Capella Acai SL
ConcreteRiver
Setup: Recoil w/ flavor barrel, Dual 12 wrap 24g 3.5mm SS316 @.32 ohms. 60w power, 450F temp limit. Full Cotton Wicks.
Testing: Capella Silverline Acai, 4% and 8%, 60/40 VG/PG base, Steeped 10 days. Flavor Description: Slightly mysterious mystery berry candy flavor.
Tastes like a red candy flavor with some tarter blackberry or cranberry accents. That candy red flavor kind of dominates the body of the flavor, at least at higher percentages. Feels very much in the FA blackcurrant family of red candy flavors. Could very well be some super candied raspberry type flavor, but I can’t untaste swedish fish now. The top notes of the flavor are a bit more lively with some tartness and just a bare hint of astringency. Reminds me a lot of TPA Cranberry up top, a bit brighter and thinner. Doesn’t seem floral so much as just a bit bitter and medicinal. Definitely not full on cough syrup, but more along the lines of something like CAP Harvest Berry. I think I’m also getting a slightly darker berry somewhere in the mix, right between that sweet red candy body and tart cranberry top notes. Seems somewhere on the boysenberry-blackberry axis.
As far as realistic acai, I don’t think this really hits the profile? My experience with actual acai is just in weird juice blends, so I’m definitely not an expert. While it has some of the tartness of the applications of acai I’ve tasted, it doesn’t seem to have the dark cocoa edge of actual acai berries. The only other acai concentrate I’ve actually tried is FLV, and that definitely has a cocoa component to it.
Overall mouthfeel is moderately dense. That candied red flavor is fairly full and sweet, and sort of has a gummy candy vibe to it. Doesn’t seem particularly juicy, and those astringent and medicinal top notes seem to be drying this out a bit for me. Sweetness level is fairly high, although those more tart top notes kind of temper that a bit and keep it from going fully cloying.
Off-Flavors: No acai cocoa notes. Slightly medicinal. Candied “red” body.
Throat Hit: Moderate. Feels just a bit throaty to me, but not outside of the realm of berry flavors in general.
Percentage testing: At 4%, this seems to be working fairly well. Seems a bit airy and unsaturated but I’m mostly getting a bright berry flavor. Sweet and just a bit bitter up top, decent balance overall. Feels fairly cohesive.
At 8%, this has filled in quite a bit, but I’m getting more seperation between the berry components. “red” body feels more strongly candied, top seems a bit more astringent and tart. Bitterness picking up and tastes a bit medicinal.
Just based on these tests, I’d probably be using this around 3% as an accent, and around 6-7% for a primary flavor.
Uses & Pairings: Good fit for that generic “acai” kind of flavor in beverage mixes. Basically adding some tartness and astringency to a juicier fruit base. Should pair well with juicier apples or pears for that juice blend kind of vibe. I’d kind of use this like a darker, sweeter cranberry flavor for contrast on super sweet bases.
Something vaguely energy drink-esque to the base of this flavor. Maybe add it to some FW Red Bowl or HS Red Energy.
Could be used to give some tartness to a berry bakery, at least at low percentages. I’d stay away from anything floral, but would to brighten up a concentrate like FW Blackberry.
Apparently CAP suggests smoothie flavors? Why not.
Second Opinions: Still fairly new, not a lot of info out there.