Diy questions? Need advice!!!!

[Kelly1988]

Hi everyone! I really need help and I'm at my limit with recipes! Seriously I'm ready to give up but I'm not going to bc I know I can do this.. I just have no experience..

I'm 3 days into diy juices. I bought several flavors and now I'm ordering some new flavors to make more recipes but until then I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice?

I made several batches of strawberry and creams and none really had flavor.. even the high rated recipes. I settled on one in particular which is from the ejuice recipe site, it's not my own

2% bavarian cream TPA
2% ethyl maltol
5% strawberry TPA

I tried that and I could hardly taste the cream or strawberry but I liked it so I made a new batch 3% Bavarian 3% ethyl maltol ( I cant taste the strawberry without adding this) 5% strawberry TPA and it was so much better but the strawberry is so muted and I can't taste much cream either.

I'm one of those that can't taste natural flavors and I need sweet to be happy. I have shisha strawberry INW, Strawberry Ripe TPA and Strawberry TPA. All of them taste more natural strawberry so I picked the TPA strawberry because it seems more sweet. Not having experience in diy I didn't know that the strawberry flavors I ordered were more natural.

Ive always strictly Vaped vanilla from Blu e cig but it's discontinued and I give up on vanilla totally.. Also, I LOVED the mark ten strawberry brulee pods but little did I know they closed shop so I only Vaped it for a week but that's what turned me towards strawberry and cream..

VERY LONG story short, do you think increasing the % of the flavors will help? The ethyl maltol really brings out the strawberry and made it sweeter but after a day of vaping it i can't really taste it. I like the recipe for ingredients but it's now so bland and holding me over until I get new flavors in.. any suggestions on sweet strawberry flavors?

Also the ethyl maltol that I have is from vixen Vapors. I bought it like at least 2 years ago. It's called sweetener drops but it's ethyl maltol. Could the issue be that its too old?

Lastly, I vape at 24 mg nicotine because that's what I'm used too and I vape MTL and really need the throat hit to be happy. If my nic strength is so high could that be muting out the flavors requiring me to up the percentages?

Sorry this is so long! I wanted to be as clear as possible so someone can help me!

Thanks guys!

 

[Kelly1988]

I meant to put this in the diy section I'm sorry! I can't navigate well with technology.. I know it's 2019 but I really suck!

 

[bombastinator]

I’m not what you’d call a good vape chef. I kinda suck, really, but one thing I have noticed is fruit flavors are kinda weak. My mixes generally have 10-15% flavor for strong flavors, but for fruits it’s generally nearer 20%. This may or may not help you at all and has the distinct possibility of creating something horrid, but my instinct would be to take the juice you liked for a while and double the flavor. That would push total flavoring nearer 20%. If it doesn’t work you can always thin it out. Or pour it on an unwanted ant hill or something.

 

[Kelly1988]

I’m not what you’d call a good vape chef. I kinda suck, really, but one thing I have noticed is fruit flavors are kinda weak. My mixes generally have 10-15% flavor for strong flavors, but for fruits it’s generally nearer 20%. This may or may not help you at all and has the distinct possibility of creating something horrid, but my instinct would be to take the juice you liked for a while and double the flavor. That would push total flavoring nearer 20%. If it doesn’t work you can always thin it out. Or pour it on an unwanted ant hill or something.

I’m not what you’d call a good vape chef. I kinda suck, really, but one thing I have noticed is fruit flavors are kinda weak. My mixes generally have 10-15% flavor for strong flavors, but for fruits it’s generally nearer 20%. This may or may not help you at all and has the distinct possibility of creating something horrid, but my instinct would be to take the juice you liked for a while and double the flavor. That would push total flavoring nearer 20%. If it doesn’t work you can always thin it out. Or pour it on an unwanted ant hill or something.

Lol. So I checked the calculations and the total flavor was 11%. I know you said you kind of suck but you still have more experience than me lol so with that being said.. my current % of strawberry is 5. In your experience do you think if I doubled the strawberry and bumped the Bavarian up to 5% and kept the ethyl maltol at 3% I would have much more flavor? I didn't know fruits are light.

 

[Katya]

I suggest you mix two different strawberries the way Letitia does it.

Most any fruit needs one or more brand to make a whole. Some premix these flavors to save a time. Strawberry stones are a good place to start. For example TFA Strawberry Ripe 3% + INW shisha strawberry 2% is my go to sb combination. I mix up 10ml of this flavor shot/stone to keep on hand. I use it at 2-5% in a recipe.

 

[Katya]

Also the ethyl maltol that I have is from vixen Vapors. I bought it like at least 2 years ago. It's called sweetener drops but it's ethyl maltol. Could the issue be that its too old?

