Steeping Kava for Increased Kavalactone Extraction

[violet]

Hmm, maybe ultrasonic "kneading" could make a potent kava? Maybe cryo-pulverize the kava? Or just get some kids to chew it and let their saliva enzymes loosen things up. Heh.

Attempting to make a liposomal grog with a sonifier is still on my to-do list. For a while I saved dregs into the freezer after the first wash, thinking that freezing should lyse the cell walls enhancing the release of constituents as it does with other plants. Perhaps a new round of observations is in order .

 

[yiki]

I do this everytime. Perhaps steeping kava softens the fibers and makes it easier to extract the kavalactones.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

So, i happen to know you try alot of prep methods based on your posts in the forums. Id like to get some knowledge out of you. What steep times have you experimented with?

5 min, 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 180 min and "overnight"

I confess to noticing no change in effects.

Also I have found no difference in effects from adding or not adding any fats, coconut milk, milk, oil, eating nuts or cheese with the grog.

What I have found changing effects is water ratio and also method of prep. And I have noticed that cold water emphasizes headiness and hot water emphasizes headiness.

My conclusion: have it any way you like it. And there's nothing wrong with plain old trad prep cold water knead for 10 minutes good old grog.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Attempting to make a liposomal grog with a sonifier is still on my to-do list. For a while I saved dregs into the freezer after the first wash, thinking that freezing should lyse the cell walls enhancing the release of constituents as it does with other plants. Perhaps a new round of observations is in order .

That freezer mongrel grog I make is very satisfying. It's a very good grog. (made by making grog with the aluball, then putting the makas in a container in the freezer and when enough has accumulated I thaw it and trad prep it)

 

[Krunkaroo]

I'm going to try blender and kneading method with kavafied's 50 micron strainer. I will experiment if I still get dermo.

 

[Krunkaroo]

I wonder if you reduce the pH of the water by adding vinegar, would this result in more KL pulled.

 

[Donwanagan]

5 min, 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 180 min and "overnight"

I confess to noticing no change in effects.

Also I have found no difference in effects from adding or not adding any fats, coconut milk, milk, oil, eating nuts or cheese with the grog.

What I have found changing effects is water ratio and also method of prep. And I have noticed that cold water emphasizes headiness and hot water emphasizes headiness.

My conclusion: have it any way you like it. And there's nothing wrong with plain old trad prep cold water knead for 10 minutes good old grog.

So, im quoting you, mckrunk, here but id like to open this to anyone who has an opinion on this. Mckrunk, I've said it before, i enjoy your approach to different techniques and applying a methodology to figure out things about kava on your own. As such, tell me what you think about this..

This morning i put 3 even tbsp into my aluball, poured 500ml water in, slapped the lid on and threw it in the fridge before work. About 10 hours later i got home,took it out to sit on my table so it could get to room temp while i walked the dog.. then, about 30 to 45 minutes later, after the walk, i shook it vigorously for 2 minutes, break, 2 more minutes. Consumed quickly and hopped in the shower.
During shower i noticed i felt very relaxed but not as much as i did yesterday.
So, here is the comparison, yesterday i used 2 tbsp no steeping. Felt strong calm and relaxing. Basically moderate kava effects in my words.
This evening i drank a 3 tbsp worth that steeped 10 hours, but merely felt a light kava effect.
Also of note: after i got out of the shower i decided i wanted to drink more, so i put 2tbsp into my aluball and did the same 2min, break, 2 min, but of course no steep.
I drank that quickly enough as well... and about 10min later.. nearly krunk! Very strong kava effects.
Another note: the pour from the steeped kava left about an inch gap from the top of the pint glass, whereas the no steep filled it up to the top. To me, that possibly means all that steeping saturated the root with water but after shaking the root never expelled the water completely.
Also, im really enjoying this sense of calm and wonder. Alot stronger than ive felt before.. i used the bottom of my bag of lao waka, the last bits and it contained alot of fine powder, maybe that is a factor too.

 

[Donwanagan]

Essentially, as of now im leaning towards the conclusion that steeping does not increase kavalactone extraction on its own.
But, i need to try steeping before traditional prep. Perhaps if i squeezed out the saturated root through trad prep, then that would resolve the issue today?

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

So, im quoting you, mckrunk, here but id like to open this to anyone who has an opinion on this. Mckrunk, I've said it before, i enjoy your approach to different techniques and applying a methodology to figure out things about kava on your own. As such, tell me what you think about this..

