The Flavor Apprentice Flavoring Thread

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I agree with hittman, b.m., and FranC; menthol (for most) is an accent and not a primary/stand-alone flavor. I have killed more than a couple of recipes with too much menthol (though I have seen a thread or two by those seeking nothing more than MENTHOL).

My own, and I have NO empirical or anecdotal evidence that this applies to ANYONE else, experience says that menthol has a noticeable flavor whereas koolada does not(mostly). Both can be overdone but menthol is a lot less forgiving.

I was not a regular menthol smoker but I did like one from time to time. As I recall; it still had a primary tobacco taste but with a cool/cold antiseptic backround (I mooched or traded my American Spirits for Kools, Salems, and Newports on occasion).

Again, I agree with the others... start low (1% or less) and work your way up, but I am guessing your friend might need something/some flavor in addition to the menthol to be truly satisfying. I myself had to stay completely away from anything that resembled tobacco for the first nine months to a year. I found that while they tasted the best; they also triggered my cravings the worst. Fruits and sweets tasted good but I tired of them quickly. Mints ended up being MY go-to.
Everyone is different; so be sure to remind your friend to experiment until they find what works for them.

Also, in regards to her saying your mix was "not strong enough," I would also encourage you to experiment with nicotine strength and/or vapor output. I bailed on vaping the first time because I wasn't getting the "lung" hit that I needed. And the second attempt I got seriously uptight because I didn't have enough nicotine in my over-the-counter juice.

I got a different tank that produced a heavier, thicker, vapor and upped my initial nicotine, and I never looked back!

You are a terrific friend to not only help your friend but to mix for her as well. Don't get discouraged; and don't let her either. vaping is very personal (as you know from your own journey AND from all of your participation here on ECF) and it just takes a little time and patience to find what works for her.

I take my hat off to you with great respect!

Thanks for the post. Yeah, we know her nic level has to increase a lot more than what I vape. LOL. She was referring to the strength of the koolada in my mix. As of now, her taste buds are very dull and I will also have to up the % in anything I do mix for her. But she also realizes that if she goes with this, she will have to learn how to do everything herself and not depend on me for everything. But I will always be willing to help her with whatever I can.
I have also discussed the current events regarding the deeming and am urging her to make up her mind on what she wants to do. And I have been trying to get her here at ecf.

 

[hittman]

I was a menthol smoker and thought at first that was what I had to have in a liquid. I used to mix straight menthol liquid from a vendor with a tobacco liquid from another vendor. I was a huge fan of silverleaf menthol before puresmoker went out of business. I can't tell you how much liquid I dumped out experimenting while knowing nothing about mixing and hadn't even seen this thread yet. I just counted drops and wrote it down as I went and made adjustments. To this day I still don't know the percentages. I just count the drops and then top off the 30ml bottle with 36mg nic. I like it strong. Since then I've found that I do in fact like other types of recipes thanks to the folks in this thread.

 

[IDJoel]

Thanks for the post. Yeah, we know her nic level has to increase a lot more than what I vape. LOL. She was referring to the strength of the koolada in my mix. As of now, her taste buds are very dull and I will also have to up the % in anything I do mix for her. But she also realizes that if she goes with this, she will have to learn how to do everything herself and not depend on me for everything. But I will always be willing to help her with whatever I can.
I have also discussed the current events regarding the deeming and am urging her to make up her mind on what she wants to do. And I have been trying to get her here at ecf.

I forgot about dead "buds." I know my ability to taste has improved; but it is so gradual I forget about it. Don't overlook the hardware aspect too. It wasn't until someone introduced me to my first regulated/V.V. APV that I really knew vaping could work for me (I needed to feel it in my lungs... that was what was missing for me from every previous attempt to quit; including ciga-likes).
Your time, patience, and caring get you a gold star in my book! Regardless of what she chooses to do. You truly are a good friend!

 

[Simply Red]

What I meant by that is that I have a bunch of recipes but need to work out the percentages. I mainly use no more than 11% total mix of flavoring. I quit smoking using Unflavored and now only need a little bit of flavoring for my mixes. The most flavoring for a single flavor that I use in mixes is 3%.

