Ben Thomas
Kava Enthusiast
Let’s say you use between 3-6tbs per bag. How many washes would you usually complete?
Kava Preparation How many washes?
- Thread starter Ben Thomas
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Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
with all grinds I end up doing a total of 4 to 6 washes, plus salvaging kava powder. I find that by combining the AluBall prep for the first two washes with trad prepping mongrel grog from those makas I get more, and better, grog out of my root than any other way.
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
I think the key is to decrease the amount of water used with subsequent washes. I usually start with a large amount of root so that by the time I get to the 5th or 6th wash I am still getting a non-trivial amount of grog, at least a cup to make it worthwhile.
I do best now by using AluBall for the first two washes, with about 2/3 the amount of water in the second wash. Then I save the makas in the freezer till it accumulates for kneading a big bag, perhaps 1.5 - 2 cups, which then typically goes for 8 cups of grog, then 4 then 2 then 1. Interestingly, I find I get 2 or more times the yield of grog dong the AluBall on the first two washes then kneading for washes 3 though 6 than I used to get just fro kneading alone and the grog is every bit as good. The AluBall has saved me immense amounts of money this way, huge sums.
Of course, nobody has to do any of this if they don't want, but I do find it works well for me. Plus I save any sludge from the bottom of glasss and jars to dry and then mill for "instant" kava powder, which my wife particularly loves (i.e. she hoovers it all and I never get any even though I do the drying and scraping and milling, but that's OK, I love seeing her enjoy it)
Munsoned
Kava Curious
I'm going to try freezing my leftovers now. Does the kneaded mutt mix still offer a good and relaxing session? Could you get krunk if desired?
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
Yes, in many ways it is better when it is a bunch of different kavas that were made using the AluBall. It's a broader range of kavalactones, for one. Also, the aggregated taste is nice, deeper, and because it's a later wash, sweeter.
krunkedout
Kava Lover
I usually do two washes with 4 tablespoons of used root and one tablespoon of new root with 1 cup of hot water
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
That's one method that will definitely work, and I did that for months, eventually adding additional TBS for subsequent washes, doing 3 or 4 or even 5 or 6 before it got played out. That was when I was doing blend and strain with small amounts of liquid, 2/3 cup usually.
Basically, the rule for sequential washes is either A) use less water or B) add more root, in order to maintain strength. Of course, one could do both....
krunkedout
Kava Lover
I usually use less water with my subsequent washes. Tonight I tried using near boiling water for my second wash and holy crap it was strong! It was so oily I actually had a difficult time kneading the bag, but it packed an insane punch, stronger than the first batch.
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
Yup, I find something similar. What I do is two washes in the AluBall then dump makas in a container in the freezer to accumulate. I'll drink a variety of kavas. I try to drink different kavas each day. Anyway, by the weekend, there's plenty of makas in the freezer. I believer the freezer breaks down some molecules or something. Anyway, I thaw the makas out, then dump in a large strainer bag and soak that with a half gallon of very hot tap water and only knead when it has cooled off enough to be comfortable. Something about that freezer + hot water + variety of grogs makes that mongrel grog super. Usually I make 8 cups on that first wash which is really a 3rd wash for the grog, and then 4 then 2 then 1, for a total of 6 washes. Plus, all along at every stage I am gathering that soft silky sediment from the bottom of glasses and jars which I smear on plates to dry in the sun, then scrape off and mill to make kava powder for making instant drinks, usually with milk and a flavouring, or fruit juice. I found through experiment it's a waste of time to try to deliberately manufacture this powder, the only way, really, is just to collect it as a by-product of making and drinking grog. But a pint jar of powder will accumulate quickly, and my wife especially loves these powder drinks as a treat. It gives a real broad spectrum relaxed good feeling, as opposed to the krunkiness of grog.
VictoryRider
Kava Enthusiast
I do trad prep, and do 2 washes. The 2nd wash uses half the water.
@Krunkie McKrunkface -- it's interesting that you freeze your used wet makas. I'd guess that helps to rupture cell
walls and allow for further extraction. That's a really good idea, and I believe I'll try that to see if I can get more out
of my root!
@Krunkie McKrunkface -- it's interesting that you freeze your used wet makas. I'd guess that helps to rupture cell
walls and allow for further extraction. That's a really good idea, and I believe I'll try that to see if I can get more out
of my root!
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
Main reason is to keep it so it doesn't go off while I accumulate enough to make the next batch but I think breaking the cell walls is a nice secondary benefit and gives the grog a distinctive character, along with the range of the different kavas that go into it.
When you do that with dried beans, soak then freeze then cook, it reduces farting but unfortunately I have not noticed any reduction in kava-induced fartnightmares.
VictoryRider
Kava Enthusiast
You are taking all the fun out of it!