No flavor - what

Hello everybody
just made my first diys and the results aren’t great.

My first recipe was:
For 100 ml:

  • 65 ml base (100 VG).
  • 15 ml nic (for reaching 3 mg)
  • 10 ml tfa kiwi flavor
  • 10 ml tfa mango flavor

This was based on the instructions that were given to me in the store.
The result was very few flavour after 1 week of steeping. I added another 5ml mango put that didn’t change much.

Someone gave me the advice that I maybe was using too much flavor and that I should look up the average amount used quantity on this site and try that.

So yesterday I made a new recipe with the info found here:

For 30 ml:

  • base (100 VG).
  • 4,6 ml nic (for reaching 3 mg)
  • 0,9 ml tfa dragonfruit flavor
  • 1,5 ml tfa strawberry ripe flavor

This is based on the average used quantity:
Dragonfruit 3% and strawberry 5%

From what I understand fruit flavors should be vapeable instantly but the result was again very few flavour, almost only vg.
I used to vape the 12 monkeys and illusions liquids which are very sweet and I understand it might take so time to kick off the sweet addiction. But I gotta say I’m getting a little discouraged with the results of my mixes.

Does anybody have any tips on how to improve?
Btw I use a kaos spectrum with an aspire evo tank and 0,5 coils vaping around 30 watts.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

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You will receive advice from more experience people shortly but meanwhile… sometimes I have to adjust my device settings (watts/airflow) depending on the juice. Also, I increased PG ratio. My experience is that you should get dragonfruit flavor right away after mixing.

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Here’s my best advice, be patient. You need to concentrate on single flavor mixes. That way you will have a better appreciation of how you and your palate feel about each flavoring. Make small batches first. Then dial in your percentages, starting low & working upward. Write notes, so you have a reference in the future.
You see, we can all recommend fixes. But taste is subjective. On the recipe side is a wealth of great information. Including but limited to Flavornotes (great insight) Single Flavor %s & In Mix %s. Recipe links for the specific flavor concentrate. That way you can also see how others are using that Concentrate in their mixes. What do they pair it with, what percentages do they use. Many times you will find great notes attached to the Authors recipes.
I do hope this is helpful :heart:

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These flavors are relatively weak on their own, so I would suggest raising the %s. If I were to make a juice with only those 2 flavors, I would start around 9% SB Ripe and 5% Dragonfruit (adjust from there)

8% overall flavor % on those 2 flavors, would be pretty weak. I would also consider another SB that has more substance. Cap Sweet SB for an example, in addition to the ripe

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@KeyserSoze10304, the most important thing is, don’t give up. if you just moved to DIY from commercial juice, and you say you have a sweet tooth (like me) then to set your expectations, there’s a lot to learn and also your sense of flavors will take time to adjust. so be patient. i’m no DIY expert, but will try to share some specific tips to this situation
1 - 10% TFA Mango + 10% Kiwi … seems to me this won’t give a nice mix. i would try 10% mango standalone, maybe with some sweetener, or add a not of ice cream - but these 2 flavors in my experience won’t mix well, and may just end up funny ( = nasty) for my taste buds [also it’s not a juice i would actually drink, Kiwi & Lemon maybe, but not Kiwi and Mango :slight_smile: ]

2 - 5% TFA SB Ripe and 3% TFA DF, without steeping, that mix would be a bit weak given both these flavors (to me) are soft flavors. they would need some sort of support to shine. for me, i don’t get the TFA SB Ripe until around 7 or 8%, the DF maybe 4% - even then this mix would be relatively soft and need a “punch” element :slight_smile: - a good, and simple/flavorful recipe to try as a new comer is the mega melon (the simplest recipe is here). it’s easy to mix and has a good flavor hit and is mostly TPA flavors

3 - even with fruit flavors, and a lot of shaking, my experience is that the flavor starts to “really” show after 6 hours or so … VG takes time to absorb the flavor. i still mix and vape, but flavor notes start showing for me after 6 hours to an over night

4 - your set-up: i don’t use this tank, the recommended wattage is 35-40 on Aspire site. so try to up the wattage slightly - if you get a warm to hot vape and still no flavor, then it’s not the wattage - maybe the coil? can you try a different tank/coil head, and in all cases, make sure you prime the coil with enough juice first, then fill the tank, then leave it sitting for 15-20mins to soak well before you pull. if the coil is not wicking well, you get weak flavor.

