Not really D.I.Y. - Fixing bad flavors?

[Ciego]

I was just reading...and laughing my fool head off... a thread in this section about peoples' experiences with really bad premix e-liquid flavors. As I look at my "only in emergencies" pile, I was wondering. Is there a "fix" for bad-tasting liquid?

Obviously, liquids with stale/decomposing ingredients cannot be saved and should be thrown away, but what about flavors that are simply not to your taste?

Here are a few tips that I've read so far:

* Aging: Sometimes a fresh bottle can be improved by allowing it to age awhile. This seems to be true for some harsher tobacco flavors or ones containing citric acid.

* Aerating: Some flavors benefit from exposure to air, allowing subtle aromas to expand. This is sort of I think, like letting a bottle of wine "breathe" a little before decanting/drinking it.

* Adding either PG or VG. The problem here I would think, would be dilution of flavors.

* Adding strong flavors to weak ones, or adding berry flavors to tobacco juices, or adding menthol to just about any flavor.

Any other suggestions? Comments on the above tactics? Thanks in advance to veteran vapers who have more experience than I.

 

[hgigh]

I have no other suggestions other than what you have already noted. I have 30ml of juice that I just do not like. I took a small 10ml sample and added menthol crystals to it. That saved this particular juice (supposed to be a tobacco flavor). I also had a 36mg Vanilla Latte that was a little too strong so I cut it with 50% vg to bring the mg down. Doing this mutes the flavor a little but with this particular juice it still tastes good. So I would suggest if you want to keep the strength to add menthol. If you don't mind altering the flavor and strength you can try cutting it with PG/VG.
Good luck!

 

[kj4lxw]

Adding very strong fruit or coffee flavor helps for bad tobaccos. Sometimes adding a good tobacco to non-tobac flavor will work.
Many times I do this just for a change in pace among my juices.

For an idea of what the mix may turn out like, drip one drop of each juice onto a relatively clean atty. I make my little mixes in small batches never more than 3-4 ml, that way its easy to adjust and not a lot wasted if it turns out bad.

Let sit for at least 24 hours before diving into the juice so that it can mix/settle well. Will add a few drops VG for vapor. I'll go with 3 flavor mix at most just to keep from complicating matters. All just what works for me.

 

[aprioristic]

Sounds like some really good tips in here. I asked how to repair some nasty Dekang RY4 and one thing I remember being told was that adding chocolate can help some bad flavors. I'll try to check what else was said. It turns out that giving it a little air and a few days made it vapeable, though still not very good. I get a light caramel smell but zero flavor and think I am going to just hold on to this for a while just to see if anything develops.

Adding very strong fruit or coffee flavor helps for bad tobaccos. Sometimes adding a good tobacco to non-tobac flavor will work.
Many times I do this just for a change in pace among my juices.

For an idea of what the mix may turn out like, drip one drop of each juice onto a relatively clean atty. I make my little mixes in small batches never more than 3-4 ml, that way its easy to adjust and not a lot wasted if it turns out bad.

Let sit for at least 24 hours before diving into the juice so that it can mix/settle well. Will add a few drops VG for vapor. I'll go with 3 flavor mix at most just to keep from complicating matters. All just what works for me.

I'm just about to get a mod to drip with so I don't understand the mechanics of it... Does it really need to sit for 24 hours to mix within the atty? I'd think you would be able to just drop the 2 drops onto a small cup or surface, swirl with a needle or something, then be able to draw it up. Wouldn't the few drops of unflavored VG then also dilute the flavor strength by 60% (assuming "few" = three), thus you would need extra flavor to simulate a real mix? I guess you would be able to use the source flavors at double flavor or something, but drops of raw flavoring would be too much.

You're definitely onto something with that technique though. I suppose you at least would get the essence of the mix even if it wasn't full flavor.

 

[kj4lxw]

Nope, you misunderstood.

Drip one or two into atty for idea of what the mix will be like. Sometimes its just the way I will vape during that session, mixing drops in the atty.

Setting 24 hours and adding VG is for the little batches of juice I mix. I will use a 3-5ml bottle, making little mixes of 2-3 flavors added together. Add couple drops VG, shake up real hard, then set a day or two (if I can wait that long).
I make it in those small amounts mainly as I take the little drip bottles to work with me, but also easier to work with the small amount (especially if it needs "tweaking").
I know the mix is "good" when it starts tasting better at 48 and 72 hour marks.

