menthol

[mediocre toker]

I've just started to make my own e liquid and am looking for some advise.
I'm after the cooling ingredient that you get in ready made liquids like they use in FuZion vapors.
I've found a supplier of menthol crystals and also Hangsen menthol flavour but i'm not sure which one to go for.
I like the fact that using crystal would be the cheaper alternative but am not sure if it would be safe to use and how to use them. Do they dissolve without heat for example?
I was going to drop just 2 crystals into 10ml of juice and shake it up. Will this be o.k?
Incidentally. My first mixture has been a resounding success using the juice-me-up software and a 20% ratio or thereabouts.
My first mix was 16% RY4, 6% hangsen caramel with 5% vodka. Base mix being VG with a 14% nicotine content. It's now my daily vape but I'm looking to recreate Pixie Dust or Krankberry type flavours with that undertone of cooling menthol.
Advise would be thoroughly welcomed
Neigh bother

 

[jclifford]

I bought the crystals. (I understand I probably should have weighed them) I filled a 30ml bottle about half full of crystal, added PG to the top. The crystals started to dissolve. I dropped the bottle in my ultrasonic cleaner (2.75 gallon, commercial grade) at about 100 degrees. In a half an hour the crystals were completely dissolved. I have added 3 to 8 drops to 10ml of juice to give anything a menthol flavor. My friend's vape is 9ml pg/vg, (30mg nic) 1.ml white grape and 6 drops of the menthol. He loves it!

 

[Gr8Scott]

Don't forget about Koolada. For a real menthol, you will need it. Plus Koolada is a flavor-neutral solution. It cools but has no flavor. It's very powerful.

I would advise getting the dry crystals and making your own flavoring. I haven't done a "cent per milliliter" cost analysis, but I am pretty sure it's cheaper.

Get a little digital scale on ebay, one that measures grams, 10 or 15 bucks, some even cheaper. They have ones with little cups which come in handy.

Anyway, get the dry crystals measure out 1 gram (according to the scale) and put that 1g in 10ml of PG.
Menthol crystals are very soluble in PG, if you are in a hurry you can turn the crystals in to powder first and/or take the mixture of bottled crystals/PG and let the bottle soak in a warm water bath, then shake.
But, I have found crushing not to be necessary as the PG dissolves the crystals pretty well just with shaking.

As for safety, yes menthol is safe, but wear gloves when you handle dry crystals. You don't want to touch your face/eyes.
Just act as if you are handling Habanero peppers and use the same precautions.

Here what I have on menthol. (I vape straight menthol a lot of the time.):

The first menthol recipe I got here on ECF:

50/50 PG/VG
6mg Nic
6% Menthol
2% Sweetener
1% Koolada


Then my modified "MMM Menthol" which was well received: (In truth, the only real flavor that jumps out here is the menthol. The others just smooth it out)

70/30 PG/VG
5% Menthol
1% Caramel
0.5% DoubleChocolate
0.5% Whipped Cream
0.5% Spearmint

or
8.5% Menthol







Then we have my "Gr8Menthol" series: (I discovered 5% water makes the flavors "brighter", your vodka addition will probably do the same)

Gr8MentholV1:

53/47 PG/VG (or whatever)

6% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
5% Water





Gr8MentholV2:

62/38 PG/VG

8.38% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
5% Water





Gr8Mint-tholV3 (Backed off on the water a wee bit here, added a little peppermint, which was pretty noticeable even at only 1%)


62/38 PG/VG

8.38% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
1% Peppermint
2.5% Water

Gr8Menthol Fourth Edition AKA Crazy Menthol (because of the percentages, but hey, it really works ) What evolved here was backing off the Ethyl Maltol and letting just "pure cool" happen.


64/36 PG/VG

8.4% Menthol
.85% Ethyl Maltol
1.67% Koolada
5% Water


Now, what I currently have and vape Gr8MentholV5, which is pretty close to perfection, for me re: menthol. The menthol is high,but you can drip this on another flavor in your atty and it melds quite nicely.

62/38 PG/VG

10% Menthol
.6% Ethyl Maltol
1.68% Koolada
4% Water


All these were made at either 24 or 25mg nic.



Happy DIYing!

