Second Preparation Really Worth It?

[EmeraldKava3690]

Question, is a second preparation of Kava really worth it, in terms of potency of effects. Of course it will be a little weaker, but as to how much? Is it worth going through the trouble of preparing it again to get barely noticeable effects, or are the effects strong enough to warrant it? What do you guys think?

 

[EmeraldKava3690]

I may have answered my own question. On my last shell of my second preparation and I am definitely feeling it... so definitely worth it.

 

[F3TU5]

Lol awesome post

 

[EmeraldKava3690]

So, I had wild success with the second preparation last night. Definite intensity of effects, plus followed it up with a fatty meal and I was on the couch zonked out having closed-eyed visuals, yes, for real... don't know if I want to start a post about that one? Closed eyed visuals and Kava... didn't know it could happen. Also took my turmeric supplement around that time...have a feeling turmeric and Kava can potentiate each other's MAO activity, and then with the fatty meal I as in deep.
I may try a third preparation of it tonight...any comments on this. The preparation is relatively large in size which is why I think it worked so well. A lot of Kava to knead through, so you probably don't get all the constitutes in the first round, or maybe even the second. Also, have had a smaller preparation in a tupperware in the fridge saving for about a week that I will do a second preparation on tonight - thoughts on that?

 

[VictoriousSpoon]

I have gotten into the habit of leaving the former prep in the strainer bag once it has been squeezed dry, and just adding a TBSP for each following wash until I have accumulated 4-6TBSP, after which I toss out. I figure this is a simple way to get more out of my kava.

 

[Zaphod]

Question, is a second preparation of Kava really worth it, in terms of potency of effects. Of course it will be a little weaker, but as to how much? Is it worth going through the trouble of preparing it again to get barely noticeable effects, or are the effects strong enough to warrant it? What do you guys think?

Yes, Yes, and Yes. Second, third, fourth - wring as much out of that sucker as you can. Or freeze the makas to make mongrel grog and get 5th and 6th washes out of it. Let no kavalactone go un kneaded!

 

[Edward]

I never bother if I've done a blender prep. I mix it strong enough for what I want for the night and just use fresh kava every night. If I'm aluballing it's slightly different, I add another ball with fresh kava and leave the old one in there so I'm technically rewashing that. I think most of what you're feeling is just the second wash topping you up slightly from your initial rush. I doubt if you drank the first wash, left it until the effects had worn off and then drank the second wash that you would be as impressed. I know a lot of people do it though so I'm not going to put you off doing it. Each to their own.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

All my kava goes for at least 6 washes. I have done 8th wash. All good grog.

 

[stalebird]

All my kava goes for at least 6 washes. I have done 8th wash. All good grog.

Does this include AluBall? I’ve never made more than one shaker per ball (2 tablespoons per ball). I guess I could just try it myself but don’t want to get full on watery grog if it’s not worth it.

 

[kavakarma]

Keep going. Make 6 or 8 washes like Krunkie McKrunkface says. I suggest freezing your Kava immediately in a separate bag, washing your strainer and hanging it to dry, or right away brewing your Kava in fresh water. Don't delay. If you put the Kava in the fridge instead of freeze it it will lose quality in a day, may as well freeze it as a rule in case you end up leaving town or something.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Does this include AluBall? I’ve never made more than one shaker per ball (2 tablespoons per ball). I guess I could just try it myself but don’t want to get full on watery grog if it’s not worth it.

All the grog I make is of the same strength. As the amount of avaliable kavalactones goes down with subsequent washes you decrease the water ratio accordingly so as to maintain the same strength. Of course, I can make 4th wash that is stronger than the 1st wash if I like, by controlling water ratios.

Typically I give my grog two washes in the aluballs, then freeze it and aggregate enough to do a batch of thawed freezer makas. That 3rd wash out of the freezer is especially strong. By drinking a variety of kavas, so the freezer makas is an amalgam of different grinds, sometimes the freezer grog hits a wider range of bases than the original 1st and 2nd washes. It's a lot of fun to play around with this.

 

[stalebird]

All the grog I make is of the same strength. As the amount of avaliable kavalactones goes down with subsequent washes you decrease the water ratio accordingly so as to maintain the same strength. Of course, I can make 4th wash that is stronger than the 1st wash if I like, by controlling water ratios.

Typically I give my grog two washes in the aluballs, then freeze it and aggregate enough to do a batch of thawed freezer makas. That 3rd wash out of the freezer is especially strong. By drinking a variety of kavas, so the freezer makas is an amalgam of different grinds, sometimes the freezer grog hits a wider range of bases than the original 1st and 2nd washes. It's a lot of fun to play around with this.

Sorry, but your response is making me ask a VERY newbie question:

Do you mean that after my initial AluBall shaker with 16oz off warm water, I can use the same AluBall and just use 4oz (or 8oz) and literally re-use the ball without putting more Kava in it?

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Sorry, but your response is making me ask a VERY newbie question:

Do you mean that after my initial AluBall shaker with 16oz off warm water, I can use the same AluBall and just use 4oz (or 8oz) and literally re-use the ball without putting more Kava in it?

correct.

What I do with my Alu balls is typically I will use two balls with 2 tablespoons of medium ground in each. I’ll put that in the bottle with 500 mL of water. I will shake that up pour it into a jar and then add another 400 mL of water to the bottle and do another wash shaking a little bit longer, and pour that into the jar with the first wash and mix them together making 1 L.

I then take the grind out of the Alu balls and put it in a container in the freezer. When I have accumulated enough i take it out and thaw it and put it in a bag and prep as traditional prep by kneading, and I add successively smaller amounts of water to each of four washes. By strictly regulating the water ratio I ensure that each batch is the same strength

Of course nobody has to do it this way. This is merely a suggestion. Everybody has their favorite ways of preparing kava I make no claim that this is the best. But it is a possible way of preparing kava. And it makes the expensive kava I buy go a lot further. But instead of pocketing the savings I just do this to enable me to drink more kava. Bula!

 

[stalebird]

correct.

What I do with my Alu balls is typically I will use two balls with 2 tablespoons of medium ground in each. I’ll put that in the bottle with 500 mL of water. I will shake that up pour it into a jar and then add another 400 mL of water to the bottle and do another wash shaking a little bit longer, and pour that into the jar with the first wash and mix them together making 1 L.

I then take the grind out of the Ali balls and put it in a container in the freezer. When I have accumulated enough i take it out and thaw it and put it in a bag and prep as traditional prep by kneading, and I add successively smaller amounts of water to each of four washes. By strictly regulating the water ratio I ensure that each batch is the same strength

This forum is amazing. Thanks for the help, sir.

 

[Zaphod]

Sorry, but your response is making me ask a VERY newbie question:

Do you mean that after my initial AluBall shaker with 16oz off warm water, I can use the same AluBall and just use 4oz (or 8oz) and literally re-use the ball without putting more Kava in it?

Yes - or another approach is to have more balls...after shaking the second wash, with the same amount of water add a newly filled ball to the second wash and keep going. I have even started my kava drinking with the aluball and then taken a 2nd or 3rd wash and added it as the starting water for a traditional prep method. Plenty of ways to use the lower KL, higher washes to keep getting as much as you can.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

This forum is amazing. Thanks for the help, sir.

Bula!

 

[ThePiper]

I often feel bad tossing it out after the second wash, let alone the first. But I do toss it after the second if I'm using only a couple of tablespoons and the kava isn't oily. I also don't spend a lot of time straining, just until the kava is thick enough.