Boiling Kava

[HeadHodge]

Saw your video for boiling Kava. Thanks, you should make more videos on different ways to prepare Kava.

Do you have a preferred way to prepare your Kava (i.e. boiling or something else)?

A lot of posts on preparing Kava cite that letting Kava soak for 30 min. is important. But I noticed you did not do that when you boiled it. Do you think soaking is important.

As much as I've read, I'm still confused about the best way to prepare Kava. I'm not necessarily looking for the way to make the strongest, most fouling way, to make Kava, but I want to make sure that I'm not wasting my Kava either (because it's fairly costly stuff).

Anyways thanks for all your replies you have given to me on my other posts on this forum. It's much appreciated.

[EDIT]
Just had this thought... Instead of cooking the Kava and water on the stove top, what do you think about using a microwave instead??

 

[Vekta]

More importantly...


What is the best way....for you?

You got plenty of methods to explore. Have fun with it.

 

[BULABUCK]

Where is that video i would like to see it

 

[HeadHodge]

Where is that video i would like to see it

@BUlABUCK Here's the link:

 

[BULABUCK]

Thank you HeadHodge

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hi HeadHodge, I do not have a preferred way, some people do though, I know a friend of mine, Ed Johnston (kava expert), he only drinks fresh root but for me it depends on how I feel, I mostly drink the dry powder and I will use micronized, instant or the traditional way of kneading the kava in a strainer. Each way has it's pros and cons I guess, the boiling way does make the drink a bit thicker but it should not me much if it is, add more water to thin it out, you can see in my video it is not that thick. But the boiling method seems to give me a deeper kava experience, the dry powder depending on the variety and where it comes from and who grows it, I might boil it to make it stronger, if it is already a good and strong kava then i will not boil it, I do make my own instant sometimes so I can do that with Hawaiian powder and that is my all time favorite, the micronized is a bit too gritty for me but I drink that when I want a strong brew or if I had a bad day logging and my back went out, then i will drink the micronized kava. It really depends on my mood and what I want from the kava, I have been known to take just the hair like rootlets and use just that for the super Kavain kick, the rootlets are the smallest of the lateral roots and they are the most potent.

I have never soaked my kava, I do not feel there is a need to, you might get a few more kavalactones out over your regular method if you soaked it and then used a strong blender to try to break open any cell structure to release more kavalactones.
The type of grind has a big difference on the amount of kava you get in your drink, see my recent post here---http://www.kavaforums.com/forum/threads/different-grinds-experiment-with-pictures.1959/
This shows how many servings per pound and the weight of a tablespoon of that type of kava, so with that info, lets say we were drinking kava that was tested at 10% kavalactones, if you have 3 grams of powder that goes into your drink then 10% of that 3 grams will be kavalactones, if you see all the different weights in my experiment you will get an idea of what you keep and throw out when you do the straining method.

I agree that kava is costly so look at my grinds experiment and you will see what you get for your money, it clearly shows that the instant is the better value and then the micronized (truly micronized) I will be offering a truly micronized kava soon, now that this experiment showed that my current micronized is not small enough I will make sure that you only get the good stuff and not the fibers. After the micronized comes the medium grinds, anything less than that, is a waste of money.
Also I have tried microwaving the kava and it does not come out the same as on the stove top.
And I will make some more videos on how to make the kava. Please let me know if there is any pictures or videos that anyone would like to see and i can make one or please let me know if any of you have any kava questions, I have been in the science of kava for over 10 years now and growing it for longer. Aloha to all.

Chris

 

[HeadHodge]

......And I will make some more videos on how to make the kava. Please let me know if there is any pictures or videos that anyone would like to see and i can make one or please let me know if any of you have any kava questions, I have been in the science of kava for over 10 years now and growing it for longer. Aloha to all.

Thanks for the great reply!

Videos of all the ways you prepare Kava would be great. Sort of a Kava 101 Klass from Professor Kava. That way you could help us novices understand Kava better and use is it as a way to impart your worldly knowledge to us lowly minions.

I know that as a relatively new Kava user it's sort of daunting trying to figure what to do with Kava and what to expect from it. The internet is a fantastic way to share information. Unfortunately, it's a way to impart misinformation too (I'm not implying it's done intentionally). So it would be great to have something like a Kavapedia that was moderated in way that it could be respected and used as an authoritative source of Kava information and instruction. I know that this forum has a Wiki, but not sure how well it's suited to fill that purpose.

Another thing that would be great is if you could somehow promote that Kava products adopt some sort of standardized Nutritional labeling (like you see on many of the products at the local grocery store) For example some sort of a standardized label that indicates the % of Kavalactones per weight, the Kavalactone spectrum rating, how much DMK content, etc.... That would really help to figure out the quality of Kava products in order to make wiser buying decisions.

