DIY E-juice Mixology

[Purge_Master]

I have a question. I make my own liquid using flavor shots from various makers. I add the shot, calculate my base and nicotine using an e-juice calculator. then add PG/VG and finally nicotine. All the shots come in a 50/50 VG/PG mix and recommend between 10-20% of the final mix. Before I always used premade 70/30 and I started mixing my own 70/30 with 15% being the flavor shot; but, as I wanted more cloud I have gone to an 80/20 mix and 15% flavor.

Questions for DIYers:
1.) when mixing do you use a scale and add by grams or syringe and add by ml?

2.) when mixing 70/30 and 80/20 using the same flavor shots do you change your percentage of flavor shot to have the same flavor profile?

3.) Will the flavor change based on your mix of VG/PG?

4.) I normally let my mixes steep for 14 days ever since I started making my own after talking with a friend who worked at an E-uice manufacturer. Changing over to 80/20 should it steep more time?

I have heard of people saying let it steep months and really don’t know if they are crazy or if it truly adds to the notes. Opinions?

5.) I have had many people with varying opinions on storage while steeping , half say let your freshly made e-juice sit in sun light, the other half say lock it away in a dark place. Some say boil water once it is boiling turn it off and place the bottle in the water for 10-15 minutes to do a rapid steep, one told me to microwave it… I have heard this is all opinion but I know there must be since because it is basically doing chemistry. What are your thought?

6.) if the flavor is not strong, would a sweetener help to amplify the flavor of the shot?

7.) I usually use just juice, ossem, riot squad, mr meringue or fireman brand shots. I use them mainly because they do not have ice, ice seems to irritate my lungs and throat as I deep lung. Are there any other brands you would recommend for strong fruit flavors?

8.) when I started vaping I started with 24mg then 18mg, 16mg, 12mg, 10mg, etc. now I am at 1.25mg. Can lowering the nicotine percentage adversely affect the flavor of an E-juice?


As you may have guessed, my flavors are not as strong as I prefer, and I am looking to improve my alchemy.

Thanks in advance!!

The front 4 bottles have steeped 14 days the back 4 I made today.




This is the calculator I use with my current recipe, is there a better calculator?


These are the sweeteners I was referring to.

 

[aerodan]

I'm not a master mixer by any stretch, and there are some amazing people and FAQs on the DiYorDie discord channel, but here's what I've settled on over the last couple of years:

1.) when mixing do you use a scale and add by grams or syringe and add by ml?

mL using a good scale. 1mL = 1g. I use the scale Wayne uses from diyordie - bought for 40$ Amazon. I mix 10ml at a time in little brown bottles with dripper caps for new flavors to test, then bigger batches if I like them! No syringes..., turned out to be too much hassle to clean and unnecessary for most flavor concentrates like TFa and Capella which come with drip caps.

2.) when mixing 70/30 and 80/20 using the same flavor shots do you change your percentage of flavor shot to have the same flavor profile?

3.) Will the flavor change based on your mix

I do not. AllTheFlavors site calculates for me, so I'm just lazy now. Back when using one shots, I'd up my % by 2 if using a heavy VG mix like 80/20 or Max VG.

of VG/PG?

4.) I normally let my mixes steep for 14 days ever since I started making my own after talking with a friend who worked at an E-uice manufacturer. Changing over to 80/20 should it steep more time?

I never steep anything for more than a week before it goes into service, and have personally never experienced a difference in one week steeping vs. more than one week.

I have heard of people saying let it steep months and really don’t know if they are crazy or if it truly adds to the notes. Opinions?

I've never experienced a flavor profile (dessert or otherwise) that was any different after a week than a month. YMMV, and it really depends on your sense of taste and smell.

5.) I have had many people with varying opinions on storage while steeping , half say let your freshly made e-juice sit in sun light, the other half say lock it away in a dark place. Some say boil water once it is boiling turn it off and place the bottle in the water for 10-15 minutes to do a rapid steep, one told me to microwave it… I have heard this is all opinion but I know there must be since because it is basically doing chemistry. What are your thought?

I keep all of my flavors, and mixes in a small fridge at 35°F. Shake them really well before mixing and have yet to get a bad flavor in some years. Not sure how necessary that is, but I generally believe a moderate cold storage and good mixing helps almost any chemical mixture, and most foods. Again, just my personal bent Many people don't keep their stuff cool. I don't freeze them.

6.) if the flavor is not strong, would a sweetener help to amplify the flavor of the shot?

Sometimes adding sweetener can enhance underlying flavors. However, it's not generally been that successful for me other than a little boost and of course, now the mix is sweet. A good mix, especially a one shot, shouldn't need more sweetener to get more taste. I will say, using higher PG content does carry more flavor. My 70/30 mixes taste and wick better than my max VG.

