Ethyl Maltol - Crystals or Liquid?

[molimelight]

Like the title says, do you folks buy the Ethol Maltol (EM) crystals and then mix it (with what?), or do you buy the 10% solution like Wizard Labs (WL) has?

See what I did there? I propose a DIY Style Book that says you spell the full name with the abbreviation in parenthesis for the first instance and use the abbreviation after that. For people new to the board or DIY, or with bad memories, it's less confusing.

So, now I can say, "Do you folks buy the EM crystals or do you buy the 10% solution like WL has?"

 

[dannyv45]

All depends on if you want the hastle of mixing crystles or a premixed. Buying in crystal form is a better buy but needs to be mixed.

Mixing is not difficult. You can mix in a 50/50 solution of PGA/PG or pure PG at a rate of 1ml crystals to 9ml base. or approx 1/4tsp to 9ml for a 10% solution. It does desolve better in a 50/50 base but you may not desire the alcohol so if thats the case do PG.

 

[buffaloguy]

^^^^ What he said! One caveat you might want to ask yourself tho... do you really need it? I have a whole bunch of EM going to waste for the simple reason that it doesnt work great as a sweetener, and although it can round out harser notes in a vape it greatly diminishes the flavor intensity of juice overall especially the older a juice gets (in most cases, not all). I just never use the stuff at all anymore except for a couple tobacco vapes that need diminished flavor EM provides.

 

[dannyv45]

I find I use it at .5% or less to add some body and thickness. I never use it as a sweetener. If I want to add sweetness I add plain old sweetener but again at .5% or less. You'll find that most mixes really don't need extra sweetness but you do run into a flavor from time to time that does.

 

[molimelight]

Thanks for the answers guys. I was thinking that I'll be mixing mostly tobacco flavors to start and of those, I tend to like the dark, sweeter, full flavored ones. I'll probably get the liquid to have on hand if I need to tone something down. At $1.50 for 8 ml at WL, it's worth throwing in with some other things.

 

[juicefreak]

I've been using crystals for years. If you want it in liquid for a sweetener, just try to find a decent marshmallow juice.

I never premix the crystals, but rather just do a finger swipe of the crystals directly into my juice bottle and shake. I do the same with vanillin and raspberry keytone crystals. They blend fine and i usually vape the bottle in 24 hrs.

anything that is premixed turns on me so i try to avoid premixed flavors.

 

[juicefreak]

Thanks for the answers guys. I was thinking that I'll be mixing mostly tobacco flavors to start and of those, I tend to like the dark, sweeter, full flavored ones. I'll probably get the liquid to have on hand if I need to tone something down. At $1.50 for 8 ml at WL, it's worth throwing in with some other things.

you'll want EM in whatever form for tobacco flavors. if you make an oops flavor, it's great for toning it down to something vapeable. if wizard doesn't have it in crystal form, get it at perfumersapprentice.com. Linda's stuff is inexpensive and her shipping is reasonable