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Problem tasting strawberry and blueberry
submitted almost 9 years ago by Freighter109

Good evening folks. My apologies up front, but I’m revisiting an old thread that I found. That being that I can’t taste strawberry or blueberry. Of the countless amazing recipes I’ve mixed from ELR, the ones containing blueberry or strawberry fail me. I say fail, but not completely. I’ll take Ken O’Where Strawnana Custard as an example. AMAZING recipe! For me though, its Nana Custard. I can’t taste the strawberry. The same holds true for NotCharlesManson Strawberry Shortcake Bar. For me its Shortcake Bar. I still enjoy both even though I can’t taste the strawberry. What can I do to get those berries? I can taste all berries except for strawberry and blueberry.

In an old thread I found, it was suggested that I add sweeteners. I’ve tried adding 1% all the way up to 10% sweetener. Each mix was left to age for two weeks. None have yielded that sweet strawberry taste. The odd thing is though, I can taste commercially made strawberry juices. Are they adding an insane amount of sweetener(like 10+%)? I can smell the concentrates and they smell amazing. I can eat strawberries and blueberries and they taste great. Mixing my own yields 0 taste. I’m at a loss here. One friend who I mix for is the same way. Anyone have some advice to offer? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Edit 1. INW Shisha Strawberry is the only one so far that I can taste. Everything else has 0 flavor to me. Thank you all for the input thus far. I still have a few more to test tomorrow, then move on to blueberry.

Edit 2. JF Strawberry Sweet http://imgur.com/XPbvDJn is another I can taste. This to me is like its labeled. A sweet strawberry. The Shisha is more of an authentic strawberry while the JF is more of a candy strawberry. MOAR TESTING TO FOLLOW!!!

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5 points
 
by goldfish18almost 9 years agoWinner of the 1st DIYorDIE World Mixing Championship

Order every strawberry flavor on the market and test them all. If you find one or a few that taste like strawberry, then that or those are what you shall use. If you can't taste any of them, then you're fucked!

2 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

That has actually crossed my mind. To date I have:

TFA Strawberry Ripe

TFA Strawberry

CAP Sweet Strawberry

FA Strawberry

I suppose I'll try ordering a few more and see where that gets me.

5 points
 
by Apexifiedalmost 9 years agoDiketones, Schmiketones

Definitely try JF Sweet Strawberry. I have 17 strawberries and JF has become my go to Strawberry for a lot of recipes because it seems to stand out more than almost any other that I've tried.

1 points
 
by surfishermanalmost 9 years ago

I would have JF Strawberry if it wasn't close to $5.00 more for the 4 oz size than most others .

$16.00+ is a little too steep for me .

3 points
 
by ID10-Talmost 9 years ago

I've heard of people who can't taste the first three strawberries on your list being able to taste FA and INW Shisha Strawberry. It's discouraging that you can't taste FA, but try INW Shisha and, as Apexifed mentioned, JF Sweet Strawberry.

This is the first I recall hearing about a blueberry non-taster. Which blueberries have you tried?

2 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

To date TFA blueberry wild and blueberry extra. I've got some new strawberries ordered so I hope that will do something for me.

1 points
 
by goldfish18almost 9 years agoWinner of the 1st DIYorDIE World Mixing Championship

Try JF Strawberry Sweet and INW Shisha Strawberry

1 points
 
by 0ptimusRhymealmost 9 years ago

Another vote for JF strawberry sweet. It's the best strawberry I've had by a mile. If you can't taste that one at 3-4% I'll take a shot of TFA honey

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

I do have it ordered. I'll report back!

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

So the JF will be here Monday. In comparison to the others(tfa ripe and cap sweet), is it the same percentage wise or would you use it at a lower concentration?

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

So do I get a video of you taking a shot of TFA honey? I say that since I can't taste this joke that is JF strawberry!

JK!

As a quick shake and vape, I can taste it. I would have mixed a few days ago but work! I will be trying in a few more mixes over days off but so far so good! This might be my saving grace. That and Shisha strawberry.

4 points
 
by PilgrimsRegressalmost 9 years ago

I am in the same boat as you, can't taste strawberry and blueberry has an off chemical taste. The only strawberry I have ever had any luck tasting was INW shisha but I got an off putting hint of plastic from it at the same time.

I have tried all the recommendations that others have posted with no luck. I have given up on both strawberry and blueberry. There are a few I have still not tried but I don't feel like wasting any more money. It really sucks :(

3 points
 
by bogey_againalmost 9 years ago

INW Shisha Strawberry 4% is the one I get the most flavor from also. FA Strawberry (red touch) is where I get the plastic.

1 points
 
by PilgrimsRegressalmost 9 years ago

The worst part of it is that if I try a strawberry liquid I can sometimes taste it perfectly on the very first puff but the flavour completely disappears on subsequent tries. I know exactly what I am missing and that makes it all the more annoying.

1 points
 
by bogey_againalmost 9 years ago

Can you taste peanut butter? I have a had time with that one too. With FLV I can taste nut a little like a peanut however still not anything close to peanut butter :-(

1 points
 
by nw167almost 9 years ago

INW Shisha Strawberry mixed with TFA Strawberry Ripe works for me. I can't taste Strawberry Ripe on it's own but it seems to balance out the Shisha.

Try using vanillin with blueberry. I find it helps negate the chemically taste.

