How do y'all store your kava root?

[Buddhacide]

I'm in a bit of an obsession right now and have been buying different kava's that are rated high on this forum. I would like to keep a stock of various kinds in  the house, but in all likelihood wont be going through it too quickly. Whats the best way to store it? Fridge, freezer, cupboard? Previously Ive just thrown in the freezer and forgot about it. Ive had some in there for as long as 3 years and it seems to be ok, but I'm curious if there is a preferred storage method. Thanks.

 

[kl.new2kava]

I just keep it in a sealed bag in a cupboard. BKH and N@H as well as a few others sell their kava in nifty ziploc sealed bags that work great. I never throw out the 1/2 kg size bags from BKH and use them for KBR kavas which just come in a vacume sealed small package. I've never tried freezer storage but it seems like it should work fine, kinda like keeping coffee in the freezer.

 

[kl.CarolinaBC]

My only concern with putting it the freezer is that when you pull it out condensation will form on the kava if you leave it open too long.  After a few times you could develop freezer burn.  I can't hold onto any kava for 3 years but I just put it in a ziplock bag or a tupperware container at room temperature.  Works just fine but mine lasts 2 months tops.

 

[kavalover]

I would imagine that freezing it would alter the taste a bit, if you're a seasoned drinker and familiar with kava's taste. I say this for the same reason I don't freeze my coffee beans, because the resins inside of the bean (all of the flavor) are getting frozen in the freezer, and then when ground and prepared, the flavor is stale and a bit off as compared to coffee beans that sat in a dry opaque container out of sunlight. Now, I'm not a kava "taste" connoisseur or anything, I chug my shells to get rid of the taste quick, I'm just throwing that out there. Just for the risk of that "freezer burnt taste" that Carolina BC mentioned, I'd rather just let my kava sit in a dry cool cupboard out of sunlight or extreme temperatures. My Solomon Islands kava sat previously opened for nearly a year and I didn't notice anything different about it. Kava seems to have a pretty long shelf life.

So yeah, my two cents, would be to keep kava out of sunlight, in a dry cool place, make sure your bags are sealed and try to get as much air out of the bag as possible before storage.

 

[Kojo Douglas]

I have been drinking kava for 12 years and have noticed that the stuff keeps quite well. I busted open a year-old bag of Black Sand (had been OPEN for one year) and it had just the same effect,

 

[kl.NDG]

I simply put mine in the fridge, in a ziploc bag. I have had some in there for roughly 6 months with no alteration in effects or taste.

 

[Buddhacide]

Thanks for the replys. I am going to have to find some space somewhere, I've ordered a whack of it, lol.

 

[Vekta]

I've tried canning jars, sandwich bags and freezer bags.



The best I've found are the zip-lock bags they come in or a heavy freezer bag with a really good seal. Squeeze all the air out of it and zip it closed. It's more to preserve the smell a little longer than anything.