Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract

[Ambassador]

Hi everyone

I work in Madagascar and do some DIY juice making. I like chocolate / sweet juices and think my chocolate and vanilla (not DIY) juice I am currently vaping is very nice.

My question is, can I add this extract to my DIY juice mix, and at what %?

Searching I have found people saying yes - but not sure on the % to use, and also the steep time due to the gain alcohol in the Vanilla extract. Also, any issues in mixing with high VG ratios?

Cheers, vape on!

Phil

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

You can use it and quite a few people do, though it tends to be a little weak if it's just basic extract (i.e. a 1x extract). If vanilla oleoresin has been added to enhance the flavor or if it's a 2x-4x extract, it should be quite a bit stronger, though most likely nowhere near as strong as flavor concentrates that are on the market today simply due to the process and how vanilla extract is made (basically steeping vanilla beans in PGA for 3-12 months or pressurizing them to force a faster extraction).

The Bourbon Vanilla from TFA (which uses oleoresin) is generally recommended at 7-10% and I pretty much agree with that, even when mixing with other flavors. Once the alcohol evaporates, the flavor will be left behind and you'll notice the nuances it provides as long as the concentrates you're working with aren't so strong that they overpower it (which also isn't hard to do with an extract).

As far as steeping goes, I've not noticed much difference with extract and to me it tastes the same on Day 01 as it does on Day 30, minus the alcohol. If it's 35% PGA, which is required here in the US for it to be called an extract, then breathing it for 12-24 hours to allow the majority of the alcohol to evaporate at the 7-10% usage limit. If there's more than that, you may need to repeat that twice. Basically you'd leave the e-liquid with the cap off for X hours, cap on & shake it, cap off again for X hours, rinse and repeat until it's out of there.

I've had no issues mixing vanilla extract with VG in the 2 years I've been making vanilla extract and the 1 year I've been making vanilla bean bases for my own e-liquids, so you shouldn't have any trouble there. Just make sure you shake it up well.

 

[Ambassador]

You can use it and quite a few people do, though it tends to be a little weak if it's just basic extract (i.e. a 1x extract). If vanilla oleoresin has been added to enhance the flavor or if it's a 2x-4x extract, it should be quite a bit stronger, though most likely nowhere near as strong as flavor concentrates that are on the market today simply due to the process and how vanilla extract is made (basically steeping vanilla beans in PGA for 3-12 months or pressurizing them to force a faster extraction).

The Bourbon Vanilla from TFA (which uses oleoresin) is generally recommended at 7-10% and I pretty much agree with that, even when mixing with other flavors. Once the alcohol evaporates, the flavor will be left behind and you'll notice the nuances it provides as long as the concentrates you're working with aren't so strong that they overpower it (which also isn't hard to do with an extract).

As far as steeping goes, I've not noticed much difference with extract and to me it tastes the same on Day 01 as it does on Day 30, minus the alcohol. If it's 35% PGA, which is required here in the US for it to be called an extract, then breathing it for 12-24 hours to allow the majority of the alcohol to evaporate at the 7-10% usage limit. If there's more than that, you may need to repeat that twice. Basically you'd leave the e-liquid with the cap off for X hours, cap on & shake it, cap off again for X hours, rinse and repeat until it's out of there.

I've had no issues mixing vanilla extract with VG in the 2 years I've been making vanilla extract and the 1 year I've been making vanilla bean bases for my own e-liquids, so you shouldn't have any trouble there. Just make sure you shake it up well.

Thanks for the info Jonathan

This extract is made in Madagascar by others, so no idea if it is x1 or whatever. As far as i know they soak beans in grain alcohol for some un know time, the product is all natural as far as i know. The mixture smells very strong - so strong i cant really smell any vanilla ! It smells like some type of cough syrup!

I have been advised if using for making cakes to use it very sparingly. I was hoping that once diluted with VG it would then bring out the vanilla flavour.

Phil

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

When in doubt, start at 2% on a 5ml batch and work your way up . That would be the best route to take so that:

1). You're not wasting (potentially) expensive extract**;
2). You're not wasting PG/VG/Nicotine and other flavors.

** Pure Vanilla Bean extract that actually tastes like vanilla in the US can get expensive, which is why I went the DIY route with it.


