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Is there any "quick thaw" method that's ok for frozen kava ?

P

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
If you freeze kava, and then transfer it back to the fridge to thaw, however there's not enough time for it to fully thaw by the time you want to re-use it again,
are there any "quick-thaw" methods that won't have a negative effect on the kava ? I guess I'm wondering if heat or warmth will compromise the quality
somehow, after it's been frozen ?

And if the answer is different for each of these situations, I'm curious to know the answer for both the "liquid prepared" kava, as well as the used makas.
 
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Krunkie McKrunkface

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Plantacious said:
If you freeze kava, and then transfer it back to the fridge to thaw, however there's not enough time for it to fully thaw by the time you want to re-use it again,
are there any "quick-thaw" methods that won't have a negative effect on the kava ? I guess I'm wondering if heat or warmth will compromise the quality
somehow, after it's been frozen ?

And if the answer is different for each of these situations, I'm curious to know the answer for both the "liquid prepared" kava, as well as the used makas.
Click to expand...
if it is in a sealed plastic container I would put that in a large bowl in the sink and run warm tap water over it. and then once enough had thawed to do so, I would shake the container and break it up that way. or say once it is half thawed you could put it all in a blender and pulse till it became like a slushee, then it would thaw quickly. I have also drunk kava slushee that was good, esp. Savusavu.

For makas from the freezer, though, the best is to thaw enough so you can get it out of the container, then put the makas in you strainer bag, put it in your large kneading bowl and pour very hot tap water on it to soak. If, like me, you have a large bag of makas and you are going to be kneading it with 8 cups of water, you could first pour on 2 cups hot water and let soak for 5 minutes, pour that water in a jar then add another 2 cups hot water and soak, do that four time so you had used a total of 8 cups and then put all that water back into the bowl and knead. If you only use 8 cups hot water to soak at first, then a lot of the makas will still be frozen and the water so cold it will hurt your hands. Several soaks in less water will thaw it better. Better to thaw overnight in the fridge or just on the counter for a few hours, IME.
 
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Joannerd

Joannerd

Kava Curious
Krunkie McKrunkface said:
if it is in a sealed plastic container I would put that in a large bowl in the sink and run warm tap water over it. and then once enough had thawed to do so, I would shake the container and break it up that way. or say once it is half thawed you could put it all in a blender and pulse till it became like a slushee, then it would thaw quickly. I have also drunk kava slushee that was good, esp. Savusavu.

For makas from the freezer, though, the best is to thaw enough so you can get it out of the container, then put the makas in you strainer bag, put it in your large kneading bowl and pour very hot tap water on it to soak. If, like me, you have a large bag of makas and you are going to be kneading it with 8 cups of water, you could first pour on 2 cups hot water and let soak for 5 minutes, pour that water in a jar then add another 2 cups hot water and soak, do that four time so you had used a total of 8 cups and then put all that water back into the bowl and knead. If you only use 8 cups hot water to soak at first, then a lot of the makas will still be frozen and the water so cold it will hurt your hands. Several soaks in less water will thaw it better. Better to thaw overnight in the fridge or just on the counter for a few hours, IME.
Click to expand...
Do you have to knead your frozen makas or will they work in the aluball?
 
P

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
Joannerd said:
Do you have to knead your frozen makas or will they work in the aluball?
Click to expand...
Me personally, my routine, is first I do 2 washes in the Aluball. (If I do any more than 2 washes, the water remains clear, so clearly it's not extracting much of anything)
After the 2nd wash, I will put it in the freezer. I continue to add to that freezer container each day after each Aluball use, until it accumulates to about a small bowl's worth.
Then I'll thaw it and knead it traditionally (after a short blend in the blender).
By this time, I think a lot of the KL's have been removed, except for those that can only be extracted traditionally, so it takes more volume of frozen makas to make the same potency of drink.
I am not making any scientific claims, just stating my theory and practice.
 
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