Mix It Like a GOAT: Your First Steps into DIY E-Liquid

Mix It Like a GOAT: Your First Steps into DIY E-Liquid

Mix It Like a GOAT: Your First Steps into DIY E-Liquid

Intro: So, you’ve had enough of overpriced juice and mystery ingredients, and you’re ready to roll up your sleeves. Welcome to the world of DIY e-liquid—where the clouds are fat, the flavours are custom, and you’re in control. This guide will walk you through the absolute basics, getting you started on your journey to becoming a true e-liquid artisan. Get ready to unleash your inner flavour alchemist—and maybe butt horns with the big names while you're at it.


Section 1: Why Mix Your Own?

  • Save money: Let’s face it, pre-made e-liquids can put a serious dent in your wallet. DIY drastically reduces the cost per millilitre, allowing you to vape more for less. Think of all the extra flavour concentrates you can buy!

  • Control what goes into your juice: Tired of artificial sweeteners or flavourings you don’t recognize? Mixing your own gives you complete transparency. You choose the exact ingredients and their quality.

  • Endless flavour possibilities: The world of flavour concentrates is vast! You can create your perfect all-day-vape, experiment with complex blends, or even clone your favourite commercial juices. The only limit is your imagination.

  • It’s a satisfying hobby—and let’s be honest, it’s pretty badass: There's a real sense of pride in crafting a delicious vape juice from scratch. Plus, telling your mates you mix your own juice? That’s some serious Old Goat energy right there.


Section 2: What You’ll Need to Get Started

  • PG (Propylene Glycol): Thinner liquid that carries flavour well and delivers a stronger throat hit.

  • VG (Vegetable Glycerin): Thicker, sweeter liquid that produces big fluffy clouds.

  • Nicotine (optional): Typically in a PG base at high concentrations (like 100mg/ml). Handle with care—this stuff bites!

  • Flavour concentrates: The heart of your mix. Don’t use food flavourings or oils—only vape-safe concentrates from reputable suppliers.

  • Bottles: You’ll need these for storing your creations. 30ml to 100ml sizes are a great start.

  • Syringes or scales:

    • Syringes: Good for volume mixing, but can get fiddly.

    • Scales: More precise and cleaner. Look for a digital scale with at least 0.01g resolution.

  • RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer): If you’re serious about mixing, you need a solid RDA in your stash. This isn’t just about blowing clouds—it’s your flavour-testing workhorse. An RDA lets you drip just a few drops of your new mix to test the flavour before you commit to a full tank. You can rewick in a flash, swap juices easily, and if you stick to the same coil setup, you’ve got a consistent reference point for every new recipe.

    I personally use the Hellvape Hellbeast RDA for testing—it gives excellent flavour and has earned its spot in my flavour lab.

  • Optional but Recommended:

    • Gloves and eye protection

    • Labels and a permanent marker

    • A clean workspace (not your kitchen counter, please)


Section 3: A Simple Starter Recipe

Let’s keep it goat-simple. Here’s a basic setup for your first 100ml batch:

  • 70/30 VG/PG base

  • 10–15% flavour concentrate

  • 3mg nicotine strength (if desired)

Example:

  • 3ml nicotine base (100mg/ml)

  • 12ml total flavour concentrate

  • 15ml PG (to hit 30% PG, minus nicotine and flavour volume)

  • 70ml VG

Use an e-liquid calculator! These are goat-gold for accuracy and safety:

Double-check your numbers and don’t wing it—this isn’t the time for guesswork.


Section 4: Learn to Balance Flavours

This is where the real art begins. Some flavours are bullheaded and overpower everything, others are shy and need coaxing. Learn to identify which ingredients dominate, which ones round things out, and which ones are just background bleats.

Start small, adjust in future mixes, and keep detailed notes like a proper mad scientist. If you love bakery blends, start learning how to balance vanilla, cream, and bakery bases. Fruity fan? Figure out which fruits need sweeteners, which clash, and which blend harmoniously. It's all part of the fun.


Section 5: Safety First, Kids

  • Always wear gloves and goggles when handling nicotine.

  • Clearly label all bottles.

  • Store everything out of reach of little ones (and goats).

  • Mix in a well-ventilated area.

  • Dispose of waste responsibly.

  • Respect the power of nicotine—it’s not to be trifled with.


Section 6: Mix, Shake, Steep

  • Mix: Measure carefully, pour into your bottle.

  • Shake: Vigorously! Some folks use magnetic stirrers—goat-level nerd stuff.

  • Steep: Let the juice sit. Custards and bakeries may need a few weeks, while fruity stuff can often be vaped straight away (Shake 'n Vape).


Section 7: Tips From the Goat

  • Start small—test batches at 10ml or 30ml.

  • Keep a recipe notebook.

  • Use a consistent RDA setup for flavour testing.

  • Buy local when you can. The Flavour Mill and BLCK have solid selections and know their stuff.

  • Don’t be afraid to fail—some of the best recipes come from happy accidents.

  • Join local DIY groups for tips and concentrate trades.

  • Link up your learning with this blog on DIY in South Africa.


Section 8: Beginner Recipes to Get You Started

Alright, you’ve got your gear, your flavours, and your hooves itching to start mixing. Now what? Time to test your skills with some tried-and-tested recipes that’ll give your taste buds a proper wake-up call. These are beginner-friendly, affordable, and downright delicious.

Here are a few solid choices from our pals over at BLCK to get you started:

Bonus: The links even include a quick add option for all the flavours you will need.

🥤 RB Cherry Pop

A cherry fizzy drink with a smooth, sweet finish. Great for those who want a refreshing all-day-vape with a bit of sparkle.
🔗 View the recipe

RB Chocoffee Tobacco

Rich coffee, dark chocolate, and subtle tobacco undertones. A proper goat-snortin’ treat if you're into bold, layered flavours.
🔗 View the recipe

🥧 RB Custard Tart

Creamy, custardy goodness with a buttery pastry base. Great for steeping practice and perfecting that dessert vape game.
🔗 View the recipe

🌈 RB Unicorn Sherbet

Something a little wild to keep your mixing journey fun and experimental. Fruity, fizzy, and magical—because sometimes, the goat wants glitter.
🔗 View the recipe


Conclusion: Mixing your own juice might seem daunting, but once you get your hooves wet, you’ll never look back. It’s cost-effective, creative, and deeply satisfying. So grab your gear, make your first mix, and let the herd know how it turned out. Welcome to the world of DIY e-liquid—you’re officially a flavour-chasing, concentrate-huffing, cloud-chucking GOAT-in-training. Happy mixing!

Back to blog