Welcome to the first episode of The Vape 48 on RPadTV! My goal is to film 48 episodes of the show in 2015. Each one will feature a guest from the vaping business. In addition to getting an update on the guest’s company, we’ll talk about the vaping hardware and e-liquids we’ve been enjoying lately. And yes, I totally lifted the name from DC Comics’ “The New 52.”
Week one of The Vape 48 stars Vaping Utopia owner Kavish Mehta. He talks the three new e-liquids he recently launched: Beez Cream, Eden, and Zion. His hardware choices include Mad Industries’ Penny Mod and Hobo Customs’ Hobo Atomizer. Kavish’s juice picks include e-liquids from Sol Sauce and Ripe Vapes.
I’m a big fan of Diamond Liquids on several levels. First and foremost, the company makes a number of delicious e-liquids that I enjoy. I appreciate that Diamond Liquids is very particular about the sweeteners it uses and which ones it doesn’t. Lastly, it’s fantastic how supportive the company is with the local vape community. There are usually multiple vape events every weekend in Southern California and you’ll almost always see someone from Diamond Liquids in attendance, supporting local vape shops and vape companies.
In the interview above, Diamond Liquids owner and mixologist Britten Allen talks about how the company got started, his approach to making e-liquids, some of the flavors currently available, future flavors, and his upcoming mechanical mod. Lately, I’ve been enjoying the company’s Eruption, Lucky Mother Custard, and Razzi flavors. Eruption has a delicious mango flavor that I really enjoy (despite being bored with most fruit e-liquids). As a fan of Bailey’s Irish Cream, Lucky Mother Custard is right up my alley. Lastly, Razzi is a wonderful raspberry cheesecake juice that’s probably my favorite in the Diamond Liquids lineup. All of the juices are high-VG for optimal vapor production, but they also vape quite well in rebuildable tanks like my trusty Russian.
Check out my chat with Britten above to learn more about Diamond Liquids and to hear how Lucky Mother Custard got its name.
One of the newest companies in the ultra-competitive world of vaping e-liquids is Jiu Jit Juice. Inspired by mixed martial arts and crafted by a jiu jitsu practitioner, this line of juices has launched with a trio of dessert e-liquids.
The “white belt” line of Jit Jit Juice flavors features a high-VG base and a unique combination of flavors. Armbar is a layered combination of coconut and custard. Triangle is a strawberry, waffle, and cream combination that has one of the best and most distinct strawberry flavors I’ve tried. My personal favorite of Jiu Jit Juice’s launch flavors is Mata Leao, a salted caramel pudding that’s simply delightful. What I enjoy about all of these e-liquids is that they’re flavorful and layered, without being in your face. While these juices aren’t for everyone, they fit nicely into my vaping wheelhouse.
In the interview above, Jiu Jit Juice CEO Phillip Chu talks about his company and launch flavors, as well as upcoming Jiu Jit Juice lines. Future e-liquids will feature different PG/VG ratios and various themes. I’m particularly excited for the “brown belt” series, which will focus on tobacco-based flavors. Be sure to check out the clip above to learn about this exciting, up-and-coming juice company…as well as to hear an open challenge to another jiu jitsu practitioner in the vaping business.
Another person on my list of “people I really want to interview, but haven’t been able to schedule” was Craft Vapes co-owner David Alston. Luckily, we were able to connect at Vape Nights 2014. I first met David at a vape meet in December 2013. I was immediately taken with his flavors, which are very different than what most e-liquid companies in Southern California make. As 2014 rolled on, Craft Vapes gained a reputation as being one of the most unique and inventive juice companies in the region.
In the interview above, David talks about how Craft Vapes got started and his approach to making e-liquids. With an independent spirit and an appreciate for craft beers, the company owners use a simple approach of trying to make juice that they think is good. David discussed three of his recent releases. Creme Anglaise was initially released in Europe and made as a request to a local distributor; the juice made its American debut at Vape Nights 2014. Leprechaun (not made with actual leprechauns — I checked) is a mint-cookie dessert vape. Last is Black Forest, which is a shockingly good e-liquid approximation of black forest cake.
While David couldn’t share specifics on what Craft Vapes is working on in 2015, he did say that there are several juices in the works and that the company will turn its attention back to the American market. Check out my chat with David to learn more about this excellent e-liquid company.
My favorite part of Vape Nights 2014 was that it afforded me the opportunity to catch up with people that I’ve been wanting to get on camera for a long time, but for various reasons wasn’t able to. At the top of my list was Joshua Tongco, owner of The Great J’s and Bootlegger’s Brew. Launched in October 2013, The Great J’s has quickly become a very popular e-liquid company in the Southern California region. Many vapers I know rave about the Atta Boy and Bees Knees flavors. Joshua’s newest line is Bootlegger’s Brew, which focuses on creamy dessert blends.
Although The Great J’s is fairly well known in SoCal, its national exposure is still growing. Joshua leans on Instagram and word of mouth for marketing. While his juice might not have the reach that several SoCal e-liquid companies enjoy, vapers that I’ve met that have tried The Great J’s love it. Hopefully this interview helps connect The Great J’s with vapers around the country that enjoy the flavor profiles the line offers.
In the interview above, Joshua talks about starting The Great J’s and launching at Vapetoberfest 2013. He also talks about a few flavors in The Great J’s and Bootlegger’s Brew lines. Check out my chat with Joshua to learn about his juices and to watch me bust out a Chris Kattan joke.
