Viscosity - How thick is too thick?

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I recently received a new order, and a new batch. It was immediately noticable that it was considerably thicker than my earlier order. It went from batch 2415 to 2439.

A few things about this.

2145 was marked as 2.0. I was going on six months of 1.2 at about 75% and up. Trying this new recipe remained, to me, unchanged and I went about my day. Ordering another 8 bags was a no-brainer based on my belief that I was ordering the exact same product.

2439 was much thicker. MUCH much thicker. It’s been mentioned previously that Vanilla is thicker than Unflavored. Taste aside, this was pretty much that thick.

I used to go 4 deciliter of water and 100-110grams of mix. I’ve had no problems this entire year with consistency, incorporation of powder, powderiness of the drink, or lumps of any kind. 4dl was the perfect amount for me, every three hours, or even every other hour as I’m starting my bulk season. It was, for me, the perfect ratio and nothing more than a big glass of liquid. I drank it quickly. Very quickly. It went down smooth and was juuust a hint over actually just drinking water. I’m amazed there were even calories in there.

Right now I’d have to go for 5 or 6 deciliters for 100 grams of mix. At 4 deciliters it becomes edible with a spoon. It barely runs past the plastic netting and as someone who can not drink smoothies or any kind of thick liquid, it’s a horrible experience. It trickles, it gloops, there are chunks, lumps and a sense of complete artificial thickness that repulses me. It takes me twice as long to drink and is bad, where before it just went down.

Huel is now a chore.

Another poster cited this response from Huel:

“Batch #2439 incorporates a new gum which is now in-line with the vanilla flavour. The gum is an emulsifier which keeps components well-mixed throughout the shaking and afterwards. The change was required as the old gum used was not allowing particles to stay together (it was considerably more watery).”

Let me cut something out: “…The change was required…”

Required? By whom?

Well mixed? It’s become less mixed.

The old gum used was not allowing particles to stay together? I didn’t want them to stay together, and I never felt any particles in the drink to begin with. It was watery, that was a good thing. What particles do you mean? I barely knew I was drinking powder to begin with, and now I reeeally do. I’m drinking paste.

As it stands, Huel will be losing my business if I can’t find a way to deal with it. The only way for me to deal with it so far has been to add more water… much more water.

I’m sorry for the wall of text. I’m a bit upset. I’ve practically lived on this for half a year and completely fell in love with it, but drinking this gloop makes me nauseous.

Anyway, has anyone else noticed this? Was it really required?

Does it need to be this thick? How thick would you want it, how thin could you stomach and so on?

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I started on V1.2 and my first taste of V2 was with batch 2439. The change was very noticeable; the amount of shaking it required, the salty lumps, and the thickness which was now more like thick soup. For me 1.2 was like the end of shredded wheat, the flakey bits in the milk but blended up, it was nice and easy to drink and very refreshing. Now it’s an unpleasant experience, and as you say tastes artificial.

I haven’t tried it with adding extra water, it would be annoying to have to have half the amount of scoops to the same amount of water to make it close to drinkable.

It would have be nice if it had been stated that the consistency/thickness was changing so people could choose whether or not to spend money on something they may or may not like.

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I much prefer thicker Huel. When it’s not thick enough it looks and feels like dishwater.

I tried unflavoured Huel and didn’t mind the taste but hated the looser consistency.

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The biggest complaint with v1.2 Unsweetened and Unflavoured Huel was that it was two thin. The consistency was like water and this was a problem, because we do not want two completely different products. The UU was meant to be exactly the same as the Vanilla Huel but without the sweetener and flavour.

However, when we added the same amount of gum arabic to UU it did not make a difference to it. In the end we added about 4 times as much to create the same consistency as the Vanilla. So we got thinking and thought that instead of making UU with 4 times as much gum, we will use a combination of gums which have different properties and managed to create a much similar consistency as Vanilla Huel.

Really sorry that you don’t like the thicker UU Huel, I understand it is different, however I urge you try it for a week. If you still don’t like it then perhaps just add a bit more water to reduce the consistency, like with Huel Vanilla.

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The UU batch 2439 is far far thicker than the v1.2 Vanilla, so your explanation doesn’t make much sense, I’m sorry to say. However, as Gen herself has said, batch 2145 was also marked as v2 but was thinner than 2439. So, there must have been an error somewhere. I’m hoping that the error wasn’t the labelling of 2145 but in the mixing of 2439. Have you personally tasted the latter batch?

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I much appreciate the reply. I’m a big fan of any company with an active role in the community, and the concept of soylents is such a new one that I firmly believe the community has a role to play in its further development. I’m certain you will continue to poll, listen, test and deliver as Huel is in my current opinion the best the EU has to offer. As far as I know, and as of right now…

Personally, bias and all, I find the fact that this was the biggest complaint very surprising. Then again, soylent in general is being widely recognized as a shake, and somehow - despite my inherent bias against - maybe the majority do prefer drinking a thicker liquid.

Please keep polling on this!

My thinking is that there must be a magic point where people who want it thicker can make it so by having it with slightly less water, and people like me don’t have to add this much to make it even palatable. I understand that the ‘smoothness’ of a slightly thicker liquid is a factor, but in this case it went beyond smooth when proportioned the same. Like I said, please please keep polling.

I’ve also been informed that since this was the biggest complaint, you ‘of course had to go with the bigger request’. Again, this makes some sense, but is this really in line with vanilla?

I’ve had vanilla. Hell, I think I can get my hands on some vanilla from a colleague of mine… though it’d be 1.2.

