Very first flavor mixed. Meh

[Sptz]

I did my first mix today, this is what I did:



I put the glass beaker on an ultrasonic cleaner for like 40 minutes, transferred it to it's glass bottle and put it inside my cupboard with the rest of other juices.

Now, being mostly just fruits I thought it would be ready to vape pretty quickly, I just dripped it a few minutes ago and there was pretty much no taste, it just seems like all the flavors are pushed back in the background, like those weak flavored waters. I upped the flavoring a bit, basically added a total of 24% flavor instead of the initial 18% recipe. Shaked it like hell, dripped it, it's a bit better but not by much.

Does it really need steeping in order for the flavors to pop out?

 

[HeadInClouds]

You might have gone the wrong direction from 18% and overflavored to the point of fading flavors. Sounds weird, I know, but I've experienced that. If I had that mix, I'd take a little out into a separate bottle, dilute it to around 10%, and try it.

 

[glasseye]

I can't see any of your percentages. But what HIC said, it may be too much. Plus you have french vanilla and sweet cream in there and they take longer to meld/steep.

 

[Sptz]

Really? 18% too much? Even on 100% VG?

Should I just add 10% of VG then?

Because when I added more flavouring to make it up 24% it became better, but not MASSIVELY better

 

[RocketPuppy]

I'm not sure if I understand. The beaker was on or in the ultrasonic? Was there a closure on the beaker? And this was done before transferring to a glass bottle?

Just needed a little clarity in case I can shed some light.

 

[dshgr]

Have you mixed each of these flavors individually first to see what percentage they should be alone? This will also let you know if the vanilla and cream need steeping time.

 

[Sptz]

I'm not sure if I understand. The beaker was on or in the ultrasonic? Was there a closure on the beaker? And this was done before transferring to a glass bottle?

Just needed a little clarity in case I can shed some light.

I mixed the juice in a beaker, put it in the ultrasonic with the water in the ultrasonic covering (From the outside obviously) the amount of juice inside the beaker and left it running for about an hour.

The beaker was not closed no and yes, before transferring to the glass bottle.

Have you mixed each of these flavors individually first to see what percentage they should be alone? This will also let you know if the vanilla and cream need steeping time.

No, I added the amount of VG needed to the beaker and then the flavorings on top of that and mixed it with a glass stirring rod then ultrasonic then glass bottle.

How would I know if the vanilla and cream need steeping time just by mixing the flavors only?

 

[Cjax]

How would I know if the vanilla and cream need steeping time just by mixing the flavors only?

Mix up a batch of e-juice with just 1 flavor. Taste it immediately, then taste it a day later, and the next day, and so on to see when it really starts to shine. I mix up 10 ml batches of all my flavors individually first to try them solo, then mix together in my tank to see how they mesh before I ever mix them together in a batch. It just gives a good baseline comparison to know how much percentages to use and how long of steep time is needed.

Making notes helps, especially if you are testing out several new flavors. I have about 25 I'm trying out right now, I've yet to try them all. It'll probly be a week before I actually make a multi flavor juice, but with 10ml batches it's enough that I can mix them together in my tank or atty to try out without making a bunch of rank juice.

 

[knotin1]

I am only a few weeks into DIY. But I went all in. First made a few mixes using several flavors and they were not even meh. They were horrible. I then did as other said and made one flavor mixes with zero nic which I will call "single flavor batches". I made like 12 "single flavor batches" a day. Mixing them all at once, and giving them a hot 4 hour soak. Tasted and took notes. Increased the flavor to some, diluted others. Some have yet to be tasted.

I got several flavors that seem to be very good on their own and at what seems to be the right percentage of flavor. I then made a mix using the two "single flavor batches" ( using the single flavors that were already made). Took more notes. The two flavors I combined were strawberry and vanilla ice-cream. It is good, but still needs some more tweaking. I then added my nic and will now put it to sleep for a few weeks and then revisit it. If it is still enjoyable/workable and knowing whether to lower or increase the strawberry or the ice-cream, I will then make a strawberry vanilla ice-cream batch from scratch.

I think the best way to go, is figure out what flavor you want to make. Then concentrate on building that flavor. My plan is to stick with the strawberry vanilla ice-cream until I get it dialed in. Then onto the next "dream juice". Start out once again with single flavors......get the single flavors at the correct percentage. Then mix the "single flavor batches together"......tweak some more...... and build it into the final product.

Its going to take time. It is a journey. I just happen to go all in with $500.00 in supplies and hours in my make shift lab.

