DIY Master Techniques - Flavor Add-on's (EM, VW, BW, MTS, ACV, ect)

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ukeman

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Hmmm FA Fresh Cream…

and i use TFA Sweet Cream to smooth…

should I/we be looking at what is called "smooth" instead? Or is it done with the DW or Saline, or DW/Salne?

I actually like what SC does to sharp fruits. But will look for an occasion to buy from a vender of FA. It might add a more pleasing touch.


It would be great if a vendor sold both TFA and FA; I know HighDesert sells TFA and Cap, which i like too.
 
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we2rcool

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Hmmm FA Fresh Cream…

and i use TFA Sweet Cream to smooth…

should I/we be looking at what is called "smooth" instead? Or is it done with the DW or Saline, or DW/Salne?

I actually like what SC does to sharp fruits. But will look for an occasion to buy from a vender of FA. It might add a more pleasing touch.


It would be great if a vendor sold both TFA and FA; I know HighDesert sells TFA and Cap, which i like too.

ECX sells both TFA (their "Signature" line) and FA...as well as CAP, HS, FW, LA, NF, and others.

TFA's "Smooth" (as well as FA's Magic Mask and Vape Wizard) are not "flavors" that do anything to the juice (although Smooth & VW have added flavor)...they temporarily alter the natural action of our taste buds/taste receptors. These chemicals are approved for 'ingestion' (which is questionable, in our opinion); who knows what other 'natural actions' they can alter when vaped directly into the bloodstream? To each his own, of course...but we're not adding anything to the chemical soup we vape that alters the action of our bodies. If we want our juice to taste/vape differetly, we'll alter our juice!
 
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dannyv45

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Hmmm FA Fresh Cream…

and i use TFA Sweet Cream to smooth…

should I/we be looking at what is called "smooth" instead? Or is it done with the DW or Saline, or DW/Salne?

I actually like what SC does to sharp fruits. But will look for an occasion to buy from a vender of FA. It might add a more pleasing touch.


It would be great if a vendor sold both TFA and FA; I know HighDesert sells TFA and Cap, which i like too.

Saline will give you a wetter thinner vape and help with throat irritation if your looking to interact with flavors as far as smoothing I think the better direction would be the creams.
If your looking for a thickness to the vape go with a marshmallo. EM is also known to add some thickness and also give a touch of sweetness (EM is usually good with a tobacco mix). If it's pure strong sweetness your looking for go with a sweetener such as a scarlous or a caramel. This information is scattered all through out this thread but it's well worth repeating several times.
 
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NamVet68

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TFA's "Smooth" (as well as FA's Magic Mask and Vape Wizard) are not "flavors" that do anything to the juice (although Smooth & VW have added flavor)...they temporarily alter the natural action of our taste buds/taste receptors.....

Agreed - I've found that Smooth & Vape Wizard are generally used to cut some of the "harshness" from a juice that might have a little "bite" to it, but they are really just shortcuts if you don't want to wait. If you let the juice steep for a few weeks, they will generally tone down and blend together on their own.

I've tried a few recipes that were identical in every way except for the addition of these shortcuts at the beginning. After a week or so, the juices without the additions were far superior...the others tasted "muted" in comparison....especially tobacco-based flavors.
Patience is a virtue....

Just my observations.
 

we2rcool

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Agreed - I've found that Smooth & Vape Wizard are generally used to cut some of the "harshness" from a juice that might have a little "bite" to it, but they are really just shortcuts if you don't want to wait. If you let the juice steep for a few weeks, they will generally tone down and blend together on their own.

I've tried a few recipes that were identical in every way except for the addition of these shortcuts at the beginning. After a week or so, the juices without the additions were far superior...the others tasted "muted" in comparison....especially tobacco-based flavors.
Patience is a virtue....


Just my observations.

We agree 100%! 'Almost sure there's somewhere in this thread (maybe it's another) where someone painstakingly added vinegar (lemon juice/both?) to a variety of mixes - and made controls without the vinegar/lemon. The end result was that the additives used DID enhance the flavor initially, but in the end comparison - the flavor intensity was LESS in the juices with the added vinegar/lemon, than those without.

'Dunno how that may work with all the additives, but we've a sneaky suspicion from the very small amount of juices we've made with added Sucralose, that it may be a 'flavor killer in the end' as well.

Patience is a virtue....
Indeed!
 

ukeman

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thanks W2C and NamVet…. even sucralose?
actually that would be nice since i am skeptical about it - ymmv

I also bet lots of new DIY like me, don't do a lot of steeping… its a discipline that i tend to disregard
We agree 100%! 'Almost sure there's somewhere in this thread (maybe it's another) where someone painstakingly added vinegar (lemon juice/both?) to a variety of mixes - and made controls without the vinegar/lemon. The end result was that the additives used DID enhance the flavor initially, but in the end comparison - the flavor intensity was LESS in the juices with the added vinegar/lemon, than those without.

