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Making own micronized and instant... makes sense?

Pzk

Kava Enthusiast
Hello @ll,

I saw a video that you can do your own micronized kava (if you have good quality medium grind) using a (Edit, not 50, but 60) 60 micron metal mesh. Acutally that's all you have to do. The bigger chunks that are left, you can do traditional preparation. My plan was either doing traditional preparation with the big junks or making instant out of it. So I would have micronized and instant.

But now questions arise:

1. Is this really all you have to do to have the same micronized "quality" like the shops have?

2. Using a "aeropress" for the rest of it. I would first use a strong blender so the big chunks should be mixed and cut well.
But:
2.1. Could it be that the big chunks have another kavalactone content/ratio and are they big because it are other parts of the roots, or just because they don't "micronice" everything when they produce the medium grind? Like they could do the same small particles like you get after filtering with the 50 micron mesh, but the manufacturers don't do that (for whatever reason?) just so they can call it "medium grind"?
If so it would mean that the effect of the micronized powder can differ from the effect of the bigger chunks?!

2.2. Water soluble stuff: I am a fan of the whole product (yes I guess you would say "don't do micronized/instant then"), so I guess there is more to it than just filter particles out with an aeropress but throw away the water?

So I should use another method (like let the water dry out - and don't filter it through a press)?

I read there must be a thread on producing instant here, without aeropress. I am still searching for it.

So the most important question would be: Does the smaller powder differ in effect and do the bigger chunks differ?

If they wouldn't differ I would make my own micronized and use the rest the traditional way, or I would make an instant out of it.
 
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Pzk

Kava Enthusiast
Just did my first "micronized" with a 60 micron metal mesh from amazon. About 1/5 of big material is left, about 4/5 micronized... if this can be consumed without preparing and straining... would be great.
 

Pzk

Kava Enthusiast
Live report :LOL::

I bought micronized once three years ago at KWK. It was the white strain, forgot the name. I had almost zero effect from the micronized. I remember you realized the particles within the water- wasn't so nice to drink.

My self made micronized feels the same way. Of course 60 micron isn't dust you won't realize.

I got some pacific elixir. Normally for a first wash I would have used 32-35gr from this kava. The first wash would have been enough to realize a good effect. After that a second wash perhaps and then I am done for the day if I don't want to go "full kava "high"" the same day and night (I love to start and then drink and drink until you are pleased. I guess you know what I mean.)

What I was looking forward to, was to find out if the effect will differ. With micronized you have the whole root. It doesn't depend on the soak time, the water temperature, the way you work it (traditional, blender, aluball and so on). I especially wondered, because I have the feeling the effect of the second wash differs always a bit (not the strength) and after freezing and reusing it a third or fourth time, using hot water, the effect differs even more.

But now, what will happen taking the whole root?

For a start I took 12gr micronized now and I feel an effect, and it feels like it creeps more - it comes on slowly. Of course if you think you normally strain and "extract" from the root, and now I am just taking the whole root and a lot of extraction has to take place inside my body. I did the math and thought I guess I will get around 40% of kavalactones with the 1st wash, 30% with the second wash, and about 15-20% of the rest after freezing, throwing 5-10% away into the bin after I have used it 3-4 times. In my case this should be OK, because I normally use a strong blender.

So what does this mean? You need about 40% of micronized for having your normal 32gr first wash effect. This is 12,8gr.

Now the strain comes to my mind- it was "Vula Waka" I had back then micronized from KWK. I knew both, the medium grind version and the micronized version. the medium grind was already more on the calm and sedating side. The micronized was almost no effect to me.

Now as the effect creeps in more and more from my pacific elixir micronized, I can imagine why! I have to do a second test, perhaps it is due to my state of mind and body today, but it seems that it is way less heady, way less energetic and more calming and body focused!

This isn't bad... I am surprised right now! It has more of a benzodiazepine now really! I never was able to compare kava to benzos, even though everywhere they say it is a natural benzo. To me this never was the case! But really I have the feeling today I took a benzo somehow...

I would use it traditional if I want to have more of a party feeling and micronized to have a more calming body effect.

Don't take my words to serious, I have to repeat this - everyone is different :)
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
Myself and @The Kap'n had a go at instant a long time ago and it does work to a degree but it's a bit of a pain for not much return. I think your micronised idea might work fine but do you want to drink gritty kava rather than just mixing up a nice batch?
 

Pzk

Kava Enthusiast
Yes @Edward , the feeling in the mouth isn't so nice :)

But if the effect is that different, it will have a place in my life because you can take it for other reasons - more like a calming medication and no stress doing a traditional (or blender) preparation.

It seems to differ a lot effect wise.
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
Yes @Edward , the feeling in the mouth isn't so nice :)

But if the effect is that different, it will have a place in my life because you can take it for other reasons - more like a calming medication and no stress doing a traditional (or blender) preparation.

It seems to differ a lot effect wise.
That's the beauty of kava isn't it, it's whatever works for you.
 
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Pzk

Kava Enthusiast
The effect was great, but my stomach and bowel are not today. Not as bad as it sounds, but not nice as well.
 
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