Making several test batches

[comptechltd]

I am going to make several 10 ml test batches mostly for single flavors (Gotta see what they are like). What my plan was is to make up say 100 ml of PG/VG/Nic and then split it into 10) 10 mil bottles and then add the flavor individually. so far so good.
My question is if I take a 10 ml sample of my pre-mix and add in 1ml of flavor, I will wind up with 11 mil and the flavor percentage will be off....so do you guys recommend that if I'm going to make a flavor mix at 10% I only put 9ml in the bottle and add the 1 mil of flavor, The same would hold if I want 20% of flavoring I would only add 8 ml with 2 mil of flavor.
I know this may seem rudimentary but I just want to make sure I have the concept right.

Steve

 

[sketchness]

Yep 9mls base. Some flavors may be pretty brutal at 10%. I would make 5ml test batches starting at 5%.

 

[Fog n Vape]

Yep 9mls base. Some flavors may be pretty brutal at 10%. I would make 5ml test batches starting at 5%.

I agree that 5% may be a better starting point though even that can be too high for some. For example tfa Apricot is super strong, at 5% in 5 ml 30pg/70vg the test batch I did was way overpowering but in that tester I just added 5 more mls of pg/vg to dilute to 2.5% and happily vaped some intense apricot juice. I haven't used this again above 2%, usually .5 to 1.6 %.

 

[Capt.shay]

I think that is an excellent idea. Recently, half the post in this thread are people saying " I mixed my first batch and it doesn't taste any thing like store bought". Of course these same people are the ones who were saying how easy juice is to make and how the flavor companies are ripping them off. You have got to know your flavor profiles if you are going to try to mix effectively.

I think 10ml is the smallest test batch I have ever made. Any smaller and your margin of error increases to much. . I also think that 10 percent is a good starting point to taste a stand alone. Depending on your flavor brands it may be weak or or it may be to strong but it should give you a good feel for the flavor. Your not trying to mix your ADV here, you are trying to get an idea how that particular flavor taste and feels. You will end up throwing a lot of it in the bin but so what, the bottle will cost you more than the juice in it.

Again, congrats on taking a progressive approach and be sure to take LOT's of notes. Take notes on your notes and then notate those

 

[Fog n Vape]

I usually now do my inital flavour testing with 3 mix's. 2.5 mls, 30pg/70vg, 6% nic at 1%, 3%, 5% flavouring. Some flavourings I don't do the 5%. Do I really want to vape 5% Koolada ? I've never had to throw away any juice or testers from day 1, if its too strong just add more vg/pg/nic and vape it. The only flavour I have been unable to use in a recipe has been Horchata. I will come back to it some day but for now I'm leaving that one alone, but at 1% it was vapeable for me and one day the light bulb will go on and I'll say to myself, this recipe needs horchata !

Notes, notes, and more notes........do ra me fa so la ti vape

 

[Hans Wermhat]

Good advice. Also, when trying new flavors, don't fill the bottle more than halfway up. It leaves room to cut it if it's too strong without having to transfer to a larger bottle.

 

[BrotherBob]

Recommend that you use a calculator and mix only 2-3 ml. samples.
Might want to read:
dannyv45's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
Hoosier's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[dannyv45]

I do 10mls in 15ml bottles. Leaves plenty of room to work. Start flavoring 1 - 2% below the recommended minimum percent and work up. Learn about steeping because if the mix requires it you don't want to spend your life steeping during the experimenting process. There are ways to speed this up.

Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum