The Flavor Apprentice Flavoring Thread

[trueagle]

Dude enough with the rant. There are many paths up the mountain, it's about the view is why we climb...

 

[capthook]

So got my first order of larger bottles of flavors in!
Blueberry Wild 120ml - yum - and such great cost savings.
$7 for 120ml vs. 1.75 for 10ml @ BCV.

I've got 40 diketone-free flavors now.
Made a spreadsheet to keep track of them with rankings, notes, costs, vendors etc.
Here's my take on a few of the standouts.

-*Blueberry Wild: favorite TFA flavor. Smooth, mild, lightly sweet. Takes like 8%-12% though.

-*Vanilla Swirl: favorite vanilla/cream - best of the DX type.

-French Vanilla Creme: 2nd favorite. A tad more vanilla, a tad bitter at higher %.

-Vanilla Bean Gelato: won't be using - tastes like burnt plastic to me.

-*Sweet Cream CAP: smooth, sweet, rich - a hint of coconut

-Strawberries and Cream: Pretty good, a bit sharp. Just add a little cream and sweetener and good to go.

-Toasted Almond: good but higher than 2% can overwhelm other flavors

-*Nut Mix FA: a very good mellow, smooth, sweet nut combo with a hint of walnut. Go-to nut add for me.

-DX Hazelnut: use sparingly. Over 2% brings out the butric acid taste/smell.

-DX Caramel: Not bad. A tad harsh and DX'y. Haven't found a go-to diketone-free carmel yet.

-Butterscotch FA: very good butterscotch, smooth, sweet, creamy. Add to/with carmel is nice.

-Western: good for analog-style tobacco.

-M type: very chemical. .5% -> maybe.

-Grape Candy/juice: only 2 I haven't mixed yet!

Nice to be narrowing down the 40 flavors to favorites for larger bottle orders.


On the Strawberries and Cream:
It's pretty good. Got because BVC was out of the other Strawberries.
Was originally thinking of Ripe Strawberries + Vanilla Swirl + Sweet Cream + Sweetner.
Thoughts? Recs?

 

[capthook]

Want printed labels for your bottles?
Avery has free design/print software:

Avery Design & Print | Avery Design & Print Download | Avery

Get some Avery inkjet mailing labels, like product #8160.
Design with graphics, text etc and print 2 per label with a line down the middle to cut for example.
You can print 1 label at a time, but print starting from the bottom labels up to make paper feed easier.

Nice touch for your finished recipe mixes.

 

[AndriaD]

-DX Hazelnut: use sparingly. Over 2% brings out the butric acid taste/smell.

Have you tried the Capella Hazelnut v2 (diketone-free)? It's pretty good, but instead of the butyric acid, it's strongly "acetyl pyrazine," that nutty/bready/corn-chippy aroma. It just smells nutty, and a little smoky, so I think they got the level of it pretty good, but some don't care for that taste or aroma. I use a bit of that in my 'Smocha,' and it adds a dimension to the smokiness provided by the Coffee tobacco and Virginia Tobacco Absolute.

Andria

 

[capthook]

Have you tried the Capella Hazelnut v2 (diketone-free)?

Hi Andria! I got the Cap Haz V2 this last order. Only taste tasted and used in 1 mix.
My notes say " lighter, sweeter, smoother, doesn't taste much like hazelnut"
Just tried a little on a toothpick - good call on the AP. I couldn't quite place it earlier.
I like to use TFA as much as possible: 120ml = $7 TFA / $13 CAP / $18 FA
But staying with 'DX' flavors requires shopping around.
Very happy with lots of TFA. But some flavors require other vendors.
The TFA DX Hazelnut will not be a reorder for me. CAP - maybe. Gonna try the FA next.
The FA Nut Mix and Butterscotch are very good - worth the extra $ for me.
And gonna try the FA caramel too as the TFA and CAP don't cut it for me.
Thanks for your recs on the CAP Sweet Cream! Tasty!