I don't think so--those flavorings do last a long time. But, if you ask me, your mix is very sweet. Anyway, for my taste buds. I would decrease EM and add Shisha strawberry (or some other natural tasting strawberry).

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Ethyl maltol is more for a fuller mouth 'feel' than for a sweetner. Best to get something like Caps Super sweet which is really concentrated and required use is 1 or 2 drops. More may ruin the mix. Mixing 2 different strawberry's is always the best way to strengthen their flavors. Don't limit the % of the flavors until you can find where you like them at. Each flavoring has its own % to which it will taste good as each of us is different in how we taste them.

 

[Kelly1988]

I don't think so--those flavorings do last a long time. But, if you ask me, your mix is very sweet. Anyway, for my taste buds. I would decrease EM and add Shisha strawberry (or some other natural tasting strawberry).

That's a really good idea. I have shisha, strawberry ripe and strawberry. I know I like my flavors sweet just from experience. Someone else tried my mix tonight and thought it's way to sweet lol but for me it's mute. Hmm.. based on my taste, do you think increasing the strawberry to maybe 8-9% would give me better taste?

I think your right on the ethyl maltol. There's only so much it can do.. but I did order sucralose and capella strawberry sweet. Hopefully the sucralose does the trick. I read on diy or die that for people who are used to vaping market flavors or store bought flavors are also used to sweet flavors. He said most add a lot of sucralose to the juice. And that if you want an experience like that then definitely use it. Well I summed it up but basically thats what I got out of it.

And the TPA Bavarian cream? Do you think increasing that is a good idea? For me anyways? It's currently at 3% and I'm still learning how percentages work and don't work.. I'm not getting much cream from the 3% ..I do have more creams coming tho.

I spent like 3 days making batches so I'm running low on products.. that's why I was wondering if higher nic levels require higher flavor percentages. There's so much to learn.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Also different flavor makers make their flavoring at different concentrations. Those of us how have been at it for a while will tell you the Flavorah and FlavourArt are very concentrated as opposed to Flavor West which is least concentrated and therefore requires a higher % in order to taste them. TFA is a medium strength on most but not all of their flavoring. This is why testing is critical to find what you like. It is also very helpful when considering on buying a flavor to read the reviews that others have listed for them. BullCityFlavors themselves do not give recommendations but sometimes the reviewers that use the flavors do. Look towards the bottom of the flavor page to locate them or click on the review that have stars associated with them.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

That's a really good idea. I have shisha, strawberry ripe and strawberry. I know I like my flavors sweet just from experience. Someone else tried my mix tonight and thought it's way to sweet lol but for me it's mute. Hmm.. based on my taste, do you think increasing the strawberry to maybe 8-9% would give me better taste?

I think your right on the ethyl maltol. There's only so much it can do.. but I did order sucralose and capella strawberry sweet. Hopefully the sucralose does the trick. I read on diy or die that for people who are used to vaping market flavors or store bought flavors are also used to sweet flavors. He said most add a lot of sucralose to the juice. And that if you want an experience like that then definitely use it. Well I summed it up but basically thats what I got out of it.

And the TPA Bavarian cream? Do you think increasing that is a good idea? For me anyways? It's currently at 3% and I'm still learning how percentages work and don't work.. I'm not getting much cream from the 3% ..I do have more creams coming tho.

I spent like 3 days making batches so I'm running low on products.. that's why I was wondering if higher nic levels require higher flavor percentages. There's so much to learn.

If I may, I would keep the tfa strawberry at 5% and add 2 % of INW Shisha Strawberry. Keep the BAV cream the same. Most mixes require at least a week steep time (aging) so that the flavors blend together. Unless you buy a flavoring that specifically says it is a 'one shot' then those should and can be vaped almost immediately. A 'one shot flavoring' means that the vendor selling the product provides all of the ingredients into 1 mix that we buy and use a % of for our mixes. A good example can be found here. I recommend them for new and old mixers because they are delicious and it gives the new mixer confidence that they can mix their own AND it also provides you with something to vape while you learn to diy and you don't feel hurried or rush to produced anything.
Discount code = JFK or ECF both will work
and these size are the smallest so you don't have to spend a lot of money to try them but they do offer bigger bottles also.
10 ml (Sample Size)

10 ml (Sample Size)

This is 2 different categories so no I did not repeat the first one.lol
They have a Succulent Strawberry is that is the best out there imo. Vape it everyday. And I mix from 5 - 10% depending on my mood. lol

 

[Kelly1988]

