QUOTE(stix @ Dec 1 2015, 10:38 AM)
DIY Masters, does your own DIY feel as good as premium US juices? Despite following some famous recipes online, they just dont feel (not taste) as good as their US counterparts. Most of my US juices has a nice feel or feels 'thick' in the mouth even for fruity ones. However, most of my DIY feels rather 'light' and somehow bland...
I am NOT a diy master, but some things I can add to the other replies of your question are:
Local PG and VG varies in flavor from supplier to supplier. Some even taste soapy; I've discarded such crap before.
And yes dilution of flavorings is done by certain less-than-scrupulous vendors. If you're really into DIY, get a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity (SG) of the flavors you buy and compare it to the SG listed in the flavor mfg's MSDS sheets. Diluted flavors will have a lower SG.
Sometimes manufacturers can change the formulation of a flavor, and such a change may not be for the better.
How the vendor repacks/stores the flavors before sale can also impact adversely on the flavorings. Eg a vendor happens to get the bottles from a factory which is extra-generous with the injection mold release agents (or used a cheaper alternative with inferior organoleptic properties), those bottles (after being filled with flavorings) could taint their contents.
I believe you're referring to "mouth feel" of the vapor, and yes that is important too. For the home brewer, try upping the VG for a thicker and richer feel. Let the juice steep properly till the flavors mingle properly and "bloom". Certain juices are aged in charred white oak barrels and it is said to greatly improve the taste, and it brings out the subtle nuances, interplay and layers of the flavors. I've yet to try this and am looking into an alternative: wood chips used for alcoholic beverage microbreweries. Am thinking to get some, char them myself and pop them into the juices to see what happens. I think this step will bring some of my clones to being very near the original, as well as improve some of my own recipes.