have you tried adding (INW) Cactus?
Carnival’s DIY Journey
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I actually have that on my list of concentrates to get next time I order! Keen to try it. Thank you! @lesvaches
FA is the most popular caramel in terms of number of recipes, although a lot of mixers like FW Salted Caramel too. It's heavy on coils, though.
For butter, TFA Butter is the most popular. Cap Golden Butter is also used a lot. I'd go with FA because Deejay_Mills rates it the best and he's the bakery guy. I don't think you can really go wrong with butter flavours, there aren't any bad ones and they usually sub well for each other.
Toffee isn't used much, mixers tend to go with caramel or butterscotch. I suppose Flv Toffee and HS Caramel Toffee would be the safest. I have the HS, it's OK but not something I'd miss in my stash.
For butter, TFA Butter is the most popular. Cap Golden Butter is also used a lot. I'd go with FA because Deejay_Mills rates it the best and he's the bakery guy. I don't think you can really go wrong with butter flavours, there aren't any bad ones and they usually sub well for each other.
Toffee isn't used much, mixers tend to go with caramel or butterscotch. I suppose Flv Toffee and HS Caramel Toffee would be the safest. I have the HS, it's OK but not something I'd miss in my stash.
What % would you recommend as a starting point to add some sweetness and not take over in an Ry4/custard/cream kind of mix @RichJB?
Is FA Carmel the same thing?
FA carmel = FA caramel
You'll get caramel anyway from the RY4. If you just want to boost the caramel note while adding some brown sugar style sweetness, I think 0.75-1% is a good zone for FA Caramel. If you don't have a caramel note already and want to impart a distinct caramel flavour with sweetness, I'd go around 1.5-2%. It's not really a smooth creamy caramel, though. It's a bit dry and brown sugary. But in a custard or cream, that's not a problem.
Today I tested the coconut based recipe I made. It has been steeping for 4 days. Problem is, I can’t taste any coconut whatsoever! Also, the lemon lime CAP was too weak for my taste. Here is the recipe I put together:
Sweet Coconut (FLV) - 4%
Sweet Lychee (CAP) - 4%
Lemon Lime (CAP) - 2%
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (TFA) - 3%
Sweet Cream (CAP) - 3%
Now, I might be wrong but I have noticed in the past that some cream/creamy concentrates I add tend to tone down the other flavours, so I started off adding 4% of both sweet coconut and sweet lychee. Alas, neither of those flavours are coming through. I can let go of the lychee not showing up, but I really wanted a coconut flavour.
To try and fix this, I then added 1% of Coconut (FA) hoping that might be a bit of a stronger coconut concentrate, and 1.5% more Lemon Lime. I then gave it a good shake and tested it.. still no coconut, and the lemon lime was still not at the right level for me.
Maybe it’s unnecessary, but I’m cautious of adding too much lemon lime and then ruining the recipe. In my head, I’m thinking you can easily go overboard with this concentrate? Then again it may not actually be as strong of a concentrate as I thought thus why I’m not getting the right level of flavour. So I’m really not sure how much more I should be adding? Any ideas for that? And as far as getting the coconut to come through, which coconut concentrate should I add more of?
Sweet Coconut (FLV) - 4%
Sweet Lychee (CAP) - 4%
Lemon Lime (CAP) - 2%
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (TFA) - 3%
Sweet Cream (CAP) - 3%
Now, I might be wrong but I have noticed in the past that some cream/creamy concentrates I add tend to tone down the other flavours, so I started off adding 4% of both sweet coconut and sweet lychee. Alas, neither of those flavours are coming through. I can let go of the lychee not showing up, but I really wanted a coconut flavour.
To try and fix this, I then added 1% of Coconut (FA) hoping that might be a bit of a stronger coconut concentrate, and 1.5% more Lemon Lime. I then gave it a good shake and tested it.. still no coconut, and the lemon lime was still not at the right level for me.
Maybe it’s unnecessary, but I’m cautious of adding too much lemon lime and then ruining the recipe. In my head, I’m thinking you can easily go overboard with this concentrate? Then again it may not actually be as strong of a concentrate as I thought thus why I’m not getting the right level of flavour. So I’m really not sure how much more I should be adding? Any ideas for that? And as far as getting the coconut to come through, which coconut concentrate should I add more of?
Is this your own recipe ?
I have been doing DIY juice for almost four years and still use other people's recipes. I tweak and sub a little but don't trust my own abilities. I am not a very good "taster" but I know what I like when I try it. I still might not be able to identify e.g. peach in a recipe but if I like the overall taste I am happy to vape it.
Good luck with your journey. Sorry that I can't help.
I have been doing DIY juice for almost four years and still use other people's recipes. I tweak and sub a little but don't trust my own abilities. I am not a very good "taster" but I know what I like when I try it. I still might not be able to identify e.g. peach in a recipe but if I like the overall taste I am happy to vape it.
