My first DIY Spearmint HELP!

[intog]

I just started DIY mixing and need some help. I tried to make my own Spearmint and was hoping for a sweet/strong almost like gum taste, but what I got was a horrible bitter alcohol tasting vapor that makes me dizzy when I inhale it... ugg. I'm certain it's not a 'need to steep' issue, there is something wrong here! Is there something that jumps out here?

Here's what I used to make 5ml of 23.3mg nic liquid:

2 drops of sweetener (TPA - sucralose) - not enough?

5 drops menthol (crystals dissolved in PGA) (1 drop per ml)

1 ML spearmint flavor(TPA) (20%) - wanted a strong taste (maybe too much?)

2 drops of Everclear (to thin the VG) (5%)

.75ml VG (15%)

3.2ml 36mg PG Nic

I'm wondering about the use of PGA and if I dissolved the menthol correctly... I used a 1 to 1 ratio of menthol crystals and Everclear but maybe I need to add more crystals to the dissolved mix?. I'm also wondering about the 20% flavoring. I have some spearmint eliquid that I bought but I wanted to make my own that had stronger, sweeter flavor with a little menthol kick.

 

[Springbird]

I would use 5% of the TPA spearmint rather than 20% then if it was too weak you could add more. I don't use PGA or menthol crystals so I'm no help there. I use distilled water to thin VG. On the sweetener I would use more,spearmint is bitter. I would also add a little something with vanilla to kind of round it out and make it more like spearmint gum. I used Vanilla Bourbon and Bavarian Cream.

 

[intog]

yeah the vanilla may give it a little body. What about butter flavor? I have some of that.

 

[itzdoja]

IMO 20% for tpa spearmint is very high i tried 15 when i first got it and couldn't take it i haven't really made a recipe for that flavor i like all by itself but i really like a mix i use it in its

10 ml pg/vg vg@20%
24d tpa peppermint
12d tpa spearmint
15d tpa sweetener
8d menthol drops

it kinda reminds me of double mint gum, another note ive switched the sweetener for about 5 drops of
tpa french vanilla and its good too hope this helps

 

[StormFinch]

I don't even bother to thin the VG at 15%. It's less than your PG and flavorings so they will thin it out for you. And yeah, TPA sweetener isn't actually that sweet. At minimum I usually use it at 5%, and have ordered some splendex to try since I've been told it's mega sweet and only need a few drops per ml.

 

[intog]

Thanks for the help everyone. It looks like I have my flavoring too high and my sweetener too low. And I'll cut out the Alcohol too. Doesn't look like I need it anyway.

I'm still curious about the menthol. Could menthol crystals be dissolved in PG? I don't think I want any alc. in my mixes... or at least as little as possible.

 

[intog]

I don't even bother to thin the VG at 15%. It's less than your PG and flavorings so they will thin it out for you. And yeah, TPA sweetener isn't actually that sweet. At minimum I usually use it at 5%, and have ordered some splendex to try since I've been told it's mega sweet and only need a few drops per ml.

yeah, I couldn't find any answers on how much PGA to use or whether or not it was needed depending on the ratio of PG to VG. Vapor is not as important to me as flavor, so I don't see myself mixing anymore than 20% VG anyway.

 

[intog]

IMO 20% for tpa spearmint is very high i tried 15 when i first got it and couldn't take it i haven't really made a recipe for that flavor i like all by itself but i really like a mix i use it in its

10 ml pg/vg vg@20%
24d tpa peppermint
12d tpa spearmint
15d tpa sweetener
8d menthol drops

it kinda reminds me of double mint gum, another note ive switched the sweetener for about 5 drops of
tpa french vanilla and its good too hope this helps

Thanks! yeah, I think I got the flavor percentage way off. I will restart using your recipe and go from there. How much peppermint do you taste in this mix? I have some peppermint flavoring, but I'm not a fan of those peppermint candies.... or traditional candy canes for that matter.

 

[nofalls]

I have a bottle of mint from Viking Vapors that is so much like double mint gum that I can not stand it. For my regular mint in a KR8 carto I use the Lorann's creme de menth at 5% (18mg/mL nic w/ 20%VG to PG) and that is still a little strong for my liking. In my Ego that 5% mix has too much TH and tastes a little astringent.

I tried the TPA Horehound at 15% and found it to be too much annisette/black licorice with just a hint of mint. Yuck! But, I might just try that in a Clove mix eventually. - Mistakes are just finding a way not to so something that might work with something else! Or so I tell myself.

 

[champions]

I just drop a few shards of crystals in, heat the mix and let them dissolve when I do use them. I generally don't use them however since accurate measurement is a pain.

 

[Kevin Freeheart]

I was very anti-steeping as a customer of "made to order" juices. I heard people say that it needed steeping and though they were insane. And they still are.

That said, as a DIYer, steeping is required. For me, it takes about 2 days before my juice is even at the point where it's mixed enough to vape without unpleasant tastes. In general, unsteep juice tastes like rancid butter and sour pepper, if that makes any sense at all.

I know you said it's not a steeping issue. But as someone who was vehemently anti-steep as a non-DIYer, unless you've gone two days with that mix, I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[champions]

I second this. I have made mixes that should have been great, but were awful five minutes after mixing. I wrote them off and put them aside, then when going back to them loved them.

I was very anti-steeping as a customer of "made to order" juices. I heard people say that it needed steeping and though they were insane. And they still are.

That said, as a DIYer, steeping is required. For me, it takes about 2 days before my juice is even at the point where it's mixed enough to vape without unpleasant tastes. In general, unsteep juice tastes like rancid butter and sour pepper, if that makes any sense at all.

I know you said it's not a steeping issue. But as someone who was vehemently anti-steep as a non-DIYer, unless you've gone two days with that mix, I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[intog]

I second this. I have made mixes that should have been great, but were awful five minutes after mixing. I wrote them off and put them aside, then when going back to them loved them.

I agree with steeping, however I believe in my case that it wasn't a steeping issue because, well, a flavor that is off is one thing but a flavor that makes you want to pass out when inhaling is another. I checked my original 5 ml batch... I'm certain it was the menthol! Was too much and overpowered everything else... I'm not so sure I even really need the menthol for my spearmint, since I'm sickened by the thought of vaping menthol now.