The foundation of this recipe started a year ago and I have been playing around with it ever since. Every time I try a new grape, that I like, I would add it to the profile and see how it turns out. When I first tried INW Grapes I got very excited and was my favourite addition but, that was only until I tried RF's Grape SC and added it to the profile. So, without further ado...
BERRYed for GRAPEness
Manufacturer | Flavour | % ---------|----------|---------- RF | Grape (SC) | 1.5% INW | Grapes| 2.5% FW | Grape Soda | 3% TPA | Strawberry | 4% INW | Raspberry | 0.5%
Steep Time: 1+ week
Profile: Sweet and juicy medley of green and red grapes, candied strawberries and a hint of tart raspberries.
The Breakdown:
Grape (SC) (RF):
My favourite grape to date and the main flavour and star of the show. It tastes like a blend of juicy green and red grapes, naturally sweetened and has a slight candy note that makes it taste almost like grape koolaide but much MUCH better! It's also a little tart from the grape skin note, which is way in the background (I only can pick it up as a stand alone). RF knocked this flavour out of the park; it is very delicious and if you love grape flavours, then you need this! It is one of those flavours where you just want to drink the bottle because it’s that good! It is obviously very potent and 1.5% is more than enough to take the top note and not be shy about it.
Grapes (INW):
This flavour is similar to RF Grape SC but not as authentic and juicy and definitely benefits when blended with other grape flavours. It also tastes like a combination of different grapes, grape juice-esque and adds more grape to the grapeness.
Grape Soda (FW):
The last flavour to complete the grape note. It works by adding a lot of sweetness to the profile, while also pulling all 3 grapes together. I find that it has emulsifying properties, which works so well here. It has that recognizable commercial grape drank taste and when blended with the other two grapes, it pushes the grapes into grapeness!
Strawberry (TFA):
The only strawberry I found that can handle this mix and stand out. Other strawberry flavourings get lost or change the grape note. It has an artificial candy-like taste to it but works in this profile because of the sweetness. I found 4% to be ideal because it does not interfere with the grapes and is still very present in the profile.
Raspberry (INW):
The final flavouring to complete the profile. It adds a subtle tart and floral note and complexity to the profile. Even at 0.5% it can be tasted but is much more in the background. If you’ve tried this flavouring you’ll know its taste and you’ll be able to pick it out in the profile. If you haven’t tried it before, you may not be able to notice it. It keeps the profile interesting and fresh. You can omit this flavour and it won’t change too much but adding it does add a little more depth to the berry note, which plays lovely against the grapes.
Notes:
If you love grapes and were that kid that chewed grape hubba bubba, picked out the purple freezes, adored grape drank or just loves grapes, then this is for you! It is very grape dominate vape but you can still taste the strawberry and if your looking for it, the raspberry is there doing its thing. The recipe without the strawberry and raspberry is still great but with them included it makes the vape so much more interesting and an ADV candidate.
Also, this recipe does work well with higher VG and I tend to bounce back and forth between 70/30, 80/20 and max VG.
Beauty recipe! Thank you for sharing. I'm going to have to pick up a couple new grape flavours it seems.. Is the RF grape alcohol based?
I believe they are a mix of alcohol and PDO. I haven't detect any harshness as a shake and vape so I don't believe the alcohol content is very high.
It is and while I have tried their Grape VG flavour, which is equally as good, but you need to use a lot of it. If you don't mind the alcohol (which is not noticeable, especially after a steep) pick it up, but if you do then grab the VG or PDO version instead and use it at 10%.
I might have to try that grape. I was working on a grape soda recipe for a long time until I looked at how they make grape drinks and lemon juice was in a lot of them it was what I was missing. Give it a shot at like .5% see how it turns out.
I've actually tried CAP Lemon-Lime with the 3 grapes and was quite happy with the outcome. Although, at the moment I have not come across a flavouring that can emulate carbonation, which is kind of a must for the soda part.
Will have to try this. Love Hazels Custard, it needs to steep more but it's delicious.
The FW Grape Soda has sucralose in it though and I can't stand sucralose. It hits me in the face like a can of frozen diet soda. I started DIY because of it.
Both Hazel and Gentleman's Custard benefit from an extended steep, that's for sure!
Using TFA Grape Juice could get you somewhere close or you could just omit it and bump up the RF Grape a tad and make it max VG. I use FW Grape Soda in this recipe solely for it's sweetness and because it doesn't mute/change the profile, as some other flavourings I've tried will do.
FW Grape Soda has more sucralose than Cap Super Sweet, which has about four times as a much as TPA Sweetener.
Online source; quite possibly /u/Abdada: "Sucralose (Splenda, CAS 56038-13-2)... FW Grape Soda (30-40%)". While, CAP Super Sweet has 20% + other additives and TPA has 5% + 5% Maltol
FW Grape Soda does help push this recipe into the realm of sweet commercial juice.
You really should try RF strawberry SC. If TFA is the only one that you've found that stands up to the grape, I think you'll find yourself enjoying the RF strawberry quite a bit.