Kava newbie here. What am I doing wrong?

[KavaCat]

This is me as well, and why I'm turning into such a whore for having as many strains/kava products on hand as possible. I find I really need to mix up my kava routines in order to get the effects I enjoy. If I have the same kava 3-4 days in a row the effects seem to become muted, if there at all. Or maybe the effects of a single strain become so "background" to my mind that I don't register with the same degree of pleasure/enjoyment.

Instead of having tons of kinds on hand, I actually just blend. This keeps it going on for me. Like I'll decide I want a little Mo'i/ Boroguru, or a little Mahakea/Fiji, etc. Makahea with a little dab of paradise extract, etc. I usually don't have more than four or five types in my rotation at a time. Not because I don't want to have more, just because I can't afford it right now lol.

 

[Adriano]

I make mine this way and have never had a weak batch. I blend it for 4 minutes in a Ninja Juicer. Then I knead it in a strainer bag for 10 to 15 minutes. While kneading I watch a dvd on a little dvd player I have in the kitchen. So often I will end up kneading for a bit longer. I don't heat the water. Believe me, you do it this way it will come out strong.

 

[dr phalloid]

Hey guys,

I'm new to kava.

My first few experiences were kind of lame to say the least. I assume this was due to reverse tolerance or user error on my part.

My wife and I have tried instant kava, and single cup servings (2 tbsp dried kava per 12 oz. water) around 4 or 5 times.

Each time we couldn't really feel the effects.

Disappointed, I started doing some Googling and found the following thread: http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/ctahr-extraction-method.5686/.

I used this method to brew up about 4 cups.

I blended 1 cup Waka root (from Bulakava) kava with 4 cups hot water in our blentec strained/kneaded for 3 different cycles. I used a strainer similar to cheesecloth (hardly any kava particles in the water).

It tasted like a bowl of mud, btw

My wife and I drank around 12 oz - 16 oz... And we could feel ... Something.

It was a mellow feeling, but not very strong. It was almost hard to tell if it was the kava or if we were making it up.

So, I guess my questions are...

Are the effects of kava so mild that it's hard to notice?

Am I doing something wrong?

Can I do something to make the effects stronger?

As it stands, I'm going to mix up another batch tonight and I really want it to be a success!

Thanks!

hey I use a blender they do the job just fine,i personally make tea out of my kava it tastes really nice,like Edward I use heaped tablespoons about 5 per litre but you can go up or down depending on strength of root being used.i always use lechitin in my mix it draws out the kavalactones for stronger brew.when I started I didant feel much for 3-4 weeks,now 7 years down the road it blows me away,its practise+leave the kavalactones build up in your bloodstream then youll get the required effects.

 

[jmcrist]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would provide an update.

We finally broke through RT and it's grand.

The CTAHR method is quite a monster. I brewed up some Nambawan last night and can feel the effects quite nicely after 2 shells.

The only problem now is that the CTAHR method is quite nasty. The combination of hot water + blending/kneading 3 times results in a horrid tasting grog.

In the instructions, it says to dilute with water of it's too strong. I am considering trying this tonight with the batch I brewed up yesterday.

I plan on trying traditional prep soon to see if I can cut back on the taste and still retain potency.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Edward]

Lots of people use juice to try and hide the taste. I think I prefer water as I quite like the taste of kava but I may try a few more different juices and see. I'm not sure how juice fits in to a blender method, I'm yet to try it.

 

[krunkedout]

Sounds like you've got a solid method you're using. Make sure you blend as well as hand knead because the kneading is really what squeezes out the good stuff. I would also recommend using slightly warm water to aid the extraction a bit. Other than that, kava isn't so mild that you barely notice it, it can really hit you, but as with most things you need to be accustomed to it so you start recognizing the effects more and more. there could also be some RT going on here, so just keep at it for awhile. One big thing though is you should have a completely empty stomach during your sesh, so don't eat for about 3-4 hours before you consume. If you want to kickstart the effects, about an hour after you start drinking your kava eat something small but greasy, like a slice of pizza.

 

[Kavafied]

Drank Kava as a kid and didn't start feeling it until I was in my teens. Always just thought it was a cultural thing you were supposed to drink.