2 points
 
by HashSlingingSlashuralmost 9 years ago

I've heard of people using either

TFA raspberry sweet (1-2%)

Or

TFA orange cream (.5-1%)

In combination with strawberry flavors to give a boost to the strawberry. Maybe give something like that a try.

Try something like

FA strawberry 1%

TFA strawberry ripe 2%

CAP sweet strawberry 2%

Along with one of those TFA flavors

I've yet to feel the need for sweetener in any of my mixes. I encourage you to try and find a flavor/mix you love before adding that and then maybe touch it up with a small amount of sweetener.Start less than 1% depending what sweetener you use. (10% seems borderline insane)

I have no problem tasting strawberry in my vape .. my current adv involves a combo of the aforementioned strawberry flavors w/o either of the 'boosters'.

Best of luck.

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

I do have the TFA Raspberry Sweet(which I can taste). I'll try giving that a go and see if it brings out the strawberry. TFA Orange Cream is on my list to buy. I don't want to add sweeteners if I can keep from it. Hopefully I find the solution. Thank you for the input.

1 points
 
by HashSlingingSlashuralmost 9 years ago

Try it at 1% and see how it is, hopefully the result is strawberry goodness

2 points
 
by BlazeDemBeatzalmost 9 years agoMentholatier

I dunno if this sounds weird, try taking a tiny drop on your finger of the actual flavoring and see if you can taste it by itself. This might help you figure out if it's the actual flavoring you can't taste or if it's how ur mixing the juice

2 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

That I have tried. TFA strawberry Ripe I can smell and taste. Granted its chemically/bitter to taste, but after a second of that I can get the strawberry flavor. I have sourced it from multiple vendors to eliminate a "bad batch". This holds true to all of my strawberries. Not sure on the mixing. I mix in my beakers and pour into the bottles. No, my power mixer is not introducing bubbles, which I hear can mute some flavors. I've also tried mixing straight into the bottle and shaking it. Trying an above idea, I just ordered 13 4oz bottles of different strawberries. I'm hoping one of them will be one I can taste. Thank you for your advice.

7 points
 
by CheebaSteebaalmost 9 years agoFrugivore

So I got a flavor in that is a strawberry, which is extremely potent and has a nice very forward strawberry flavor. When I was testing it my brain developed a theory that it might be the answer to the ol' strawberry non-taster conundrum.

I can taste strawberries myself so I'm not able to test them completely, but I do notice that whatever strawberry flavor I get dies on me real quick. I haven't noticed it in this strawberry. I am consistently greeted with a very forward strawberry flavor with some slightly chemically/floral/cool notes hiding in the background which tend to fade after a few puffs and your palate gets used to them.

The flavor I talk about is FLV Alpine strawberry. I Waited until this last paragraph to mention it because of the price tag and my uncertainty If my theory holds any holds any real weight. I have also been unsuccessful using it well in a mix (not bad, not great, just ok). I would love to get some feedback from a strawberry non-taster on it to see if it is a good solution, but I hate to see someone be a Guinea pig for a flavoring that's ~$20

2 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

Thank you for the input. My normal supplier doesn't carry but I will source it elsewhere and see where it gets me. I'm willing to try anything.

2 points
 
by Twistedfexeralmost 9 years agoProud Sidebar Reader!

Might be a dumb question but, are you vigorously shaking your concentrates?

Not doing so could mean your just adding pg to the recipe.

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

Yes. I shake my concentrates before mixing. Based on answers so far i'm leaning towards needing a different strawberry.

2 points
 
by anonnianalmost 9 years ago

Do you have any sinus and/or allergy issues? I had a similar experience as the OP in this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_eJuice/comments/53xy0y/i_finally_tasted_strawberry_ripe/

I haven't tried the suggestions there yet, but I am planning to.

2 points
 
by To0nMaNalmost 9 years ago

Sorry that all you can taste is the banana in Strawnana. I made a V2 of it using Medicine Flower strawberry for this very reason, to see if people who cant taste artificial sb could taste a natural sb. If you look at what TPA's strawberries contain you will see that there are very few chemicals compared to what makes up a real strawberry. Many of the chemicals left out of artificial sb's have an impact on flavor.

If you cant taste the SB in V2 bump the Medicine Flower % up just a bit. If that doesnt work im not sure what will.

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

No need to apologize. Even without the strawberry taste it is still great. I will give this new recipe a go and see where it gets me. I've got a lot of different strawberries showing up in the morning so lots of testing to do! Thank you.

1 points
 
by To0nMaNalmost 9 years ago

I really hope you find something that works for you.

1 points
 
by nw167almost 9 years ago

1:4 INW Shisha Strawberry : TFA Strawbery Ripe

I can't taste Strawberry Ripe on its own, and stand-alone Shisha Strawberry tastes like shit to me. This combo works pretty well. A little TFA Dragon Fruit can help as well in the right mix.

Blueberry I can usually sorta taste, but stand-alone the ones I've tried either taste nasty of weak.

1:8 FA Bilberry : TFA Blueberry Wild + 1-2% Vanillin (10%) is my go to for blueberry now.

1 points
 
by Freighter109almost 9 years ago

Thank you for the input. I've got the shisha and bilberry both showing up tomorrow, as well as some others.

1 points
 
by Zermachtalmost 9 years ago

TFA Strawberry Ripe is the closest I've come to tasting a strawberry vape so far.

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