How do you sample a new flavoring before you use it.

[dannyv45]

I haven't herd this subject come up in a while.

You've bought a new flavor because it sounds like it would taste good.

So how do you test that flavor to get an idea on it's taste before adding it to a mix.

1. Do you mix it in a 10ml test base and vape it?

2. Do you pop the cap and put a dab on your finger and taste it?

3. Do you pop the cap and go by smell alone?

4. Do you put a drop on the edge of an unsalted cracker heat it and pop it in your mouth?

5. Do you put a drop or 2 in 6oz of water and sip it?

6. Are you brave enough to put a drop right into a dripper or 510 atty and vap it straight up?

7. Do you mix a drop in a little cool whip?

8. Do you make someone else do all the above and then make them describe the taste to you?

So what do you do? (There is no wrong answer).

EDIT!!!!

Some of these above were ment to be silly so don't think I'm crazy

 

[Islandguy]

Lol i might have to try some of the above mentioned things. For now i just mix a small batch and use on a new wick. Probably not the most efficient way but its all i have at the moment

 

[28if]

First I'll like to say that I am in no way a very successful mixer.

After a few months of using the mix up a 10ml batch using someone's recommended percent and going from there. I now use the drop test on my finger prior to mixing anything up. I have found this to get me a bit closer on my starting percentages.

 

[dannyv45]

Lol i might have to try some of the above mentioned things. For now i just mix a small batch and use on a new wick. Probably not the most efficient way but its all i have at the moment

It's the most effective way that I know of so your doing good. But believe it or not I've done it all except maybe dripping direct or last one , I can't talk my wife into that

 

[dannyv45]

First I'll like to say that I am in no way a very successful mixer.

After a few months of using the mix up a 10ml batch using someone's recommended percent and going from there. I now use the drop test on my finger prior to mixing anything up. I have found this to get me a bit closer on my starting percentages.

The super concentrates can be a bit of a bite on the tounge but I also dropped some on my finger wiped it off then tasted. It does give you an idea of taste.

 

[sketchness]

I have liked the cool whip method. Except it is awful with a strong tobacco, just as any of the other taste methods would be. I usually try a drop in a ml or 2 of 50\50 mix. I use a little shot glass to mix them up in.

Have yet to try straight vape, cracker, or water methods.

 

[dannyv45]

I use flavoring in regular plain bottled water from time to time as a treat. 2 or 3 drops and 2 drops of sweetener in a 16oz bottle of water makes a great flavored water. Some lemon, lime, cherry, orange, bananna, peach, kiwi etc... are nice flavors to use.

 

[Boletus]

I use flavoring in regular plain bottled water from time to time as a treat. 2 or 3 drops and 2 drops of sweetener in a 16oz bottle of water makes a great flavored water. Some lemon, lime, cherry, orange, bananna, peach, kiwi etc... are nice flavors to use.

Thanks for that, I now have something to do with the free samples I have gotten but will never vape. Club soda or seltzer water might be a good option too.

Regarding tests, so far I have only done smell and small test batches, and of course searching this DIY forum and seeing what others have to say about it. Some of those other ideas sound useful and I will try some, but the whipped cream one is probably out, since once I put some in my mouth, the rest of the container mysteriously disappears.

Regarding that last one, a vape slave sure would come in handy. Maybe I can find one on Craig's list.

 

[Rat2chat2]

Thanks. I'm thinking the drop in coolwhip could be interesting.

 

[Kable]

When I get a new flavor, I usually just give the stare of death to the bottle until it tells me what my preferred concentration will be and recommends a recipe for me to try it in. ymmv

 

[Kable]

Seriously though, I usually just go by smell. If I have no idea what it's going to taste like, I put a drop in some vg and try it on a dripper. I might start trying them in water, though, since I always have a pitcher of water and a glass next to me.

 

[Roydub]

I have been using the water method ( # 5 )... I also use that method with multiple flavors so I can get a feel for how multiple flavors interact with eachother

When I get a new flavor, I usually just give the stare of death to the bottle until it tells me what my preferred concentration will be and recommends a recipe for me to try it in. ymmv

Though I am going to have to give this one a try

 

[Hoosier]

Mostly #1.

Sometimes, but rarely, #8.

 

[AndriaD]

I just got 3 diff coconut flavors PIFed to me, so I can see which I like well enough to order, and I considered this very question. What I've done is made a recipe for a very simple "creamy" recipe; 5% sweet cream, 5% bavarian cream, 2% sweetener, and each test got 5% of one of the coconut flavors; 10mg nicotine. If necessary I can go up to 4%-5% sweetener, but I wanted to try it first only lightly sweetened to give me a truer sense of the coconut flavors. What I'm having trouble resolving though is how to do the actual testing; I only have one RDA. I do have an absolute plethora of single-coil cartos, and I do like cartos, for the tight draw, so maybe that's the answer.