 

[capthook]

Blueberry VS: All TFA

Blueberry Wild: 10%
Blueberry Extra: 4%
Vanilla Swirl: 3%
Sweetner: 3%

Notes: Not ADV - but 1/2 day vape (ha!) or add to any other mix at 10%-20% to change that flavor up. Yum!!
Blueberry Wild>12% waste of flavoring
Vanilla Swirl 4% a bit more creamy. VS>4% large loss to blueberry flavor.
Sweetner 4% for sweeter - Sweet>4% at loss to blueberry flavor.

 

[AndriaD]

I'm kind of in the same boat; love the TFA flavors I've tried so far, but since I want to avoid all diketones as much as possible, I have to look to other brands for some flavors -- but it's great that TFA keeps coming out with more and more DX flavors. I just got my TFA DX Banana Cream, which I'm going to try in that "Flamingo Fantastique." And it occurred to me that it might also be a good mix with blueberry muffin; so far, I've been mixing that with banana nut bread, but the banana cream should be good too. One of my FAVORITE things to eat is "Blueberry Muffin Frosted Mini-Wheats" with sliced bananas.. yum!!!

Andria

 

[jimstratus]

No derailment here, other than your negative comment above, nor none intended from me!!! I asked a valid question, directly to Bill as it was his recipe I mixed and I had a question or two. I got my answer, his way is all he could help with, and I'm fine with his answer and I appreciate the time he took replying, it's just not for me 24/7.

Just because I do not subscribe to his method 100% of the time with every mix, does not make my questions or comments about a TFA recipe within a TFA thread a derailment of this TFA thread. This is a community thread for anyone to talk TFA about, using any method they like!

You are correct, I used a negative comment toward you and your lengthy rebuttal and you have every right to respond in an ECF thread within forum rules as you see fit. Please accept my apology on both counts.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[trophyfish711]

Well, so a few months ago after reading all this I put in another order for some of the bulk.. I just noticed last night while testing some things.. I ordered the WRONG Cotton Candy ... I ordered Circus Cotton Candy.. I have to admit the juices I have made from recipes here, like Bills.. are good even with the wrong Cotton candy ... Now I am curious as to what they taste like with the right one I finally ordered Banana Creme ... I want to make a peanut butter banana but couldn't get it right with the ripe and fosters..

 

[Zanaspus]

I know for a fact what happens to said flavor (cupcake) in 1-2 weeks, it's not a myth I have mixed it many times in various mixes. I do appreciate what you are trying to do and correct for new and or frustrated users, but I'm not one of those so we don't need to rehash all of that for me like I'm lost or new. I do agree, your method works for you, and many others, and I think that's great!! It's just not for me, no problems from me about your methods either, I just prefer things differently (As do you)

Bill, I do sincerely thank you for your time answering me, and I have read your reasons and methods many times over the past 6 months. And I do understand where you are coming from, it's just not my intended method, which you agree is fine too. There's no need to feel like I'm leading anyone new or old astray from your method or any "right way", they can do things your way if they want, but it doesn't mean I need to in order to have good juice, nor does it mean talking other than your method is going to cause people failures. Everyone can read and test all/any methods, and do what they like, one persons questions and comments isn't going to lead anyone down the wrong path unless they follow that fork in the road.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply Bill! I don't mean to frustrate or offend you or anyone, and hope that just because I don't mix that way doesn't mean we can't continue to discuss TFA with each other.





No derailment here, other than your negative comment above, nor none intended from me!!! I asked a valid question, directly to Bill as it was his recipe I mixed and I had a question or two. I got my answer, his way is all he could help with, and I'm fine with his answer and I appreciate the time he took replying, it's just not for me 24/7.

Just because I do not subscribe to his method 100% of the time with every mix, does not make my questions or comments about a TFA recipe within a TFA thread a derailment of this TFA thread. This is a community thread for anyone to talk TFA about, using any method they like!

