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Kava Preparation Maximizing kavalactones: Dr. Bittenbender's CTAHR method

doctorfreeze

doctorfreeze

Kava Curious
I'm new to kava and was wondering which method of water prep extracted the most KLs. (This is important to me as I hope to use kava medicinally for insomnia.) I did some sleuthing and found that Dr. Bittenbender and his team tested multiple methods & variables of water prep. (Hot vs cold water, blending vs kneading, duration of maceration, kava to water ratio, etc).

They tested 16 treatment combinations and found that the following was most effective in extracting KLs: water at 45C, 1:3 kava-to-water ratio, 3 maceration cycles, 120 sec maceration. This method extracted around 40% of the KLs as opposed to 15% with hand kneading in cold of the same duration. (Of course, if you knead in warm/hot water for 10+ minutes, you'll likely more than 15% KLs.) I know this is of interest to many here since kava is expensive.

I contacted Dr. Bittenbender and he was kind enough to send me his paper (Gautz, Loren D., Rachel Li, and H. C. Bittenbender. 2015. Preparing Kava: Optimizing kavalactone extraction in water. Proceedings of Kava 2015 Conference, July 25-26, 2015 at Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii).

Here's his recommendation based on his research:

Using the CTAHR method
  1. If using dry kava powder, add 100 g powder to blender jar, add 1150 ml hot tap water (this includes 400 ml to replace water lost during drying). If using fresh or thawed frozen chopped kava, add 750 ml of hot tap water to blender jar then add 500 g kava. Close blender jar, blend at highest speed for 1 min. Pour kava into 1 gal. paint strainer bag, pinch bag shut, squeeze liquid from bag into bowl.
  2. Add 750 ml hot tap water to jar, add press cake from bag, close jar, run blender for 1 min, pour into bag, squeeze liquid into same bowl.
  3. Repeat- add water, add press cake, blend, and squeeze.
Makes 2.2 L (more than half gal.). Dilute with water if too strong.

Here's a scaled-down recipe using 6 Tbsp dry root powder (for me, 2 day's worth):
  1. Add 30 g (~6 Tbsp) powder to blender jar, 1 1/2 cups hot water. Close blender jar, blend at highest speed for 1 min. Pour kava into strainer bag, pinch bag shut, squeeze liquid from bag into bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup hot tap water to jar, add press cake from bag, close jar, run blender for 1 min, pour into bag, squeeze liquid into same bowl.
  3. Repeat- add 1 cup water, add press cake, blend, and squeeze.
Makes 3 1/2 cups. Each 7/8 cup should have ~300 mg kavalactones.

I did a 2nd wash with the leftover frozen maka, and it was definitely much more watery. This means I got a lot out the first time!
 
Krunkie McKrunkface

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
It's certainly a valid prep method, worth trying and keeping if you like it. After a while I gave it up as too much work compared to AluBall and trad prep. I found the gain/effort matrix to be marginal, and the yield lower than the current AluBall then freezer then trad approach I currently use, 10:1 for CTAHR vs 24:1 or more for the AluBall + freezer + trad prep. But there's not a thing wrong with it and it appeals to notions of efficiency and exactitude. Even if those are mythical or placebo effects, heck, there is nothing wrong with a good placebo effect. I'm fond of mythical effects, too.
 
doctorfreeze

doctorfreeze

Kava Curious
I'm trying to interpret your jargon :) Can you specify more clearly what you mean by " 24:1 or more for the AluBall + freezer + trad prep". Does that mean 1 part powder (by volume) to 24 parts water, shaken in the Aluball, then you put the maka in the freezer and do a traditional prep as your 2nd wash?

Thanks!
 
HeadHodge

HeadHodge

Bula To Eternity
doctorfreeze said:
I'm new to kava and was wondering which method of water prep extracted the most KLs. (This is important to me as I hope to use kava medicinally for insomnia.) I did some sleuthing and found that Dr. Bittenbender and his team tested multiple methods & variables of water prep. (Hot vs cold water, blending vs kneading, duration of maceration, kava to water ratio, etc).

