Why is grape pixie stick so damn hard?

submitted over 9 years ago by hobbzey

Ok, so I've recently became addicted to a Grape Pixie Stick I picked up at a local store for $19/15ml OUCH! So I thought could make it myself as I have done other simple flavors, and even thought once I nailed it I could try a raspberry pixie stick variant, so I hit up BCV for the following ingredients.

Grape Candy-TFA
Grape Juice-TFA
Grape-FW
Grape-HS
Sweet and Tart-TFA
Sour-TFA
Ethyl Maltol 10% (PG)

And for a possible future Raspberry Pixie Stick

Raspberry V2-Cap
Sweet Raspberry-TFA
Blue Raspberry Cotton Candy
Koolada 10% PG-TFA (just always wanted to experiment with this one)

But now I'm starting to think I was being a little naive in the simplicity of the flavor lol.

Starting out with Grape Candy and Sweet and Tart in different concentrations with drops of sour has so far only resulted in either perfume tastes or dry dusty flavorless messes. Mostly, it seems that finding that perfect balance of grape that pops without going into perfume land is what's stumping me...

Soooo any and all help would be appreciated at this point, especially if someone already knows a successful Grape Pixie Stick with these flavors...

Comments

5 points

by VapeQueen214over 9 years ago

Have you tried grape candy and dragon fruit yet? I can't remember the exact recipe but a shop owner I'm friends with vaped it exclusively for months. The dragon fruit at 3-5% gives off that powdery taste. I also don't usually use sweetener, but if I do I only use 2-3 drops I get no gunking whatsoever and it is usually just enough to give it a slightly sweeter taste. I'm not a fan of grape but it was a solid grape pixie stick flavor for sure.

4 points

by ThirdWorldOrderover 9 years ago

You should try this one out

1 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

VapeQueen214 would be proud as that's her recipe post lol

1 points

by ThirdWorldOrderover 9 years ago

Yes, I know

1 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

I haven't got any dragonfruit on hand, but will be sure to grab a small bottle of TFA's on my next BCV order just to try this!

3 points

by ThirdWorldOrderover 9 years ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_eJuice/comments/372g41/grape_pixie_stix_grape/crj77zm

2 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

Thank you for dredging this one up for me!

7% Raspberry
3% Grape Candy
and .5% Sweeter(all TFA)

The blending of the grape and the raspberry may even be getting me exactly where I'm trying to go!

Two things: 1.) Have you tried this one yourself? If so, your opinion? 2.) Can I use the EM in place of the sweetener? If so, any idea on how much?

3 points

by ThirdWorldOrderover 9 years ago

I just typed 'Pixie" into the search bar.. there's some more there if you wanna take a look. Haven't tried the recipe though.

You can't sub sweetener with EM. I also believe any recipe that's going to taste like Pixie sticks is going to require it as well, sadly.

1 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

Gotcha, but surely there's gotta be a way to do it without sweetener, cause the one I bought locally (Avail Vapor's "Pixie Dust") doesn't gunk up, darken, or caramelize like sweetened vapes I've bought before...

But then again maybe its due to a very low percentage of sweetener...

Oh and one last thing of interest: This store bought one actually has a light purple sheen to it that only shows in the sunlight lol don't really know how to explain it but it's almost pearlescent

2 points

by coop34over 9 years ago

There is one in the Feb recipe thread. Popped up last nite.

1 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

I saw that one, but it was all Flavor Wizard based... =
But I'll try it tonight with TFA and report back!

2 points

by RuntDastardlyover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

If you're talking about the one I posted, those are Flavor West (FW), not Wizard Lab (WL) Flavors, and one TFA/TPA Flavor (SweeTangy). That said, I've gotten more than one recommendation to try TPA's Grape Juice + Grape Candy, which I'm definitely going to try next.

...Even though I was trying to lay off buying yet more flavors for awhile. I see my Wish Lists growing, and I know I'm losing that battle.

2 points

by hobbzeyover 9 years ago

Sorry for the mix up and thanks for the share, but I know what you mean, just opened this shipment of flavors yesterday and already have a growing list for my next order thanks to all these recommendations of TFA Dragon Fruit, FW Grape Candy, TFA Sweetener, etc

2 points

by tranceinateover 9 years agoIn a good mood for now - don't piss me off.

Pixie Sticks are purely made from artificial flavours & sugar so....it's purely a matter of finding the right Grape(try LA Grape at 1% for your purple sheen, if it's not enough candy grape try adding in FW or one of the TFA grapes) and then add about 1% of a 10% sucralose solution.

1 points

by RuntDastardlyover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

I'm interested in trying that LA Grape, too, and I see Gremlin DIY has it in colorless, which is good.

2 points

by vapecrafterover 9 years ago

Pixie stix to me give off a bit of a powdery note too, maybe add in a little Musk Candy, say like 1% or so, as an additive?

2 points

by contactclosureover 9 years ago

I've been hunting good grapes since day 1. I like Hangsen and TFA Grape Juice together. If you want it strong I would start with 3% of each. That should be pretty candy like. I have not tried TFA G Candy though, that might work better. Hangsen is more pleasant but less candy like than Grape Juice. I've ran Grape Juice up to 5% no problem. Sorry I don't have a magic fix, just some suggestions.

2 points

by phantom240over 9 years agoPâtissier

>dry dusty flavorless messes

Well you've nailed most of the Pixie Stick flavor, then.

2 points

by CryptoVaperover 9 years ago

I've made this one by /u/djslowbro666. I rounded the percentages up:

7% Grape Juice (TFA)
3% Vanilla Swirl (TFA)
1% Vanilla Custard V2 (CAP)

1 points

by RinVapesover 9 years ago

http://e-liquid-recipes.com/recipe/332077/J+Dip Tastes pretty spot on to me... I think the problem is most grape flavorings taste like shit aka Dimetapp.