I've been doing some experimenting recently with making my own extracts. I've had very good luck using cinnamon along with herbal tea flavors. However when I try fruity flavors it comes out earthy and slightly weird. Any one have any suggestions?
Making own flavor extracts
- Thread starter StonyArtichoke
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You do realize that most of the commercial flavors out there aren't extracts? They are mixed from various compounds that contain flavor molecules that are similar to or make our tongues react in similar ways to the foods we eat. Most aren't actual extracts because it's so hard to make an extract that conveys the flavor that we expect to the end product. Good luck but I don't think you'll have much success.
If you are actually using fresh fruits it won't work well at all. Too much water/juice, too much natural sugars and a very good chance of spoilage since you're diluting your base so much.
Would I be better off to try to evaporate water off of the juice or to just use dehydrated fruit?
While I have done almost no fruit extracts - the skin is the most dominate portion where the flavors can come from. I know this is true with blueberries and citrus.
My understanding from reading up a little on the subject is that you would need to perform some sort of distillation that was really beyond what I wanted to wrap my brain around. Just soaking some portion of fruit, dry or fresh, is not going to work.
Tea, spices, tobacco, coffee, vanilla are all doable.
Tea, spices, tobacco, coffee, vanilla are all doable.
The process is elaborate, expensive and extremely time consuming. If you are super handy you could build your own still for distillation so that might save you a few bucks but the lab quality equipment will be thousands. And since we're talking about something you plan to aspirate, any setting less than a controlled environment is more than a little risky. I looked at the process some time ago and found that $3.50 for a bottle of pre-made extract is waaaay cheaper and much safer. It may not always be perfect but I honestly believe that more flavorings are in the works from many different suppliers.
I was trying to flavor VG using cereal. I was told is wouldn't work. My idea was to just let the cereal soak in the VG and hope that the flavor would transfer. Would love to make a Wheaties vape or even a Corn Flakes.
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