Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

second wash questions

24601

24601

exit stage left
Is it only worth doing a second wash with high quality kava? I just got a shipment from a Canadian herb vendor (I'm in Canada and like the quick, less expensive shipping and ease of not waiting for customs) but I'm not sure how high quality the kava is. I need to ask the person where they get the kava from. Oversight, I know. I'm starting to care more about where my kava comes from. The stuff I'm using seems to give decent effects, possibly getting better (reverse tolerance, possibly?) but I definitely want to get the most out of my money. I mix my kava by putting 2-3 teaspoons of powder in a muslin bag and alternating between massaging the bag in 8 oz of warm water and squeezing it out, for 10-15 minutes. It tastes gross, but I think I'm actually getting used to the taste. I've purchased some kava from GHK, which I will definitely compare to the stuff I have now when the GHK stuff arrives, but the stuff I have now works in a pinch.

There is still some powder left in the bag after my mixing process, and I'm thinking of doing a second wash of the batch I just made. Is it feasible to think of doing it maybe 30 minutes from now (or less?) I just don't want to leave it sitting in the bag for too long, in case it makes my bag gross. Should I leave it sitting in water, or let it dry?
 
verticity

verticity

I'm interested in things
Probably best to just do the second wash right away. I don't see any advantage to waiting or letting it dry out.
 
D

Deleted User01

I always do the second wash ASAP. In fact, I normally make a big batch and I bottle the first wash and chug the second wash. Then put the dregs in the compost pile so my plants won't get so anxious when I show up with the snips. :D
 
24601

24601

exit stage left
Thanks. I did the second wash just now, about 30 minutes after the first wash. I let it sit in water for the last 15 of those minutes. I let it sit because I was hungry and it's lunchtime so I paused to eat something small. The second wash doesn't look or taste nearly as strong as the first, but I'm quite happy with the effects of the first wash, so I'm not too bothered by it. Next time I'll try it right away and just save the liquid until I'm ready to drink it.
 
blindy107

blindy107

Kava Lover
Schmedward said:
Thanks. I did the second wash just now, about 30 minutes after the first wash. I let it sit in water for the last 15 of those minutes. I let it sit because I was hungry and it's lunchtime so I paused to eat something small. The second wash doesn't look or taste nearly as strong as the first, but I'm quite happy with the effects of the first wash, so I'm not too bothered by it. Next time I'll try it right away and just save the liquid until I'm ready to drink it.
Click to expand...
You will probably have better results using more than 2-3 Teaspoons. Try making that tablespoons and see how it work.

I always do a second wash. Regardless of strength. The oil feeling of kava in water needs to be gone from what I understand. I just use less water in the second run and combine into a delightful grog!
 
24601

24601

exit stage left
blindy107 said:
You will probably have better results using more than 2-3 Teaspoons. Try making that tablespoons and see how it work.

I always do a second wash. Regardless of strength. The oil feeling of kava in water needs to be gone from what I understand. I just use less water in the second run and combine into a delightful grog!
Click to expand...
I will try it with another tablespoon or two next time. And the oil thing makes sense - it did still feel oily at the beginning but was starting to feel kind of dry by the end of the second wash (10 minutes).

EDIT: I'm also using a very small muslin bag to mix it right now, so it doesn't hold a ton of kava. My bigger muslin bag split from me wringing it too hard. I might go out and pick up a pair of women's stockings, I've read that people can use that.
 
blindy107

blindy107

Kava Lover
I like the strainer I got from @KavaBoy Hawaii not sure what material it is but its double layered and tough so far! Or I just dump through fine mesh strainer a few times after blending.
 
Steve Mariotti

Steve Mariotti

Kavapithecus Krunkarensis
Review Maestro
Lately I've been experimenting with a short first wash, and then a second wash an hour later.

Using 2-3 heaping (very) tablespoons of powder to just over 2 cups of water. I soak for 5 minutes, then knead for 5 minutes and decant the grog. I leave the bag soaking in a small amount of water, and then at an hour or when I've finished my shells, I go back and add warm water (almost 2 cups) and knead for a good 10 minutes. The oils come out, the grog gets cloudy and colloidal looking. The second batch seems nearly as strong as the first given these parameters.

Seems to be working out well so far.
 
simonsezso37

simonsezso37

Kava Curious
Interesting that you do not do both washes at the same time. Do you think leaving the kava in the water does anything to the potency?
I personally like to get as much of the kavalactones out in the first wash, this way I am drinking only the strongest. Then, I go over it with a second wash using about half as much water as the first wash. I drink this after I have used up all my "premium shells" :happy:
 
nabanga

nabanga

Kava Enthusiast
Schmedward said:
I might go out and pick up a pair of women's stockings, I've read that people can use that.
Click to expand...
I always use the women's ankle stockings - enough space for 8-10 heaped tablespoons per litre and easy to turn inside out and rinse between filtering after the massaging is complete. I tried Muslim kava bags from Fiji but they split quickly.
The other good thing with stockings is when you buy one you always get one free.
 
Steve Mariotti

Steve Mariotti

Kavapithecus Krunkarensis
Review Maestro
verticity said:
I find the polytheistic bags are more durable.
Click to expand...
Yes, but more higher maintenance and more cleanup. Monotheistic, er, monofilament nylon fiber bags take waaay more punishment than I can dish out with my hands no matter how hard I bear down. And I've tried.

I've never used a Muslim bag or a muslin one either. I'm quite happy with the "nut milk bag" variety.
 
24601

24601

exit stage left
I've been too cheap to buy stockings so I made a bag out of an old t-shirt and it seems to be working fine. At first when I squeezed it, wet kava would come through like mud, but as I used it more, I guess it clogged up a bit because now it looks more like the muslin bags did. I might replace it soon though, in case it's not letting enough kava through.
 
verticity

verticity

I'm interested in things
Schmedward said:
I've been too cheap to buy stockings so I made a bag out of an old t-shirt and it seems to be working fine. At first when I squeezed it, wet kava would come through like mud, but as I used it more, I guess it clogged up a bit because now it looks more like the muslin bags did. I might replace it soon though, in case it's not letting enough kava through.
Click to expand...
Stocking are pretty cheap. You can get a 10 pack of L'eggs for like $5.
 
verticity

verticity

I'm interested in things
Steve Mariotti said:
Yes, but more higher maintenance and more cleanup. Monotheistic, er, monofilament nylon fiber bags take waaay more punishment than I can dish out with my hands no matter how hard I bear down. And I've tried.

I've never used a Muslim bag or a muslin one either. I'm quite happy with the "nut milk bag" variety.
Click to expand...
There is no Filament but One Long Filament.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top