Good luck with your journey. Sorry that I can't help.
Yep, it’s my own recipe. Would just appreciate some advise for getting the coconut to come through.
I would make a single flavour coconut test with the FLV sweet coconut so you can see exactly what you getting from it then build it from there.
I haven’t used it before but 4% on a FLV concentrate seems high to me but try it as a stand-alone and go from there.
I haven’t used it before but 4% on a FLV concentrate seems high to me but try it as a stand-alone and go from there.
@Rude Rudi should also be able to assist
I have an idea both the FLV Sweet Coconut and the CAP Sweet Lychee might be too high - maybe 2% each. I would have started the CAP Sweet Cream at 1% as well. To save it, maybe add 0.5% of TFA Coconut Extra (higher and it becomes suntan lotion). Do not be afraid to add more of the CAP Lemon Lime or INW Juicy Lemon if you have.
The Original recipe has a few things that I think might be muting or over powering each other. The Lemon lime can definitely over power something like the Lychee and Coconut as these concentrates lack a bit of 'depth' when put up against other more vibrant concentrates Like a Lime. Thats not to say it wont work though.
I think the problem here is balancing this combination of flavors. What is the Main note that you are going for? If its Coconut then I would say start with the coconut profile and build the other concentrates around that.
A good combination that adds some definition to a Coconut for me is FLV Cream @ 0.5% with Sweet coconut @ 1%-2% (you might need to use a combination of coconuts to get a more in your face coconut).
The lychee and Lemon lime are very different spectrum of flav in comparison with the 'Neutral' type of coconut flav, for that reason I would say they need to be added in this recipe while keeping in mind how much more vibrant they are than the coconut, especially when it comes to the Lemon lime.
I would use the Sweet lychee as a sweetner in the mix so somewhere between 1.5-3% with the 3% being the case where you want a balance on Coconut and Lychee as the main profile.
I would use the Lemon lime somewhere around 0.5-1% to boost some zest into the mix, but this is what I think is altering the profile away from your Coconut.
Then finally the Ice cream, I prefer LB Vanilla Ice Cream or HS French Vanilla Ice Cream as its just a Fuller Ice cream or Cream in general.
SO I would try something like this:
Sweet Coconut (FLV) - 1.8%-2.5%
Sweet Lychee (CAP) - 1.5% (or up to 3 if you want it as part of the flavor notes in the main profile)
Lemon Lime (CAP) - 0.5% - 1%
Vanilla Ice Cream (LB) - 1.5%
Cream (FLV) - 0.5% (to emulsify and blend everything)
for me the easiest way to decide how these flavors will work together or in what ratios to mix them is if you test them individually to get a feel for where each concentrate shines or where it starts to get too strong.
Dont be scared to mix a few different batched with different ratios as experimentation, you will soon notice what you like and dislike in each batch.
I think the problem here is balancing this combination of flavors. What is the Main note that you are going for? If its Coconut then I would say start with the coconut profile and build the other concentrates around that.
A good combination that adds some definition to a Coconut for me is FLV Cream @ 0.5% with Sweet coconut @ 1%-2% (you might need to use a combination of coconuts to get a more in your face coconut).
The lychee and Lemon lime are very different spectrum of flav in comparison with the 'Neutral' type of coconut flav, for that reason I would say they need to be added in this recipe while keeping in mind how much more vibrant they are than the coconut, especially when it comes to the Lemon lime.
I would use the Sweet lychee as a sweetner in the mix so somewhere between 1.5-3% with the 3% being the case where you want a balance on Coconut and Lychee as the main profile.
I would use the Lemon lime somewhere around 0.5-1% to boost some zest into the mix, but this is what I think is altering the profile away from your Coconut.
Then finally the Ice cream, I prefer LB Vanilla Ice Cream or HS French Vanilla Ice Cream as its just a Fuller Ice cream or Cream in general.
SO I would try something like this:
Sweet Coconut (FLV) - 1.8%-2.5%
Sweet Lychee (CAP) - 1.5% (or up to 3 if you want it as part of the flavor notes in the main profile)
Lemon Lime (CAP) - 0.5% - 1%
Vanilla Ice Cream (LB) - 1.5%
Cream (FLV) - 0.5% (to emulsify and blend everything)
for me the easiest way to decide how these flavors will work together or in what ratios to mix them is if you test them individually to get a feel for where each concentrate shines or where it starts to get too strong.
Dont be scared to mix a few different batched with different ratios as experimentation, you will soon notice what you like and dislike in each batch.
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Correct, 4% is far too high. The average mixing percentage as a main profile is 1.75% and 0.5% as an accent.
For single flavour testing, I would recommend 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 to give you the full spectrum.
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