The Great Aluball Strategies Thread

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

As is no secret, I like the Aluball. It is no sub for trad prep, as even Matt is first to admit, but I don't always want or need trad prep. SOmetimes I need the Aluball. And the Aluball is pretty good at being an Aluball.

I have developed a few decent strategies for using the Aluball and incorporating it into my repertoires and I would like to invite others to add theirs.

Here is an interesting one I have happened on for a sesh and it works with really good root as well as medium medium grind:

Put 2 TBS grind in the ball

put 300 ml water in the bottle, plus two ice cubes

shake for 2 minutes or at least until ice cubes are no longer ice cubes and enjoy!

dump the makas in a bowl.

Repeat 3 or 4 times.

After that, put the collected makas in a bag and trad prep, 2 cups water if you did 3 iterations and 2.5 c if you did 4. Drink the rest. Bula!

Works out pretty good and you get a good yield with thick, tasty, cold grog

 

[evrnd]

Do you use hot/warm water or just cold/room temp tap + ice cubes?

I have gone back and forth in my two ballin' methods. Sometimes I one-ball-at-a-time it and sometimes two balls, one cup. Besides that I am not far off from you:
1/2-2/3 container warm-hot ~110° tap water + either 1 tbs soy lecithin or a splash or two of vanilla almond milk -> shake vigorously inverted or sideways ~5 minutes -> pour over ice (shake/stir/agitate) -> pour out of ice -> drink in 3-4 "shells".

I tend to use the Aluball to try a new kava I'm excited about when I already have something else brewed in the fridge, but don't fully rely on it to make up my mind about a new strain. It's not as potent as the CTAHR method, of course. But yesterday I brazenly double balled some Kavafied Supreme at work and about halfway through my second "shell" I had a very distinct moment of "Oh god! Too much for work! Abort! Abort!".

 

[LabRat]

So far it seems the magic number for me is 12g in the ball , comes up to about 1/2 or a little less in the ball using 450 ml liquid I'm not cool like you guys , in the 450 mls is a splash of milk and a splash of coconut creme liquid coffee creamer, I think it's coffee mate and 1/16 of a tsp of stevia extract , I have to say that it comes out yummy, after a vigorous 2-3 minute shake , I have a small Tupperware bowl to collect the makas , which I save a weeks single washed kava , which I keep in the freezer for Saturday afternoon/evening, and thaw it out and add 1/2- 1oz fresh root to and break out the traditional prep gear that's my strategy thus far, sometimes I add a little ginger powder if the makas are from a particularly potent Waka

 

[kastom_lif]

Sometimes I put a thin slice of ginger in the aluball along with kava powder. It's soft enough not to hurt the ball, and it helps agitate it from the inside.

 

[Kavafied]

Sometimes I put a thin slice of ginger in the aluball along with kava powder. It's soft enough not to hurt the ball, and it helps agitate it from the inside.

Great call...initially we thought of adding a stainless steel ball inside the aluball to increase the force exerted on the kava root powder. Worked great but it was too much fatigue on the ball and mesh to be worthwhile.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Sometimes I put a thin slice of ginger in the aluball along with kava powder. It's soft enough not to hurt the ball, and it helps agitate it from the inside.

also i find different types of grind have different quantity limits in the ball. e.g. anything over 4 tsp damu in the ball and it forms a clay that blocks liquid passing. otoh, 1 tbs damu in the ball is as strong as 2 tbs other grinds and is satisfying and will allow water to flow through.

 

[Pounigirl]

If you add a layer of Saran Wrap (that's cling film for our UK friends ) to the top of the Aluball shaker and then screw the lid on over top of it, it will keep the shaker from leaking and provide a little cushion for the Aluball.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

If you add a layer of Saran Wrap (that's cling film for our UK friends ) to the top of the Aluball shaker and then screw the lid on over top of it, it will keep the shaker from leaking and provide a little cushion for the Aluball.

Great idea, thanks! I just tried that using a "food storage bag" the kind I use for fresh vegetables or fresh loaves of bread, and it worked really well. It will probably extend the life of my Aluball by months, I bet.

 

[Krunkaroo]

@Kavafied do you steep overnight still? in fridge or room temp?