Regards
Bob

 

[The Kap'n]

@HeadHodge

We actually have the beginnings of a kavapedia. At the top you'll see a tab marked Wiki, so far a few people have added their own information to it. Honestly I've gotten busy have been neglecting it, but the potential is there!

 

[Crunked]

Also I have tried microwaving the kava and it does not come out the same as on the stove top.
Chris

Chris, how is it different? Are you talking about taste, thickness, effect or something else?
Also, do you really mean boil (212F) or heat until it begins to thicken (which I think starts to happen from 140F).

Thanks for being such a great contributor.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hi Crunked, the microwave does not heat the water evenly and if you have the kava in the water while your heating it, you can not stir it constantly so it will not burn and you stir till you get your thick kava gravy, then you add the rest of your water to cool it down and to thin it out.
I know that the water has reached it's boiling point because I can see steam coming off the water before the kava thickens.
The starch in the kava must be cooked to 95°C (203°F) before thickening begins, cooking denatures the starch in the kava and disrupts the quatenary and tertiary structure so that the kavalactones come out easier, the cell walls are essentially ruptured and the resin released.
No problem with contributing, I like to make sure people know the truth about kava and how it can be used.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[Crunked]

Thanks for the reply which I found very interesting.

 

[HeadHodge]

The starch in the kava must be cooked to 95°C (203°F) before thickening begins, cooking denatures the starch in the kava and disrupts the quatenary and tertiary structure so that the kavalactones come out easier, the cell walls are essentially ruptured and the resin released.

Do you think it would be beneficial to add an emulsifier (like Lecithin) to help the resin combine with the water once it has been released from the root cells? If so, at what point would you add the emulsifier?

I use a lot less energy if I use my microwave to boil water instead of my stovetop. Do you think it would be beneficial or detrimental to pre-heat the water (the portion that I'll use to cook the Kava with, not the portion to cool it down) before adding and cooking the Kava?

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hedgehog, I think that if you add something to emulsify it would help. When I boil the kava, I only use enough water to get the kava in the pan wet and into a liquid, I do not add all the water, it is like if you make a pack of gravy, they say to add 1 cup of water because the amount of gravy in the pack is made for 1 cup of water to make it thick, too much water and it will not thicken so easy, so with that in mind I only add enough water, like you would if you were making gravy, then after the kava is thick, you add the rest of the water to cool and thin it out, you can even add a bit more water if you want to thin it out even more.

I see no problem with heating the water in the microwave and then going to the stove top to finish the process, I think that would work just fine.
Let me know if you have any other questions, aloha.

Chris

 

[HeadHodge]

Hedgehog, I think that if you add something to emulsify it would help.

Thanks for the reply.

I have some Lecithin granules to use for emulsifier. Would you add (maybe a teaspoon) to the mix during cooking, or after cooking but before straining, or to the grog after straining but before drinking?

I just made a batch using your cooking technique with some borguru but I'm letting it cool in the fridge before I try it.

Regards

 

[Deactivated Account]

Ok you've got me Chris. Just boiled up properly as you did...waiting for it to cool more.

I've done it half heartedly once or twice before but this time it's as you have. God the smell is thick.

Kept it well stirred & just off boil for a good solid 5 mins.

Will let you know shortly how it went.

 

[Deactivated Account]

Well a def improvement no question about it. I grabbed some powdered in Vila & it's a bit low in the bang department.

Buggar it...round 2 now.

 

[Crunked]

I tried the boiling method. Made me vomit 5 hours after ingesting (using standard dose from a packet I had used over the previous week with no problems). Never again.

 

[Deactivated Account]

I tried the boiling method. Made me vomit 5 hours after ingesting (using standard dose from a packet I had used over the previous week with no problems). Never again.

Hey I def get that boiling makes it quite funky(as if it wasn't already king of funk)

Oddly enough though I actually found it easier to drink. Makes it very slimey on your fingers which is very noticeable when working it in the stocking.

I was expecting that slimey texture to have me outside on the lawn eating grass like a Doberman.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

@Crunked, I am sorry to hear that you reacted that way, I have never heard that reaction before, I know that like Nemo said, it is different and I guess it is for some and it also is not for some. I have noticed that the boiling method can be hard to do the right way, too much cooking will make it too thick and taste even worst but done the right way it changes the taste to a milder peppery taste and it should not be to thick.
I still like the traditional way too, but I do boil it sometimes, and I only boil the kava that is a regular grind, not instant or micronized. Aloha nui loa.

Chris

 

[Adam]

Lol, just found this thread. I put GHK's video up a couple of weeks ago, unbeknown to me a lot of people had already seen it as it's been here ayons!! Ahh well, suppose it was a bit of a bump for a great tutorial