never mixed need some questions answered

[bennie7767]

hi people

so i want to start mixing my own e liquids

i understand most of it but i dont understand how you work out how much flavour concentates to add

starting real basic say using just 1 flavour to 10ml of vg/pg how do you work out how much to add

if i wanted to add two flavours to 10ml vg/pg would you use less of each compaired to what you would add to a single flavour mix

​

 

[DavidOck]

Hi, Bennie, and welcome aboard

The easiest way to approach that is to just find some recipes that interest you and use those percents to start with. and then adjust as needed to your tastes.

The amount to use in a brand new flavor is, well, always a guess I tend to use 5% for those, which will generally give me a good idea of the flavor, and of how strong a flavoring agent it is.

Some flavor maker's products are really concentrated, some not so much, so brand can have an effect. As in, say a mango from one maker may be weak at 5%, another maker's mango might be overpowering.

DO make small batches of your new mixes, maybe 10 ml. (Some just make 5 ml, but I like to have at least two tanks worth to be sure.)

And come join in the fun over here

Random DIY mixing and More

So many threads get off topic so fast. It figured it would be hard to get a random topic thread off topic:lol: Soooo,I have a couple questions to start. Anyone mixing with plum flavor? I have INW Plum in my cart at BCF but I'm wondering about...

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

 

[smacuser]

@bennie7767

There are many DIY eliquid calculators on the internet. My favorite is e-liquid Calculator.

 

[bennie7767]

Hi, Bennie, and welcome aboard

The easiest way to approach that is to just find some recipes that interest you and use those percents to start with. and then adjust as needed to your tastes.

The amount to use in a brand new flavor is, well, always a guess I tend to use 5% for those, which will generally give me a good idea of the flavor, and of how strong a flavoring agent it is.

Some flavor maker's products are really concentrated, some not so much, so brand can have an effect. As in, say a mango from one maker may be weak at 5%, another maker's mango might be overpowering.

DO make small batches of your new mixes, maybe 10 ml. (Some just make 5 ml, but I like to have at least two tanks worth to be sure.)

And come join in the fun over here

Random DIY mixing and More

So many threads get off topic so fast. It figured it would be hard to get a random topic thread off topic:lol: Soooo,I have a couple questions to start. Anyone mixing with plum flavor? I have INW Plum in my cart at BCF but I'm wondering about...

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

some will you suggested % on the listings and others dont so it got me confussed haha

are flavour concentates supended in pg or vg already . im guessing no but yeh not sure

is it better to add vg/pg 1st then flavours or makes zero difference

i have read a few recipes i will probably fallow a few if i can find all the right flavours for them haha

is it a mistake if you just put random flavours together and see what comeout . that sort of sounds fun to me eg pasionfrout with a cherry plus and maybe a black currant . im guessing thats how people make recipies ?? but fine tune %

do you taste a new mix or wait for and steep a few days 1st . i understand steeping is better but do you still taste before

 

[bennie7767]

@bennie7767

There are many DIY eliquid calculators on the internet. My favorite is e-Liquid Calculator.

they dont help work out how much flavouring to add just the % nic to vg/pg but its cool i can work that math my self

 

[smacuser]

I’ll add the nic first, then the flavors. VG and PG last. That way, if I accidentally head towards over filling, I know I’ll have the important ingredients already in there.

Test it right away to make sure it’s in the ballpark, then let it sit if it needs it. I’ve rarely had the patience required to do that

 

[smacuser]

they dont help work out how much flavouring to add just the % nic to vg/pg but its cool i can work that math my self

It should. Here’s an example of one of my recipes:

 

[bennie7767]

I’ll add the nic first, then the flavors. VG and PG last. That way, if I accidentally head towards over filling, I know I’ll have the important ingredients already in there.

Test it right away to make sure it’s in the ballpark, then let it sit if it needs it. I’ve rarely had the patience required to do that

ok honestly that sounds like its the smart way

 

[bennie7767]

It should. Here’s an example of one of my recipes:


View attachment 993395

im trying to run before i can walk haha im already trying to work out how to make my own recipies . i can see my self getting carried away ...next week 20 flavours and 10L pg/vg ....haha joking

 

[smacuser]

im trying to run before i can walk haha im already trying to work out how to make my own recipies . i can see my self getting carried away ...next week 20 flavours and 10L pg/vg ....haha joking

I like the ELR website because you can list your flavors and it can give you suggestions based on what others have made. If you look up a recipe using keywords for flavors, be sure to click the Ratings tab to see what is most popular.

 

[bennie7767]

I like the ELR website because you can list your flavors and it can give you suggestions based on what others have made. If you look up a recipe using keywords for flavors, be sure to click the Ratings tab to see what is most popular.

when i add the flavour name do i select pg vg or other . the flavour concentates im looking at dont tell me
i didnt realize thats how the calcuator worked .

 

[smacuser]

One other tip when mixing, make sure to shake the crap out of all your ingredients before you mix (PG and VG, not so much). Then, shake your mix when it’s complete. This will make sure you nic and flavors are equally suspended throughout the liquid.

 

[smacuser]

when i add the flavour name do i select pg vg or other . the flavour concentates im looking at dont tell me
i didnt realize thats how the calcuator worked .

Most flavors are going to be suspended in PG, unless you purchase from a store that specializes in VG flavors (I forget who).