7.) I usually use just juice, ossem, riot squad, mr meringue or fireman brand shots. I use them mainly because they do not have ice, ice seems to irritate my lungs and throat as I deep lung. Are there any other brands you would recommend for strong fruit flavors?

I really like to add Kind brand menthol drops to mixes instead of the Coolada/WS many brands cool with... Coolada is too long lasting and strong for me, whereas the Kind Menthol drops just add a nice zing. Play with it a bit! Can't help with one shot recommendations, sorry.

Thanks in advance!!

Sure, have fun!

 

[Purge_Master]

I'm not a master mixer by any stretch, and there are some amazing people and FAQs on the DiYorDie discord channel, but here's what I've settled on over the last couple of years:


mL using a good scale. 1mL = 1g. I use the scale Wayne uses from diyordie - bought for 40$ Amazon. I mix 10ml at a time in little brown bottles with dripper caps for new flavors to test, then bigger batches if I like them! No syringes..., turned out to be too much hassle to clean and unnecessary for most flavor concentrates like TFa and Capella which come with drip caps.



I do not. AllTheFlavors site calculates for me, so I'm just lazy now. Back when using one shots, I'd up my % by 2 if using a heavy VG mix like 80/20 or Max VG.


I never steep anything for more than a week before it goes into service, and have personally never experienced a difference in one week steeping vs. more than one week.



I've never experienced a flavor profile (dessert or otherwise) that was any different after a week than a month. YMMV, and it really depends on your sense of taste and smell.


I keep all of my flavors, and mixes in a small fridge at 35°F. Shake them really well before mixing and have yet to get a bad flavor in some years. Not sure how necessary that is, but I generally believe a moderate cold storage and good mixing helps almost any chemical mixture, and most foods. Again, just my personal bent Many people don't keep their stuff cool. I don't freeze them.


Sometimes adding sweetener can enhance underlying flavors. However, it's not generally been that successful for me other than a little boost and of course, now the mix is sweet. A good mix, especially a one shot, shouldn't need more sweetener to get more taste. I will say, using higher PG content does carry more flavor. My 70/30 mixes taste and wick better than my max VG.

I really like to add Kind brand menthol drops to mixes instead of the Coolada/WS many brands cool with... Coolada is too long lasting and strong for me, whereas the Kind Menthol drops just add a nice zing. Play with it a bit! Can't help with one shot recommendations, sorry.



Sure, have fun!

Thank you I was thinking PG is a bit sweet on its own. So it might change the flavor slightly when going 80/20. Is it the digweigh or the American weigh scale you use? I am now living in Medellín, Colombia and have to order from Amazon then send through a freight forwarder out of miami. A lot of my shipments out of China from hell vape lost vape and those in and near Shenzhen I ship to Florida rather than direct as it is 70$ for 6-8# to my door but 100$ from China to my door. I find the climate and cost of living here is significantly better here than living in Montana or Alaska but the cost of vaping and some specific good that I like from the US are more costly. Thank you for answering you gave me a lot that will help I had heard of using the refrigerator for storing but had forgotten about it over the years. And I’ll look for the menthol as well. The small batch mixing I thought about that then dismissed it. I am thinking with the scale that would be significantly easier and cleaner than using syringes. I found the YouTube channel for Diyordie. Amazing had everything I was looking for. I watched his vg/pg video and he says you do lose flavor at 80/20 but only subtly. Thank you again!

 

[aerodan]

Thank you I was thinking PG is a bit sweet on its own. So it might change the flavor slightly when going 80/20. Is it the digweigh or the American weigh scale you use? I am now living in Medellín, Colombia and have to order from Amazon then send through a freight forwarder out of miami. A lot of my shipments out of China from hell vape lost vape and those in and near Shenzhen I ship to Florida rather than direct as it is 70$ for 6 8# to my door but 100$ from China to my door. I find the climate and cost of living here is significantly better here than living in Montana or Alaska but the cost of vaping and some specific good that I like from the US are more costly. Thank you for answering you gave me a lot that will help I had heard of using the refrigerator for storing but had forgotten about it over the years. And I’ll look for the menthol as well. The small batch mixing I thought about that then dismissed it. I am thinking with the scale that would be significantly easier and cleaner than using syringes. I found the YouTube channel for Diyordie. Amazing had everything I was looking for. I watched his vg/pg video and he says you do lose flavor at 80/20 but only subtly. Thank you again!

