Mixing not going well - Help please!!

[leo]

Hi, my name is Leo and I'm a mixing n00b... and I freely admit I'm terrible at it... so far.
I bought some concentrates, nic base and VG. After reading threads where people said they mixed from anywhere from 2% to 30%+ I really didn't know where to start.
So I mixed some at 5%, steeped for 2 weeks, tried them and they were nasty. Added more flavour, steeped for 2 weeks, still not great.
Now after a month, I still have no nice juice.
So far the only thing that turned out well is some Joose Juice Caramel Blend that I mixed at 30% (after Jim told me that's what he mixes them at).

So, sammy13 suggested in another thread that I post up a list of what I have and ask for recommendations, recipes, or percentages that you actually use any of these at. So here goes....

Basics:
72mg nic base
VG from Boots
PA - Smooth Flavor
PA - Sweetener

Flavours I've tried without great success:
Inawera - Banana (ok, but tastes more like unripe banana, no sweetness, not pleasant)
Inawera - Vanilly Tahity (again, no sweetness, not much flavour, probably too low a mix)
Inawera - 555 Gold (quite nice nutty tobac flavour, but again, weak)
Juice Joose - Irish Cream
Juice Joose - Apple Pie
Juice Joose - Vanilla
Juice Joose - Caribbean Rum (all these JJ I tried first at 20%, which wasn't great, so per Jim's instructions I will add a bit extra to each)
PA - RY4

Flavours I haven't tried yet:
PA - French Vanilla Deluxe
PA - Dulce De Leche
CCW - Custard
CCW - Butterscotch
CCW - Caramel Toffee

I have read that the CCW's might be on the weak side, and maybe need sweetening (that's why I bought the PA Sweetener) - planning to mix at 30% + 5% sweetener (?)
I'd love to be able to make a nice Vanilla Custard out of that lot (who wouldn't!?) - lately I prefer desert flavours, sweeter juice. Have gone off tobacco and fruit flavours.

But my adventures in mixing have left me frustrated so far. Maybe I'm not patient enough to mix, wait, try, adjust, wait, try, repeat.

So if anyone can point me in the direction of some tried and tested mixes I'd be forever grateful.
Thanks for taking time to read my essay!!!!!!!!

??? 

[leo]

Just to add..... have just seen arron 's winning custard recipe in the challenge thread, and couldn't be happier that I have all the ingredients, will be mixing it up tonight!!

[norfolkphil]

Are you intending to make high VG juices? If not, There is no PG on your basic ingredients list.

[leo]

Aug 21, 2014 15:33:31 GMT norfolkphil said:

Are you intending to make high VG juices? If not, There is no PG on your basic ingredients list.

Yes... should have added that... I'm aiming for as high VG as I can... love them clouds, and I find high PG juices too harsh.
I figure that if i'm adding 30% flavour/nic base, then I'm at 30/70 already... I'd prefer 20/80, but so far haven't found any flavours strong enough 

[ruffdog]

allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/42540?page=1&scrollTo=740700

I made a 50/50 12mg custard the other day and it is tasting quite nice.
I did zap it for a few sec and shake after mixing.
It's 15% custard, 5% vanilla and 5% chocolate but you could omit the chock. Infact I can only taste the choc in the fogger, not the protank.

What i really really really wanna know is what markscuba uses for his custard. But he won't tell. lol.

Ruffie.

[ruffdog]

you need, Perpetua lairey Pepperty Chrissie MarkS jess to come and help you out. leo

[stonethecrows]

The heavy VG could be muting your flavours somewhat. You could dilute your VG with distilled water (5-10%) which would certainly carry the flavours better. You can make DW yourself or it's cheap as chips on ebay.

I've not tried JJ or CCW flavours, so I'm not familiar with %'s used. You could try CCW custard %? - PA DDL 2% - PA FVD 2% - PA Sweetner 1-2%.
Maybe someone can help you with the CCW %'s?

[Perpetua]

Aug 21, 2014 16:13:39 GMT stonethecrows said:

The heavy VG could be muting your flavours somewhat. You could dilute your VG with distilled water (5-10%) which would certainly carry the flavours better. You can make DW yourself or it's cheap as chips on ebay.

All my DIY eliquid is VG heavy stonethecrows as I'm PG sensitive, I don't have a problem with muted flavours . . . it's more about getting a flavouring percentage that suits your taste buds, in my humble opinion and if you'll forgive me saying.

I've actually used very few of the concentrates you have leo and a number of them are what I call ' blenders ' as opposed to being standalone flavours, so I wouldn't expect you to have great results with them in all truthfulness, if that's how you've used them.

Certainly all the Vanilla's/Dulche de Leche I'd be combining with other flavours.

A suggested mix from me:

15% CCW Butterscotch
15% CCW Caramel Toffee

You shouldn't need any sweetener, I find their range sweet enough in the main for my tastes. If you do decide they need to be sweeter for you, start at 1% and work up slowly - 5% sweetener you'll be lucky to get an hour from a coil at that high percentage.

JJ Apple Pie & Irish Cream would make a nice mix, I've used neither . . . so the percentages are off the top of my head. 20% Apple Pie & 5 % Irish Cream.

Any new flavours I get, I do my ' lick ' test - put a dab on my tongue and decide how intense they taste to me from that. Absolutely zero science, but it does give me a starting point to work from.

[leo]

Aug 21, 2014 16:13:39 GMT stonethecrows said:

The heavy VG could be muting your flavours somewhat. You could dilute your VG with distilled water (5-10%) which would certainly carry the flavours better. You can make DW yourself or it's cheap as chips on ebay.