Have you compared? This batch felt, and I’m sorry for repeating myself, way WAY thicker. 4dl/100gram was a sludge. Vanilla was not that thick if I recall correctly. Please, go try.

I’m already adding water. I’m on day five of the thick UU. Going 5dl/100gr, and it’s… bearable, in an annoying kind of way. Any more water than this and I’m looking at uncomfortable levels of liquid. And my shake is pretty much filled to the brim already. Try it, 5dl and 100 gram goes up to the plastic netting…

Then there’s the issue of the labeling. I bought 8 bags of what apparently was the non-thick version 2.0… and I was displeased getting another 8 bags of a thicker mix, with no warning. I’ll be keeping them and finish them off, mostly because Sweden is a dump and sending them back would save me practically nothing.

Lastly I’ll apologize for my walls of text. I was a bit irate and despite thinking I was holding back, I was in a caps lock mood. Kudos again for being here, providing almost the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and for having this forum at all :slight_smile:

Keep up the good work… and keep polling for this thickness thing :stuck_out_tongue:

EDIT: Apparently I’ve missed out entirely on the fact that the recommended proportion actually is 5dl to a 100gr. This deducts a bit from my previous rants. I’ll still maintain my point… eh, to a degree. I want the watery stuff.

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When you say the biggest complaint was how thin 1.2 unsweetened was, of what % of the customers wanted it thicker? Were there any focus groups, opinions sought? Granted those of us who like it thin may be in the minority.

What if, once everyone runs out of pre batch 2539 v2 and old v1.2 the biggest complaint is then the thickness, then what?

I have tried the thicker version for a week and there is no getting used to it for me, and as such I cancelled my subscription and won’t be buying anymore. I am disappointed and saddened because it was a great product and I preferred it over solid foods. I have a few days of a v1.2 bag remaining, will be gutted when it is gone .

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Then we will reduce the thickness. Simple as that, if people want a thinner version and we have increased it too much then we will reduce it. As @gen has said we do listen and if we start noticing this more then we will take action. This is on our radar now so we can continue to monitor it. I’m sorry you feel so strongly to stop ordering Huel.

I agree that if you are having to add a significant amount of water then something is up, but as you have mentioned you adding slightly different amounts of water to what we recommend. We want Huel to be adjustable in terms of thickness and flavour because everyone is different! E.g. I myself have 500ml with 125g of Huel. However @Julian will make it similar, then after having have his meal will top it up again with water!

Thanks for the comments and feedback, positive and constructive.

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I’m not a huge fan of the UU but the thing that really swung if for me was the thinness. I mix the vanilla 500g of water to 85g of Huel and that’s about right, but even with 100g of UU its thin and watery.

If its got thicker I’d be prepared to give the UU another go :smiley:

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Hi Tim,

I’d appreciate an answer to the question I asked, please.

Which batch was mixed incorrectly, v2 #2145 or the much thicker v2 #2439.

Thank you.

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@Jay could you let me know how judge that UU batch is “far, far” thicker than v1.2 vanilla. They have virtually identical levels of the same gum blend. I haven’t personally taste that batch but each batch is taste tested by the same person at our production facility before it’s released.

I’m happy to exchange pouches for you.

Our aim what to bring U&U in line with Vanilla.

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Well, I mixed up a shake to give you a proper review, 3 scoops with 500ml (a little more water than my usual, by about 50ml), and it’s fine. I still prefer the v1.2 but the consistency does mirror the vanilla I have tried. Even the lumps I experienced the first couple of times with v2 were almost completely gone, it was like drinking a completely different shake than the one I’ve been complaining about.

I don’t know what to say but apologies all around.

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@Jay thank you so much for update, that is very decent of you. I totally understand how these things can vary from day to day.

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Had some of the last thin 2.0 today. Keeping it for special occasions and for mixing it with the new to make it palatable for me.

And… wow. I can go down to 300ml and 100g powder, and only then does it come close to the current thickness.

That’s a glass. One glass. Not a topped off shaker.

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I also prefer Huel as thin as possible. The latest batch has taken away the convenience of a balanced meal in one shake and I am now having to mix up twice the liquid to even make it slightly palatable.
I have been using Huel since January and have also been taken by surprise by this latest batch, my daily meals have gone from 4 a day to 8, which I now struggle to take on board with a busy work schedule.

If Huel really is “Everything your body needs and nothing more” why is extra stuff being added to bulk it out?
If there is a demand for it to be thicker why not have separate products to go with peoples needs?

Like Gen I will be finishing off my order of 8 bags but if this change is permanent I will no longer be able to continue using Huel which is a shame as I have become quite reliant on it over the past few months.

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We made the change due to customer demand saying it was too thin, watery, it separated. We can’t have different versions.

I will run a survey this week with U&U customers and if the majority want thinner we will reduce the thickness.

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@Sam_54 may I ask what you meal size are in terms of calories please?

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I thought the thickness is v2.0 was perfect

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I used to do 5x400cal and have room for a meal on top of that, and snacks if I was pushing it. Sometimes 7x400cal, at 4dl or less water in each shake. And then some.

Not because I felt less full, but because I could. With the extra thickness filling me up for longer, and harder, I sort of feel hamstrung into a very specific TDEE.

It might not be the purview of Huel to be a gainer, but it just worked so very well as just that, and much much more.

Could it be possible to achieve a similar thick and smooth mouthfeel without upping the water requirements?

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I have 500 cals per shaker vanilla and that is fine. Just like a milkshake. Sometimes I top up half way through. So up to 700ml per meal.

I don’t see the problem.

I can’t remember anyone using vanilla saying it’s too thick.