Strainer/Nut Milk Bag in a shaker bottle ?

[Kava Eraser]

Why not take your strainer bag, fill it with root powder, then shake it up in a bottle with water ?

Basically, like the Aluball concept, except instead of balls with mesh screens, you use a strainer bag ?

That would alleviate breakage and tearing problems with the balls.

But what, if any,, would he the downside ?
Could you generate similar and sufficient force to extract enough good stuff ?
And if so, would it take a lot more time or strength ?

 

[owen099]

Hello! I have actually tried this. It did not work in my case, but I encourage trying it (you have nothing to lose).

For me, a cloth strainer is just not porous enough to let the kava extract. The water stayed translucent instead of becoming opaque and creamy looking.

I wonder if the Alubal has bigger pore sizes.

I'm curious, Why are you interested in this method of extraction.

 

[Groggy]

Hello! I have actually tried this. It did not work in my case, but I encourage trying it (you have nothing to lose).

For me, a cloth strainer is just not porous enough to let the kava extract. The water stayed translucent instead of becoming opaque and creamy looking.

I wonder if the Alubal has bigger pore sizes.

I'm curious, Why are you interested in this method of extraction.

Not really, it has a 80 micron mesh, a 75 Micron, sold by the same vendor as Alu or any 75 micron bag is all that is needed. If one worries about their hands, gloves can be worn. It's the easiest prep method. Aluball is kind of useless unless on the road but even then, strainers are just as portable, lol.

My 2 cents...I made the mistake of investing in those products and imo, it is an added expense that is completely unnecessary, like having a Tanoa, sure it's cool but by no means a necessity. I have been using the same salad bowl with 1+ year old strainers to make my kava fr years, never a problem. Kava is expensive enough as is, why add to the expense, is how I see it.

 

[OzKava]

I strongly agree with Krunky. A 75 micron strainer bag has a number of advantages over the mesh balls. Speaking from personal experience, as I have used the mesh balls over a long time, I much prefer the strainer bag.

• A strainer bag is far cheaper
• It gives as good or better result because:
  • you are not limited by the small useful space of the mesh ball (~half the ball)
  • you cannot squeeze a mesh ball at the end of the shaking period, no problem with a strainer bag
• A strainer bag is far more durable than the mesh balls (the mesh can tear).
• A strainer bag is easy to clean (the mesh in the balls can become clogged)
• A strainer bag is more versatile, from using it with a small amount of kava in a shaker bottle to a crowd size large amount of kava in a 2 ltr + jar.

 

[Nodsey]

Why not take your strainer bag, fill it with root powder, then shake it up in a bottle with water ?

Basically, like the Aluball concept, except instead of balls with mesh screens, you use a strainer bag ?

That would alleviate breakage and tearing problems with the balls.

But what, if any,, would he the downside ?
Could you generate similar and sufficient force to extract enough good stuff ?
And if so, would it take a lot more time or strength ?

This is what I do quite often (since my aluball died). Works fine for me, then I keep the bag/contents and traditional prep it for another wash later!

 

[Kava Eraser]

I'm curious, Why are you interested in this method of extraction.

The mesh screen Aluballs only last a few months before the screen tears, leaving a gaping hole for the powder to leak everywhere.

I alluded to it in the first post.

 

[owen099]

This is what I do quite often (since my aluball died). Works fine for me, then I keep the bag/contents and traditional prep it for another wash later!

Nice! I wonder if my bag was too small or something. if you do trad prep after, what is the point of usiIg a bottle?

 

[Kava Eraser]

if you do trad prep after, what is the point of usiIg a bottle?

Shaking/balling does not and cannot extract it all.
That's one reason why some people prefet not to use Aluball, unlesd they really need the convenience at the time.

So by shaking/balling a batch, it's efficient to save the rest and prep it traditionally, to get the remaining elements that didnt come out by shaking.

After shaking numerous batches, I usually let it accumulate in the freezer, then prep a large batch

 

[Nodsey]

Nice! I wonder if my bag was too small or something. if you do trad prep after, what is the point of usiIg a bottle?