I've not tried JJ or CCW flavours, so I'm not familiar with %'s used. You could try CCW custard %? - PA DDL 2% - PA FVD 2% - PA Sweetner 1-2%.
Maybe someone can help you with the CCW %'s?

Thanks, this is very similar to arron 's winning custard mix, so I'll be having a go tonight

[leo]

Aug 21, 2014 16:29:34 GMT Perpetua said:

Aug 21, 2014 16:13:39 GMT stonethecrows said:

The heavy VG could be muting your flavours somewhat. You could dilute your VG with distilled water (5-10%) which would certainly carry the flavours better. You can make DW yourself or it's cheap as chips on ebay.

All my DIY eliquid is VG heavy stonethecrows as I'm PG sensitive, I don't have a problem with muted flavours . . . it's more about getting a flavouring percentage that suits your taste buds, in my humble opinion.

I've actually used very few of the concentrates you have leo and a number of them are what I call ' blenders ' as opposed to being standalone flavours, so I wouldn't expect you to have great results with them in all truthfulness, if that's how you've used them.

Certainly all the Vanilla's/Dulche de Leche I'd be combining with other flavours.

A suggested mix from me:

15% CCW Butterscotch
15% CCW Caramel Toffee

You shouldn't need any sweetener, I find their range sweet enough in the main for my tastes. If you do decide they need to be sweeter for you, start at 1% and work up slowly - 5% sweetener you'll be lucky to get an hour from a coil at that high percentage.

JJ Apple Pie & Irish Cream would make a nice mix, I've used neither . . . so the percentages are off the top of my head. 20% Apple Pie & 5 % Irish Cream.

Any new flavours I get, I do my ' lick ' test - put a dab on my tongue and decide how intense they taste to me from that. Absolutely zero science, but it does give me a starting point to work from.

Thanks Perpetua, will try the CCW mix tonight, as I am getting my mix on...
The JJ Apple Pie is quite nice on it's own... very cinnamony (if that's a word, spell checker doesn't think so!) But I'll try one with the irish cream which is also alright on it's own, if not strong enough in my previous attempt.
Good to know about the sweetener... I'll go easy... but I'm sure someone was saying yesterday about how the CCW flavours are designed to be added to baking, so weren't that sweet on their own.. maybe I just have a sweet tooth... but I guess it's easier to add more sweetener than to take any out.. so I'll start at 0-1%

[stonethecrows]

No worries . I's all trial 'n' error, really. When you come up with a recipe you like, there is no better feeling when you've made it yourself. You're in the right place here, though. If it wasn't for AAEC - I wouldn't have had a clue at the beginning..... .

[Perpetua]

Aug 21, 2014 16:36:24 GMT leo said:

Thanks Perpetua, will try the CCW mix tonight, as I am getting my mix on...
The JJ Apple Pie is quite nice on it's own... very cinnamony (if that's a word, spell checker doesn't think so!) But I'll try one with the irish cream which is also alright on it's own, if not strong enough in my previous attempt.
Good to know about the sweetener... I'll go easy... but I'm sure someone was saying yesterday about how the CCW flavours are designed to be added to baking, so weren't that sweet on their own.. maybe I just have a sweet tooth... but I guess it's easier to add more sweetener than to take any out.. so I'll start at 0-1%

YW leo.

Many of the flavours we use though, started life as bakery additions . . . we've just adopted them, as they suit our purposes.

The only CCW as a standalone flavour that I've added sweetener to, is their Treacle, which I did think a bit dry by itself. Other than that, all their fruits certainly have been sweet enough for my tastes and I thought I had a sweet tooth lol.

Do you like any of the Tjuice flavours? As they're good as standalones, only as I'm thinking that if you had a few successful mixes under your belt, it would encourage you to progress further.

Have you bought any more flavours in Liberty Flights smash n grab - 35% off, it's a brilliant way to increase your selection and increase your mixing choices.

[leo]

Perpetua, yes, a couple bottles each of TPA French Vanilla and Dulche De Leche, and the Sweetener came from Liberty Flights... very quick delivery from those guys.
The problem I have when shopping for concentrates is that I have no clue what I'm doing, so don't know what to buy. And scared they'll end up like the Banana and 555 that I have and I'm sure I'll never use again.
I think you are right about getting some decent mixes under my belt, that's why I haven't given up yet (although I did a bulk JJ premixed order the other day to keep me going while these mixes steep)... I had a right panic attack the other day when I realised I had nothing nice to vape...
Never tried T juice, was in Vape Lab the other day and their T Juice is all too high PG for me, so I didn't buy any (gutted as I was in the middle of my panic attack)

[arron]

Aug 21, 2014 17:10:08 GMT leo said:

Perpetua, yes, a couple bottles each of TPA French Vanilla and Dulche De Leche, and the Sweetener came from Liberty Flights... very quick delivery from those guys.
The problem I have when shopping for concentrates is that I have no clue what I'm doing, so don't know what to buy. And scared they'll end up like the Banana and 555 that I have and I'm sure I'll never use again.
I think you are right about getting some decent mixes under my belt, that's why I haven't given up yet (although I did a bulk JJ premixed order the other day to keep me going while these mixes steep)... I had a right panic attack the other day when I realised I had nothing nice to vape...
Never tried T juice, was in Vape Lab the other day and their T Juice is all too high PG for me, so I didn't buy any (gutted as I was in the middle of my panic attack)

As for ordering concentrates, have a look through the list of recipes Here and pick some you like the sound of....order those concentrates and you know have a great starting point.
this is what I did (and still do!!) you can play around with % if the original recipe isn't quite to your liking 

[chykensa]

If you buy T-Juices concentrates, you'll be able to mix to your high VG preference. Have a nose around their premade pages for descriptions of their juices.