If you’re going to use ELR to list your flavors, search for them first under the Flavor list under the Resources tab, then click the recipes tab to find how your flavors have been added. You’ll want to match the most popular listing available.
See below:

 

[DavidOck]

are flavour concentates supended in pg or vg already

MOST are in PG. There are a few in VG, but those aren't common.

is it a mistake if you just put random flavours together and see what comeout . that sort of sounds fun to me eg pasionfrout with a cherry plus and maybe a black currant

Well, no, not a mistake. Although "random" might be You're on track, though, with mixing flavors that sound tasty to you, and that is how many recipes are developed. Then you need to decide which flavor you want prominent, that would be the highest percent, Other flavors add undertastes and fill out the mix.

can see my self getting carried away ...next week 20 flavours and 10L pg/vg ....haha joking

Maybe just a liter or two of the PG and VG to start, but, well, 20 flavors is a good start

 

[ShowMeTwice]

i understand most of it but i dont understand how you work out how much flavour concentates to add

starting real basic say using just 1 flavour to 10ml of vg/pg how do you work out how much to add

if i wanted to add two flavours to 10ml vg/pg would you use less of each compaired to what you would add to a single flavour mix

I prefer to start low with all flavors. No exceptions.

Example 1: If I am making 10ml of a single flavor, say a mango, I will start that flavor between 1% and 2%. But that totally depends on the flavor. If it is a very highly concentrated flavor then I will start with a single drop in 10mls.

Why? It is much easier to add more flavoring (only if needed). You can not remove flavoring from a mix. Always start low.

I have never followed the recommendations of what others on e-liquid recipes or elsewhere suggest. Frankly, I often find folks using far more flavoring than what I prefer.

Example 2: If I were making 10ml with two flavors, say a pineapple and mango, I would first decide which flavor I wanted out front. If I wanted pineapple out front then I would go with (maybe*) 1.5% pineapple and 0.75% mango.

* - It all depends on what flavors I am using. Some flavor houses are known for their highly concentrated flavors. The more highly concentrated a flavor is the less you will need in a mix. Example: Medicine Flower Guava is an ultra concentrate . . . only 1 drop is needed in 10ml for full guava flavor.

Knowing how much flavoring to use comes down to knowing your flavors. The only way to know your flavors is to single flavor test (SFT) each flavor. There is NO way around that!!!

When I do SFT's I always start with very low percentages (never exceeding 2%). It does not matter to me if others say a flavor should be used at 10% - - - to me, that is insanity - - - and it does not matter what the flavor is.

In the end . . . it all comes down to personal preferences. You may prefer using high percentages.

It is very well known that every single flavor will mute, and some will taste downright nasty, if taken over X percent. There is no listing to be found anywhere of what X percent equals. It comes down to trial and error.

Create an account on e-liquid recipes (ELR) and look at many recipes. Find ones you might enjoy and start with those. If you see recipes that are using over 15% total flavorings - - - cut the percentages in half. That is especially true of any recipes that are 20% or over.

Also, have a look at the recipes in Zazie's blog. The majority were created by ECF members.

Zazie

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

The vast majority of my recipes do not exceed 10% total flavorings. Most use less.

 

[bennie7767]

i worked it out now . ok thanks thats all i needed to know

 

[smacuser]

Just Google VG flavors, the first 5 hits all look solid.

DIY Flavor Shack
DIY Vapor Supply
Liquid Barn
Flavor Jungle
One on One

But it really shouldn’t matter if you’re going to use PG anyway. Just because a flavor is in VG, it may not be the best representation of that flavor.

 

[ShowMeTwice]

are flavour concentates supended in pg or vg already . im guessing no but yeh not sure

Most flavors are suspended in PG. There are a few flavor houses that suspend in VG.

is it better to add vg/pg 1st then flavours or makes zero difference

It makes no difference. Totally up to you. Does not matter.

is it a mistake if you just put random flavours together and see what comeout . that sort of sounds fun to me eg pasionfrout with a cherry plus and maybe a black currant . im guessing thats how people make recipies ?? but fine tune %

Yes, that is a mistake and a recipe for disaster. You need to have a plan when creating a recipe.
Knowing what flavors work with other flavors is the key to success.
Learning what you prefer for combinations of flavors comes down to trial and error.
You should look at many recipes to get an idea of what flavors may or may not work together.

do you taste a new mix or wait for and steep a few days 1st . i understand steeping is better but do you still taste before

That totally comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer vaping their juices right after mixing and some steep for X amount of time. As a rule, I let my mixes steep.

When I mix something, be it a SFT or a recipe, I always test it right after mixing. Why? I want to know where an SFT or a recipe is starting from. Otherwise you will not know.

Steeping. Some flavors and recipes demand a long steep, as in 4 weeks. Some even longer depending on the flavor(s) used. Creams, bakery and tobaccos all require a long steep to fully develop. Some fruits are shake and vape. Generally, all flavors will benefit from a steep.

Flavors, PG, VG and nicotine form a homogeneous mixture when added together. They require steeping to settle into a miscible mix.

I would suggest taking detailed notes for every flavor you SFT and every recipe you mix. Those notes will determine your success with DIY. I have many notebooks dating back to 2012 full of flavor notes and notes on recipes. I still take detailed notes.

 

[smacuser]

One other thing before I have to head back to work, if you see a flavor on ELR, click on it and it will show you what percentage most folks will use it at for a recipe or SFT (single flavor test).

Some flavors are more concentrated than others.

 

[ShowMeTwice]

@bennie7767 here is an excellent webpage showing what fruits go with other fruits.

The Ultimate Fruit Flavor Pairing Chart

Are you looking to try making some new recipes? Check out this ultimate fruit flavor pairing chart to discover some great flavor combinations.

thebakersalmanac.com

I have a few baking/cooking books written by chefs that also show pairings for fruits and other.

For me, I have always approached DIY the same as baking/cooking in real life. IMHO, they are one in the same.

FWIW, the food industry uses the same flavors we use in their products.

When I look for DIY ideas to create, I always look at baking websites. Those are where I find most of my recipe ideas for DIY. I rarely use ELR or any of the other DIY sites for ideas.