Speed! I can get a quick shell in a couple of minutes using the bag in a bottle method, then take the time later to properly knead it.

 

[Terry]

I use a strainer bag and get a great result. When I have finished I get a second bowl and clean the strainer baga and run the contents back through the bag and always get a noticable amount of residue left in the bag..

My question, is that residue that i'm disgarding, what I should be drinking? Or this has no impact on the strength

Thanks

 

[Groggy]

My question, is that residue that i'm disgarding, what I should be drinking? Or this has no impact on the strength

I not sure if I understood the question correctly but second washes are a good way to maximize kavalactone extraction, much is left behind after the first wash. In any given wash the sediment you see accumulate at the bottom of your bowl, that is where the largest concentration of KL's are at. The stuff that sticks to your bag between washes is a nominal loss and I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Groggy]

Speed! I can get a quick shell in a couple of minutes using the bag in a bottle method, then take the time later to properly knead it.

By the time you finish measuring, screwing it back in right, filling and making sure your Alub has the proper amount of liquid, I am almost done kneading a batch. Speed is relative. It takes me approximately 5-6 minutes from start to finish to knead a stronger batch than any Alu combination. But that's just my 2 cents, lol.

 

[Terry]

I not sure if I understood the question correctly but second washes are a good way to maximize kavalactone extraction, much is left behind after the first wash. In any given wash the sediment you see accumulate at the bottom of your bowl, that is where the largest concentration of KL's are at. The stuff that sticks to your bag between washes is a nominal loss and I wouldn't worry about it.

Sorry, I didn't mean second wash, what I meant was I filter the freshly made kava through the strainer again to collect the last of the residue in the kava before drinking.. The residue that is collected in the bag in the second strain is what I was meaning.

And is this what I should be consuming more of or disgarding it..

 

[Groggy]

Sorry, I didn't mean second wash, what I meant was I filter the freshly made kava through the strainer again to collect the last of the residue in the kava before drinking.. The residue that is collected in the bag in the second strain is what I was meaning.

And is this what I should be consuming more of or disgarding it..

Putting the brew threw the bag a second time in unnecessary, that sediment left behind, after any wash is where the concentration of KL's is, that's the good stuff. What you want to avoid is the fibrous husk of the plant, also known as makas, once spent, throw those out (after 2 washes, usually).

 

[Kava Eraser]

Putting the brew threw the bag a second time in unnecessary,

I've always felt that way and the reason is, i was concerned about KL's extracted into the brew, getting re-absorbed back into the bag/powder, thereby losing what you worked to obtain
But I don't know if that's realistic, is it ?

 

[Groggy]

I've always felt that way and the reason is, i was concerned about KL's extracted into the brew, getting re-absorbed back into the bag/powder, thereby losing what you worked to obtain
But I don't know if that's realistic, is it ?

No, you don't need to worry about losing anything because that's where a second and sometimes third wash come in. You can get 3 washes out of the more oily kavas (usually premium stuff).

 

[Kava Eraser]

No, you don't need to worry about losing anything because that's where a second and sometimes third wash come in. You can get 3 washes out of the more oily kavas (usually premium stuff).

Very interesting, as that makes me wonder if that's the why I've heard some people say they add Coconut Oil to their kneading, and that it seems to potentiate it.

Because if I understood you correctly, it sounds like "oily kava" is a good thing. And if it's not the oily type to begin with, perhaps by adding oil manually, we can get the same effect. Perhaps the coconut oil lubricates the powder so the KL's can more easily escape into the water.

At least all that sounds good, even if it's not scientifically correct !

 

[Terry]

Thanks and will keep this in the kava drink moving forward..

On a seperate note, can you expect to gain weight by drinking kava 4-5 days a week?

 

[Plantacious]

Thanks and will keep this in the kava drink moving forward..

On a seperate note, can you expect to gain weight by drinking kava 4-5 days a week?

I have drank it that often or more, for at least a couple years, and have not had any weight gain. And I don't see anything theoretically either, that would cause weight gain