I randomly met Chillum Vapor co-founder Abhi Chatterjee when I was hanging out at The Vape Source in Koreatown. He mentioned that he was working on a mechanical mod and a few months later the Tantra Mod has arrived. At Vape Nights 2014, I caught up with Abhi to learn more about his high-performance made-in-the-USA mech. Objectively, the Tantra Mod is impressive with its unique features and fantastic performance (Abhi claims a 0.19 voltage drop on a 0.2-ohm coil). Subjectively, it hits nearly everything I look for in a mechanical mod; I’m partial to vaping products that are made in America, I’m a big fan of naval brass as a mod material, and I like designs that manage to be elegant yet distinct.
In the Vape Nights 2014 interview above, Abhi talks about Chillum Vapor’s background, designing the Tantra Mod, the unique wafer spring that helps give it great performance, and the new stainless steel model. It was neat to learn the meanings behind the words chillum and tantra in relation to the company. While many people think of tantra in sexual terms, the word has a definition that absolutely fits a vaping company. Abhi also talks about the Volcanic Tip, a novel drip tip that borrows from ridged swords for better vaping.
On a note that has nothing to do with anything, I was particularly proud to have slipped a Taylor Swift joke into the interview. That’s one less thing on my 2014 checklist.
Anyway, check out the clip above to learn more about this excellent and distinct American mod from Chillum Vapor.
My Vape Nights 2014 interview with Baker White CEO Danny Baker is one of the more informative vaping interviews I’ve filmed. Danny covered a wide range of topics, including the company’s extremely unique Odin by Baker White high VG line, e-liquid manufacturing safety, and the controversial diacetyl ingredient found in many vaping juices.
Baker White stresses safety; it was one of the first e-liquid companies to use a forced-air clean-room and one of the few with a facility that meets the pharmaceutical-grade ISO-6 standard. E-liquid safety is a big issue for me, as I’ve encountered many vapers (and even several juice makers) that don’t understand the importance of having something you inhale made in a clean environment. I was shocked to learn that some popular SoCal juices are made in stores, homes, and back rooms — places where contaminants can easily enter e-liquid. It was great hearing Danny address the issue of e-liquid manufacturing safety and I hope it helps educate some vapers.
As for the Odin line, it’s one of the most fascinating group of juices I’ve encountered. Odin by Baker White is a series of high-VG e-liquids made with advanced vapers in mind. While many high-VG juices are geared towards cloud chasers, Odin is a compelling choice for flavor fiends as well. These juices were made so that you get distinctly different flavors depending on the wattage you vape them. The same Odin juice at 10 watts will taste quite different at 30 watts. While it’s true that all juices change flavor depending on temperature, Odin was designed to push this property to new levels.
Lastly, Danny touched on diacetyl. Found in many custard flavors, this ingredient is known to cause popcorn lung. Unfortunately for vapers, there has been some dishonesty about the ingredient and Danny talks about that in the interview.
As a longtime verbal entertainer, it’s always my goal to inform and entertain. As far as the vaping section of RPadTV goes, I believe this is the most informative piece I’ve put together and I’m really happy with it. Please, please, please check it out when you have a chance.
Capping off my Vapecon USA 2014 coverage is a chat with Joseph Upton, the owner of Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice. This was a fun piece for me to put together, as it was the most personal interview of the show. Joseph spoke about his daughter inspiring him to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes and start Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice. One of his flavors — Red Eye No. 36 — is a special blend that’s named after his late brother.
I was impressed by the inventiveness of Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice. A few of the company’s juices have unique twists that I haven’t encountered before. For example, Sweet Molasses blends extracted molasses with tobacco for a novel combination of sweetness and earthiness. While there are hundreds of peach flavors on the market, Peach Blow stands out with its use of dragon fruit.
Learn more about Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice and see what’s coming next in my Vapecon USA 2014 interview above.
Gmodz was showing off some unique and beautiful 26650 mods at Vapecon USA. The Gmodz 26650 is available in a variety of finishes and uses a unique atomizer. The company claims that the Gmodz 26650 is the smallest and lightest 26650 mod on the market. What really caught my eye was the beautiful finishes the company offers. It all starts with a base of 304 stainless steel. After that, the possibilities are endless — 24-karat gold, Tiffany blue, and powder coat paint are available, with brushed, matte, and polished looks. You can even go as far as getting your signature engraved into the mod.
At Vapecon USA I chatted with Gmodz’s Jeff Luciano to learn about the mod, the different finishes, the customer service behind the product, and more. While I didn’t know anything about the company going into the show, I left very impressed by its products and customer service philosophy.
In addition to the Gmodz 26650, the company announced plans for the Gmodz 18650, which will be available with all the custom finishes the company offers. Learn more about the company and see its gorgeous products in the video interview above.
Whether you call them the seven deadly sins, the capital vices, or the cardinal sins, this group of naughtiness is something most are guilty of every week, if not every day. Gluttony (my personal favorite), greed, wrath, envy, lust, pride, and sloth (my second favorite) are things that all of us should endeavor to avoid. They’re also fantastic names for vaping e-liquids. That’s where Saints Vapor comes in. The SoCal e-liquid company has seven juices named after the seven deadly sins, as well as a standalone flavor called Divinity. At Vapecon USA, I chatted with Saints Vapor co-founder Shane Bell to learn more about his e-liquids.
There are some pretty unique flavors in the Saints Vapor lineup. The three that intrigued me the most were Sloth (raisin red oak), Wrath (horchata), and Greed (pineapple ice cream swirl). While it sounds unusual, I was also curious about Pride (menthol with rose). While I only had a brief taste of Saints Vapor e-liquid, I enjoyed the little bit that I vaped and am looking forward to spending more time with the company’s juices. Check out my Saints Vapor interview above to get an idea of what the company is all about.