Hope that clarifies it better. I follow the KISS method, no need to over complicate the process.

Plus I would never have the patience to let an atty set that long with juice in it ready to vape

As far as a mod to drip with, I just use the standard Ego and drip with any ole atty Has always worked for me. Its more of a sitting at home method, totally a pain and even dangerous trying to vape this way while driving.

Only modding I do is remove the mesh from inside the atty using tweezers.

There are a few standard staple flavors that if you find that you like, is good to keep around for mixing with other juices or flavors not totally up to par.
Choc-vanilla-fruits-coffe-etc. Choice is up to individual's taste.

 

[aprioristic]

Got it now. Back on topic of fixing flavors I looked up the suggestions I got and it was just try adding chocolate, but this was interesting...

I have one bottle that any slightly un-used juice goes into. These include ones I didn't like, didn't want to waste a carto on, etc. Guess what, it is now my best juice and once it's gone - it is gone. My carto label for it is just a ?

...if all else fails.

The random chemicals TPA has interests me but I haven't seen anyone say they use them. Maybe all a flavor needs is a part of the flavor (just pulling this at random):

Trimethyl Pyrazine 10% (S)

heart/mid note
nutty musty earthy powdery cocoa roasted peanut

Tase Description: Raw, musty, nutty, potato
Mosciano, Gerard P&F 15, No. 6, 35, (1990)

CAS # 14667-55-1
FEMA # 3244
can use up to .1% of total fragrance concentrate
use up to 80 ppm in flavor (undiluted)

 

[Juppers]

I've come across some truly horrid flavors recently. So far adding cream to them has muted and mellowed them out to be vaped without gagging. I'll try some chocolate too. I don't want to toss them, but I avoid vaping them at all costs.

 

[ImJustAvg]

I had a few flavors that just weren't very good. Sometimes leting it steep helps, but lowers the nic level. Sometimes adding VG to the too thick juice helps but lowers the flavor level some. A Pina Colada mix was saved with fresh real pineapple juice (maybe 10 drops to 15 ml). Scobby Doo was mixed with Black Forest Cake and a Peanut Butter Crunch and believe it or not, it was great! I had been thinking about throwing all three away (each about 1/2 empty) and decided to just mix them all together and see what they would taste like. And I liked the result.
I like to play around with different things and sometimes can add some flavoring (with real juice) if the flavor isn't strong enough and if I get it too strong, then dilute it with VG.
Knock on wood, I have only had one that was so bad (after I tried everything to make it better) that I was ready to throw it away. But then I froze it, for a week, and then let it thaw out slowly in the refrigerator. Tried it again, not near as bad, but still not great, so it is my emergency ejuice only.

 

[Prodigal441]

I have 5 flavors that all have a floral taste to them. Anyone have suggestions on how to kill that in a mix?

 

[dlbald]

I am not a big fan of FSUSA but I bought some of their Hopscotch to mellow down bad tasting juice. So far, that is the only liquid I would recommend from them. I have cured several "throw it in the trash can" flavors with this. Hopscotch alone is great but it is quite sweet and I can not vape it for a long time by itself.

 

[chimney55]

I haven't used this yet, but if something has been steeped, and hasn't outright gone bad, you can try this.

FreedomSmokeUSA

 

[dormouse]

Liberty-flights.com sell Bitter Wizard for fixing too-sweet liquids and Vape Wizard for fixing too sour/bitter liquids.
D.I.Y & Mixing - Flavourart eLiquid Flavouring

And somebody on the forum said vanilla flavor can help some bad tasting ejuices.

I use a variety of flavors to perk up some blah tobacco juices - I usually use them on the fly in the cart - vanilla, chocolate, vanilla-almond, oRYental (from FSUSA - a sweet RY4), peach

You could also cut it 50/50 or more with flavorless PG/VG of your nicotine level and then add more of some flavoring to change the flavor a lot. I think I will have to do that with a couple of my Gourmet Vapor concoctions. Poor Turkopomilla, my first creation, the "pom" (pomegranate) just totally stomps all over the rest. Pomegranate is strong like ox. I'm afraid my spiced peach may be hopeless - 10% Clove flavor was not a great idea.

And I have a couple I have bought that are just icky in ways I don't know how to fix. A couple have a baby powder aroma/taste in them (madvapes and Vaporenu).