Roaddog
Kava Who?
Ok, here is how distillation of say alcohol works. Alcohol, being lighter than water, has a lower evaporation temperature point. For instance, this is an intricate part of distilling. Let me start by saying, I double distill everything. The first run will produce a less refined alcohol, It comes out at about 140 proof, and has a bit of a yellow hew, about it. Its often referred by the Appalachian folk, as good old Mountain Dew. Its also where the company Mtn. Dew got there name from. Back in those days they used it as a sales pitch.You @Roaddog, @Deleted User has his experiment going on, but I remember "somewhere" that the reason you shouldn't cook kava above a certain temperature is that it "boils" off the kavatones. Since you have the no how, I think it would be a totally awesome experiment if you could boil off the kavatones into a steam water/kavatone mixture and reclaim it with your "water" distiller. I'm not joking here, I would be willing to donate as much kava as needed for that kind of experiment.
(p.s. say hi to Mrs.Skunk for me)
Anyway these distinct cuts on the second run helps to get rid of any harmful heavy metals (Like Nickel will cause blindness) Mercury is not good, neither is lead. Now these temperature cuts , knowing that water has a boiling point, of 210F, occur at a lower temperature. Alcohol starts to evaporate at 173F so the still will heat the mash, to a point that at first it will produce straight alcohol. So At the beginning of a run, and at the end, are called Heads and Tails. So I keep in a separate collection vessel, the beginning of a run, from 173 to about 180, as the heads. The heads are not used, because that is the temperature range, where Heavy metals, are extruded from the mash. I run from 180 to 205 as quality alcohol, that could be used to run your lawn mower. from 205 to 210, I collect as tails. The tails often are weaker, its the temperature point where water, also begins to evaporate. I then take the heads, and the tail, and blend them together, to be used, on the next run. So you never actually loose any.
Ok, Now why did I get to all that worthless info? Well because it describes what occurs, and the mechanism of its function. Heat heats up the mash to the point of 173, it then forces the alcohol to be evaporated first. After all alcohol is evaporated, the temperature will reach 210, the boiling point of water, resulting in distilled water, after that. , I see no way kava, could in anyway by distillation, Be extracted. More over the what would happen, is the water of a grog, would simply reach the boiling point of water, and Distilled water would come from the condenser, resulting in the kava being left, overheated, in the boiler part of the still. So I guess I would have to say, I don't think that will work. Sorry, Much love. Roaddog....