If I may, I would keep the tfa strawberry at 5% and add 2 % of INW Shisha Strawberry. Keep the BAV cream the same. Most mixes require at least a week steep time (aging) so that the flavors blend together. Unless you buy a flavoring that specifically says it is a 'one shot' then those should and can be vaped almost immediately. A 'one shot flavoring' means that the vendor selling the product provides all of the ingredients into 1 mix that we buy and use a % of for our mixes. A good example can be found here. I recommend them for new and old mixers because they are delicious and it gives the new mixer confidence that they can mix their own AND it also provides you with something to vape while you learn to diy and you don't feel hurried or rush to produced anything.
Discount code = JFK or ECF both will work
and these size are the smallest so you don't have to spend a lot of money to try them but they do offer bigger bottles also.
10 ml (Sample Size)

10 ml (Sample Size)

This is 2 different categories so no I did not repeat the first one.lol
They have a Succulent Strawberry is that is the best out there imo. Vape it everyday. And I mix from 5 - 10% depending on my mood. lol

Thank you!

 

[bombastinator]

Lol. So I checked the calculations and the total flavor was 11%. I know you said you kind of suck but you still have more experience than me lol so with that being said.. my current % of strawberry is 5. In your experience do you think if I doubled the strawberry and bumped the Bavarian up to 5% and kept the ethyl maltol at 3% I would have much more flavor? I didn't know fruits are light.

I would listen to @Katya and @Sugar_and_Spice before listening to me.

 

[Izan]

Hi Kelly,
When I mix creams, I need to give them two weeks of aging or more for the flavour to fully develop/mature.
I would suggest mixing your creams separately and allow them to age. Use the aged mix as your mixing base and layer your other flavours on top.

Have fun
I

 

[Katya]

I would listen to @Katya and @Sugar_and_Spice before listening to me.

Not me. I'm a low-flavor, unsweetened, boring DIY-er. Most flavors annoy me. I just like a hint, here and there, and I prefer European flavor companies--FA (most of my flavors), Decadent Vapours, and Inawera. I often vape unflavored.

 

[Katya]

Hmm.. based on my taste, do you think increasing the strawberry to maybe 8-9% would give me better taste?

I defer to @Sugar_and_Spice , @Letitia , @Izan , @IDJoel and other DIY experts here. See my post above. But if you want a white tea vape, under 4% flavoring, no sweetener, with a touch of pear or peach, I'm your man.

 

[Leo Bak]

I'd try this, to just start:

6% shisha strawberry INW
6% strawberry TPA
2% bavarian cream TPA (steep separately for 1 to 2 weeks as @Izan suggested)
0.2% ethyl maltol (or perhaps even less)

Another idea might be steeping all strawberries you have separately, around 10%, for a week or so, the creams also separately, then make mixes of a few ml. and steep the mixes another day or two. Or try them in a dripper and also drip them over eachother. That way you could get familiar with both the separate and mixed flavours, and then make your optimal mix.

If none of the above works for you, just get some INW Cuban Cigar, vape it for a day or two and start over with your tastebuds all reset.

 

[Katya]

If none of the above works for you, just get some INW Cuban Cigar, vape it for a day or two and start over with your tastebuds all reset.

 

[dreamvaper]

I often vape unflavored

Pg/Vg with nothing added? what are the pros/cons?

 

[Katya]

Pg/Vg with nothing added? what are the pros/cons?

PG/VG and nicotine. Pros: you never get tired of the flavor, coils last forever as there's nothing to clog them, and your lungs are not exposed to any unnecessary junk that might (or might not) potentially be harmful (flavorings, sweeteners, colorings, unknown proteins, oils, whatever). Cons: it is quite boring, so I like to add a few drops of different flavorings, 2-5% max) for variety. But it was a journey--I started with commercial e-liquids and, frankly, disliked most of them or/and found overwhelming. So I started diluting them with unflavored, and then diluting them some more.

ETA: It's also the cheapest way to vape--I always have a bottle of 10% nicotine base in the freezer, a bottle of VG and PG, and a few bottles of my favorite flavorings. I haven't spent a penny on ejuice in about 2 years. But that's not why I do it. Promise!

 

[DeloresRose]

Bavarian cream is a big flavor to me. You got lots of good advice so far, mix the creAm and let it steep, add a second strawberry, lighten up on the EM ( or drop it, this mix probably doesn’t need it) and add SS.

I would likely do 3 parts strawberry 2 parts strawberry ( your choice on which brands) and 2 parts cream, plus maybe .5- 1 ml SS.

Like you I have a hard time tasting some fruits. Blueberry and watermelon I struggled with.

The more recently you stopped smoking the more flavor you probably need. But some flavors may always be weak to you. And you might want to try others instead.

You’ve done well starting with lower %, and you can add a little more at a time and see if that helps. Take notes though.

But never pitch a mix until it’s had plenty of time to develop. I’ve got some that sat for months and finally bloomed.