The Flavor Apprentice Flavoring Thread

[AndriaD]

When I first started looking in this thread and saw so many of Bill's recipes, I was stunned at the percentages he was using (I was thinking that I could get away with a couple percent of flavor here and there) but I wasn't happy with how things were turning out. I'm pretty impatient when it comes to juice. When I want it, I WANT IT NOW

Using Bill's technique for higher percentages of flavoring in a mix gives me the ability to vape a mix immediately with great satisfaction. I've read all over the place that people "steep" (let sit) for days and/or weeks. It frustrates me if I don't have something that tastes good right away. From what I understand, you could do lower-percentage flavorings, but those need time to develop (hence, steeping.)

However, it's all about what works for you. I was wondering if there was some magical proportion of percentages used in higher-flavored mixes that I could do to back off the amount of flavoring I might need, but no one seems to have a formula for that

Yeah someone gave me a recipe the other day, something strawberry, and then said "it has to steep at least 3 wks"... And I'm thinking... "WHY?" (along with "how do you stay interested in something you can't even vape, for that long???") Then I looked at the percentages -- the total of all ingredients didn't even hit 20%. Then I showed them my strawberry and cream recipe -- just the strawberry flavoring is 16%, and all the creams and sweetener, another 16% -- and it's just about as good the minute I finish shaking it as it will ever be, though I've noticed that over the first few hours, it does continue to "develop" a bit, it gets a little richer-tasting. If I ever get to the point where I make a large quantity of it, more than 60ml at a time, I'd probably wait several hours after mixing, then add some citric acid.

Andria

 

[trueagle]

I want that recipe please please please

 

[Sgt.Rock]

Could someone please explain the whole citric acid thing?

From what I think I remember reading a while back it essentially freezes the flavor change process...?

Is this correct?

TIA!

 

[MasteroftheVape]

It reduces flavor fading and gives a little oomph to fruits/sweet flavors

 

[trueagle]

It also prevents bacteria growth

 

[MasteroftheVape]

It also prevents bacteria growth

Good point. I use it to make hommade cleaner as well. Works better than 409 and you could drink it without I'll effects.

 

[trueagle]

Yup its universal. I use a soap from seventh generations company to clean all my droppers and jars before I sterilization with PGA

 

[AndriaD]

I want that recipe please please please

Which? My strawberries and cream? It's not a "TFA exclusive" --- the base (the strawberry) is Inawera Shisha Strawberry, which I gather is meant to be some kind of strawberry-flavored tobacco oil for hookah? but I really don't taste anything but strawberries in sugar, in that flavor, though someone else said it tastes like "shisha"... whatever that means.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

Good point. I use it to make hommade cleaner as well. Works better than 409 and you could drink it without I'll effects.

I wonder if I could use that to get the "rainbow residue" off the bottoms of my stainless steel cookware. Currently I use plain white vinegar, but gawd I hate to smell that stuff.

Andria

 

[MasteroftheVape]

I use citric acid castile soap and borax dilution. Works awesome

 

[Sgt.Rock]

Thanks for the input!

 

[Fr3ker]

I use citric acid castile soap and borax dilution. Works awesome

How to use this citric acid? I normally drop around 1-3 drops for a 100mls

 

[MasteroftheVape]

I always used it at 1 drop per 5ml

 

[Fr3ker]

I always used it at 1 drop per 5ml

Doesn't it taste a bit hard on the throat hit?

 

[AndriaD]

Doesn't it taste a bit hard on the throat hit?

I don't think it would; I questioned it, because I dislike tart/sour flavors, but Bill said first make the citric acid into a 10% solution, which seems to mean "scant 1/4 tsp in 10ml PG"... then use just 1% of that add it as 1% of the recipe, so it comes out to be .1%... I think? Math isn't my strong suit, but that seems like such a small proportion, no way it would be evident to human senses, in itself. I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound like enough to introduce the tart/sour flavor I dislike, so I can't think it would really change the TH to any great degree.

Andria

 

[Fr3ker]

Makes sense @AndriaD , I'll start using it from now on ... I normally only use it on creamy flavors bcoz some said citric acid is already present in fruity flavors, it might be a placebo.

 

[AndriaD]

Makes sense @AndriaD , I'll start using it from now on ... I normally only use it on creamy flavors bcoz some said citric acid is already present in fruity flavors, it might be a placebo.

Hmm... if the flavoring is "organic" or organically-derived, from fruit, I suppose it might have some, a little. It might depend on the process used, to isolate the flavor/fragrance, from the fruit.

But I think using it in the mix after all ingredients are added, it seems to act as a sort of "fixative"... like the clear shellac painters spray on their paintings, to keep the colors from changing as they dry.

Andria

 

[Fr3ker]

Which is better?

Using it after the steeping process

Or

Before?

 

[AndriaD]

Which is better?

Using it after the steeping process

Or

Before?

Logically, I would think 'after' -- since it arrests the "development" of the flavor(s) -- that's why I said I would add it to my strawberries and cream several hours after mixing; it tastes good right away, but in 1-3 hrs, it tastes GREAT, and that's the point where I'd want it to stop changing.

Andria

 

[Fr3ker]

Logically, I would think 'after' -- since it arrests the "development" of the flavor(s) -- that's why I said I would add it to my strawberries and cream several hours after mixing; it tastes good right away, but in 1-3 hrs, it tastes GREAT, and that's the point where I'd want it to stop changing.

Andria

Great! :vape: [emoji106] ... Thanx @AndriaD