Guide to DIY Flavoring

Thanks for that info KattMamma! I actually have some Tahitian Vanilla on the way (also: Coconut, amaretto, & I think toffee was the last one), and I love vanilla as is so I was planning to steep it some without a doubt.

Too bad I didn't get too far into the DIY forums and ended up ordering my first batch of flavors from LorAnn... Not to say they're bad or anything (yet), because I haven't even tried them. Just that now I see so many other vaping specific flavor vendors listed! I did double check the ingredients though so I know what base they use and they're all water-soluble flavors.

My first attempts will be straight flavors of course, but I also made my own and called it CocoNella! Take a look and let me know what you think of the mix

 

Bah, if you don't want to download some random recipe that has never been tried, here is just a copy paste of it:

7/16/2015 eJuice Calculator 4.0 | EcigExpress Archive Cookbook
https://www.ecigexpress.com/cookbook/ejuicecalculator/
1/1
Enter Your Desired Amounts:
Recipe Name: Coconella
Base Nic Level (PG/VG/ETC) PG 100 % VG 0 % 60 mg
Target Nic Level PG 30 % VG 70 % 6 mg
Amount to be made 30 ml
Water/Vodka/PGA 0 %
Coconut PG 100 % VG 0 % 7 %
Vanilla PG 100 % VG 0 % 9 %
Flavor 3 PG 100 % VG 0 % 0 %
Flavor 4 PG 100 % VG 0 % 0 %
Flavor 5 PG 100 % VG 0 % 0 %
Flavor 6 PG 100 % VG 0 % 0 %
Flavor 7 PG 100 % VG 0 % 0 %
Number of drops 20 = 1 ml
Comments:
Here are your results:
Recipe Name: Coconella
Ingredient ml drops %
Nic Base 3.00 60 10.00
PG 1.20 24 4.00
VG 21.00 420 70.00
Water/Vodka/PGA 0 0 0
Coconut 2.1 42 7
Vanilla 2.7 54 9
Flavor 3 0 0 0
Flavor 4 0 0 0
Flavor 5 0 0 0
Flavor 6 0 0 0
Flavor 7 0 0 0
Drops are an estimation:
Always test dropper on a 1ml container first.
If you prefer the simpler, 3.0 version of the calculator, please visit eJuice
Calculator 3.0
[1]
[1]

 

I'm not a big coconut fan, so I can't comment on that recipe.

But @EllifIknow (love that name lol) - I did notice you're not noting the brand of flavors in your recipe. Trust me - after you get going, you will have some flavors of the same name but different brands, and they're definitely different! If you want to recreate a recipe exactly, you'll want to know the brand.

I'm not sure if I messed up or not, but I've been making a strawberry milk for hubby for a while. For whatever reason, when I started I was using LorAnn's bavarian cream. When I ran out, I just used TFA's. Hubby said, "what's wrong with my juice?" *sigh* And now I don't have an LA left to taste them side by side and see what I need to do to the TFA to get the same taste. I guessed that the LA's was sweeter, and added more sweetner this time - we'll see.

 

Great idea Katt! I'm definitely going to start doing that with the juice (brand w/flavor). Thanks for the tip!

It will be awhile before I run out so not too worried at the moment

 

New to Diy. Thinking about using The Perfumers Apprentice Flavoring with 0 nicotine. How long to steep. Do you recommend fast steep, if I don't have patience. If fast steep, what is the best way.

 

I have some 50/50 blend that came with a DIY kit. I'm not into vaping unflavored liquid so what can I do with it?

 

Hiya 808. I've been mixing for about 1 1/2 months now. I definitely appreciate the 'hot bath steeping method' because, like you, I am not known for having a great deal of patience when waiting to try something new, lol.

Once you get caught up to the point where you have some decent vapes on hand and can wait for a proper 'steeping period' (a week or two), that has produced the best flavor blends for me. However, the quick method of putting the bottle in some hot water for about 10 minutes or so, shaking the hell out of it, then repeat again has definitely done wonders for flavor blending in my humble opinion.
-Sorry for the late reply!