 

[knotin1]

Another way to look at it. Think of it like building a wall. You may know that you need: nails, 2x4 lumber, sheetrock, joint tape, joint compound, primer, paint. If you knew nothing about any of these materials, your wall is not going to standup or look pretty. You need to learn how to use the nails. How to cut the lumber. How the lumber is put together to build a frame. How to cut the sheetrock. How to hang the sheetrock. How to put on the compound and joint tape. Then how to sand. Prime and paint.

 

[Sptz]

Yeah, I'll probably start with single flavors then, the problem with experimenting with this is that I work till late and at the end of the day I still need to vape haha. The thing is, is it really true? That a bit too much % of flavoring can actually cause fading of the flavors?

 

[Cjax]

yes, it can happen. I use very low % when making juice. with FlavourArt flavors, less than 3% for single mix batches. even with FW or TFA I use less than 8%. I don't think my juice tastes at all weak after a couple days steeping.

 

[RocketPuppy]

You want to limit the amount of time nic has with oxygen. Because there is typically alcohol in the flavorings, you would want limit the amount of time flavors have with oxygen too.

If you like mixing with a beaker, transfer the juice directly into a glass bottle and close asap. Before using the UC, I would suggest, as the above poster mentioned, testing it right away. Not all mixes need steeping. I would try that first.

 

[Sptz]

Even on 100% VG? The VG I bought is 80% VG and 20% distilled water btw

 

[Aheadatime]

I dont buy into the whole 'VG mutes flavors' thing. To me, VG just makes it so that you need to steep a few extra days. I'm not sure about the ultrasonic thing, but I steep my juices the old fashioned way (shake em up really hard and then let them sit for a week). I also didn't start out with single flavors, I jumped straight into complex juices and some of them are my all day vapes to this day. The advice I would give is to use good solid flavors at low percentages at first, and let all of your mixes steep a week before trying them. This is just my advice, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[knotin1]

I also didn't start out with single flavors, I jumped straight into complex juices and some of them are my all day vapes to this day. .

I wish I had that talent. Or, my first several attempts just happen to fail and scared me off. I think one of the problems is not having a desired result. Meaning, I went in and thought "hey let me add this and this and some of that and see what happens". I think having a goal and then trying to achieve the goal my tweaking and playing seems to work too. After I get the Strawberry vanilla ice-cream perfected, I am going to tackle Raspberry lemonade. Just rambling at this point.


All comes down to the person I guess.

 

[Sptz]

My favourite type of juices are thick creamy desserty type of juices, I wanted to try doing some complex vanilla custards with a sprinkle of chocolate on top, or strawberries or whatever and loads of other stuff. I bought loads of fruit flavors (everything I bought is either TFA, CAP or FW) mainly because that's what my gf and brother like and I'd like to mix what they want for them as to save money and power of customization.
Since I read that fruit vapes are pretty much "shake and vape" this experience today really did depress me lol

 

[Cjax]

It takes time. Heck I've been mixing for a couple years now and i still make mistakes, mostly because even if i end up with mediocre juice it's still better than most of the pre mixed I've got in the past (and way cheaper to boot!) I've recently started stocking up on Flavor Arts flavors. I think that will put it over the top. Nothing wrong with TFA, i like their stuff, but FW is meh, imho.

Edit: just re-read that and realized it might have come off snarky. I used to use nothing but FW, and that's what got me into diy and off pre mixed juices (that and Loranne's). But the flavors seemed "candy-like" and i had to use allot of it to get it to taste right, 10-20%. With FA i use less than 5% and their flavors are so complex and rich. They do cost more, but i love em and my juice never tasted better. I still use alot of TPA though too.

 

[Sptz]

I only got one or two FW but I went full on with TFA and CAP because both seemed highly rated among vapers. I guess I'll try FA later down the road

 

[Hoosier]

Wait? The first mix was oxidized and speed steeped before it was tasted? How could anyone know if airing-out helped? How could anyone know if steeping helped? Heck, it could have made something good bad, but if it wasn't tasted before this was done??!!?

I'm beginning to think the fixation on steeping and airing-out is way out of control.

The VAST MAJORITY of my recipes are mixed in the bottle. Bottle is capped and then shaken. Good to go right there and great from that second to great weeks later.

A few need to steep to be great.

One needs to be aired-out to be better. One out of....I don't know if I can count that high...out of a bunch of recipes developed over more than 4 years of mixing.

I'm thinking of becoming the "anti-steeping" voice of DIY.....