Kavalactones Extraction

[verticity]

After 8 hours, this is what 4 tablespoons of kava with 3/4 cup of Everclear looks like.
It seems like the kava totally absorbs the alcohol, and the kava goes to the top... the bottom is liquid.
You can see that this morning the glass was very full and is now down at least an inch.

Edit: I guess I will add more Everclear and let it sit overnight.

P.S. I poked the hole in the middle to see what the consistency is like. It's stiffer than pudding, if you want to know.

If it's that stiff you should probably add some more alcohol until it's more like a liquid. Also put it in a container with a top and shake it up a bit for better extraction...

 

[verticity]

Or you could just put a slice of lime on the side of the glass and drink up...
(No, don't do that, obviously. Drinking alcohol + kava = bad)

 

[Bwiggy]

So, I created it with a half a pint, then added another half, here's what that looked like after a day:
very firm pudding.
I think my kava is Drinking my booze.

I added 3/4 cup of vodka last night, on top of all that I'd already done.
There's about 1/100 of an inch of liquid on top.

By the way, I made traditional prep last night, similar experience with this particular kava. The kava seemed to consume the liquid. I did three tablespoons plus 2/3 cup liquid. After fully filtering, I was left with about a half a cup of liquid... and the liquid was like pudding.

Edit: not sure why there is two pics there.

 

[Groggy]

So, I created it with a half a pint, then added another half, here's what that looked like after a day:
very firm pudding.
I think my kava is Drinking my booze.

I added 3/4 cup of vodka last night, on top of all that I'd already done.
There's about 1/100 of an inch of liquid on top.

By the way, I made traditional prep last night, similar experience with this particular kava. The kava seemed to consume the liquid. I did three tablespoons plus 2/3 cup liquid. After fully filtering, I was left with about a half a cup of liquid... and the liquid was like pudding.

Edit: not sure why there is two pics there.

Your kava is getting drunk at your expense, hehe. Looks cool though. I think applying some form of heat may help (be very, very careful though)

 

[Bwiggy]

No fair @KrunkyMonkey !!
I guess I'm going to add more vodka.
Unless, Is there any chance I can just do a regular manual extraction at this point @verticity ?That is some drunk kava right now.

 

[verticity]

No fair @KrunkyMonkey !!
I guess I'm going to add more vodka.
Unless, Is there any chance I can just do a regular manual extraction at this point @verticity ?That is some drunk kava right now.

There is no chance you can do a regular extraction in water now that you have soaked the kava in alcohol. Most of the kavalactones will now be dissolved in the alcohol.
I think you might be getting 'pudding' because of a combination of not using enough alcohol, and allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
What I would recommend is transfer that to a jar or something with a lid so you can shake it. Something like a pickle jar. Add enough more alcohol until it is definitely liquid. It might take really a lot more alcohol. Shake thoroughly. Leave the lid on so the alcohol doesn't evaporate, and let sit until the particles settle at the bottom. Suction off the alcohol on top with a turkey baster or something, and place the liquid in a wide dish to evaporate.

 

[Bwiggy]

Thanks, @verticity What would happen if I used a filter to separate the liquid from the kava pudding?

 

[verticity]

Thanks, @verticity What would happen if I used a filter to separate the liquid from the kava pudding?

You could try putting the pudding in a filter bag an squeezing the liquid out, but I think you would get more efficient extraction if you do what I described above...plus no small particles in your extract

 

[Groggy]

You could try putting the pudding in a filter bag an squeezing the liquid out, but I think you would get more efficient extraction if you do what I described above...plus no small particles in your extract

so any sort of heating is out of the question at this point?

 

[Groggy]

There has to be a more efficient way of extracting the KL's other than getting your kava drunk...I know CO2 is one alternative, but obviously expensive for the average monkey..

 

[verticity]

There has to be a more efficient way of extracting the KL's other than getting your kava drunk...I know CO2 is one alternative, but obviously expensive for the average monkey..

Ethanol extraction is pretty efficient. So is acetone extraction, but you definitely shouldn't use acetone for something you are going to consume. I don't know if CO2 is more efficient than ethanol or not, but, like you note, it is expensive.

 

[verticity]

Chloroform extraction is very efficient: but don't do that, for obvious reasons.

 

[Groggy]

Ethanol extraction is pretty efficient. So is acetone extraction, but you definitely shouldn't use acetone for something you are going to consume. I don't know if CO2 is more efficient than ethanol or not, but, like you note, it is expensive.

Ethanol extraction is not looking very efficient thus far for Bwiggy, did she miss a step?

 

[verticity]

Ethanol extraction is not looking very efficient thus far for Bwiggy, did she miss a step?

You can't judge efficiency until you do all the steps and have your extract.

 

[verticity]

so any sort of heating is out of the question at this point?

Heating is not out of the question. It might or might not make the alcohol extraction more efficient.

 

[verticity]

Don't just stick it in the microwave, though!
Place the jar in a warm water bath to heat.
I don't think it's necessary, though.

 

[Palmetto]

After several iterations, here is my economical and theoretically moderate flavokawain level extraction process for those trying to conserve root:
1. do a regular soak and knead with slightly warm water - drink
2. do a second wash with hot water, shake, let cool until you can knead - drink
3. soak the remaining fibrous root overnight in 7-10% ethanol + 10-20% lecithin, heat the next day, shake, then knead when it cools enough - drink

That being said, after next month, my economic situation might be good enough that I never use ethanol ever again. I still think the idea of not doing a second wash is wasteful, since no matter what type of kava I have tried it with, they all have lots of KLs the second time around, if I use either step 2 or 3. But by step 3, I often use that weak solution to start a fresh root soak for step #1 after it cools.

 

[Bwiggy]

@verticity re "There is no chance you can do a regular extraction in water now that you have soaked the kava in alcohol" What I was thinking in my head and didn't write was to then dehydrate the liquid in the dehydrator afterwards. I'm actually going to try that.

 

[Bwiggy]

Alcohol extraction complete after 3 (or maybe 4 ) days and two pints of booze (half ever clear half vodka) and five tablespoons of Nambawan.
I'm going to put the mushy kava in the blender for three minutes with some coconut milk and then use the dehydrator on the liquid.

 

[verticity]

Alcohol extraction complete after 3 (or maybe 4 ) days and two pints of booze (half ever clear half vodka) and five tablespoons of Nambawan.
I'm going to put the mushy kava in the blender for three minutes with some coconut milk and then use the dehydrator on the liquid.

@Bwiggy If the liquid is alcohol, I would not recommend using a dehydrator, because alcohol is flammable. I don't want you to start a fire.
Also, please don't drink the alcohol soaked makas. Remember alcohol + kava = bad. You are only using the alcohol as a solvent. Anything you ingest should have all the alcohol completely evaporated off.
Please be careful!!!!