Does anyone else create a new recipe and let others taste it without telling them exactly what flavor profile you were going for? I do this to try and fine tune recipes once in awhile. I would typically be vaping the flavor, and have them take a few puffs and see what they say.
I've had people taste test things and describe what they taste, and it's nowhere near the flavor profile I've intended...BUT, as soon as I tell them what it is, they typically reply with, "OH YEAH! That's exactly what it tastes like!"
Say I have a really rich Vanilla Custard creation, some people taste chocolate, until I tell them it's a Vanilla Custard and then they change it up and say that's what it is!
I cannot remember where on here I read an article about taste testers and such...but yes, the power of suggestion is huge for tasting.
Yeah man my gf doesn't like anything with cream. She only likes fruit recipes and since she knows I love creams, custards, and bakeries, she always assumes that's what I'm vaping. I also enjoy fruity recipes as well and every once in a while I'll tell her to try my vape that has a fruity recipe in it (same exact fruity recipe I made for her). I don't tell her what it is and she always just says, "yeah I don't really like that". She just assumes I'll be vaping something other than fruit and will say mine isn't very good even if it's the same damn recipe.
She's also the worst beta tester ever so the only benefits I get from making all her juice are blowjobs when I remind her how much money I'm saving her.
Fuck, man. I give my wife over 4k a month, and I can't get a bj. Hookers would be cheaper
Luckily I got a group of friends who also mix so they tend to know whats up when they vape something I mix and vice versa. Pretty cool since I didn't think anyone else did blind taste testing. We also considered it a type of training to help pick apart the flavorings used in a recipe.
Power of suggestion like you said.
I have a friend who always guesses strawberry. But when I ask him to choose say; lime or pineapple, he always changes his answer. I typically give him the option between 2 of what's actually in it. He knows his blueberry on the first try every time though.
Thing to remember is that if you're getting non mixers to test they will not be used to describing flavors like we do. A lot of people just don't have practice pointing out specific flavors so therefor sweet is just sweet and fruity is just fruity. I do agree power of suggestion is real but if the tester is "untrained" they will be pretty useless anyway. You just have to go on YouTube and watch some juice reviews to see proof. Reviewer will be explaining a juice saying, "mmm, good, yummy, I like this" rather than, "main profile is banana smoothie, I get a strawberry top note, cream and banana base, and a hint of blueberry." <That takes practice and a conscious approach!
Think of how a chef would describe a dish verses a regular person. Chef would be able to point out specific ingredients, amounts, how things were prepared, whereas regular person will just say "mmmmm gud".
As much as I can I do this.
> I've had people taste test things and describe what they taste, and it's nowhere near the flavor profile I've intended...BUT, as soon as I tell them what it is, they typically reply with, "OH YEAH! That's exactly what it tastes like!"
This happens all too often. The power of suggestion is something I love to take advantage of. One of the most interesting tools to use when crafting recipes.