'Dunno how that may work with all the additives, but we've a sneaky suspicion from the very small amount of juices we've made with added Sucralose, that it may be a 'flavor killer in the end' as well.

Indeed!
 

RobertNC

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I recently performed a very controlled test on ACV versus no ACV. What I have found is:

1) The initial flavor of a tobacco mix with ACV seems better. The overall flavor was smoother and the taste seemed to be enhanced.

2) After a few days aging the mix with ACV changes very little, perhaps slightly muted.

3) The initial flavor of the same mix without ACV was harsher and less balanced. The taste seem to be diminished.

4) After a few days aging the mix without ACV had smoothed and balanced considerably, and the overall taste was similar but stronger than the mix with ACV.

This is very speculative, because different mixes might exhibit different results, however my initial impression is that ACV "seems" to enhance flavor initially, but I believe this is because it may in fact attenuate the total flavor. Initial suppression of some harsh notes could give the impression that the "good" flavor was stronger simply because some harshness that might interfere was suppressed.

After a little aging the harsher elements of the mix without ACV seem to diminish and the result is also a smoother more balanced taste , but also stronger flavor because the "good" flavors are less affected by harsher notes, and now more prominent by virtue of also not being diminished by ACV.

So in summary I believe ACV diminishes flavor, giving an impression of "better" flavor initially but at the cost of total flavor. Brief aging without ACV allows the harsher notes to decline without the better flavors having been diminished as well, and the final result after just a few days is a fuller, equally smooth blend but more overall flavor after a little aging.

Until I decide otherwise, although ACV has been a standard in all my tobacco blends for a long time, I am now currently eliminating it entirely...

PS: At some point I also experimented with dilute citrus flavors - not to add citrus taste but with the intent of pH modification with a milder agent than ACV. I have not repeated those in a controlled experiment but I believe my conclusions were similar - lowering pH by any agent may result in "improved" initial taste but ultimately diminished tobacco flavors...)

Of course YMMV ...
 
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fogMann

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RobertNC - great to see this type of work that I want/plan/hope to do but just haven't had the time yet. I expect many people simply toss in additives simply because others have posted recipes including those ingredients but probably haven't done the type of testing you document in your post. I want to determine the basic taste of a recipe before I start tossing in additives so I haven't really used them much - ACV, Saline, Vape Wizard, etc. Your post convinces me even more.

Great to see some scientific process applied. I've been mixing lots of test recipes over the past months and am homing in a few that I like and want to refine. Once I get to trying additives I'll apply a similar methodology to yours and share my results. One that comes to mind is coffee. Its either too weak, muted by creams/vanillas or nice and strong but bitter.
 

buffaloguy

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As far as I can recall, I was the one who tested lemon juice and the effects it had on fruit flavors. At the time I was also using sucralose (ezsweets) in fruit/bakery flavors. I also tested distilled vinegar (not acv, I dont use it) on tobaccos.

What I found with fruit and bakery vapes is they were great initally with the additives, for about two days. Then on day 3 like clockwork the sharpness/crispness of the flavor was just... plain... gone. It never rebounded either. It just continued decline. So I started testing the same juices with lemon juice and sucralose separately. Trying to find the culprit. The result in my tests was that they BOTH decrease flavor output of ejuice. While they help initally boost and sweeten flavor, within a few days, they both cause ejuice to simply go flat. While its a more dramatic example, I feel the same way about ejuice with lemon or sucralose as I do about flat soda pop. Its just lackluster.

This occured in both high VG bases at 80% and high PG bases at 80%. I tested both because I didnt want people calling me out saying VG mutes flavor, which to this day I refute as utter nonsense.

I no longer use either in any of my mixing. I have found that using fruit flavors with alcohol bases provide more than enuff sweetening o. their own if they are steeped for 48-72 hours, and it helps that I use 80%VG in my juice.

As far as tobaccos go I also agree vinegar that after a few days it can flatten flavors over time. However!!! As I vape mostly tobacco ejuices I still add 1 drop/5ml of distilled white vinegar to my vapes. To counter the flattening I adjust by adding slightly more flavoring. About .5% to 1% more flavoring in a final mix. In my experience this counters the effect of flavor flattening with DV and allows mostly all tobacco vapes to round out immediately. (note: i also heat steep my juices at a constant 150° in a water bath in a crock pot for four hours after mixing and have found it it adds about 2 weeks to the aging process of ejuice). At the 2 weeks mark (in my case then this is 4 hours after mixing), all of your tobacco flavors will have a spike in flavor and will stay there, but only round more given time. Giving you a spiked up flavor but still rounded body to your vape. I found apple cider vinegar made bad and good juuces worse with no spike at all, but to be fair I barely ever tested acv.