  • Airflow makes a lot of difference in flavor, so also try to close the airflow slightly and see if it makes a difference.

these are some of what i will do to troubleshoot weak flavor. the other thing that helped me a lot (thanks to ELR friends) is to experience with other flavor vendors - like FA and FLV - who have stronger and more realistic flavors - and also to verify the mixing %'s and move to mix using a scale… there’s a lot of fun in learning and very rewarding outcome… hope this helps…

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Thanks for the advice everyone. A lot of helpfull tips that I’m gonna try to carry out!
I guess it’s trying trying trying till you get it right. Put starting from scratch can be a bit overwhelming

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Try a recipe from ELR. Many recipes are already validated. Check this great post too:

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Some tips from my experiences with juices that are weak in flavor:

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My personal steeping guidelines

Fruits punches and sodas 7 to 10 days with a taste at ( if I can make myself wait that long) 3 or 4 days for initial taste.

Fruit mixes with alcohol flavors ie bourbon champagne, and rum 10 to 14 days. ( if I can make myself wait that long) a week for initial taste

Creamy things like milkshakes or cream pies pudding flavors 2 to 4 weeks depending on how creamy they are with a taste at ( if I can make myself wait that long) 2 weeks for initial taste

Creamy things that have custard flavors in them or alcohol flavors in them 2 to 3 weeks then evaluated and at least one more set of two weeks.

Bakery type items cereals, cakes, cookies, bars and bakery with fruit like jam flavors in them 2 weeks to evaluate and another two weeks for a final decision as to how much longer. Or to vape away

Anything that sucks leave for 6 to 8 months then give to wife to see if she likes it. lmao

I know it seems like it takes forever but remember
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE THAT WAIT
and my self guidelines have changed about ten times since I started down the DIY path and will probably change that many more in the next two years or so. I’ve got what I thought was an epic fail a “Hostess” lemon pie with ice cream that I made last September, wifey grabbed it by mistake the other day filled her tank took a few vapes and says to me WTF is this and why haven’t you been sharing it with me. I was as usual in the dark took a few vapes asked her what she put in she goes I don’t know the one with the light blue lid in the third row. I was pretty sure what it was and had been meaning to dump it out. Well we’ll keep that one around. However it is one of those flavors that after vaping a couple tanks you’ve had enough for a while. I’ll keep it in my active file but probably won’t make it very often. It’s almost 100 ml but only because I kept adding a little of this and a little of that trying to make it WOW well WOW time did it for me. Well enough of this book. Sorry I rambled on and on.
Lots of flavors are SNV (shake n vape) but you will get a better vape by steeping. As for your first recipe the flavors are both light flavors and may be a lot better in a couple weeks. Also what brand flavor, nic, and VG afe you using?

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Try 4% PUR kigola, 1% NR golden eye, 1% cap sweet guava .2% stevia clear steep a week :slight_smile: u may not have those but it sure is tasty

So a little update. I made one with only strawberry ripe tfa. It has steeped for 4 days now. It’s got some flavor but not a lot. For 30ml I used 6 ml.

@KeyserSoze10304, 20% flavor is way too much in my view, even for a soft flavor like SB. here are couple of other things i would try if i’m in that situation - hope other helpful - and more experienced - folks here can also weigh in with more tips

  • cut that mix in half so that the SB Ripe is back @10% - too much flavor will actually mute the flavor altogether, or cause your sense of taste to shut down to ignore the exaggerated taste. so maybe that’s the case here?

