Limited flavour on recipe

[zer081]

Hi,

I am still early days on my attempts at DIY juices, but so far i am struggling to get decent flavour from my mixes, despite following what i (think) is a suitable flavour percentage.

This is the recipe I have made most recently (Key Lime Cheesecake):-

VG/PG/Nicotine Setup

Desired PG Percentage: 40.00%
Desired VG Percentage: 60.00%
Desired Flavor Percentage: 30.00%
Desired Nicotine Percentage: 0.30%*
Nicotine Base Percentage: 7.20%*
Desired Quantity (ml) 30.00 ml

*Nicotine base is suspended in VG

Flavour Set up (all Perfumers Apprentice)

Flavor 1: Key lime 13.00%
Flavor 2: Cheesecake 13.00%
Flavor 3: Cinnamon Danish (DX)* 4.00%

*A bit of a random last flavour, but hey, i thought i would give it a go

Actual Values:-

PG: 9.30 ml
VG: 16.75 ml
Base: 1.25 ml
Flavor 1: 1.17 ml
Flavor 2: 1.17 ml
Flavor 3: 0.36 ml

After leaving it to steep for a week or so, I am still finding the flavours to be a little on the muted side, not exactly a flavour explosion I was hoping for.

So my questions are:-

1. Does the mix look about right to the more experienced DIY'ers
2. Can anyone recommend a better supplier of concentrates, not sure why I chose Perfumers Apprentice, I don't feel tied to them or anything.

 

[bananas]

Your flavour set up doesn't match the actual values, you've actually got Key lime 3.9%, Cheesecake 3.9%, Cinnamon Danish (DX)* 1.2%. These percentages are actually nearer to where they should be than the 30% total that you have attempted, you could try increasing them to see if you get the flavour explosion that you are looking for.

TPA are a good concentrate supplier but like with most suppliers they do have some duds, from what i've read their cheesecake is one of them unless you're using their graham crust cheesecake? NY Cheesecake by capella is one that i would recommend. When i look to buy new flavours usually my first check will be on http://e-liquid-recipes.com/flavors search the flavour and then sort by total number of recipes from there you can see which concentrate is the most popular which is usually a good place to start, also if you click through a flavour you can see peoples notes on the concentrate.

 

[Richu]

Something is wrong with your calculations; 13% of 30mls is 3.9mls of flavour (on both the Key Lime and the Cheesecake), and 4% 1.2mls of CD.

Anyway, few tips:
- Your flavouring is way, way too high. I tend to use a max of 15%. Lower if possible (very neccesary when using FA for instance).
- TFA Cheesecake sucks bullocks. Or did you mean the Graham Crust Cheesecake? For the real cheesecake always use Capella's.

Are you looking for a key lime pie vibe? Try this one:

3% Bavarian Cream (TPA)
1% Butter Cream (CAP)
1.5% Graham Cracker (Clear) (TPA)
3% Key Lime (TPA)
2% Marshmallow (CAP)
3% New York Cheesecake (CAP)

 

[zer081]

Cheers for the replies so far, I am not sure what has happened with the calculations then, I have attached the excel calculator i downloaded and use (cant remember where it came from), checked again and it still came out with the same values, maybe I am not inputting something as i should?

(Note - in the screenshot I have posted, the formula used to calculate the flavour 1 amount is F13*E6*E9, or Flavour 1 percentage * Desired Flavour Percentage * Desired quantity)

It was just the standard cheesecake not graham crust version, so i may have to try the Capella version next time.

When you say you try to use a max of 15% for flavour, do you mean that the 15% is the total amount of flavour percentage (e.g if i used 3 different flavours equally, I'd use 5% of each one?)

I wasn't after a particular flavour, when i started out, i had a look around the Vapable website at concentrates and bought a variety of ones that i thought sounded interesting, then these were the first two that came to hand when I was in a 'mixing mood'.

 

[Richu]

Cheers for the replies so far, I am not sure what has happened with the calculations then, I have attached the excel calculator i downloaded and use (cant remember where it came from), checked again and it still came out with the same values, maybe I am not inputting something as i should?

(Note - in the screenshot I have posted, the formula used to calculate the flavour 1 amount is F13*E6*E9, or Flavour 1 percentage * Desired Flavour Percentage * Desired quantity)

It was just the standard cheesecake not graham crust version, so i may have to try the Capella version next time.

When you say you try to use a max of 15% for flavour, do you mean that the 15% is the total amount of flavour percentage (e.g if i used 3 different flavours equally, I'd use 5% of each one?)

I wasn't after a particular flavour, when i started out, i had a look around the Vapable website at concentrates and bought a variety of ones that i thought sounded interesting, then these were the first two that came to hand when I was in a 'mixing mood'.

Max 15% of the total. So in your recipe it would be like 5-5-5, or 10-3-2, or less. But never 15-15-15.

Picking flavours on how they sound (how you might think they taste) rarely yields a good liquid. I'd suggest picking a flavour profile and search websites like elr for recipes. Pick the flavours experienced mixers suggest and try them in single flavour batches. Then you will gradually learn how each flavour could possibly combine with another.

It's a long and tedious process, but in the end you will learn heaps.

 

[daesimps]

(Note - in the screenshot I have posted, the formula used to calculate the flavour 1 amount is F13*E6*E9, or Flavour 1 percentage * Desired Flavour Percentage * Desired quantity)

That formula didn't look right. If f1 percentage is 13 and desired flavour percentage is 30 and using 30ml as per screenshot you get 1.17ml. I.e. You're getting 13% of 30%. Flavouring percentages are of total liquid. Therefore 13% of 30ml, or 3.9ml

 

[bobcat]

I'd add some more flavor (to make up the values) & give it another go, then see where you are in a couple weeks.

This is what I created to start my mixing journey:

(All info is in ML; & I use 72% Nic; Also the flavor concentrate are max % - so bear that in mind as you may need less)

I'm just starting out myself, but if I can help just shout

 

[bananas]

@zer081 sign up for an account on http://e-liquid-recipes.com you can add the flavours that you own to a stash and search for recipes that contain them also they have a easy to use calculator that will give you correct figures for the recipe that you're making. I'd delete that spreadsheet, if you want something pc based look for juice calculator by hotrod or ejuice me up.

 

[bobcat]

Thanks for that link @bananas, gonna get myself set up on there

 

[zer081]

Thank you again for the info guys, I am off to register on e-Liquid Calculator now and i'll see how i get on.