Cold Press or...

[kl.Swingline]

Just thinking...  Does anyone know of anything mechanical that would work for pressing and kneading the kava?  I know 5-6 minutes isn't a long time but it is difficult to do while you are supposed to be making dinner. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[kl.homobonobo]

Don't know, but I found it a lot less tedious to knead my kava while I'm watching a TV show or something. Before I know it, a half hour has passed, and my kava is a lot stronger!

 

[Ed!]

I wonder if you can use a masticating juicer? Those aren't cheap though.

 

[kl.Gray Owl]

I bought a blender bottle and use the wire blender ball from that in a 1 liter wide mouth bottle and shake it hard. I've also thought of using a French press or a potato masher. I think the potato masher would work best in a vertical tube with the kava settled at the bottom. A paint can shaker could be interesting.

 

[kl.CarolinaBC]

Sometimes when I'm in a hurry I use a stick blender.  I have a plastic cup (about 16oz) and put 8-10oz of water and 2 heaping tablespoons of kava in the water.  I then blend it with a spoon and then put the stick blender in and run it for about a minute.  I put my strainer bag in another plastic cup and dump the slurry into the strainer bag and strain it.  I then squeeze the heck out of the kava then drop it back into the kava mixture and knead it for a minute and squeeze it again real well.  Total prep time is 3-5 minutes and strong.

 

[kl.midas]

Don't know, but I found it a lot less tedious to knead my kava while I'm watching a TV show or something. Before I know it, a half hour has passed, and my kava is a lot stronger!

I do the same. Makes the process much less tiresome

 

[kl.KarmaG]

I've been toying with the idea of using a French press. If I do decide to give it a whirl I will post my results. My intuition tells me that this would require a very fine grind and probably overnight soaking, plus multiple presses I'd imagine.

 

[kavalover]

I've been toying with the idea of using a French press. If I do decide to give it a whirl I will post my results. My intuition tells me that this would require a very fine grind and probably overnight soaking, plus multiple presses I'd imagine.

I wouldn't imagine this would be very effective, you would still need to knead and squeeze a courser grind. What would be helpful though, maybe, is after preparing the kava, using the french press as a sort of second sieve, and it would be a more classy way to pour shells hehe. I don't strain Fu'u though, so I might try try using a french press for Fu'u see how that works out. Like the idea. Let us know how it works for ya

 

[kl.KarmaG]

I've been toying with the idea of using a French press. If I do decide to give it a whirl I will post my results. My intuition tells me that this would require a very fine grind and probably overnight soaking, plus multiple presses I'd imagine.

I wouldn't imagine this would be very effective, you would still need to knead and squeeze a courser grind. What would be helpful though, maybe, is after preparing the kava, using the french press as a sort of second sieve, and it would be a more classy way to pour shells hehe. I don't strain Fu'u though, so I might try try using a french press for Fu'u see how that works out. Like the idea. Let us know how it works for ya

Well, I just wanted to give an update in case anyone else was considering trying this. I used a fine grind kava, did my soaking/kneading/squeezing first, then ran through a French Press to try to filter out the remaining particles. It didn't work at all. Even with the initial squeezing through the nylon stocking, the particles were too course for the press and it got stuck just millimeters from the top. There was literally no give at all and fearing that my French Press would turn into a kava geyser, I called it quits. Now I know, and as they say, knowing is half the battle. (smiley: ohwell)

 

[kavalover]

Trial and error, it was worth the attempt lol