 

[Kavafied]

@Kavafied do you steep overnight still? in fridge or room temp?

leftovers I do sometimes

 

[kastom_lif]

One thing I learned the hard way: shaking an aluball with ice cubes is a sure way to break the screen. Now I don't add ice until I'm fully done shaking.

Of course if I get distracted and the ice melts, I shake it like a maniac again just to be sure.

 

[Travis]

I think maybe compiling a cheat sheet of kavas that work well with the aluball and those that don't would be somewhat of a strategy. Some kavas clog up the screens so much that even using 2 teaspoons won't work well.

 

[Pounigirl]

I think maybe compiling a cheat sheet of kavas that work well with the aluball and those that don't would be somewhat of a strategy. Some kavas clog up the screens so much that even using 2 teaspoons won't work well.

That's a brilliant idea Travis! Maybe they can make it a sticky.

 

[Myk]

I've been experimenting with Aluball prep for a few weeks and I've found something simple to double the Aluball's efficiency. If you double ball with only one level table spoon in each ball the grog comes out slightly stronger than when using two tablespoons per ball and if you allow the balls to sit for a few minutes and completely drain then drink that a second wash isn't really necessary because the extraction is so much more thorough.

 

[Myk]

also i find different types of grind have different quantity limits in the ball. e.g. anything over 4 tsp damu in the ball and it forms a clay that blocks liquid passing. otoh, 1 tbs damu in the ball is as strong as 2 tbs other grinds and is satisfying and will allow water to flow through.

Oops I didn't see this. I've found something else to avoid the clay phenomenon , put the root in the balls and stack balls vertically on the threads so you don't seal one complete side of the ball . Add the balls first and pour the water over them rather than submerging them in a full shaker. I have found this effective for eliminating the clay sealing the screens preventing the water from flowing through the ball.

 

[evrnd]

I have had really good luck with 1.5-2tbs of most varieties and I've been adding ~ 1/2 tsp of soy lecithin inside the Aluballs. Does it make more sense to add the lecithin to the kava or the water or is it having no effect whatsoever? It's possible I'm misunderstanding the purpose of adding lecithin altogether.

I have been meaning to say (I should look for a review thread) that the Alubottle is fanfreakingtastic. I am pretty sure it's made to fit Matt Masifilo's hands (I am assuming he's a big guy) because I have to use two hands to shake it or I cramp up. That thing is genius. It's like it was made for double-balling.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I've been experimenting with Aluball prep for a few weeks and I've found something simple to double the Aluball's efficiency. If you double ball with only one level table spoon in each ball the grog comes out slightly stronger than when using two tablespoons per ball and if you allow the balls to sit for a few minutes and completely drain then drink that a second wash isn't really necessary because the extraction is so much more thorough.

Yes! Excellent point. If you have two balls, it is better to shake up your 2 TBS of grog by putting 1 TBS in each of two balls than putting 2 TBS in a single ball. For than matter, if you have 3 balls, then 2 tsp in each ball, which would total 6 tsp which equals the 2 TBS. I am also quite fond of triple balling with 1 TBS in each ball. The less grind you have in a ball, the better. fwiw I also find that a second wash with about 2/3 the amount of liquid in the original wash is the way to go. Sometimes one just eyeballs it, of course.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I have had really good luck with 1.5-2tbs of most varieties and I've been adding ~ 1/2 tsp of soy lecithin inside the Aluballs. Does it make more sense to add the lecithin to the kava or the water or is it having no effect whatsoever? It's possible I'm misunderstanding the purpose of adding lecithin altogether.

I have been meaning to say (I should look for a review thread) that the Alubottle is fanfreakingtastic. I am pretty sure it's made to fit Matt Masifilo's hands (I am assuming he's a big guy) because I have to use two hands to shake it or I cramp up. That thing is genius. It's like it was made for double-balling.

I use the AluBall now for maté as much as for kava. Previously I had mentioned double balling the maté but I now find that is a waste and a single ball of maté to 500 ml is just right, especially if I do that thing where I cold brew with the AluBall and then pour it into a coffee maker carafe to heat up. The longer is warms in the carafe, the better it gets. I sip on that all day but for some reason I find it especially good when drinking kava.