 

LynnNC, if you have the nicotine and some flavors then you can just make a batch by adding the missing ingredients. You will need to know how much you have and mock it all up on an ejuice calculator (I use the ejuicemeup one, it's pretty nice for free software!). Fill in all the fields with what you have and find out how much flavoring and nic you need to add.

There are quite a few members who pre-mix the 'base blend' of VG/PG prior to making a new batch, so that is not uncommon at all.

I'm not sure what all came in your 'DIY kit', but it sounds like you've got it made in the shade

 

Thanks! It came with bottles of pg and vg plus the 50/50, nicotine, menthol crystals, em, syringes, blunt tipped needles, funnels, bottles, beakers, test tubes, gloves, an apron. It's a DIY kit from diyflavorshack. I love it!! It also came with 6 bottles of flavoring of my choosing.
And by using the 50/50 blend and an eliquid calculator, I just ignore the suggestions for the amount of pg and vg I need to get 50/50 6 mg eliquid?

 

Yep, just tell the calculator what your base PG:VG/nic strength is and your desired PG:VG/nic strength.
Then add your flavoring percentages, and it will spit out milliliter measurements to mix together.
Start low with flavorings. It's easier to add more later, and a lot of flavors paradoxically get weaker or taste strange at higher concentrations.
Recommend screwing the lid on tight and giving them a bath in warm water for a few hours after mixing before you vape at the very least. Some flavors only come alive after a few days of steeping, some are fine with just a thorough mixing. Creams and tobacco notes particularly need either time or an ultrasonic mixer to really shine.

 

Wow, that's the kit! haha. I hope you don't need the apron though hehe. It is as hypocritelecteur stated as well when dealing with creams and/or tobacco (RY4 inclusive) to add additional time for them to blend and truly get the best flavor out of them.

I have made a few batches where I was almost done with the bottle and it was just getting better and better! Needless to say, I read a bunch of great advice on here, but the experience you learn yourself really sends that message home, haha.

 

Big help to all of us. Specially the newbies like me! Thank so much for the informative post!

 

First off let me say thanks for a great post! I've read multiple places that high VG juices may take longer to steep because VG doesn't "carry" flavor as well as PG. If I diluted my flavor concentrates with VG, lets say I double the original volume, (my flavor comes in a 10ml and I add 10ml of VG,) will that help the flavor disperse in that VG and then when I make my juice later it will help the flavor pop faster?

Im aware that when I make my recipes I will have to double my flavors if they're diluted.

Thanks in advance for any answers

 

Not necessary.

I have heard and read the same a lot but in reality when
I did diy almost all my flavors did not need any additional percentage for high vg.

I usually diy 80 % vg / 20% pg.

After mixing heat steep or use a cockpot couple of times and a day to settle, the juice should be about 50% + + ready to taste


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*crockpot* damn autocorrect


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DIY FOR DUMMIES?

I still haven't had the courage to do a DIY e-liquid. I have nic base 100% in PG base. If I want to make an e-liquid that is 50/50 at a strength of 24 mg, would I just add VG to the PG base and it should come out to 50/50, or am I missing something? I have all my equipment assembled, but can't seem to get started. Help, anyone!

 

What mg/ml is you nic base?

 

100 mg PG based 250 ml

 

You really need a good eliquid calculator - it will tell you what you need to do. I, and a lot of DIY folk, use ejuiceme up by breakthrough software. Here is a link to download it to a Windows based computer. There are other calculators for phones, too, but I really like this one. You plug in your NIC base, your final mix, any % of flavors you want, and calculate. It will do ml, drops, or weight.

eJuice Me Up - Best eJuice Calculator

 

I would be grateful for your recipe. I like the "and cream" concept with fruits. Thanks!