The Blender?

[Vekta]

I've never used a blender to prepare kava before. For those that do, how long do you run it through the blender?
Instead of telling my friend to sit there for 30-40 minutes preparing Boroguru by hand to get the full potential out of it, I'm going to just have him run it through a blender.
I just need a guideline to put down for him when I write the instructions.

 

[krunkedout]

I use a stick blender and I do it for maybe a minuet. But after that I knead for like 15 min.

 

[mos3z]

i got a tribest blender and always blend for 1 minute between squeezing

i never knead, just squeeze through the strainer

 

[kl.Redfox]

NoneHi Vekta,

this is how I do it with a blender:
http://kavalounge.yuku.com/sreply/9626/kava-temperature-to-increase-strength

It's time consuming but very effectfull ... I do it mostly with (very) fine root powder or a mix of it with a rougher one
... and your hands do not dry out like a salt desert (smiley: wink)
None

 

[Ed!]

My little Hamilton Beach blender would die if I blended too long (I already killed one), but I blend for maybe a minute and a half in 10-second bursts.

 

[Buddhacide]

I normally use a stick blender and toss and wash after about a minute. Sometime I use the regular blender and then knead for a few minutes after.

 

[KavaKrunked]

I bought my blender solely for the purpose of preparing kava and now it is collecting dust. When I first read up on different preparation methods, I chose the blender because I am lazy. Blending the root seems to make it so fine that straining is virtually impossible. Straining through a nylon after blending didn't work because no liquid would come through. I also killed a perfectly good French Coffee Press trying to separate the solids out after blending.



I find that I get greater effects by simply shaking my dry root and warm water in a 1 liter soda bottle in short bursts for about 10 minutes (mainly to fully saturate the root powder). I then pour the contents into the nylon stocking I use (over the kava bowl of course) and proceed to knead and squeeze for 15-20 minutes. There is something to be said about the way traditional peoples prepare kava.



If I decide to do a second wash, I'll empty the remains in the stocking back into my soda bottle with 1 TBL spoon of fresh kava, and repeat. Frequently the second wash gets me more krunk than the first (if I do this after the effects of the first wash have worn off). Of course, YMMV.

 

[kl.Swingline]

I sometimes use my Magic Bullet (google it - totally awesome, I use it for all kinds of things - easy to clean) when I have rootlets to make it easier and perhaps faster to knead.  I am lazy and have a hard time sitting still. 5 minutes seems like an hour and 10 seems like an eternity. I can manage the 5-barely.  I do not like it micronized (post coming on that!)

 

[kl.Swingline]

Forgot to say, I do this dry and then put it in my strainer for kneading and then I put it in a quart canning jar with a lid and near boiling water. 1/4 kava 2 cups water. Then I shake it as vigorously as I can for up to a minute - that's tough on me though. Then I let it sit with the lid off until it cools to where I can knead it in the same jar. Drink. I love this method. Not very sexy but clean and streamlined. And takes less kneading on my part.

 

[Vekta]

Thanks for all the info. Some of you got some very interesting blender methods.

 

[August West]

Pulsating I think is important with a traditional blender. Start-stop-start-stop for short bursts. Kind of the same thought process of breaking up ice in a blender.

 

[kavadude]

Yeah I would do it for about 1-2 minutes and then strain (no kneading) when I was working with the blender. Count me in as one of the people who is generally pretty lazy but prefers traditional.

 

[Prince Philip]

I do four minutes when I blend.

 

[kl.Cocos kava]

I use a blendtec which is a three hp blender. The more you beat the pulp out of your kava the better. Then i strain it threw a paint strainer and squeeze it until its dry and i cant get any more liquid out. depending on how long I feel like waiting i sometimes let it sit for hours and steep. i really like the fu'u kava i just mix it and drink since its so fine and you cant really strain it.How many people use lecithin? Do you think it makes it stronger or better?

 

[Dan]

I always blend, and always for three to four minutes.  The blending does tend to make the kava slurry a bit finer and easier to strain (and I guess more potent for that reason - a lot more root winds up making it into the grog itself).  I drink relatively small quantities - usually 2tbsp.

 

[kl.pep4848]

i always use the blender now for 4 minutes and then strain. I'm way to lazy to knead but I find I still get the same effect from blending it. The only problem is that my wife is on my ass because of the smell