They tested 16 treatment combinations and found that the following was most effective in extracting KLs: water at 45C, 1:3 kava-to-water ratio, 3 maceration cycles, 120 sec maceration. This method extracted around 40% of the KLs as opposed to 15% with hand kneading in cold of the same duration. (Of course, if you knead in warm/hot water for 10+ minutes, you'll likely more than 15% KLs.) I know this is of interest to many here since kava is expensive.

I contacted Dr. Bittenbender and he was kind enough to send me his paper (Gautz, Loren D., Rachel Li, and H. C. Bittenbender. 2015. Preparing Kava: Optimizing kavalactone extraction in water. Proceedings of Kava 2015 Conference, July 25-26, 2015 at Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii).

Here's his recommendation based on his research:

Using the CTAHR method
  1. If using dry kava powder, add 100 g powder to blender jar, add 1150 ml hot tap water (this includes 400 ml to replace water lost during drying). If using fresh or thawed frozen chopped kava, add 750 ml of hot tap water to blender jar then add 500 g kava. Close blender jar, blend at highest speed for 1 min. Pour kava into 1 gal. paint strainer bag, pinch bag shut, squeeze liquid from bag into bowl.
  2. Add 750 ml hot tap water to jar, add press cake from bag, close jar, run blender for 1 min, pour into bag, squeeze liquid into same bowl.
  3. Repeat- add water, add press cake, blend, and squeeze.
Makes 2.2 L (more than half gal.). Dilute with water if too strong.

Here's a scaled-down recipe using 6 Tbsp dry root powder (for me, 2 day's worth):
  1. Add 30 g (~6 Tbsp) powder to blender jar, 1 1/2 cups hot water. Close blender jar, blend at highest speed for 1 min. Pour kava into strainer bag, pinch bag shut, squeeze liquid from bag into bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup hot tap water to jar, add press cake from bag, close jar, run blender for 1 min, pour into bag, squeeze liquid into same bowl.
  3. Repeat- add 1 cup water, add press cake, blend, and squeeze.
Makes 3 1/2 cups. Each 7/8 cup should have ~300 mg kavalactones.

I did a 2nd wash with the leftover frozen maka, and it was definitely much more watery. This means I got a lot out the first time!
Click to expand...
kudos for your effort to contact Bittenbender.

I keep calling him Bigginblender. :)
 
Krunkie McKrunkface

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
doctorfreeze said:
I'm trying to interpret your jargon :) Can you specify more clearly what you mean by " 24:1 or more for the AluBall + freezer + trad prep". Does that mean 1 part powder (by volume) to 24 parts water, shaken in the Aluball, then you put the maka in the freezer and do a traditional prep as your 2nd wash?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I meant ultimate yield, by the time you are finished with all multiple washes, by whatever prep(s) used, and it's all played out and you chuck the makas on the compost. So if you follow instructions on a package, e.g. You might get oly 3 or 4 cups of grog per cup of grind. Most people do at least 4 to 8 cups grog per cup of grind. The Bittenbender manouvre puts it just above 10. My method yields 24 or more. I just did some today that came in at a yield of 27. Given that I drink about 3 litrse of grog a day, as does my wife, you can see the appeal. I also have a crackpot theory about the "lesser kavalactones" and another about kavalactone presence in the grog not having a direct or reliable relation with bioavailability of kavalactones to the individual grog drinker, but those are kind of boring.

As for the combined prep I'm referring to, you do 2 or 2.5 washes in the aluball, drink that. Put the makas in the freezer and when you have accumulated 2 cups of wet frozen makas, thaw it out and trad prep it in a bag for four or more washes. Usually for that part I tart with 8 cups water, then 4, 2.5, 1.5, and if it will allow, one or two more one cup of water washes.
 
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