Advise on preparation micro vs med grind

[Earl]

Hoping for some advise. I have the same kava in micronized and in medium grind. When I take the micro, the effects are pretty great with a nice
long initial feeling which is what I like best.
But when I prepare the medium grind the beginning pleasant effects don't happen, it just sort of becomes that feeling you get later.
I am wondering what I am doing wrong or can change to make the medium grind have that same initial powerful rush.
Of course no prep involved with micro.
When I prepare medium I put in blender (ninja) and blend for at least 10 minutes.
Then I strain through the bag it a bowl and hand kneed it for at least 15 minutes. I am using plenty of kava so that is definitely
not the problem. I don't heat the water. Don't know if that is good or bad.
Would appreciate what error I'm making preparing the medium grind.
Micro I make 2 big tablespoons for 1 big cup. With medium grind I use about 5 to 6 big cups of water and about 9 to 12 tablespoons of medium grind.
Thanks!

 

[Dr.Krunk]

Sounds like you are using plenty of root. If strength is what you are after you may look to cutting your water amount down to 4 cups. More water makes the grog more diluted which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just depends on what you want. You are most likely able to drink your micro much faster than you can get down six cups of medium hence the rush.

When I first started out I didn’t work the root well enough, not really getting everything out that I could. The more root you use the more difficult it will be. I’d suggest trying less root and water to see what that does, maybe 6tbs to 4 cups.

I generally just use lukewarm water. Some use hot water, it’s supposed to assist in extracting kavaloctones but doesn’t make much of a difference to me. Others may suggest using some milk as well, I just use good ol’ fashion water. Everyone finds a method that works best for them.

 

[Earl]

Thanks for the advise. I tried using milk which took away any feeling of nausea during the evening but, to me, it very much blocked a lot of the effect. So I went back to waterl The ratio of med grind to water I use is about 4 big tablespoons for one cup. The long lasting effects are very strong but there is nothing at the beginning, only the gradual onset of the krunk feeling. I tend to think that its not the strength since I use a lot, but something to do with the way I prepare it. Its frustrating because when this hapens it seems like a waste of all that kava. I'll try hot water. Maybe that will help. Thanks!

 

[the_wilderness]

It's possibly just one of your kava quirks. I have the same; good micro/instant effects, but medium grind I only get that 'background' kava feeling, even when I'm using x3 the amount of micro (I use 4-6tbsp of micro per chug session). Pretty sure no errors in prep, I do the same as you.

 

[Earl]

I guess it'll be the last time I but med grind then. It used to not be that way. Med grind used to work just as well. I think the quality was better a few years back.
Thanks

 

[Earl]

Well I believe that I've found my answer. I heated my kava water, not to boiling but hot. What a dffferencel. Great effects, super strong and just what I was hopingl for. Just great. Heating the water made a huge difference.

 

[Zaphod]

Hoping for some advise. I have the same kava in micronized and in medium grind. When I take the micro, the effects are pretty great with a nice
long initial feeling which is what I like best.
But when I prepare the medium grind the beginning pleasant effects don't happen, it just sort of becomes that feeling you get later.
I am wondering what I am doing wrong or can change to make the medium grind have that same initial powerful rush.
Of course no prep involved with micro.
When I prepare medium I put in blender (ninja) and blend for at least 10 minutes.
Then I strain through the bag it a bowl and hand kneed it for at least 15 minutes. I am using plenty of kava so that is definitely
not the problem. I don't heat the water. Don't know if that is good or bad.
Would appreciate what error I'm making preparing the medium grind.
Micro I make 2 big tablespoons for 1 big cup. With medium grind I use about 5 to 6 big cups of water and about 9 to 12 tablespoons of medium grind.
Thanks!

In general, it is harder to get that initial kavain hit with medium grind then it is with microgind in my experience. You can make a very strong medium grind, first wash only, that might come close but it is tough to beat microgind for that initial strength. These days I prefer the slower effects of the medium grind, so I don't tend to try for it. You could add a bit of the micro to your medium and get a nice combined effect.

 

[Earl]

Thank you. In the past that wasn't my experience, but that was years ago. However, when I heated the water (pretty hot but no where near boiling) it seemed to make all the differrence. Changed the effects to almost too strong. Heating the water made a big difference. One thing I do not like about micro is the next day effects are worse for me so I was hoping the med grind, despite the hassle of making it, would work as good. Now it seems to, but I have to use a lot of it.

 

[fait]

@Earl What you could do is if you want effects right away, drink a cup of micro, then let the kava chill permeate your body while you work on the medium grind prep. Consider trying an instant kava, such as the offerings that GHK and BKH have.

 

[Earl]

I think I would do the preparation of the medium grind first so I'd have it ready. When I do have kava I always like to be in my comfy chair with my music ready to play. BKH used to have a med grind called melo melo that was super. I don't know which of their current offerings are like that and they never seem to have micro available, always sold out. Used to love the GHK micro moi too. I'll definitely try combining them. That's a good idea. Thanks