Hey everyone! First time posting, long time lurker here. I've been into DIY for a while, grabbing advice from this subreddit along with recipes from around the web. Basically I've been trying a new recipe of mine but there's a certain throat harshness. I'm using a 60/40 VG mix with 6mg of nicotine. I've tried the base on its own and there's no harshness, so I've ruled out the nicotine as a cause. Recipe goes as:
- FA Fuji - 4%
- FA Pear - 2%
- FA Vienna Cream - 2%
- TPA Bavarian Cream - 2%
- TPA Dulce de Leche - 3%
- TPA Maple - 2%
There's a certain back-of-the-throat harshness in the juice that I can't pinpoint. Any help at how to alleviate this would be appreciated!
Edit: Just mixed up a batch with different percentages. I'll give it a week or two of steeping and post the recipe here if it turns out any good. Thanks a lot!
Too much Fuji. That's a strong flavor.
I had a feeling that could be the case. Have you used it before and if so, what percentages would you usually use for it to stand out in the mix?
Check out /u/botboy141 's apple pie recipe. It's the key ingredient and he has it at 1%. Amazing recipe fwiw; it was my ADV for months.
/u/botboy141 's Diketone free has it at 1%, and that recipe sucks! In comparison of course. Not bad for a diketone free, but terrible compared to the V2 with 4% Fuji. I thought it was a lot too, but it really makes the other one seem... lacking. Lately I'll sub out 2% of the Fuji with 2% CAP Double Apple, just to bring down the tartness a bit
Thank you very much kirkt! Going through his recipes for inspiration now. His Awesome Apple Pie V2 also has Fuji at 4% though, strangely. Maybe the Liquid Amber balances it out better. I'll try reducing mine down to 1-2%, maybe find another apple flavour to compliment it and see how I fare.
It just might need time to settle down, usually creams will smooth out letting them steep. I would say give it a week and come back to it and see if it smoothed out a bit.
Thanks! That completely slipped my mind. First time to work with creams as I usually dabble in fruits and mints. I'll give that a go and see how it ages.
Dulce de Leche is strong, I typically don't go above 2% but I don't think it would cause any huge issue at 3. The only one I haven't tried on your list is TFA Maple, possibly that?
I see no reason for the harshness. You may need to let it sit. You said you tried the base without nictone? Can you give us more info. Like hold long you had it? The base(VG/pg)? Have you used it before?
Yup, tried the base without the nicotine. Local generic unflavoured liquid 60VG 40PG. I've had it for about a week now I think. I've used it recently and it's been fine. Bland as cardboard, but no harshness whatsoever.
Try FA Vienna Cream on its own. It's always harsh to me even in %1-2 as you have described. I don't know whether mine is a bad batch or something but it could also be your problem.
Vienna cream above 1% used to be very harsh for me. Try dropping it out, lower it, or try it on its own at 2% to see if that contributes to the harshness. The only flavor I haven't tried is Maple, so that may add some harshness (I don't think so though, b/c I don't get any harshness from RY4D (mainly cyclotene as well)).
Thin the flavors down by adding more vg/pg and try it. See what it is missing adjust from there.
Only 60% VG been OK for you before? I usually go a little higher VG.