Mixing Concentrates

[SpinDr480]

I haven't heard of anyone doing this and was curious if there was a reason. But has anyone tried mixing concentrates of flavors first and let them steep, then add them to your VG/PG/Nic whenever you want to make a new batch For example, lets say you like a blend of Flavor A at 5% Flavor B at 3% and Flavor C at 2%. What if you used those percentages and combined the flavor concentrates in a vile. Let them seep, then when you want to mix up that juice you just use the that concentrate at 10% in a mix of PG/VG/Nic.

Was just curious if anyone tried that method, and possibly limit steeping time since your concentrates are preSteeped.

 

[Aheadatime]

I've thought this over before and even made a thread about it. The problem is that your flavors still need to blend well with the 80%+ PG/VG, which requires time. This, imo, is one of the bigger aspects of entropy regarding steeping since the PG/VG/nic are unflavored. A smaller % needs to percolate through a much larger %, which takes time.

 

[Calivapr123]

I learned this by accident actually, and started a thread related to this titled "mixing order."

Now I actually mix my flavors first, give it a quick, 5min hot water bath, vigorous shake and only then mix it to the PG, shake, then mix it to the VG. When it's all in, hot water bath anywhere from an hour (non-tobacco) to 3 days and steep (tobacco).

For flavors that contain alcohol, (AP and other super concentrates), I also do a decanting process (airing out the juice by transferring to another bottle, pouring it wide across a funnel opening into another bottle), which I can guarantee accelerates steeping time in a significant way. I learned to do this with my Halo Tribeca (a practically ADV vape of mine), reduced steeping time from 1-2 weeks to 1 day. (I also do it Prime15) Between the AP and/or other super concentrates in it, it is a juice that undoubtedly needs "air time," kind of like wine, and that air time significantly alters the flavor.

Hope that helps.

 

[Kemosabe]

I haven't heard of anyone doing this and was curious if there was a reason. But has anyone tried mixing concentrates of flavors first and let them steep, then add them to your VG/PG/Nic whenever you want to make a new batch For example, lets say you like a blend of Flavor A at 5% Flavor B at 3% and Flavor C at 2%. What if you used those percentages and combined the flavor concentrates in a vile. Let them seep, then when you want to mix up that juice you just use the that concentrate at 10% in a mix of PG/VG/Nic.

Was just curious if anyone tried that method, and possibly limit steeping time since your concentrates are preSteeped.

ive thought about doing this. it came to me while mixing a batch of FW Ecto Cooler. i thought surely this flavoring is a mix of flavors, created after-the-fact. why cant i mix other flavors like this for a quicker DIY process? i never did do it though in fear of the flavoring mix being off in any way and creating more of a headache than it was worth.

 

[SpinDr480]

ive thought about doing this. it came to me while mixing a batch of FW Ecto Cooler. i thought surely this flavoring is a mix of flavors, created after-the-fact. why cant i mix other flavors like this for a quicker DIY process? i never did do it though in fear of the flavoring mix being off in any way and creating more of a headache than it was worth.

Yeah, the thought came to me as I was trying my Double RY4. There is a combination of flavors in that concentrate already, so my assumption would be that it would work. However, the Double RY4 still needs to steep once mixed in with the individual flavors. I just wonder if steeping the premix of Double RY4 is less than it would be if you added those same flavors individually into the PG/VG

As I posted in another thread, I am going to try and make a RY4 ADV. If I succeed in that task, I will experiment with this. I will create a concentrate of those flavors and let it sit on the shelf for a month. Then, mix two batches. One with the premixed concentrate and one with the individual flavors put directly into my PG/VG base and see if steeping times are different.

I have a lot of potential projects in the works now.

 

[Coulson]

For some recipes, its the only way to get the flavor your looking for. But the flavor should be mixed, then added to PG/VG/Nic, then hot water bath if you choose or steeped. The flavor needs to bond with the PG either way. Premixing the flavor is for creating a new flavor combination at the ratio you want. Using 10 Drops - Flavor A = 50%, B = 30%, C = 20%. This make up 100% of your new flavor. 5/3/2 ratio (5 drops A, to 3 drops B, to 2 drops C) Those 10 drops are mixed then added to your base (PG/VG/Nic) at desired % strength (5%,-25%) vs your batch size. If you are making a larger batch... (more than a few ml, as this example was) you need to premix enough flavor to accommodate how much your using at the ratio you want. Confused yet?

 

[Abe_Katz]

In my experience mixing flavors and steeping them first before adding them to your pg, vg, and nic doesn't do much of anything because the steeping process is about the flavors blending and bonding with the pg and vg they are diluted in rather than the flavors themselves getting happy.

As such I don't do that. I'm not saying its a bad idea, or it would hurt anything--I'm not sure it could--but that I have found no benefit in doing that.

That said, since I usually do very small batches (I rarely make more than 30ml of one juice at once, and experimental mixes are never over 10ml and usually 5ml or less. Also experimental mixes never contain nicotine either because nicotine is pretty pricey.) I've found that working from the smallest measurements to larger measurements is easiest. So my mix order is flavors, then nic, then vg, then pg. (I in bottle mix with syringes though some people use beakers, graduated cylinders and such--I don't though.)

For example one of my more complex mixes is a "creamy RY4 Asian".

I start with my 1.5% Sweet Cream,
then my 3% Caramel,
then my 8% RY4 Asian,
Then my nic
then my vg
then my pg.