I don't see a review of this flavor in the wiki...does anyone else use it?
I've found that it imparts a great, authentic fresh lime flavor right off the shake and for the first few days, but develops a nasty harshness after a week or so of steeping that gets worse with additional steeping. Can anyone confirm, or is it just me?
Had a similar issue with ooo watermelon candy were it was great s&v but after a couple of days went harsh. I assume it’s about lower % (which didn’t work) so I’m interested to see if any has any input
It has an issue like many (not all) citrus flavors. Also pit fruits do the same. The cumulative amount of citrus or pit fruit flavors in a recipe tend to lead to harshness as they increase.
Its not just the LTCP doing it in the recipe you posted. Most of it, but not all. Gin can be too, at least the 3 I have.
You could cut the LTCP to .75 or so and try to regain the tart effect via FA Liquid Amber in SMALL amount. .25% probably. Liquid Amber is an amazing additive flavor. Amp up sour of fruit, make fruits seem fermented, simulate jelly etc. Its an amazing tool and a good cheater when trying to cut harshness in citrus and pit fruit flavors. Its also badass in alcohols, especially gins. Would be fitting in your recipe 100% certainly.
P.S. Some flavors just get worse over time. Steeping is usually a boon, but exceptions exist. You might not be able to save this recipe for long term use. I'd start with liquid amber and using another citrus or two in small amounts while cutting LTCP. Don't remove the lime tahity because it is really good when its good.
Wow, your advice is extremely insightful. Are you a flavor design professional?
I've added Liquid Amber to my shopping list, and will try it as suggested. Everything you say about that makes perfect sense to me.
> Some flavors just get worse over time. Steeping is usually a boon, but exceptions exist.
Yeah, that's what stumped me here as this recipe tasted great right off the shake, and I'd never seen anything get harsher with steeping before (mellowing and fading are common, but not harshening.)
> Don't remove the lime tahity because it is really good when its good.
Yes...of the limes I've tried, LTCP is by far the most realistic imitation of actual lime.
I've got experience in the food industry. Cook and chef. Even had the opportunity to cook for the James Beard Award people (under another chef, but served several dishes of my own). Worked in food factories as quality assurance and had a hand in product development. Studying in pursuit of a food science degree. Product development is what I want to do full time.
DIY vaping is a continuation of all that into a personal hobby. It's had quite some carry over skills and knowledge into my professions too.
P.S. If you are a single flavor tester don't expect liquid Amber to be good on its own. It's my favorite additive, but it's not really a flavor even though it's not listed as an additive usually. I am surprised this stuff hasn't caught on big in the community.
Side note, I have a couple of recipes I have been working on that have the issue of some ingredients which need long steeps and some which lose their luster quickly. Mostly some whiskey, bourbon, and gin concepts I have been working on. I found that making a larger batch of most of the base, the vg/pg and long steep flavors first and keeping that around for later helps. I then finish the recipe with the nicotine and any remaining flavors that don't hold up well. Results in a reasonably well steeped product that can make use of those highly volatile or weird flavors that don't want to hold up well.
It's a technique that would probably help if you like this recipe. Hold off on the lime and maybe nicotine until the rest is steeped and you want a batch. Tedious, but I use this often with FLV bourbon and VT scotch whiskey to steep out the hay taste. Then I can add the boozy edge with FW bourbon/whiskey or VT vodka before use. Those components can lose that part I use them for in mere days, but this way gives all ingredients their optimal time.
It's worth an experiment. It's too much effort for me to do with most mixes though.
I have had a few blends get seemingly harsher over time. INW white grapefruit, orange, and apricot along with some garbage whiskey flavor I can't remember seemed to be culprits. Weird how most were INW now that I type it...
What percent did you mix it up at?
1.25%
Have you tried mixing it at a smaller percentage? I use it in my ADV recipe and have never had this issue, but I only use it at 0.5% and no more. It's pretty potent, and probably my favorite lime.
Below is the recipe I'm trying to fix. The limes combine perfectly right off the shake, but start to mutate and get progressively harsher from the 7th day of steeping on. I subsequently mixed & steeped each of the flavors separately to pinpoint the issue, and it's definitely the FA that causes it.
Ingredient|% :---|---: Back Bar Bitters (Flavorah)|0.25 Juniper Gin (Flavorah)|1.00 Lemon Lime (CAP)|1.75 Lemon Lime Soda (NR)|2.00 Lime Tahity (Cold Pressed) (FA)|1.25 Quince (TPA)|0.50
Flavor total: 6.75%
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