 

[michaelsil1]

I bought the crystals. (I understand I probably should have weighed them) I filled a 30ml bottle about half full of crystal, added PG to the top. The crystals started to dissolve. I dropped the bottle in my ultrasonic cleaner (2.75 gallon, commercial grade) at about 100 degrees. In a half an hour the crystals were completely dissolved. I have added 3 to 8 drops to 10ml of juice to give anything a menthol flavor. My friend's vape is 9ml pg/vg, (30mg nic) 1.ml white grape and 6 drops of the menthol. He loves it!

Show off!


I want one.

 

[DeeDee1234]

You want to be able to reproduce your recipes as needed. I crush menthol crytals and use 1/2 teaspoons per 10 mls pg. The crytals resolve
completely and I can make the same consentration over and over to add to my ice recipe.

 

[DeeDee1234]

Don't forget about Koolada. For a real menthol, you will need it. Plus Koolada is a flavor-neutral solution. It cools but has no flavor. It's very powerful.

I would advise getting the dry crystals and making your own flavoring. I haven't done a "cent per milliliter" cost analysis, but I am pretty sure it's cheaper.

Get a little digital scale on ebay, one that measures grams, 10 or 15 bucks, some even cheaper. They have ones with little cups which come in handy.

Anyway, get the dry crystals measure out 1 gram (according to the scale) and put that 1g in 10ml of PG.
Menthol crystals are very soluble in PG, if you are in a hurry you can turn the crystals in to powder first and/or take the mixture of bottled crystals/PG and let the bottle soak in a warm water bath, then shake.
But, I have found crushing not to be necessary as the PG dissolves the crystals pretty well just with shaking.

As for safety, yes menthol is safe, but wear gloves when you handle dry crystals. You don't want to touch your face/eyes.
Just act as if you are handling Habanero peppers and use the same precautions.

Here what I have on menthol. (I vape straight menthol a lot of the time.):

The first menthol recipe I got here on ECF:

50/50 PG/VG
6mg Nic
6% Menthol
2% Sweetener
1% Koolada


Then my modified "MMM Menthol" which was well received: (In truth, the only real flavor that jumps out here is the menthol. The others just smooth it out)

70/30 PG/VG
5% Menthol
1% Caramel
0.5% DoubleChocolate
0.5% Whipped Cream
0.5% Spearmint

or
8.5% Menthol







Then we have my "Gr8Menthol" series: (I discovered 5% water makes the flavors "brighter", your vodka addition will probably do the same)

Gr8MentholV1:

53/47 PG/VG (or whatever)

6% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
5% Water





Gr8MentholV2:

62/38 PG/VG

8.38% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
5% Water





Gr8Mint-tholV3 (Backed off on the water a wee bit here, added a little peppermint, which was pretty noticeable even at only 1%)


62/38 PG/VG

8.38% Menthol
2% Ethyl Maltol
1% Koolada
1% Peppermint
2.5% Water

Gr8Menthol Fourth Edition AKA Crazy Menthol (because of the percentages, but hey, it really works ) What evolved here was backing off the Ethyl Maltol and letting just "pure cool" happen.


64/36 PG/VG

8.4% Menthol
.85% Ethyl Maltol
1.67% Koolada
5% Water


Now, what I currently have and vape Gr8MentholV5, which is pretty close to perfection, for me re: menthol. The menthol is high,but you can drip this on another flavor in your atty and it melds quite nicely.

62/38 PG/VG

10% Menthol
.6% Ethyl Maltol
1.68% Koolada
4% Water


All these were made at either 24 or 25mg nic.



Happy DIYing!

My latest Ice recipe:

Is koolada 10%
menthol 7%

What is your pg/vg? Is that why your adding water?

 

[mediocre toker]

Don't forget about Koolada. For a real menthol, you will need it. Plus Koolada is a flavor-neutral solution. It cools but has no flavor. It's very powerful.

Menthol crystals are very soluble in PG

As for safety, yes menthol is safe

Thanks for that gr8scott all my questions answered and more. I'm left wondering if i need menthol at all after hearing about koolada. Is this the coolant they use in the Fuzion range i.e. pixie dust and krankberry or is there some menthol in there as well.I'm not really into menthol at all but loved these two flavours and would like to try and reproduce the same cool throat hit. I just assumed that it was menthol they used. But there again maybe it is. I'll just have to experiment i guess. I'll get a few menthol crystals and a bottle of koolada and set up a lab. Mwa haw haw

Oh and thanks for the recipes.Some effort went into your post and it is much appreciated

 

[Gr8Scott]

My latest Ice recipe:

Is koolada 10%
menthol 7%

What is your pg/vg? Is that why your adding water?