If it's coming from Madagascar, I'm betting it's probably better than what most of us get here in the US given that's where a ton of beans are imported from . I'd stick with 2% and perhaps try vaping it on it's own first, before you mix it with other flavors. That'll at least give you an idea of what to expect and you'll be able to gauge how much more you really need to get it where you want it.

For my own extracts, I do 3-4x (otherwise known as 3 Fold / 4 Fold / etc) and it comes out pretty great, even though I stick with 7-10% for it as well. It's not cheap for us in the US. A 3-4x gallon size batch can get really expensive really fast with beans costing about $60 / 1lb, which isn't enough for a 3-4x 1 gallon batch .

Thanks for the info Jonathan

This extract is made in Madagascar by others, so no idea if it is x1 or whatever. As far as i know they soak beans in grain alcohol for some un know time, the product is all natural as far as i know. The mixture smells very strong - so strong i cant really smell any vanilla ! It smells like some type of cough syrup!

I have been advised if using for making cakes to use it very sparingly. I was hoping that once diluted with VG it would then bring out the vanilla flavour.

Phil

 

[Ambassador]

When in doubt, start at 2% on a 5ml batch and work your way up . That would be the best route to take so that:

1). You're not wasting (potentially) expensive extract**;
2). You're not wasting PG/VG/Nicotine and other flavors.

** Pure Vanilla Bean extract that actually tastes like vanilla in the US can get expensive, which is why I went the DIY route with it.


If it's coming from Madagascar, I'm betting it's probably better than what most of us get here in the US given that's where a ton of beans are imported from . I'd stick with 2% and perhaps try vaping it on it's own first, before you mix it with other flavors. That'll at least give you an idea of what to expect and you'll be able to gauge how much more you really need to get it where you want it.

For my own extracts, I do 3-4x (otherwise known as 3 Fold / 4 Fold / etc) and it comes out pretty great, even though I stick with 7-10% for it as well. It's not cheap for us in the US. A 3-4x gallon size batch can get really expensive really fast with beans costing about $60 / 1lb, which isn't enough for a 3-4x 1 gallon batch .

Thanks for the additional info

Yes Madagascar is famous for its Vanilla worldwide, and here it is approx 9 USD per pound of fresh beans. But apparently you need a cert to export more than that. I have bought this much to post to a friend in the US for cooking. I bought the extract as i cant be arsed making it myself! The beans do actually smell like Vanilla at least.

I am due to mix some liquid so i will try 2%, extract only and see how it hits

Phil

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

Thanks for the additional info

Yes Madagascar is famous for its Vanilla worldwide, and here it is approx 9 USD per pound of fresh beans. But apparently you need a cert to export more than that. I have bought this much to post to a friend in the US for cooking. I bought the extract as i cant be arsed making it myself! The beans do actually smell like Vanilla at least.

I am due to mix some liquid so i will try 2%, extract only and see how it hits

Phil

No problem and holy crap . How much is shipping to the US? If I could find fresh vanilla beans for $9/lb, I'd be buying them up if shipping wasn't a killer. They come out to $60 w/ free shipping here, though I'd imagine shipping wouldn't bring them to $60/lb, even if being shipped from overseas.

Tonga Vanilla Beans are even worse. They're close to $100/lb.

 

[Ambassador]

No problem and holy crap . How much is shipping to the US? If I could find fresh vanilla beans for $9/lb, I'd be buying them up if shipping wasn't a killer. They come out to $60 w/ free shipping here, though I'd imagine shipping wouldn't bring them to $60/lb, even if being shipped from overseas.

Tonga Vanilla Beans are even worse. They're close to $100/lb.

I will be shipping them from Thailand, where i live and that will cost more than the beans did! But even using DHL the shipping would be approx 30 USD. I am hoping the shipping i choose will be half this.

If i were to ship from standard (very slow) post, then it would work out much cheaper...if they ever arrived that is.

Phil

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

I will be shipping them from Thailand, where i live and that will cost more than the beans did! But even using DHL the shipping would be approx 30 USD. I am hoping the shipping i choose will be half this.

If i were to ship from standard (very slow) post, then it would work out much cheaper...if they ever arrived that is.

Phil

$39 still beats $60 any day as long as they're packaged well enough. Beanilla does a vacuum seal on theirs, which is nice, but tends to squeeze the oils from the beans during the process, which means they are normally drenched in oil before you even get to slice them open.