This morning i put 3 even tbsp into my aluball, poured 500ml water in, slapped the lid on and threw it in the fridge before work. About 10 hours later i got home,took it out to sit on my table so it could get to room temp while i walked the dog.. then, about 30 to 45 minutes later, after the walk, i shook it vigorously for 2 minutes, break, 2 more minutes. Consumed quickly and hopped in the shower.
During shower i noticed i felt very relaxed but not as much as i did yesterday.
So, here is the comparison, yesterday i used 2 tbsp no steeping. Felt strong calm and relaxing. Basically moderate kava effects in my words.
This evening i drank a 3 tbsp worth that steeped 10 hours, but merely felt a light kava effect.
Also of note: after i got out of the shower i decided i wanted to drink more, so i put 2tbsp into my aluball and did the same 2min, break, 2 min, but of course no steep.
I drank that quickly enough as well... and about 10min later.. nearly krunk! Very strong kava effects.
Another note: the pour from the steeped kava left about an inch gap from the top of the pint glass, whereas the no steep filled it up to the top. To me, that possibly means all that steeping saturated the root with water but after shaking the root never expelled the water completely.
Also, im really enjoying this sense of calm and wonder. Alot stronger than ive felt before.. i used the bottom of my bag of lao waka, the last bits and it contained alot of fine powder, maybe that is a factor too.

I confess I have yet to find a grind I could use in an Aluball with more than 2 TBS without it gunking up, and some grinds I can only use 1 TBS. That being said, an Aluball of 1 TBS Damu and 300 ml water makes a very satisfying couple of shells and I definitely feel it, quite nicely. Same with 2 TBS Squanch, which will produce a grog almost equivalent, in taste, texture and effects, to proper trad prep.

As for the fine powder at the bottom of a bag of waka, yes, it will be stronger, because the thick center part of a lateral root will not grind to fine powder in medium grind, it's too hard, but the very thin dark outer part, which has most of the kavalactones, will. There are some who shake and sift that fine powder out of their medium grind to use as micronised, which is basically what it is.

 

[Pounigirl]

Just as an aside, does anyone know if @Kavafied's strainer has a limit to how hot of water you can pour over it? Will boiling water damage the fabric? Thanks.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Try this !

Fill your strainer bag with kava and then dunk it in a tiny tiny amount of just boiled water.
Let it sit just until it can be formed into a hot goopy ball of grossness.
Toss that ball outside of your strainer ( obviously ) into the Blender or Ninja . Add COLD water and blend .. strain and see the magic that is beholdent.
Most yellow foam I've ever been able to pull out .
Specifically from kavafied supreme for the yellow amazement.

Nonetheless I find this best of both worlds and one of the most potent recipes available

 

[Pounigirl]

Try this !

Fill your strainer bag with kava and then dunk it in a tiny tiny amount of just boiled water.
Let it sit just until it can be formed into a hot goopy ball of grossness.
Toss that ball outside of your strainer ( obviously ) into the Blender or Ninja . Add COLD water and blend .. strain and see the magic that is beholdent.
Most yellow foam I've ever been able to pull out .
Specifically from kavafied supreme for the yellow amazement.

Nonetheless I find this best of both worlds and one of the most potent recipes available

This is brilliant! Thank you so much! I will try this. Ironically I have had trouble coaxing my bag of kava Supreme to the full potent glory that so many of you on here have experienced with it. I have tried so so many things with it trying to make it shine and each time was a failure for me.

Last night I poured boiling water over it and let it sit for a maybe a minute or less, then I added some milk, then finally I added some cold water from the fridge til it was cool enough that I could stick my hand in it. I kneaded the heck out of it! It was super greasy and at first I wondered if I had melted the nylon in the bag or something it was so greasy. I kneaded it for probably 20 minutes and drank that bad boy down. About 8 300ml shells spaced out over maybe 2 hours and DAMN! My face felt totally numb and I felt like I was drunk! lol I didn't mean to get THAT krunk on it, but I'm glad I finally found a way to properly experience the kava Supreme.

I am definitely going to try your method next. Thanks so much for the tips and advice.

 

[lonnyzone]

When I first started drinking Kava, I did traditional prep the way KWK's bag said - something like soak for five minutes and then knead/squeeze for five minutes. Eventually the latter step turned into ten minutes, and eventually I realized something - if I want to maximize extraction, and part of doing that is letting it soak for a while, then I might as well maximize how useful the "soaking" phase is. Nowadays I pour water over it and immediately start kneading it in the water with a spoon. I do that for five minutes and then alternate between kneading and squeezing water out for ten. Figured it would be best to spend the time it has to be in the water softening getting maximum KLs out of it, you know?
But that's just what works best for me, if you're not neccesarily trying to make the strongest brew possible then soaking might be a good idea. In my experience, soaking and shifting it around in the water every now and then for the soaking duration still gets a little in there while it's softening.

Also, fair warning regarding the whole "boiling" thing, since I've seen that mentioned in this thread - http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/ghks-boiled-kava-method-aftermath.8640/#post-102799