PG/VG is listed right above each recipe

But, re: water, water just does something to the mix that is pleasant and noticeable. Perhaps it's just a minor hydro steaming action in the atomization of the heated juice.

PG/VG is a factor I consider depending on a variety of factors. I am still working on my mixing machine so until I get that up and running I just mix by hand. VG takes more time to mix than PG, so if I want to just get in/get out of my "lab" I am easy on the VG and heavy PG. And vice versa. Either way, I have been keeping it 10-15% + or - from a 50/50 PG /VG.

Thanks for that gr8scott all my questions answered and more. I'm left wondering if i need menthol at all after hearing about koolada. Is this the coolant they use in the Fuzion range i.e. pixie dust and krankberry or is there some menthol in there as well.I'm not really into menthol at all but loved these two flavours and would like to try and reproduce the same cool throat hit. I just assumed that it was menthol they used. But there again maybe it is. I'll just have to experiment i guess. I'll get a few menthol crystals and a bottle of koolada and set up a lab. Mwa haw haw

Oh and thanks for the recipes.Some effort went into your post and it is much appreciatedView attachment 213936

You're very welcome, glad it's helpful

RE: Menthol and Koolada, the just work synergistically, in compliment to each other. I am pretty sure most of the "ice" mixes are getting from Koolada. Just understand, too much koolada will make you choke, and not in a good "throater" sort of way either.

I made a "Mango Ice" with 3.8 % Koolada and I really kept trying to like it, but it was just unvapeable.

You'll notice in the Gr8 series I goto to 1.68% and stopped. You might be able to get higher but it's a PITA to rework pre-made juices. At least from a "thinning down" process. Because when you add PG/VG you also end up decreasing nicotine content. So you gotta add nic, then rework the flavor. Ends up being like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the endless hill. It's just a bee-awtch to do.

But, I think Koolada is your Huckleberry for a decent throater. That and adding a little more nic.

'Course, upping your wattage on your PV will help do that as well

 

[mediocre toker]

re: water, water just does something to the mix that is pleasant and noticeable. Perhaps it's just a minor hydro steaming action in the atomization of the heated juice.




You're very welcome, glad it's helpful

RE: Menthol and Koolada, the just work synergistically, in compliment to each other. I am pretty sure most of the "ice" mixes are getting from Koolada. Just understand, too much koolada will make you choke, and not in a good "throater" sort of way either.

I made a "Mango Ice" with 3.8 % Koolada and I really kept trying to like it, but it was just unvapeable.

You'll notice in the Gr8 series I goto to 1.68% and stopped. You might be able to get higher but it's a PITA to rework pre-made juices. At least from a "thinning down" process. Because when you add PG/VG you also end up decreasing nicotine content. So you gotta add nic, then rework the flavor. Ends up being like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the endless hill. It's just a bee-awtch to do.

But, I think Koolada is your Huckleberry for a decent throater. That and adding a little more nic.

'Course, upping your wattage on your PV will help do that as well

Totally sounds pretty logical to me. For water i use vodka as it has a much lower evaporation point than water it being alcohol. I find that it thins down my predominately VG base mix and stops the coil getting to gunked-up too quickly which in my opinion causes the thickening and darkening of the liquids.It makes some great plumes at 5% of the whole mix. This is where i find the e-liquid-me-up software comes in handy. Tells me exactly the right amount of fuel for a good burn.

On the other hand:
I Find that the FuZion range of e liquids quite a bit sweet for my tastes so have started to purchase these e-liquids at double the nic level and then just dilute with raw VG. Seems to work for me and the nic level/flavour is just right for me.I take what you said on board about the coolant level of koolada and start it off at 1.0% and see how i go from there. I can see that it's going to take a little experimenting to find the right (what i call right anyhow) mix. I'll start my experiments without nicotine to see how the flavours are, then if it all goes t*ts-up i can just dump the failures without wasting the most expensive part of the recipe.
Thanx again