Flavoring shelf life and concentration?

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llmercll

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Hello! I've got a few questions on flavoring

First I'd like to know if there's a shelf life on the flavors. I've heard that pg/vg should stay good for around 2 years, any idea how long concentrated flavors stay good for? I want to try a bunch of different flavors, but don't like wasting, which is why I ask =p

I'm also looking for cheap, but reputable flavors and dealers. Right now the best I could find is

DIY Flavors - One Stop DIY Shop Store

and

D.I.Y & Mixing - Flavourart eLiquid Flavouring

one stop diy shop has some REALLY cheap juices. Does that mean they are low quality or have been diluted? $1 for a dram of lorann is crazy. And is the flavor apprentice the same quality as the perfume apprentice? $1.60 for 6ml is pretty nice too! I've heard flavorart, lorann, and perfume apprentice are some of the best.

Finally, about how many ml's of juice could 6ml of concentrated flavoring get me? I've read I should use about 10% depending on the flavor so should 6ml be good for about 60ml of juice?

thanks!
 
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Sdh

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Yeah! Your right! Those prices are crazy cheap. However, Flavor apprentice and perfume apprentice are the same. My mentation is slightly off today or I would research this for you. You could ask the vendor you would buy from -what the shelf life is? I buy small samples and I did make a few mistakes and purchased 30ml....

Another idea is if you find a flavor you don't like you could always trade it in the PIF trades. I like Flavorart and Flavor apprentice. I am not to fond of Lorann's. Another company is Flavorwest.

I am sorry I cannot help you with your whole question.

Another vendor you may want to consider: ecigexpress. They sell allot of flavors for diy.

OOPs I thought you meant another vendor....I truly believe ecigexpress with a coupon code is the cheapest I found thus far.
 

Kurt

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Flavors do not need significant care for storage. This has been discussed elsewhere in the DIY forum. As long as they are not derived from fruit juices, such as some "natural" flavorings, they are just flavor compounds dissolved in PG, VG and/or ethanol. Really nothing in them to "go bad". Most of us just keep them in a box or desk drawer or tackle box at room temperature. Some keep them in the dark, but there is in general no reaction of flavor compounds with light. In the fridge is fine too, as long as you allow them to warm to room temp before opening. Cold liquids will absorb ambient water in the air, and over time, water could be an issue with some flavors. I have kept mine in a cardboard box for over 18 months, sitting on the floor of my office, with no change whatsoever to their flavor or consistency.
 

pinoypayter

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MaxUT

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I like to buy directly from The Flavor Apprentice (Perfumer's Apprentice) even though the price is a little higher, because then I get them in 4mL and 15mL glass bottles. The flavorings won't absorb any taste from the glass if stored long term and I reuse the empty 4mL bottles for test batches and the 15mL bottles for larger quantities of juice.
 

llmercll

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Ahh I see. So glass is better for long term storage because plastic can effect the tastes. I'm considering buying a couple 6ml bottles for my "home mixed" juices. Is that a good idea? Will I be more likely able to reuse them over plastic? With glass bottles though how do you refill your cartos, with a syringe?

thanks!
 

MaxUT

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I think plastic has the potential to affect the taste, over a long period of time.

6mL is a good size for small batches. I like the little 4mL bottles because they're big enough to make a test recipe in and they come with a medicine dropper to use for dripping.

For daily use I transfer the juice to a small 3mL plastic dropper bottle.
 
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