Flavour concentrates are used to create flavoured e-liquid. Typically these concentrates are food, beverage and confectionary flavourings but most can be used to flavour your e-liquid. Here we will cover the difference between the two types of concentrates you will come across when learning how to mix your own e-liquids, ‘single flavour’ concentrates and oneshot flavour concentrates. Both types of concentrates have their advantages depending on the user’s experience level and desired outcome.
If you just want a simple explanation then the two kinds of concentrates used to create e-liquid can be explained as;
- Single Flavor Concentrate: For users who want to create a custom flavour profile by mixing individual flavours.
- Oneshot Flavor Concentrate: For users looking for convenience and consistency, providing a ready-made complex flavour that requires minimal effort to mix.
If you would like more of an explanation on how the two are best used read on.
SINGLE FLAVOUR CONCENTRATES
A single flavour concentrate is a concentrated liquid that provides a single, specific flavour, such as strawberry, vanilla, or menthol.
Single flavours are typically used as one component in a DIY e-liquid mix. Users often combine multiple single flavour concentrates to create a complex flavour profile, we refer to this as a recipe. You do not have to combine multiple single flavours, if you are satisfied with the flavour you can use them as a standalone but it is often found to be less satisfying than when they are combined with other flavours and enhancers in a recipe. The vast majority of pre-made e-liquid you purchase will be a combination of different single flavours at various amounts, the flavourings used and amounts of each are what users are looking for when they ask for the recipe of a particular e-liquid.
Using single flavours offers greater flexibility and control, allowing users to experiment and fine-tune their e-liquid recipes by adjusting the ratios of different single flavour concentrates.
For example, if you want a strawberry custard e-liquid, you might mix a strawberry concentrate with a custard concentrate and possibly other flavours or additives. Using single flavours to create your own Strawberry Custard recipe allows you to dictate how strong or weak each element of the flavour is by using more or less of each individual concentrate.
There is no real right or wrong amount to use single flavours at, as it all depends on each user’s personal preference. There are rough estimations but you can find single flavours being used at anything from 0.25% up to and sometime even higher than 15%. If you are unsure of how much of a single flavour to use as a standalone or in a recipe you can search online for websites and formums that discuss DIY e-liquid and see what is suggested there, use resources like E-Liquid recipes or All the Flavours. However we beleive the best thing for anyone to do is experiment with different amounts until you find the amont that best meets your tastes.
ONESHOT FLAVOUR CONCENTRATES
A oneshot flavour concentrate is a pre-mixed blend of several single flavour concentrates and often enhancers, designed to create a complete and complex flavour profile. It is intended to be used as a single component in a DIY e-liquid mix. Users typically just add the appropriate amount of oneshot concentrate to a base (VG/PG mix) and nicotine, if desired.
Using oneshots offers ease of use and consistency, as the flavour profile has already been developed and balanced by the manufacturer or creator of the recipe. It eliminates the need for complex mixing and experimentation.
For example, a “strawberry custard” oneshot concentrate would already have the right balance of strawberry and custard flavours, so you just need to mix it with your base and nicotine.
Oneshots should come with a recommended usage percentage. Is it suggested you stick to the amount recommended as this is set by the creator of the recipe to provide the level of flavour intended. As we all have different tastes you are free to use more or less than the recommended amount but if you are unsure of how much to use it is always best to stick to the recommendation.
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DREADS
If you are new to mixing your own e-liquids we strongly suggest starting with oneshots until you are used to the process, then try adding some single flavours to oneshots to get an appreciation for customising flavours and then move onto using single flavours to create your own recipes and custom e-liquid flavours tailored to your tastes exactly.
Getting into DIY e-liquid can be overwhelming and confusing, luckily we have a very active Facebook Group with thousands of experienced and professional e-liquid mixers who are always more than happy to help and share their knowledge.
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