Which sweetener for which flavors

[dormouse]

How do you decide which sweetener to use for various flavors? I have both 10% ethol maltol and 10% sucralose. I could pick up liquid Stevia too. I just don't know what works best with different flavors.

I am guessing ethyl maltol for caramels? What else is EM good in?

sucralose for fruits, vanillas and creamy flavors?

 

[Hoosier]

Huh, that's a darn fine question...that I cannot answer.

I will almost always try EM first. Sometimes that works great. Then I will try a splendx mix much like yours. Sometimes that works great.

When either doesn't get me where I think I should be, I will use both. This seems to be the thing that works more often than just splendx mix alone.

Really depends on how the flavor tasted before I start adding. If it is sharp, or varies from draw to draw, I know some EM will help. If it just lacks sweetness, then I usually end up with a bit of both in it, but try just each one individually first.

Sometimes just upping the VG ratio does it for me too.

It is a REAL interesting question and I do look forward to others' experiences.

 

[sophie_lapin]

95% of my DIYs are dessert types- vanillas, caramels, cappaccinos, cookies, etc.

I always start with Cotton Candy (EM). Supposedly gives body. After a few days of steeping, if the Cotton Candy hasn't brought it to where I want, then I'll add some Sweetener (Sucralose).

If I were doing fruits (I've only done apple and cherry), I go straight to the Sweetener.

 

[dormouse]

Thanks! I've also wondered about Honey flavorings and PA Brown Sugar - do they act as sweeteners too or just flavors that need separate sweetening?

 

[Hoosier]

Haven't tried Honey flavor in this context yet. The only ones I've tried remind me of low quality clover honey and I'm a sourwood honey kinda' guy, so I don't find Honey flavoring too appealing except for tobacco & tea type combos where I use it more like a spice.

PA's Brown Sugar is an interesting one that I've been playing with lately. I cannot say that it would work for sweetening as it is fairly weak. It does add a bit of that brown sugar taste, but is a background note in any mixture I've tried. A weak background note, but it seems to mix well and does add something I cannot quite put my finger on.