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Any suggestions for reducing "dryness" with flavors? and reducing "harshness" with citrus flavors?
submitted almost 11 years ago by meanrockSD

As the title says- Does anyone have any suggestions for these?

I made a few mixes recently with NN, FW, LA, and TPA flavors, mostly Citrus, banana, Dragonfruit etc in a 70vg/30pg blend. I've also been testing different levels of Citric Acid ever since fizzmustards Nanacream recipe. I tend to prefer most of these mixes with ~0.5% to 1% Citric acid. After several days steeping, some of my test batches feel harsh on the throat hit, and are drying my mouth out something awful.

Does anyone have any suggestions for making a mix more....moist? and less harsh? I've tried adding a few grains of rocksalt or adding 4% water, or both, without much success. Thanks in advance for any help.

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7 points
 
by NudeNicotinealmost 11 years ago

isoamyl acetate + low pH in these flavors are just harsh in their nature

a solution may be to basify your mix - i.e. add NaOH to bring the pH to a more neutral 7 (or close 7)

3 points
 
by [deleted]almost 11 years ago

Is it safe to add sodium hydroxide to e liquids?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide

7 points
 
by NudeNicotinealmost 11 years ago

absolutely! dissociates into sodium and hydrozide ions.

used in almost all food products as a basifying agent and is GRAS

low molarity is the key

2 points
 
by myPlumsalmost 11 years ago

Science!

2 points
 
by meanrockSDalmost 11 years ago

Before someone goes out and Vapes Lye- what concentration/sources are recomended? 1% dilution added at 1% to an existing solution? And...I'm not surprised to see concentrations sold on Amazon, essential depot even.

1 points
 
by [deleted]almost 11 years ago

Wow. Now I am wondering if this is the missing piece to the puzzle for me??

3 points
 
by m_i_ralmost 11 years ago

watching this thread for more replies, but, yeah, I find apple and citrus flavors can be a bit rough. You can use Ethyl Maltol (often sold as "cotton candy flavor", or you can buy it powdered and make your own solution 10% in PG). i find it gives the vape "body" and some moistness, but it also has something of a flavor-muting effect. Also, avoid flavors with alcohol: those tend to add "throat hit. "

2 points
 
by Botboy141almost 11 years ago

Drop the CA unless absolutely necessary. Try 0.5-1% of some sweet creamy flavors like marshmallow, whipped cream, toasted marshmallow, etc to add just a hint of sweetness (hardly noticeable) but it adds some creamy body that provides a fuller mouth feel (moist feel) and reduces throat hit by rounding it out a bit.

2 points
 
by [deleted]almost 11 years ago

What is a good brand Marshmallow for this technique? The one I have doesnt seem to do much except mute the flavors. The only thing I havent tried at the moment is adding ethyl vanillin to my mixes.

2 points
 
by Botboy141almost 11 years ago

TFA works for me. FA is excellent as well but use @ like half a drop in a 15ml for real.

1 points
 
by LippencottElvisalmost 11 years ago

I've been meaning to ask you what you think about the levels of CA in the fizz Nana Cream recipe. It comes out to ~2% or more. It really seems excessive in amount, as well as the mouthfeel of the final product.

2 points
 
by rave420almost 11 years ago

Where do you get 2% from? On a 10 ml bottle you would add 10 drops, how is that 2%?

2 points
 
by LippencottElvisalmost 11 years ago

I'm not sure if you think that figure is high or low.

0 points
 
by Botboy141almost 11 years ago

Mouthfeel of the final product seems fine to me. I've never tried it any other way to be honest, and it winds up being 2.25% for me.

May try it differently next time /shrug.

2 points
 
by LippencottElvisalmost 11 years ago

Mouthfeel is the wrong word, its not a problem with the body, more like "feels like acid is eating away at my tongue" after a while, probably what OP was feeling also. Maybe I'm getting picky. Going to try some tweaks tomorrow.

1 points
 
by meanrockSDalmost 11 years ago

Thanks guys- Ya, I have no doubt that the citric acid is one of the culprits, I tried to include specifics that I feel are contributing.

I tried mixing up a small batch of fizzmustards Nana Cream and noticed the same issue. Should I try adding EM with the Citric Acid? I do have some TPA Toasted Marshmellow and ECX 10% EM Solution both- that I have been trying out.
Should I try mixing Malic Acid with Citric Acid for flavors that I want to retain that bite? I'm trying to avoid muting flavors obviously, but some blends really need that pop and its driving me crazy with cotton mouth.
Edit - Has anyone tried mixing Saline with a 10% Ethyl Maltol solution then using that as an additive?

1 points
 
by iamgr3malmost 11 years ago

Malic acid mutes flavors over time so you would want to avoid that.

0 points
 
by m_i_ralmost 11 years ago

the citric acid is also partly to blame.

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