Out of the 23+ flavors of eliquid I make on a regular basis, I think the lowest percentage is, like, 16%?? and the highest is 27%, because of its complexity. The website I mentioned lets you store your "flavor stash" and, when you click on your flavor, it will tell you what other people are mixing with that flavor, comments about the flavor itself, recommended single flavor % and and recipe %, high, low and median (of each) of what people use. I found it very helpful, myself. YRMV. Lots of good information, imo.

 

[IDJoel]

I used to mix straight menthol liquid from a vendor with a tobacco liquid from another vendor.

That sounds familiar!
I got started DIYing in a similar fashion. I found a mint/wintergreen house blend at my local brick and mortar that was working for me. I just wasn't happy with the cost. One of the vape shop's clerks pointed out that for the price of a 30mL bottle of the flavor I could buy a 8 oz. bottle of PG or an 8 oz. bottle of VG. So I bought a 30mL of my flavor at twice the nicotine strength and started cutting it with a 50/50 blend of the PG and VG. Then the flavor got too weak. They happened to be the only B&M in town that sold flavorings too. Of course they wouldn't reveal their recipe but they were kind enough to acknowledge that they did make it with the same flavors (they just happened to be TFA) they sold. And thus my journey began.

 

[ShamrockPat]

Sorry Ablonz,
Whose "Sweet Guava" and " Banana Cream" and "Vanilla Custard?" I shouldn't ask but the last 15 pages or so kind of tossed "TFA" out the window of the TFA thread.
(I couldn't find a "Sweet Guava" on TFA's home page)

I know those sound like Cap flavors to me, of which I have both.

TFA's Guava I've found 1% more than enough or it'll really overpower a recipe. The Cap version also smells and taste like a great guava, which I mixed into a Velvet Cloud Strawb Guab clone recipe (really good but a touch too sweet). I've just mixed a 2nd batch, lowering the cap, and adding .25% TFA

I guess we really should try to stay TFA focused.

 

[IDJoel]

I know those sound like Cap flavors to me, of which I have both.

TFA's Guava I've found 1% more than enough or it'll really overpower a recipe. The Cap version also smells and taste like a great guava, which I mixed into a Velvet Cloud Strawb Guab clone recipe (really good but a touch too sweet). I've just mixed a 2nd batch, lowering the cap, and adding .25% TFA

I guess we really should try to stay TFA focused.

The recipe sounds good! Would you mind posting in full (if I'm not asking you to violate thread integrety)?

I went kind of crazy this weekend and have a bunch of vape mail due in this week. I know I ordered some guava but I don't remember whose at this moment. I'm still in search of a ADV in a tropical vein.

I have been working with orange, pineapple, coconut, guava, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, sea buckthorn, Philippine mango, and various creams.

I've got some vapable combinations but nothing I would consider ADV (or even post-worthy yet).

 

[ShamrockPat]

Hey @IDJoel,
in order to help maintain this thread integrity here's the link (French site, with translate option at the bottom of the page) that'll take ya right to the Velvet Cloud page. Quite a lot of clones. I've also mixed up 12Monkeys Mangabeys which I haven't tried yet as I have so many on the go.

Only the dot com has been modified.

http://www.lediypourlesnuls dot com/velvet-cloud-vapor/

If you already have TFA's guava, I can report back with my opinion.

 

[ShamrockPat]

Hey folks,
so some people are sensitive to the 'vomit' odor/flavor (butyric acid) of some of the TFA flavourants.

I created and ran a quick script on all of their posted MSDS listings for Butyric acid, and it came back with these 15.

I imagine these might also include some of their 'Perfumers' line as well.

Hope the list helps someone

Black Cherry Flavor
Cheesecake Flavor
DX Butterscotch Flavor
DX Hazelnut Flavor
DX Red Velvet Flavor
Fudge Brownie Flavor
Hazelnut Flavor
Kiwi (Double) Flavor
Nectarine Flavor
Orange Mandarin Flavor
Peach Flavor
Pralines and Cream Flavor
Red Velvet Cake Flavor
Strawberries and Cream Flavor
Strawberry Flavor

 

[hittman]

The recipe sounds good! Would you mind posting in full (if I'm not asking you to violate thread integrety)?

