I’m not recreating this thread to dispel the importance of SFT, but to have a thread that can be referenced when you tell someone…"You need to test."
Although I have my own method of determining a flavors properties, I’m hoping to compile exactly why you test single flavor and the info you use to determine the properties of a single flavor.
Your method might just encompass what a user need to resolve a lot issues with some flavors, so give as much detail as you can.
I guess to define SFT. It’s taking a single flavor, adding to your desired level of pg/vg/nic. Depending on your level of interest one may test at a low percent middle and high percent.
Personally I have only truely done a SFT once and that was to test cap v1, v2 custards & tpa, fa, and inw. I only did this to determine why I didn’t like caps custards…which turned out to be a dirty Carmel note.
That being said I do often try new fruit flavors by adding a relatively normal percentage to 0.25-0.75 cream fresh fa and 0.25-1.25 marshmallow fa. This for me tells me a lot. It get the flavor notes, how well the flavor stands up in a mix, and how it plays. It also gives me a wonderful peak inside of the flavor that I feel I would not have gotten from a single SFT test.
However, I am me and not everyone. Many people would benefit from SFT but for me I get distracted and board. There is much that can be learned but I don’t want to use my time for that.
It feels like forever since I wrote up my article on solo testing… more than welcome to read it.
It could use with a few small updates. I hope it can help clear up how to do solo testing and why.
My main testing is this:
How I set mine up is I do what is called “runners” I run the flavors out in 10ml bottles, using 1 drop and building up. That averages out to around 15-20 10ml bottles holding 10ml, a total of 120ml per flavor run. I do 5 flavors at a time and I do not test all “strawberry” at one time. I stagger them with the 5 flavor varieties and jot my notes down. (I should add, so I know where or how much to contribute one flavor to another in any given recipe, by notes I take on flavors from lowest to the highest possible. )
In case my site is slow. It might just be me and the storm is finally starting up here in the hills.
I test my flavors all as singles. I tried the more modern method of throwing x+y in a box and hope they turn out great.
I understand every flavor reacts differently with other ones, not just in the same profile but also by brand, as well as mixed with themselves.
However, I had mixes that were extremely horrible, no not just bad, like real liquid dodoo and I couldn’t figure out why. I did that for around 2 months as I started diy, then I stopped and started sft.
Glad I did, because now I know what’s wrong with that particular mix, and it’s easier for me to fix, then guessing what it could be.
But I also knuckle test right out the bottle and then later after it’s mixed. I do that with all my sft as well as finished mixes. However there have been time s i regret doing that, because my tongue would have a burning sensation for at least 2-4 hrs lol.
well i was doing it… and there are several reasons…
a) learn how it tastes on it’s own… i mean c’mon… many companies provide the “same” flavor but from one to another that flavor (for example Sweet Cream CAP and Sweet Cream TFA) have nothing to do one with the other… just same name… same goes for applepies and many many more flavors
b) it’s easier to learn how much you need from it (%) how long it needs to get steeped, and how it tastes after steeping (some of them have no taste at all on first day, they might taste weird in the first few days… and after some time they can give a great taste)
c) if you know how a flavor tastes on it’s own… with a little imagination you can combine it easier with other flavors…
i can give more reasons but these are probably the best ones
To figure out what the flavour actually tastes like.
There might be some shortcuts you can make, like simply tasting a drop, but you never know how it will taste like in a vape, unless you have actually tried vaping it. I’m sure we have all experienced flavours that tasted and smelled very different from how they taste when vaping them.
To figure out how strong and concentrated the flavour is, and at what percentage I would use it as a single flavour juice.
Once you know these two things, it is not really that hard to begin creating your own recipes, whereas it would be near impossible (at least for me) without it.
I had similar results to @estorm. It became obvious to me, at least, that SF testing would help me out. Taste testing flavors out of the bottle, smelling them, can yield some results, but many times it’s NOT what your vaping results will reveal. After all we are vaping them right ?
Interplay between flavors is NOT revealed during SF tests obviously, but indepth profiles can be revealed this way. Undertones, overtones, nuances, that you may never know about, if you only taste a flavor mixed with others. SF testing is a PITA, and I cannot test a multiple %, unless the first test is hopeful, but typically I go with the average % or lower, and take notes.
I usually test flavors in mixes mostly, but that’s after a sniff and finger test. But a lot of flavors don’t get a shot these days without a good recommendation from mixers like yourself. I commend you for all the flavor reviews you provide, because it’s help me to decide to even buy some flavors.
Why I test is to make sure I’m not going to have a bad reaction to the new flavor. Many people love TPA VBIC, many others get a peppery taste, you just never know until you test. The only time I don’t SF test is for additives. Those I will add a few drops to a 10ml bottle then fill the bottle with w/e recipe I’m hoping to use this additive with. The main reason for SF testing is to make sure you’re not going to hate the flavor before you waste time, effort and supplies mixing a bunch of stuff with it.
Since I had to erase everything on my site this week… I will have to redo everything, all my notes etc… Maybe this time my website will stay… I hate I had to remove it all… but change… is good
@Pro_Vapes… ya know you are missed here… come out and play sometime…
and I couldn’t figure out why. I did that for around 2 months as I started diy, then I stopped and started sft.
