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Kava Preparation Basic Single Aluball Prep

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
So much valuable, thanks! I'll go experimenting and maybe let you know how it goes after a few weeks of use.

Cheers!
quick recipe: 2 TBS grind in a ball with 300 ml water. Shake for a minute and pour into a jug. Then do another wash with the same ball using 200 ml water. Shake for two minutes, add to the jug with the first wash and mix. That should make you a half litre of decent grog.

If you need it stronger than that, experiment with using less water, down to as far as 200 ml on the first wash and 150 ml on the second. And of course, you can drink that, then repeat in a half hour for the start of a good session.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
quick recipe: 2 TBS grind in a ball with 300 ml water. Shake for a minute and pour into a jug. Then do another wash with the same ball using 200 ml water. Shake for two minutes, add to the jug with the first wash and mix. That should make you a half litre of decent grog.

If you need it stronger than that, experiment with using less water, down to as far as 200 ml on the first wash and 150 ml on the second. And of course, you can drink that, then repeat in a half hour for the start of a good session.
Not sure if I should start a new thread with this question; but has anyone compared potency of equal time shaken in aluball to equal time kneaded trad prep? I haven't tried the aluball yet because I've been sufficiently happy with trad prep; but sometimes it'd be nice to just prep a shell in a minute or two. Just wondering if 2 minutes of trad prep would give me the same weaker grog that 2 minutes of aluball would give?
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Not sure if I should start a new thread with this question; but has anyone compared potency of equal time shaken in aluball to equal time kneaded trad prep? I haven't tried the aluball yet because I've been sufficiently happy with trad prep; but sometimes it'd be nice to just prep a shell in a minute or two. Just wondering if 2 minutes of trad prep would give me the same weaker grog that 2 minutes of aluball would give?
Sometimes it's nice to just prep a shell in a minute or two. :)

But to answer your question: 2 minutes in an AluBall would give slightly stronger than the usual 30 - 60 seconds on the first wash. But a mere 2 minutes of trad prep would rendera significantly weaker than usual grog. Refreshing to drink, though, depending on taste.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
One tip I will add for prep: always go for the gusto and do not hold anything back, IOW go for the maximum extraction of kavalactones you can get *with the current wash you are on*. Of course, if you do miss some this wash, you might get them next wash, or the one after.
 

Shey

Newbie
I just wanted to say I am very grateful for all your posts. I should have read up more about washing a few times. Oh well, it went in the compost, who knows!
 

The Good Rev

Kava Curious
Good info. It's nice to get your grog on quickly sometimes.

My biggest problem with the aluball is how fragile they are. I'm scared to give it all I have in the shake. I only started kava a couple months ago and already my aluball broke.

I also worry about not having enough water in the bottle as I've heard this contributes to breakage.

I also want to add my gratitude for mr krunkface's posts and videos. You're a good, positive presence, bro, and I appreciate it.
 

RevRad

Kava Curious
Huh, my aluball feels solid and I haven't had one break. But I haven't used it that much.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Good info. It's nice to get your grog on quickly sometimes.

My biggest problem with the aluball is how fragile they are. I'm scared to give it all I have in the shake. I only started kava a couple months ago and already my aluball broke.

I also worry about not having enough water in the bottle as I've heard this contributes to breakage.

I also want to add my gratitude for mr krunkface's posts and videos. You're a good, positive presence, bro, and I appreciate it.
My answer to that, stolen from a really wonderful kava drinker, is use a thin plastic baggie and put that between AluBottle and lid, so when you screw on the lid the plastic bag prevents leaking and the baggie is a softer surface for the ball to hit compared to the plastic lid. Also use a gentle downward motion when shaking with the tip of the bottle pointed 15° lower than the base. Basically you’re using the force of the water to massage the grind in the balls.

finally, balls can be repaired. Many of my balls are over 2 years old.
 
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