I went kind of crazy this weekend and have a bunch of vape mail due in this week. I know I ordered some guava but I don't remember whose at this moment. I'm still in search of a ADV in a tropical vein.

I have been working with orange, pineapple, coconut, guava, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, sea buckthorn, Philippine mango, and various creams.

I've got some vapable combinations but nothing I would consider ADV (or even post-worthy yet).

I made a fruit mix a while back that I thought was pretty good. It was 4% each of honeydew, strawberry ripe, and peach. I don't remember if I added any sweetener or not but if I did then it was only one or two percent.

 

[Ablonz]

Sorry Ablonz,
Whose "Sweet Guava" and " Banana Cream" and "Vanilla Custard?" I shouldn't ask but the last 15 pages or so kind of tossed "TFA" out the window of the TFA thread.
(I couldn't find a "Sweet Guava" on TFA's home page)

The Banana Cream is DX version and is TFA. You are right though about staying with TFA only on a TFA thread. The other 2 were CAP..... :\ I was just posting something for him to make for a banana flavor vape is all.

 

[b.m.]

The Banana Cream is DX version and is TFA. You are right though about staying with TFA only on a TFA thread. The other 2 were CAP..... :\ I was just posting something for him to make for a banana flavor vape is all.

No worries,none of us stay on topic or strictly Tfa here haha.It started as a Tfa thread,but a lot of us have found that a mix of different brands works better than sticking with just one,so there are a lot of recipes in here that have scattered brands mixed in.

 

[MsLoud]

A pinch of Cinnamon Spice with a whisper of Koolada with Juicy Peach is divine.

Juicy Peach 11%
Vanilla Swirl 2%

30ml -
1 DROP of Koolada
2 DROPS Cinnamon Spice

 

[b.m.]

A pinch of Cinnamon Spice with a whisper of Koolada with Juicy Peach is divine.

Juicy Peach 11%
Vanilla Swirl 2%

30ml -
1 DROP of Koolada
2 DROPS Cinnamon Spice

I'll have to give that a try.I bought a 4oz. bottle of cinnamon spice last year,and then never figured out anywhere to use it haha.

 

[MsLoud]

I just call it Spicy Peach - completely unoriginal

If you have Mango flavoring - throw some of that in there too!

 

[IDJoel]

in order to help maintain this thread integrity here's the link

Found it and added it to my recipe folder. Thank you!

 

[IDJoel]

I made a fruit mix a while back that I thought was pretty good. It was 4% each of honeydew, strawberry ripe, and peach. I don't remember if I added any sweetener or not but if I did then it was only one or two percent.

Thanks hittman!

 

[IDJoel]

The Banana Cream is DX version and is TFA. You are right though about staying with TFA only on a TFA thread. The other 2 were CAP..... :\ I was just posting something for him to make for a banana flavor vape is all.

Sorry Ablonz; I wasn't scolding. I am afraid I'm a recipe glutton and if anything catches my eye I gotta snag it. I just wasn't sure what flavors were being used and All of us have kinda got off topic so I had to ask.
I love this thread and all who contribute to it.

 

[Ablonz]

Sorry Ablonz; I wasn't scolding. I am afraid I'm a recipe glutton and if anything catches my eye I gotta snag it. I just wasn't sure what flavors were being used and All of us have kinda got off topic so I had to ask.
I love this thread and all who contribute to it.

Ok, so here goes. My very FIRST POSTED Diy Juice for all of you to ENJOY!!!!
Dx Banana Cream (TFA) 1.5%
Sweet Guava (CAP) 3%
Sweetner (TFA) .5%
Vanilla Custard v2 (CAP) 1%
I mix it 6 mg Nic, 30PG/70VG. Best Taste after 2 week Steep. I call it Guavanamo Bay. Hope you like it. I know I do!!!!! I have been vaping it for about a year now.

 

[hittman]

I'm trying to remember if I've ever tried a banana flavored liquid. I don't think so. I know I've never bought any banana flavorings except banana nut bread and I just didn't get much flavor from it.