Kava Preparation Kava Prep -- boiling in Milk?

[zkay]

Hello,

About a week ago we ordered some of the Eva Kava from CactusKava here -- https://cactuskava.com/products/eva-kava and have been trying it out different ways. It's fairly expensive for what you get, so I was wanting to try and increase yield and efficiency for the material I do have.

I'd read some threads here before starting, and most recently have been looking into boiling Kava. I know the kavalactones aren't water soluble, but I'd seen mention of using soy lecithin or other fats to help absorption of the active ingredients into the liquid. Knowing this, I wondered: has anyone else tried boiling in milk or dairy?

In my most recent batch, I've taken 4 tbsps kava and 800ml of Almond Milk, and boiled for 10 minutes. Just waiting to knead it now, and wondered what others thought.

This is one of the videos I've seen linked in the past discussing the boiling technique, although this is modified from what I've done so far -- he uses water, and only a very tiny amount, enough to keep the kava wet. I put the full 800ml of almond milk into the pan with the kava and brought it to a full boil for 10 minutes.


Opinions appreciated, thanks!

 

[zkay]

Wow, I just finished prep and this batch seems like it may be on point. After boiling I let it sit for about 20 minutes so it was cool enough to handle, then strained and kneaded. There was very thick liquid coming off the bag, not like any I've seen in previous experiments. Hopefully that means good things

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Wow, I just finished prep and this batch seems like it may be on point. After boiling I let it sit for about 20 minutes so it was cool enough to handle, then strained and kneaded. There was very thick liquid coming off the bag, not like any I've seen in previous experiments. Hopefully that means good things

It should get you krunk as fudge. It also tends to make a gelatinous thick sludge which is hard to swallow, but if you can handle it and enjoy it, Bula!

 

[zkay]

It should get you krunk as fudge. It also tends to make a gelatinous thick sludge which is hard to swallow, but if you can handle it and enjoy it, Bula!

Awesome, thank you! I also noticed while straining that some of the 'thick' liquid that was coming off the bag / out of the strainer was much darker in color. Does that mean anything, or was I just straining out the last bits?

I'd also seen a post of yours saying that you can freeze the leftover material and re-wash it several times again, getting more uses out of it. Is the same true of kava that was boiled?

Thanks again.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Awesome, thank you! I also noticed while straining that some of the 'thick' liquid that was coming off the bag / out of the strainer was much darker in color. Does that mean anything, or was I just straining out the last bits?

I'd also seen a post of yours saying that you can freeze the leftover material and re-wash it several times again, getting more uses out of it. Is the same true of kava that was boiled?

Thanks again.

I've never tried that but I don't see why it would not work, so I would definitely see it as worth trying. Worst that could happen is a delay in throwing out the makas, but it would cost you nothing. You'll have to try and report back, of course.

 

[lonnyzone]

Props to you for actually managing to swallow that. I still make faces when I drink traditional water prep.

 

[Aquafina]

Hi zkay! I just finished a bag of Eva. I’ve been blending and straining and sometimes boiling first. After blending, whether I boil or not, it tends to come out very thick, like you describe. I just thawed and kneaded about 3 cups of those frozen makas and it turned out about the same as if I’d just used them in an Aluball first.

 

[recentreturn]

Did you bring it to a full boil for 10 minutes?!?! Seems like that would curdle the milk! Also, I thought I had read somewhere the doing a full boil like that could actually harm the kavalactones. The video you linked to does not actually say to boil the kava. Its more like bringing it to a simmer for a short period of time. Did you actually bring it to a rolling boil? I have used the technique in the video; based on that experience I would guess that maybe you didn't stir it carefully enough and that is what caused some of the stuff to become dark? Some root will definitely sink to the bottom and overheat if you don't stir it like shown in the video.
The video explains that it gets thick because of the starches. This makes sense; like thrown flour in your gravy. But it sure makes for weird textured kava!!!
Edit: just remembered you used almond milk. Maybe that doesn't curdle?

 

[Edward]

I use normal milk, about 1 cup out of 3 or 4 in the blender method. I think there is something in cows milk which makes a difference to the potency somehow. It definitely makes a difference for me anyway. I don't know that boiling for 10 minutes would be the best way to go. It seems more logical to bring to the boil stirring continuously as @recentreturn suggests. That would then break the starches of the kava and the fat may then help extract more of the KL's as well. Worth a go. Also even if you do get left with a thick and nasty grog then why not just water it down with a bit more milk or water so it's a more drinkable consistency?

 

[recentreturn]

I use normal milk, about 1 cup out of 3 or 4 in the blender method. I think there is something in cows milk which makes a difference to the potency somehow. It definitely makes a difference for me anyway. I don't know that boiling for 10 minutes would be the best way to go. It seems more logical to bring to the boil stirring continuously as @recentreturn suggests. That would then break the starches of the kava and the fat may then help extract more of the KL's as well. Worth a go. Also even if you do get left with a thick and nasty grog then why not just water it down with a bit more milk or water so it's a more drinkable consistency?

Or throw in some chicken broth and put it on mashed potatoes

 

[zkay]

Did you bring it to a full boil for 10 minutes?!?! Seems like that would curdle the milk! Also, I thought I had read somewhere the doing a full boil like that could actually harm the kavalactones. The video you linked to does not actually say to boil the kava. Its more like bringing it to a simmer for a short period of time. Did you actually bring it to a rolling boil? I have used the technique in the video; based on that experience I would guess that maybe you didn't stir it carefully enough and that is what caused some of the stuff to become dark? Some root will definitely sink to the bottom and overheat if you don't stir it like shown in the video.
The video explains that it gets thick because of the starches. This makes sense; like thrown flour in your gravy. But it sure makes for weird textured kava!!!
Edit: just remembered you used almond milk. Maybe that doesn't curdle?

It wasn't a full rolling boil, it got to that and then I turned the heat down so it was just at a low boil for the remainder of the time. I also make a maca + ashwagandha drink with boiled almond milk, and so far (knock on wood) I've not run into curdling / ruining the milk.

The darker liquid I was getting wasn't off the bottom of the pan or anything, I was just squeezing it out of the kava when I got to the straining part.

 

[zkay]

I use normal milk, about 1 cup out of 3 or 4 in the blender method. I think there is something in cows milk which makes a difference to the potency somehow. It definitely makes a difference for me anyway. I don't know that boiling for 10 minutes would be the best way to go. It seems more logical to bring to the boil stirring continuously as @recentreturn suggests. That would then break the starches of the kava and the fat may then help extract more of the KL's as well. Worth a go. Also even if you do get left with a thick and nasty grog then why not just water it down with a bit more milk or water so it's a more drinkable consistency?

It is quite a bit thicker than the other batches I've attempted. I've not yet sampled but I can keep the thread posted. I did make sure to stir during the 10 minutes it was cooking, and I didn't see it thicken until 5-6 minutes in.

 

[zkay]

Hi zkay! I just finished a bag of Eva. I’ve been blending and straining and sometimes boiling first. After blending, whether I boil or not, it tends to come out very thick, like you describe. I just thawed and kneaded about 3 cups of those frozen makas and it turned out about the same as if I’d just used them in an Aluball first.

Awesome, thank you! Good to know I went with a quality company, thanks to this forum.

I'll have to try that in the Aluball, I bought one of those as well.