Quoted for truth. Flavoring past the initial flavor spike of a flavoring will make freshly mixed juice better, but it will never rival the flavor of steeped juice that has been flavored right at the first flavor spike.

 

[hittman]

I want to make an orange cream flavor so I bought that flavor and was going to try it at 8% to start. Should I add anything to enhance the flavor?

 

[Nic-holio]

Put a couple drops of citric acid in the mix. Steeping will NOT change the flavor. These are old myths of juice making. It is absolutely possible to make great juice immediately and not have flavor changes if you know how. It's how most of the commercial juice makers do it, not all, of course. There's a lot more misinformation about juice making, than accurate information out there. Good luck to you.

So very true. A lot of the "community knowledge" out there, stuff I bookmarked 3 years ago and I've seen passed around since as gospel truth, is just fairy tales. I finally let go of one of the last main things I was holding onto about a month ago -- sitting a freshly mixed bottle of liquid in a pot of hot/warm water for 20 minutes or so -- thinking it was necessary with a high VG mix to get the VG to blend properly with the flavorings and other PG in the mix. It was my "compromise" alternative to sticking a bottle of mixed liquid into an oven, or in a crock pot, and heating it for hours that a great many people here swear by -- but I proved out myself that even that was not necessary at all to get a bottle of liquid that tastes great upon mixing. Just a good shake.

 

[Nic-holio]

OK guys, back to recipes! Here's an easy one that is surprisingly good.

Key Lime Ale
key lime 9%
ginger ale 8%
sweet 4%
em 2%

All TFA, 30/70 pg/vg, 2 nic. And as a bonus it is wattage insensitive. Low watts in a tank to high watts on a dripper, it's fine.

Adjust to taste, as always. Enjoy!

Thanks facedown!

Wish I had some ginger ale in the flavor cave. I'll keep that in mind for my next order.

 

[Stacy1]

I want to make an orange cream flavor so I bought that flavor and was going to try it at 8% to start. Should I add anything to enhance the flavor?

A little vanilla swirl and a tad of sweetener or cotton candy would go nice in an orange cream

 

[hittman]

I do have EM and sweetener but no vanilla swirl yet. I'm just getting started and don't have many flavors yet.

 

[Stacy1]

If you dont have any vanillas, just add a lil of the em to it. It will be a decent vape

 

[Nic-holio]

Winging it a bit here --

Someone mentioned making Bill's Starburst up with some Key Lime but I guess I missed the recipe -- I tried making this up just now:

(60/40 VG/PG ratio)
Key Lime 10%
Vanilla Swirl 5%
Sweet Cream 4%
Sweet & Tart 3%

Will see how it goes and report!

 

[Nic-holio]

Very nice. Genuine Lime flavor!

Winner winner chicken dinner!

(tips hat to Bill)

 

[Mark Denison]

Winging it a bit here --

Someone mentioned making Bill's Starburst up with some Key Lime but I guess I missed the recipe -- I tried making this up just now:

(60/40 VG/PG ratio)
Key Lime 10%
Vanilla Swirl 5%
Sweet Cream 4%
Sweet & Tart 3%

Will see how it goes and report!

Sounds delicious[emoji106]

 

[ItTechy]

I want to make an orange cream flavor so I bought that flavor and was going to try it at 8% to start. Should I add anything to enhance the flavor?

Orange Cream is a very subtle flavor, here is Bills recipe for Orange Creamsickle that works very well:

Orange Cream TFA 9%
Vanilla Swirl TFA 4%
Vanilla Custard FW 2%
Ethyl Maltol TFA 5%
* Sweet Orange TFA 7%

If desired a little Capella Super Sweet (one drop per 30ml)

A word of wisdom on the Super Sweet: It is just as it says! SUPER SWEET!

*The Sweet Orange is my addition to make the Orange really stand out

Bill's Magic Vapor