Solo Taste Testing, What is it?

Edit: this is a topic that can and will start argument in the diy community. If you find yourself facing one, just walk away. There are some folks one just can not help. 6/23/2020

Obviously, it is one flavor, taken from low to high. Some do not like or can not take the time to “run the gaulet” from this so called low to high, and others actually pitch fits that the mere idea of solo taste testing is the best way to get to know your flavors. Some only test one given amount and judge the flavor on that particular amount, no matter what. What would happen if you overshot where it is really good and end up tossing it away? You’d have to go rebuy to try yet again. Or another view, getting a different flavor out of something that is supposed to be yet another? Read on! 🙂

Just a fiy: this method will work for any flavor manufacture. I dare you to try it.

Where does one start?

From the bottom to the top, or lowest to highest. Let’s talk setting it up, as your set up to me, is important. I use the term: Runners. I don’t just taste test 1 flavor, I prefer to have at least 4 or 5 flavors going at any given time.
I use 10ml glass bottles I bought years ago. I had over 100 of them at one time. In 7 years I am now down to 50, and I replace the caps around 6mo, from use or a smell I just can not get out.

Does the base count?

For me, I use 100% vg as my base, zero nic. Always have. You might call me a purist on this, but to me, I just want flavor. I want to see how it starts out, and how as it ages, what the effect of time does.

Bottles and base, now what?

Now it is time. First, know how many drops are in your 1ml mark. Why? So you can add that into the ELR calculator. The drop per ml does matter. It will make your mixes taste better, I promise. I have too many that can and will back me up on this. It is the only way the amount shown on your scale will match up with what elr says… See this post here.

Matchy Match… I like it when my numbers work out for what I am working with. js

Drops per ml known, next step!

Take your flavors you pick out, and work them. I use drops for distribution. Each drop is an average of .02g . I will use this conversion to work my flavors. let’s say I work blueberry and cream as a duo flavor test, ran in single formation.

Blueberry flavor will have 5 bottles. Each bottle will have drops staggered in 2 drop series. I will do the same with cream. It will look like this.

• bottle #1 1 drops
• bottle #2 2 drops
• bottle #3 4 drops
• bottle #4 6 drops
• bottle #5 8 drops
• bottle #6 10 drops

And on and on, so to help you see it a bit better, let’s take it to ELR’s calculator for you to see how I am doing this.

Note: I went with my default 30ml bottle to show, sometimes you just can do that too, change bottle sizes, that is! This is just to show how weight does affect what you taste! 🙂

The info for blueberry, using drops based on 50dpm. I do run my flavors up to 2% every time, or even 3% if I feel it needs it. Why do I do this, if my max use comes out to 1.4% for most of the flv flavors? So I can check to see if anything has changed. I know batch to batch flavors always change, and so does my taste buds. I hope that all of this makes sense.

Remember, .02ml = .02g  and always cap your testers!

What next, Smoky Blue?

Sitting! I let my flavors sit for around 2-3 days, I do not use any magnetic stirrers, No ultrasonic, no heat no nothing. Time will handle my mixing, along with an occasional handshake. The fun part is when you do have enough singles, you can bounce between them. What I mean is, it’s time to test your flavors. Try to make more than one test of just one flavor. Your tounge might thank you for the break you can give to your mouth, instead of loading your juices with packed recipes. See what one tastes like with 2 drops in 10ml. Can you taste any kind of change? How about that 6 drops in 10? What do you make of that?

I can not stress enough, take notes. Notes will be your buddy, your friend. You can write down things like, I can not taste 2 drops in 10ml or 4 drops in 10ml is just too damn much. How about, I like this flavor and think it can go with this other flavor, or this is a happy flavor. I like this flavor, or I hate this flavor. Your notes come from the best tool you have, your mouth and using your brain, it will indeed make you a better mixer.

Why do you always insist on solos?

Because over time, not only do the flavors from the manufacture change, but so does your body. Body changes happen every 3 weeks, 3 months, and by 3 years, you are no longer the person you were when you started vaping. This means you have gone thru at least a few cycles of change and your taste perceptions have undergone as much growth, now that your body has dumped the chemicals in smoking. If you do not taste test your solos, how on earth are you going to pick up those changes and create the best juice you can? You won’t. So get into the habit of this. It is a good habit to have.

Not to mention, you look rather silly when you just toss flavors and hope lightning will strike and might by chance make your juice taste even better… Won’t happen. I am not sorry.