Here's the scale Wayne uses, and that I bought. Watching his videos taught me a lot, and is way better than watching the news or TV

https://a.co/d/irFHVE6

 

[Purge_Master]

Here's the scale Wayne uses, and that I bought. Watching his videos taught me a lot, and is way better than watching the news or TV

https://a.co/d/irFHVE6

Thank you! I’ll look at getting it. It looks like I can actually get it sent to Colombia for $48.00 shipping included

 

[VapeOn1960]

Hello and welcome to DIY. Very good questions (I am excited to see someone new getting into this)
I have been doing DIY for a few years (and love it) Recently, I have been doing more complex recipes (more flavors and also more PG) Similar to using "one-shots" (higher overall % and PG) so I have adjusted my unflavored "base" to higher VG to compensate. I really don't want to mix everything completely from scratch (including nic, VG and PG) I don't mind if the % are not perfect so always mix my base ahead of time. The best thing I ever did was finally get a scale (AWS 501)... yes, the same one Wayne uses (you don't need the "bowl") It is also called the LB 501 (I got it from Liquid Barn) I don't normally add sweetener (although I recently got some for a few times I might need it) Different flavors need more or less steep time (also depends on temps... right now is cold weather and they need longer steep times) Don't recommend microwave but I have done mall test batches and use the "pocket steep" method (I think I invented this) Keep the bottle in your pants pocket to stay warm and shake it often (only do this when in a hurry) Basically, just shake the heck out of a new mix for a couple days and be patient. Some flavors like fruits don't need a long steep... many like creams, bakeries, tobaccos do (example: cheesecake needs at least 3 weeks) If you get into doing recipes with several flavors, keep in mind different brands (and different flavors of that brand) will need different % (you will need to do some homework... or just ask us, we can help) I don't do menthol or ice (because I love PUR butter mint and use it often) A few items that come in handy: small funnels, blunt needle syringes.

 

[Purge_Master]

Hello and welcome to DIY. Very good questions (I am excited to see someone new getting into this)
I have been doing DIY for a few years (and love it) Recently, I have been doing more complex recipes (more flavors and also more PG) Similar to using "one-shots" (higher overall % and PG) so I have adjusted my unflavored "base" to higher VG to compensate. I really don't want to mix everything completely from scratch (including nic, VG and PG) I don't mind if the % are not perfect so always mix my base ahead of time. The best thing I ever did was finally get a scale (AWS 501)... yes, the same one Wayne uses (you don't need the "bowl") It is also called the LB 501 (I got it from Liquid Barn) I don't normally add sweetener (although I recently got some for a few times I might need it) Different flavors need more or less steep time (also depends on temps... right now is cold weather and they need longer steep times) Don't recommend microwave but I have done mall test batches and use the "pocket steep" method (I think I invented this) Keep the bottle in your pants pocket to stay warm and shake it often (only do this when in a hurry) Basically, just shake the heck out of a new mix for a couple days and be patient. Some flavors like fruits don't need a long steep... many like creams, bakeries, tobaccos do (example: cheesecake needs at least 3 weeks) If you get into doing recipes with several flavors, keep in mind different brands (and different flavors of that brand) will need different % (you will need to do some homework... or just ask us, we can help) I don't do menthol or ice (because I love PUR butter mint and use it often) A few items that come in handy: small funnels, blunt needle syringes.

It is funny you said funnels I never see them mentioned and was actually thinking of it I have been using glass water bottles to store in but I would like to find a bottle that was designed for e-juice (any suggestions?) I don’t have to worry about the cold. It is 72 degrees right now at 7:30 at nigh get here in medellin Colombia. I actually moved here because the average temperature year round is 81 degrees plus or minus one degree. I have been using my the one shots but I am thinking of buying flavorings to mix but the one I did try was a cappella pink lemonade and lime flavors and it was horrible it was 180ml of the worst e-juice I have ever had, I think it needed sweetener.

 

[VapeOn1960]

but the one I did try was a cappella pink lemonade and lime flavors and it was horrible it was 180ml of the worst e-juice I have ever had, I think it needed sweetener.

Try to do a SFT (single flavor test) first... like just 10 ml. Don't laugh, but this is what I use to mix (and then, if it's a winner, transfer to squeeze bottles. Of course, I actually bought vodka bottles and drank them or used for cleaning vape stuff... after years, I have quite a few):
https://www.amazon.com/Belle-Vous-pcs-Liquor-Bottles/dp/B01MZF7FKO

 

[VapeOn1960]

A single coil RDA is great for flavor tests (just do a quick and sloppy re-wick between flavor tests)

 

[VapeOn1960]

I can't recommend sources for supplies or flavors (your location) but will try to help.

 

[VapeOn1960]

Thank you I was thinking PG is a bit sweet on its own.

It's VG that is naturally sweet (and I love it)

8.) when I started vaping I started with 24mg then 18mg, 16mg, 12mg, 10mg, etc. now I am at 1.25mg. Can lowering the nicotine percentage adversely affect the flavor of an E-juice?

Not really (unless you crave what is called "throat hit"... have no desire for that myself)
You might want to increase the nic % a bit to compensate for the flavors diluting the final mix.