I have a number of TFA flavors (watermelon, peach, mango, etc.) that I feel are lacking that "juicy" fresh fruit taste. I typically mix these flavors, by themselves, based off of percentages from the TFA recipes thread on the sidebar. Usually at about 10%-20%. However I feel that they are missing that refreshing, juicy taste you get from a fresh fruit. They don't taste bad, just bland. What do you add to give your TFA flavors that extra kick? EM? Sweetener? Or am I better off with fruit flavors from a different vendor altogether?
Some combination thereof. If you want more sweetness add EM and Sweetener at a 2 to 1 ratio.
If you want the fruits to pop out at you more, add Citric Acid (not malic acid) at roughly 1 drop per ML.
You can also check the flavor review thread for other similar flavors from other vendors that might have better reviews.
Lastly just order everything and then you can find a way to live a short (once the spouse finds out) but happy life.
Edit: You can also try adding just a drop or two per 10ml of menthol. Sometimes that helps to give fruits a bit fresher/more refreshing taste. Additionally, combining different vendors fruits together (for me at least) frequently provides for the best taste, mixing a candy like fruit with a ripe type fruit, a tart fruit with a sweet fruit etc. And lastly, try using other fruits as additives, things like TFA Lemon, real lemon juice, TFA Key Lime, pomegranate added to blueberry, pear added to apples. Make sure to use the additive in a low enough percentage (0.5-2%) so that you can't taste it, but you'll notice how it adjusts the flavor of your typical flavor.
My personal favorites are pear to make apples pop, pomegranate to add another layer to a blueberry flavor, and a couple drops of menthol to TFA Watermelon.
Seconded so much. Citric Acid is really interesting. To anyone who is curious: try /u/fizzmustard's nana cream clone with and without citric acid. Big difference IMO. Citric has totally replaced "Sour"/malic acid for me in fruit mixes.
And a lot of people dislike sucralose and EM. But combining them is great and can take a dry, sharp juice and totally turn it around.
Do you have a standard for 'drop size' for these things? When I see 1 drop per mL, it usually doesn't say out of what bottle/dropper - regular plastic, needle/thin tip, 30ml glass dropper top, 2 dram dropper top? Mixing by weight, I've found that dependent on brand/bottle, 1 drop ranges from 0.02g to 0.05g (making a 30mL bottle, that would be adding anywhere from .6mL to 1.5mL) It's quite a difference!
tl;dr: how much citric acid (in mL or g) to add to a 30mL bottle of nana?
It totally agree! One tip if you don't usually have real lemons all the time at home is to use Volcano Organic Italian Lemon Juice. It is 100% juice, USDA Organic, and Not-from-concentrate. I keep this stocked for my homemade ginger beer that I use for making Irish and Russian mules. They sell it in a two pack at Costco.
Just out of curiosity, do you have anything against Malic Acid, or do you just not like it?
It mutes flavor over time.
Well i just started diy about 2 hours ago but I thought Id share. Made 2 versions of the nana clone. One had .56g of 10% citric acid in pg per 20ml of finished juice. The other one I put .79g per 20ml of finished juice. Not sure on percentages now as im going to go by weight only. Tasting them now after about 2 hours on a crockpot. The first one with .56g tastes great. The one with incresed ca solution is a bit much. Hard to describe since im fighting a cold right now. The only difference in the 2 was the citric acid so ill keep em steeping and see how they age. Also wanted to say thanks for all the help getting me started in diy.
Also made a dragon fruit strawberry mix that tastes fantastic. Went with the lower level of citric acid in that one too. Just 5% dragon fruit and 2%strawberry. Both tfa.