So I started to dabble in diy maybe a month ago. Of course at first my mixes were not so good just like most people. Although they have gotten better they still aremt all that great. I tried mixing some of the top rated recipes on here. Such as mothers unicorn milk, strawberry fog, and strawnanna custard. I noticed the same thing with those mixes that I noticed with my own. They are pretty good and definitely vapable bit they dont have that wow factor or flavor intensity that the store bought “premium” juices have. Is there some sort of secret the big companies use to get the flavors to have that intensity and punch that they have?
5 Likes
A ton of sucralose. That’s their secret.
A few things to note. Your custards need steep or cure time. If you make a batch of strawnana custard you need to put it in a drawer or cabinet away from light and let it sit a month.
There are also some additives that can make your fruits pop and help your mixes without all the sucralose. Get some good marshmallow. I read another poster’s review on Marshmallow SC (Real Flavors) and they said it was delicious. You can also use EM but it may mute some fruit flavors.
All that being said I think your biggest thing is time. Make up some test batches and test them at day 1, day 3, day 14 and day 30 and take notes.
BTW, welcome to ELR!
9 Likes
I wont speak on the other mixes you mentioned as they are not mine and i havent tried them. Strawnana is mine and it needs a couple months to cure properly, a month is good but two months is great. Anything with creams and custards have to sit awhile, creams 2 weeks minimum and custards one month. Literally do not even touch them before that.
Most fruit only mixes can be vaped a couple days after mixing.
As @TheTinMan1 mentioned you could try using sucralose, i dont personally use it as i dont use sweeteners. BUT i am going to try using this Pyure stuff that everyone raves about mainly because it contains apple cider vinegar and citric acid, the three together, it has stevia too, should really make fruits pop.
10 Likes
Thanks for the welcome @TheTinMan1 
I have learned about certain flavors needing more steeping than others and what not. I have had a few mixes steep for a month or more and they didn’t get any better unfortunately. When it comes to the mixes like strawnanna and mothers unicorn milk, I don’t much of the fruit notes in them. I’m getting mostly the custardy milky notes way more than fruit. After steeping will the fruit notes become a lot more powerful? From what I have researched it seems that steeping will bring out the custards and milky notes, if that is the case then will the fruit will be even more lost in the mix? Does sweetener really make that much of a difference in how the other notes come out and have that punch I was talking about? Thanks for the help!
4 Likes
I just tried it this week. 4 drops/30ml. The flavors in the Pyure did change the flavor as compared to the control. It was pretty good. I found 4 drops almost made it too sweet for my taste. But I’m weird.
2 Likes
Wow thanks for the response @Ken_O_Where 
. I feel like I’m talking to a celebrity! Since this is your mix you obviously know it better than anyone. After steeping for a month or two will the fruits come out and pop like I’m talking about? As a shake and vape I get the creaminess and what not, it’s the fruits I’m not getting that much. Thank you so much for the help!
4 Likes
Well the banana calms down a bit around a month which allows the strawberry to come through a bit more. In all the real food fruit cooked custards i have ever eaten the custard is the main note with bit of fruit on top so that in each bite you get a bit of fruit and heavy custard. So that is the way i mix them.
But you dont have to and that is the beauty of DIY. If you feel the custard too much for your tastes just click the blue wrench, make and adaptation and drop the custard down to 5 or 6%.
One reason i dont use sucralose or EM is that it seems to speed up olfactory fatigue, while it may enhance flavor it does come with a price, for me.
There are a lot of little tricks and tips you will pick up along the way and please dont hesitate when you have questions, its what we are here for.
Nice of you to say but im just a regular guy and i am ALWAYS happy to help out so please holler if i ever can. Nothing makes me happier than sharing the knowledge i have acquired over the years.
6 Likes
I used it in a bottle of water last night, 3 drop/16.9oz bottle and even at that level of dilution i could taste it and i very much liked it. I then put 4 drops into the same sized bottle with a teaspoon of lemon juice, so much yum!
2 Likes
Well that’s super awesome! I really appreciate that. It’s good to see everyone here is so nice and willing to help. I’ve only been here for like an hour and already feel like I’m part of the family. Thanks again!
5 Likes
And you are, we treat our family good. 
5 Likes
FA marshmallow is imo the best out there , even the RFSC craze wont steer me from FA flaves like their meringue and marshmallow just saying
1 Like
be careful my friend it has a bitter after taste very similar to other sweeteners just my opinion keep it low very low
3 Likes
thats the truth ive got a list of pm conversations to prove how helpful ken is
3 Likes
Knowledge is meant to be shared.
3 Likes
you asked for it hope you ready lol
1 Like
Ken it does have a bitter aftertaste (for me) if you have some Erythritol it sorts it for me 1 part stevia 3 parts Erythritol. For my taste 0.25% stevia + .75% Erythritol is equal to about 2% Sucralose. YMMV I rarely use any sweetner.
3 Likes