've never heard of that? Thanks

i believe they are reffering to the attys that have a removable sleeve that come on and off easily anthe they just dip the atty in and put the sleeve back on ,im still a newb but could be wrong but thats what i think

 

[Iffy]

I drip on a 306 atty @ 3.7V. If it's good there, it'll be better on my VVs!

 

[AzPlumber]

I'm currently using an awesome 2.0 510 right now that just won't die. Been using it for about 6 weeks and still taste like a new one does. Just don't remember where I got it or I'd buy more, best atty I've ever had. I usually use a 306.

 

[cricque]

I kinda drip onto an atomizer for first test. if it tastes like crap then it will taste like crap in a carto. I got myself some 510-t atomizers left, it goes into that or recently also bought a ego-c body + atomizer and test a tank. If I can vape it in that and flavor is good ... It's ready to do a test in an ego-mega dual coil.

I use an ego mega dual coil for about 1-2 weeks somewhere. Then I just leave them and after i get a couple I'll boil em and my final test goes into an "used" ega mega dual coil if it's something I really inted to vape the entire time.

For some flavors I know I am not going to vape the whole time those go into used Boge LR. Anyway that way I am never using a new carto to test a flavor, but a used one. If it works in that, it'll be fine in a brand new one ! I also got some smok xl dual coils, but I do find the ego-mega dual coils better. But I always start out by a simple drip -> tank -> carto

Also i got some ego vision stardusts here, where I test flavors in. Or when I buy liquid I'll do them in one of those