Obviously the method of testing would have to vary, depending on the flavor. If it was a tobacco flavor, or a "regular" fruit flavor, I'd probably just mix it with some PG/VG and nicotine and try it by itself. The problem with the coconut is that I've never eaten just plain fresh coconut all by itself, so I had to try and replicate the ways I *have* had it before.

And I'd definitely include the nicotine in the test, because it conveys its own presence by flavor and more subtle means, such as TH; no use figuring out a good recipe without taking account of the nicotine in the total flavor.

Andria

 

[Exchaner]

8. Do you make someone else do all the above and then make them describe the taste to you?

That tactic has never worked for me even though I have tried. Somehow my favorite flavors are those on everybody else's dump list - and vice versa. I might very well be anti-social.

 

[relapse]

Tasting on finger doesn't seem to give me a good idea of what it will vape like.. I usually make a small test batch, bit I have been known to vape the flavor straight. This can be overpowering with some flavors, but gives a very accurate representation of most flavors.

 

[dannyv45]

Seriously though, I usually just go by smell. If I have no idea what it's going to taste like, I put a drop in some vg and try it on a dripper. I might start trying them in water, though, since I always have a pitcher of water and a glass next to me.

I have been using the water method ( # 5 )... I also use that method with multiple flavors so I can get a feel for how multiple flavors interact with eachother




Though I am going to have to give this one a try

I'm a tobacco vaper and water just won't work for that. Nothing worst then the taste of tobacco water The 10ml test sample would be the best for tobaccos.

 

[dannyv45]

I just got 3 diff coconut flavors PIFed to me, so I can see which I like well enough to order, and I considered this very question. What I've done is made a recipe for a very simple "creamy" recipe; 5% sweet cream, 5% bavarian cream, 2% sweetener, and each test got 5% of one of the coconut flavors; 10mg nicotine. If necessary I can go up to 4%-5% sweetener, but I wanted to try it first only lightly sweetened to give me a truer sense of the coconut flavors. What I'm having trouble resolving though is how to do the actual testing; I only have one RDA. I do have an absolute plethora of single-coil cartos, and I do like cartos, for the tight draw, so maybe that's the answer.

Obviously the method of testing would have to vary, depending on the flavor. If it was a tobacco flavor, or a "regular" fruit flavor, I'd probably just mix it with some PG/VG and nicotine and try it by itself. The problem with the coconut is that I've never eaten just plain fresh coconut all by itself, so I had to try and replicate the ways I *have* had it before.

And I'd definitely include the nicotine in the test, because it conveys its own presence by flavor and more subtle means, such as TH; no use figuring out a good recipe without taking account of the nicotine in the total flavor.

Andria

Your issue is interesting and 2 fold.

1. You've already made your mixes and so only one of these methods would work.

2. You've never tasted pure fresh coconut.

So let's deal with # 1. You have a few choices

1. You can do choice # 1 and when you do use a dripper or your usual vaping device. A dripper or 510 atty is good if the mix is still a work in progress. If the mix is at it's final stage then your usual vaping device would be in order.

If you just wanted to know what the flavoring taste like right from the bottle. You can put 1 - 2 drops in 6oz of water and that should give you enough of an idea of the differences between the three coconut flavors. If your compairing 3 types of the same flavoring always use the same amount of flavor so you can judge flavor intensity.

2. You've never tasted coconut. Well that's a little harder as depending on how it's prepared will determine how it taste. You have raw, candy, desert. It's used as garnish etc...

So I would stop at the supermarket and maybe buy some coconut shavings, a coconut cream pie, an almond joy or mounds candy bar etc... and actually taste these. Maybe even if you can find one this time of year a whole fresh coconut.

 

[dannyv45]

Tasting on finger doesn't seem to give me a good idea of what it will vape like.. I usually make a small test batch, bit I have been known to vape the flavor straight. This can be overpowering with some flavors, but gives a very accurate representation of most flavors.

If your going to vape straight maybe a better method would be 4 drops PG or VG to one drop flavoring. That would be approx 20% flavor concentration.

9 drops PG or VG to 1 drop flavoring would be approx 10% flavor concentration. This method can help you with the flavor profile and hone in on the percentage you would need at the same time.

You can even mix up some base and use that to do the drop method.

I've done this quite often with new flavoring and it has worked quite well and helps me save lots of material. It's a quick down and dirty easy test but realize it does not take into account steeping that may be needed. I use the same needle for all drops cleaning it after each use to keep the drop size consistant.

Oh darn I gave away my secret on how I test flavors and start new mixes

 

[dannyv45]

That tactic has never worked for me even though I have tried. Somehow my favorite flavors are those on everybody else's dump list - and vice versa. I might very well be anti-social.

I've never gotten anyone either but with my luck when I do find someone there sense of taste will likely be way worst then mine