Let me start by saying: there’s no negative tone intended on any of the following questions!
What’s the deal on these?
Are they “mom and pop”? (Meaning a very small, but budding operation; read as direct to public), as I don’t recall seeing them at BCF or RivSup etc.
I’ve never “gone Direct”, because I usually have too wide a swath to order refills on… (Ina, Cap, WF, etc)
What’s the average usage rate? (low %, high %, or all over the map like TFA?)
How does the cost compare to some of the big players (once usage is factored in)?
Are they typically true to the name on the label?
I’ve heard them mentioned a few times on a few shows that I watch, but still haven’t really gotten a feel for an overall impression.
I know there’s a few here that might be able to shed some light on this for me.
Shane (also known as swaggy shane) runs VSO they are very good extracts he is a one man operation the strength is not MF strong but the flavours are realistic. The usage range is a little varied but generally between 2-5% in a mix (there are exceptions) and 7-10% SF.
Oh there is a discount code from Ohm Grown Alchemy which is ‘ohmies’ will net you 17% off and quite often during the show if Shane is there he will bump it to 30%
When Shane first put the VSO line out the Range was a bit high for most of the concentrates for what I was expecting ( i was comparing to mf so a bit unfair ) In my head I thought bc they were Natural Extracts they should have been stronger . Like usual I wasnt thinking …Recently he has diluted them so the usage rate is around 2 percent …Except the Blueberry he has not changed that because people asked him not to …Overall I think the line is great resource for Natural Fruit Flaves …
They are Natural Extract diluted with PG so Yes they are true to their name
5.99 for 30ml @2pct usage
Mom , Pop and Daughter lol…
Shane has them at Chefs ,but decided to sell them direct over on this side of the pond
VSO doesnt have a Chocolate yet…he has mentioned a White Choco …Shane has a list of Fruits to still release …No butterscotch or caramel yet …I wouldnt be surprised if he eventually went diwn that road . Recently he released Mint , Peppermint and Spearmint , along with Carrot and Tomatao…Everyrhing else is fruit except the Espresso
I haven’t had anything from Shane that is not useful . I am not gonna get the Tomatao bc I hate Tomatao anything except salsa . I also cant imagine vaping it lol. I have heard its a spot on Tomatao though if thats your thing
I will be honest. Some of the obscure flavors that I am working with are simply because people said “Is that possible?”. If it is, I can give it a shake and see what happens. I know somebody said I needed to do leather. Well. I took the challenge, and I think there are going to be some people that like it lol.
We are still small. We have had a lot of success and support from the DIY community. I try and give back as much as I can. I try and interact as much as possible. You can generally find me on a DIY Live show talking with people in the chats. If you have any specific questions, I try my best to answer them. I will tell you as of right now, my two favorite flavors I have going are huckleberry, and pink grapefruit. They both smell amazing, and I have yet to put either in a recipe I do not like.
Well you’ve definitely made an impression with folks whose opinions I respect!
Very nice of you to join us here, and a pleasure to have you chip in!
I have a HUGE soft spot for Extracts, thanks to two key experiences: the original RF Raw Extracts (that only lasted a few months back in what? 2016?) as well as Medicine Flower.
Inawera’s Shisha Strawberry is a close second to what RF raw was, but I’ve made do. I’ll likely be trying yours as well (especially hearing that your formulating these to be used at low %'s!), and am also hoping to pickup the blueberry and espresso obviously when I get the chance.
Looking forward to having you here, and I hope you enjoy the community and comradery as much as I do!
Oh! And if butterscotch ever becomes an option, I’ll be one of the first in line! lol
I know that this is an old thread and I apologise for resurrecting it but Chefs has told me that they will not be stocking any more VSO flavours and nobody else stocks them in the U.K, @SwaggyShane is there any plans for your flavours coming back to our U.K. shores in the near future please? I really wish I bought some when Chefs had them in stock but missed the chance and I would love to try your coffee flavour.
Hey JimmyLee. I am trying to make my way through the great PG shortage of 2021. I have a vendor lined up that is not charging an arm and two legs for it, so I should be able to focus on some of the things that I had going before hand. That would include seeking international distribution points. I wanted to make sure that I could keep prices down and not have to pay the exorbitant prices that PG is demanding right now. I am pretty confident that I have squeaked through it.
Thank you very much for getting back to me and filling me in on your future plans, I really appreciate it. It is music to my ears that there is the chance of you coming back our way with your flavours as I have read so many great things about them and the recipes that are created by using them. All the best for the future Sir.
I am a little late for the party. I have finally gotten around to trying my VSO extracts (at the proper %) and I am MAD AS HELL!!!
Anywho, I’m joking of course but I wish I would have tried them sooner. Damn, they are wonderful, the one I got anyway and now I need to get the whole line.
The ones I have are Huckleberry, Peach, Watermelon, Mango, and Pineapple and everyone is great. I could be saying this wrong but they feel “delicate” to me. I don’t know if they are or not but I am about to start on some recipes, (I am finally feeling some inspiration thanks to VSO) and am wondering if they are easily muted or overwhelmed. I used 5% for SFT and I couldn’t taste them at all below that so my question is; what would my percentage be if I added FA’s Whipped Cream at 1.5 - 2.00 percent?
I know I can and will find out the answer but I am excited and wanted to start another dialogue.
Just a little note on percentages and what my thought process is towards the final product. My goal is to have each flavor the same strength. I am shooting for 2% across the board. When you add a flavor to a recipe at 2% It will be present, and not overpowering. Obviously going up or down from that percentage will give you more or less presence. My goal is just to be consistent, and not have a flavor that you have to use at 20%, and one where you use one drop for a 30ml.
If you single flavor test something, you are likely going to want to push it a little higher. Don’t be afraid to do it either, because for the most part there will be no significant off notes. As I release flavors, they are meant to be building blocks. In the end, you should be able to look at a dessert recipe and duplicate it by using “ingredients” from the VSO line to build the recipe as it is written.
I know that the noted guys have some troubles with single flavor testing my flavors. You also have to keep in mind that I do not add any adjuncts to the flavors. No ethyl maltol, no sucralose. Imagine trying to make an apple pie and leaving out the sugar. It is an integral part of the recipe. With the VSO line you will have to add everything you want to taste your recipe. I designed VSO Sweet to fill in those gaps,. It was designed to work well with fruits, bakeries, and creams/custards/puddings. It is also very strong so that you have to use less, and not have as many problems with gunked up coils.
Hopefully that helps. If there is a flavor that you come across that you do not find has the consistent strength as any of the others, make sure to let me know. I taste everything before I send it out to a pretty diverse group to taste, and I think it has been pretty successful thus far. But any feedback is greatly appreciated, and always noted.
