Shelly McKrunkface
Kava Curious
I use and Aluball and cold (but not run to very cold) tap water. I usually drink with ice and a bombilla. The Makas gets saved for trad prep with hot water. Best of all worlds.
Is warm water necessary?
- Thread starter Bert07
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VictoryRider
Kava Enthusiast
Hot water seems to make it more potent, but it does taste worse. But that's not the worst part.
Hot water will make the starch in kava start to gel, so it gets THICK. Same effect as adding corn starch to gravy. But, that won't happen until you get closer to boiling.
Horrible tasting thick kava. Can't drink it -- just makes me gag. Ugh.
If you keep the temp low enough you should get better extraction but no thickness.
Me, I just use room temp water and knead, knead, knead. Works good enough for me. 2nd squeeze to get more 'lactones out rather
than heat anything up.
Hot water will make the starch in kava start to gel, so it gets THICK. Same effect as adding corn starch to gravy. But, that won't happen until you get closer to boiling.
Horrible tasting thick kava. Can't drink it -- just makes me gag. Ugh.
If you keep the temp low enough you should get better extraction but no thickness.
Me, I just use room temp water and knead, knead, knead. Works good enough for me. 2nd squeeze to get more 'lactones out rather
than heat anything up.
Subjectively I can't say I've noticed much of a difference in potency with hot vs room temp water when I knead for the same amount of time. That being said, my kava sessions are pretty infrequent and it's a fact that it's easier to dissolve solids in hot water. Shrug.