All of my vapes... yes read that as ALL... are primed and full bodied in four hours. Period. Ultrasonic isnt the answer either. Hand shaking is enuff for juice. Heat allows flavor dissipation and release FAR FAR better.

Alot of what I do flys in the face of common and well "documented" processes others use like ultrasonic steeping tho. (if it works for ya, great. I know what I know and heat is the key, not vibration. And yeah, I tested that too about three months ago so I stand behind it).

People just pretty much ignored my testing. I took painstaking measures to control the samples and.prove to myself the results. Today when people say they use lemon juice, or sucralose and RAVE about the results.... I know they are NOT vaping stellar juice. They are absolutely, positively, better off without both. Unless they are going to vape what they make in under two days.

Note: I did not bother testing the effects of citric acid powder in juice, but I assume it has the same effect as lemon juice and mutes flavors.

We agree 100%! 'Almost sure there's somewhere in this thread (maybe it's another) where someone painstakingly added vinegar (lemon juice/both?) to a variety of mixes - and made controls without the vinegar/lemon. The end result was that the additives used DID enhance the flavor initially, but in the end comparison - the flavor intensity was LESS in the juices with the added vinegar/lemon, than those without.

'Dunno how that may work with all the additives, but we've a sneaky suspicion from the very small amount of juices we've made with added Sucralose, that it may be a 'flavor killer in the end' as well.

Indeed!
 
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cecsystems

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What about Capella's Butter flavor... has ne 1 used this before? Does it add the body/sweetness that I suspect it might? I understand that this one DOES NOT have the nasty... read: bad for you components that other Butter flavors may have? Insights into the flavor itself?
 

Pathogenius

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This thread has restored my hope in community. So much selfless giving.

My question is off-topic but I'll ask it anyway just so those subscribed might at least have something to consider:

I wanted to try heat steeping in the crock pot, but am wary of nicotine degradation. Do we put the nic in after? Do we add more nic to compensate? I want to avoid inhaling oxidized nic if possible.

Thanks to everyone here for participating, particularily those that are sharing the less commonly discussed techniques, you know who you are. Cheers!
 

ratchet62

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I wanted to try heat steeping in the crock pot, but am wary of nicotine degradation. Do we put the nic in after? Do we add more nic to compensate? I want to avoid inhaling oxidized nic if possible.

Buffaloguy said he does his at 150 degrees. General consensus is anything less than 200 will not affect the nicotine. If you are concerned, you can certainly mix your PG/VG/flavoring as a base, heat steep, then add the nic after.
 

buffaloguy

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Many people add nic after. I tried that but didnt get as good of results flavor wise. I have never noticed any oxidation. My juice is crystal clear (I use clear glass dropper bottles) and the nic level is consistant. Quality nic is important. The only time I ever had cloudy oxidized juice was from my nic base. I never ordered from that vendor again. Ive been a loyal wizard labs customer ever since. I will buy my nic no where else.

Ive never tested with a test kit, but I know my nic levels after two years....

Two years ago today in fact! Its my second vapeaversary! Lol
 

Blueser

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All of my vapes... yes read that as ALL... are primed and full bodied in four hours. Period. Ultrasonic isnt the answer either. Hand shaking is enuff for juice. Heat allows flavor dissipation and release FAR FAR better.

Alot of what I do flys in the face of common and well "documented" processes others use like ultrasonic steeping tho. (if it works for ya, great. I know what I know and heat is the key, not vibration. And yeah, I tested that too about three months ago so I stand behind it).

People just pretty much ignored my testing. I took painstaking measures to control the samples and.prove to myself the results. Today when people say they use lemon juice, or sucralose and RAVE about the results.... I know they are NOT vaping stellar juice. They are absolutely, positively, better off without both. Unless they are going to vape what they make in under two days.

Note: I did not bother testing the effects of citric acid powder in juice, but I assume it has the same effect as lemon juice and mutes flavors.

This is very interesting, especially since I'm new to diy and have painstakingly read thread after thread here for a few months looking for all the information I can absorb/note to establish a base knowledge on making juice. Now I'm having second thoughts on some things I've noted to be correct/truths may simply contain a bit of hyperbole.

It doesn't matter what type of forum on any given subject, there are always a handful that are considered or consider themself the C*ck of the walk on the given subject. As someone new to diy (as I) who am I to question anyone who is considered an expert on the subject. I've ran across several instances where someone who doesn't live on this forum have a much different opinion from those who seem to be the first to answer any and every question posed/posted...no disrespect intended towards anyone...just saying...think I'll hold off on the ACV and damn...I was actually considering buying an ultrasonic cleaner...:unsure:
 
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