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Kava Preparation More water vs further washes

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
That’s right, the key to multiple washes is either adding additional small amounts of new dry medium grind or by reducing the amount of water in each successive wash. This is not practical in small amounts but if you accumulate makas over time to reach a large enough starting mass, it becomes very practical.

Typically during the week I make my grog using small or large bags of medium grind that I shake in jars. After two or 2.5 washes I then chuck them in a container in the freezer. At the end of the week the container is full I take it out and thaw it and soak the bags in hot water and then knead again and get four more washes. Or more.
Indeed, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching all your own videos. I took note and learnt much, your enthusiasm and passion for the wonder kava can be, dare I say, is infectious.
 

Jacob Bula

Nobody
I hope this wasn’t a stupid question.
I wouldn't. I would just rethaw once and get the successive washes from that then dispose. Each time u thaw, reheat, you are increasing chance of bacteria/mold growth. I use 3-6 cups of used makas per wash if I'm going to go mongrel style. You could store that amount in separate freezer bags if you want.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I hope this wasn’t a stupid question.
Not a stupid question at all. The answer is no. The only things you can safely freeze, thaw, refreeze, then rethaw and consume safely are bread and orange roughy. With makas it’s strictly freeze once, thaw once, and if you don’t use it you have to throw it out. It’s basically a vegetable.
 

fueledbykava

Kava enthusiast
This was a super interesting thread to read. It seems like mileage may vary on this topic, as I've found that my second washes aren't nearly strong enough to feel much of anything without adding more fresh root as well. I have been using about 4 cups (32floz, or 1 liter) of water per wash, perhaps this is the reason that the further washes don't do much for me (drinking a less concentrated solution at the same rate as a full strength serving, hence effects never take foot).
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
This was a super interesting thread to read. It seems like mileage may vary on this topic, as I've found that my second washes aren't nearly strong enough to feel much of anything without adding more fresh root as well. I have been using about 4 cups (32floz, or 1 liter) of water per wash, perhaps this is the reason that the further washes don't do much for me (drinking a less concentrated solution at the same rate as a full strength serving, hence effects never take foot).
Try your second wash with 16 ounces of water. One thing you can do is make your first wash and set it aside, then make your second wash. Then combine the two in a large container.
 

AlexisReal

Kava Enthusiast
Try your second wash with 16 ounces of water. One thing you can do is make your first wash and set it aside, then make your second wash. Then combine the two in a large container.
I take this approach at times, whichever 3 methods I have uded- the bag in jar,,inspired by yourself.

Plus Aluballs. 2nd wash being so much weaker though with Aluballs, vs bag in jar shake, where a 2nd wash can be almost equally thick, with a slight water reduction.

But not always. If using double Aluballs, I get two good washes- 25 grams kava, 550 ml 1st wash, 350 ml second.
 

Palmetto

Thank God!
From a chemistry standpoint, multiple washes is more efficient for total KL extraction. In the first wash, you get the small particles added, so it's a matter of KL saturation of the water + the small particles containing KLs. The second wash is where the extraction efficiency starts coming into play. Often you extract the easily accessible KLs in the 2nd wash, you need to go through more effort for further extraction, but you also have considerably less root matter available too. Heating the root powder near boiling and mashing longer helps extract more for the 3rd or 4th washes, but sometimes I'll add micronized kava to the 3rd and 4th washes to bring up the strength of them. I don't add the micronized kava to the extraction container, but rather the cup I drink out of. If you add more kava to the extraction container, you lessening the extraction efficiency of the later washes.

I also have a sonicator I've used many times. It helps, but its efficiency is less than what I was hoping. To release more KLs from deeper inside the root particles, you can use/all any of the following techniques: sonication, mashing, or freeze thaw, but freeze thaw is the slowest and least effective of these.
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
Chemically speaking, is there any reason why further washes would be better at extracting more kavalactones than using the same amount of water in your one and only wash as you would have in multiple washes (assuming you also knead/blend for the total time you would have done for multiple washes as well)?
I don't have anything scientific to add, just that I hate second washes. I use a decent amount of water, like a litre, with about 30 to 50g of root depending on the root and put it all in the blender. I drink that and don't rewash because I don't like taking in a lot more water that isn't the same strength as the first wash.
 

_byron

Kava Enthusiast
I don't have anything scientific to add, just that I hate second washes. I use a decent amount of water, like a litre, with about 30 to 50g of root depending on the root and put it all in the blender. I drink that and don't rewash because I don't like taking in a lot more water that isn't the same strength as the first wash.
If you were to make your first wash with 2/3rds liter and then a second with 1/3rd liter. and you added them. You would make a stronger grog without more water. trust me.
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
If you were to make your first wash with 2/3rds liter and then a second with 1/3rd liter. and you added them. You would make a stronger grog without more water. trust me.
I see what you're saying there and how that could work. Is it really that much stronger though?
 
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