DIY - Newbie

[alesaking123]

Hi guys,

I've been reading around and experimenting for the past month, and 2 days ago I've made my first batch of DIY ejuice.

I know steeping is required, though no one really knows the duration as it would depend on the juice and its mix.

I've got flavor concentrates from Capella, TPA, FW and FA.

I noticed that my juices are weak in flavor. Fragrance is weak, and the taste just seem off. This is after 2 days of steeping. (24 hours bottle cap off, hot water bath every 12 hours for 30 minutes)

These are all 0 nic, 50 PG 50 VG.

Sample recipe as below:

melon cantaloupe FA 4%
mango TPA 2%
Juicy Peach 2%
Cool Mint Capella 2%
Total: 10%

Skittles FW 12%
Cool Mint Capella 1%
Total: 13%

Pistachio TPA 10%
Marshallow 2%
Cool Mint 1%

Flavors are very weak, even the fragrance itself is weak.

 

[BrotherBob]

Recommend bumping the strength ratios up. Like 1.2 or 1.5 (multipliers) etc.
1.2 x 4%=4.8%
1.2 x 2%=2.4% etc....
You might want to experiment and find the ratio strength(s) to your liking.

You could make 2ml-5ml, shake and let sit for 2-3 hours (till flavors in bottle look well mixed and even in color)then sample. It should give you a general idea of final steeped taste.

 

[dannyv45]

For flavors that I'm not fimilure with I would make each individually using 10ml test samples and work with each until they taste right. This gives you an idea of each individual flavors profile and an idea of how much is needed. Then you can combine each individual mixed sample to gauge the amount needed to get to your final mix. You have to realize that to much of one flavor can mute the taste of another flavor (Expecially when working with mints). So this tends to make you over flavor to compensate which can take you so far off base that it's difficult to recover. one flavor at a time helps to prevent this.

For more info on DIY read my blogs. Link is below in my sig line

 

[alesaking123]

Recommend bumping the strength ratios up. Like 1.2 or 1.5 (multipliers) etc.
1.2 x 4%=4.8%
1.2 x 2%=2.4% etc....
You might want to experiment and find the ratio strength(s) to your liking.

You could make 2ml-5ml, shake and let sit for 2-3 hours (till flavors in bottle look well mixed and even in color)then sample. It should give you a general idea of final steeped taste.

Is 2-3 hours enough for the steeping process? I've read it could take over 2 weeks atleast, while some don't even need steeping.

 

[sofarsogood]

Is 2-3 hours enough for the steeping process? I've read it could take over 2 weeks atleast, while some don't even need steeping.

I've been doing DIY for a couple of months. The first batch was a single flavor (Capella Cuppuccino). I vaped it immediately and it was fine. A lot of the advice on this forum ends up making DIY look more complicated than it is. There must be many flavor concentrates intended to be used alone. I suspect the most common mistake is using to much flavor. I took my last 120m bottle of mail order pre mix and diiluted it 75% but added nic to keep that percentage the same and I liked it better than the original. There is no need to be Chef vape.

 

[BrotherBob]

Is 2-3 hours enough for the steeping process?

Yes, see sofsogood. After 2-3 hours your mix will blend close enough to get a ruff idea of how it will finally taste after a 2 week steep. 2 week steeps are minimum for me. Some tobaccos and custards require 4-5 weeks.
Might want to read:
Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum

Better yet:
dannyv45's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
Hoosier's blog | E-Cigarette Forum