  • to the 10% SB Ripe mix, add 1% or 2% sweetener if you have, see if you can boost it this way. another trick that works with SB is to add 1% or 2% banana

  • try a drop on your finger is tongue taste it. do you get any flavor from it? if not, maybe there’s something wrong with the concentrate

  • try a mix of another flavor standalone, start with 5 to 7% if it’s from TPA, check the flavor notes here in ELR for good % to start with… some people can’t taste SB at all, so maybe try to mix other flavors and see if that works for you

  • try your mix in a different tank, or have a vaping buddy try it on their setup, this can help troubleshoot if the issue is with your setup, you have a vaper’s tongue, or something in the mix.

any luck trying the tips earlier in this thread? the point is, you will get there… each of us have a different taste, gear and setup, style of vaping - many variables… you will find your spot somewhere with some patience - remember, great rewards at the end. good luck!

I tried the recept that @DarthVapor gave me
( If I were to make a juice with only those 2 flavors, I would start around 9% SB Ripe and 5% Dragonfruit (adjust from there)
That also hasn’t given me a lot of flavor

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its probably not going to give you the flavor you desire , right now your use to commercial juices that are loaded with sucralose typically or some type of sweetener so to just try two fruit flavors without sweetener your not going to get the results your looking for so mix the fruits and add 1 pct sucralose see where that gets you and if it hasnt helped add a little more sweetener until you find what works for you but ime those two fruits alone at whatever percent arent going to be full of flavor like im assuming your use to it would be smart to add a cream or marshmallow to give the juice some type of mouthfeel something for those fruits to sit on just my two cents

As I mentioned, those 2 flavors are light to begin with and don’t have much in the terms of “body” or sweetness. Do you have any other flavors? Another strawberry? Creams? If you’re set on having a dragon fruit and strawberry juice, try;

6% Ripe
2% CAP sweet SB
2% INW shisha SB
4% TFA dragon fruit
2% CAP Dragon fruit

I don’t know, just throwin shit out there… it would be easier if I knew what you had to work with, and forgive me if you have already listed your flavors. I’m just replying to a comment.

I personally don’t use sweetners, for I find I can get the desired effect using flavors, not artificial sweeteners. In my opinion, you just need more than those 2 weak flavors, or maybe there is an error in something else in the recipe? Measurements, calculations, who knows. Even with those 2 flavors at 9%/5%, you should of tasted something. Not kick your ass flavor, but something

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I don’t mix anything above 2.5% total flavoring, with few exceptions. Some people cannot taste strawberry at all, so often I will go higher with that flavor, but I typically just mix it at 2% with some type of cream. Or add .2% to say a melon mixture like .5% honeydew, .5% natural papaya, .5% mango, .2% strawberry ripe, .3% watermelon.

this is true , and its the way i learned to mix 10pct one thing 5 pct another and it always turned out some kind of flavor , not the greatest but something , and believe me at the time i thought it vwas gods gift to vaping lol

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Get yourself some flavorah alpine strawberry. Mix it at .2%, 3% sb ripe, 1% sweetener in a 15ml test batch . Get back to us after that. Maybe you have vaper tongue. If you can’t taste that then idk. Lol. I use 3 drop’s per 120ml as not to overpower other flavors. It is the strongest flavor I like that I can think of for you. It is expensive but I have gone through 4oz bottles of other extracts in the time I’ve had this 15ml flavor and have hardly put a dent in this alpine sb and I use it alot … so worth it imo.

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I don’t really have other flavors at the moment. Need to go back to the store and buy some. Problem is they only got tfa. Last time I smelled jack fruit and that smelled fantastic so I think I’ m gonna look for a recipe with that and try that.
Just to be clear with the dragon mix I did taste something just not a lot.
Ps I don’t like melon. That is really a no go lol