Kava preparation

[Jox]

I newer did nor prepared Kava Kava,

I see the recipes include fat as lecithin or milk, coconut and chocolate.

I wonder if some acid should be put in, as H3PO4?

I came to this idea since KK has been traditionally chewed, and saliva is asid and must have some chemical reaction.

And lastly since I will be using it how to do it by chewing way?

Any recipe is welcome,

Thank you
Jox

 

[obliguhl]

Kava is a thing of beauty, jox and i'm glad you want to try it.

For years i have prepared Kava the wrong way. Don't use a blender. Don't use lecithin or any oils. Here is what i suggest:

Get a fine nylon mesh strainer or a nylon pantyhose. A fun item to buy as a guy btw!
Take your desired amount of Kava (I use 2 Tablespoons to 1 cup), fill the pantyhose and make a knot just above the fill line.

Then, prepare a bowl with water (1:3 ratio...so 3 cups for 1 cup kava). It's best if the water is hot, but not boiling hot...

Then, kneed and squeeze the kava for half an hour until it feels "dry"...not oily anymore.

Afterwards, let it settle for 10 - 20 minutes and then decant ONE time.

I like to drink it with a bit of ginger tea, some people also like cocunot milk with it...

Bula!

 

[Cognitive Heart]

I use a simple approach to kava preparation. Specifically kava from Vanuatu.

Total prep duration: 1 hour.

1. Mix desired amount of kava in 1 cup of warm water mixed with slightly larger portions of lecithin granules. Stir efficiently every 10 min for 1 hour. Use coconut or another healthy fatty ingredient. The key is to use fatty acids to release the kavalactones.

2. Once finished stirring, pour in to blender and mix up for approx 20-30 seconds.


3. Drink beverage in one gulp. You can optionally add flavour yourself to avoid the earthly, peppery taste, which is actually quite strong and numbing to the mouth. If this occurs, you've made good kava! :thumb_up: You'll receive complete, satisfactory, and effective results. Much of the Earth's plant pleasures are disgusting in taste, but kava can promote some acquired taste with experimentation.

For me personally, this works incredibly well! Depending on how much food is in the stomach will determine the onset. A light meal is okay. Pollen can help increase the total absorption as it also contains lecithin. Also, if you take enough and you notice changes in your olfactory perception, you've made strong kava! These are sometimes unnoticed effects from incorrect preparations. The 'kneed and squeezed' method above is a much more traditional way of making kava kava in large bowls. This I have yet to try.. but I am much intrigued since it's the original method.

 

[Jox]

I just made it as obliguhl guided, I was glued to the bed for an hour, just arrived from along trip by bus, so I thought I need rest.

Q?
1. Almost all got dissolved, but some powder was left, and I got tired of kneeding, and I am wondering if all should be dissolved, or some is always left undissolved.

2. What about the fat, should I add some?

dont have a blender since I am traveling, but may try to mix it with some fat. Yet the kneeding worked well, it is just a little tiering, since I will be using it for sleep nightly.

thanx
Jox

 

[Cognitive Heart]

Almost always some residue remains since kava is relatively thick. I usually just add more water and take whatever is left.

It wouldn't hurt. Fat will add more consistency to the beverage and also will extract more of the kavalactones. Perhaps more water, too. Some Polynesian islanders take the bulky left over kava material and chew it up to a paste and mix it with more water and coconut. Occasionally spitting it out. This made sure they didn't leave any remaining kava in the bowl.

 

[obliguhl]

Well, since the kava lactones are in the oil on the outside of the kava (so i understand it, not sure if im right though), you should stop after it feels kinda "dry". If this is too much of a hassle, you could always try instant kava which fully dissolves or extracts.

Drinking the sediment is also possible but can lead to nausea and quicker onset of kava dermopathy.

 

[Ouroboros777]

Also, a study from a University in Hawaii I can't find at the moment indicates that extracting in an aqueous solution of 140 degrees Fahrenheit yields the highest percent kavalactones released. A lot of work was put in the kavaforums with the consensus that this temperature will not 'kill' any kavalactones.

I did some experiment on my own (the only person I could find documented on the web) about the effects when mixed with Usnea lichen, Old Man's Beard. The quote that drew me to it was from Kava: The Pacific Elixer: "For example, on Pentecost, Vanuatu, to over inebriate a pretentious kava drinker, a lichen (Usnea sp.) is mixed with the rootstock before grinding. The potent effects of this drink may be explained as a synergy between the kavalactones and certain lactonic acids contained in the lichen (Molho, personal communication, 1984)". So I tried it. And it was different, it was sort of.. glossy, if you know what I mean. It had an energy to it, a rush, it was pretty cool... definitely different from the normal kava buzz. But I had deleted almost all traces of myself from that forum and unfortunately so was that well documented experience and resulting experience. Felt weird to be the only dude found on the internet writing about the experience, considering I am not incredibly knowledgeable with chemicals to determine how they interact and just try things based on anecdotal evidence. But I love kava so I'll talk about this all day and answer any questions you may have!

 

[Cognitive Heart]

Also, a study from a University in Hawaii I can't find at the moment indicates that extracting in an aqueous solution of 140 degrees Fahrenheit yields the highest percent kavalactones released. A lot of work was put in the kavaforums with the consensus that this temperature will not 'kill' any kavalactones.

Do you have the paper for that study? An AS would be very interesting to analysis. I wouldn't think heat destroys kavalactones specifically, they are fairly stable.

I did some experiment on my own (the only person I could find documented on the web) about the effects when mixed with Usnea lichen, Old Man's Beard. The quote that drew me to it was from Kava: The Pacific Elixer: "For example, on Pentecost, Vanuatu, to over inebriate a pretentious kava drinker, a lichen (Usnea sp.) is mixed with the rootstock before grinding. The potent effects of this drink may be explained as a synergy between the kavalactones and certain lactonic acids contained in the lichen (Molho, personal communication, 1984)". So I tried it. And it was different, it was sort of.. glossy, if you know what I mean. It had an energy to it, a rush, it was pretty cool... definitely different from the normal kava buzz. But I had deleted almost all traces of myself from that forum and unfortunately so was that well documented experience and resulting experience. Felt weird to be the only dude found on the internet writing about the experience, considering I am not incredibly knowledgeable with chemicals to determine how they interact and just try things based on anecdotal evidence. But I love kava so I'll talk about this all day and answer any questions you may have!

The lichkavakavalich effect? :lol:

Really cool data and quote. I recall reading the book but not that exact quote. I suppose I was merely interested in kava at the time. This particular kind of fungi appears to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect and other respiratory effects. High concentrations appear to be toxic, however this needs more demonstration. Its amazing how they can take one plant and know to combine that with another, completely different species.

The position between the two carbonyl groups in Meldrum's acid is acidic, allowing simple alkylation and acylation at this position. For example, deprotonation and reaction with a simple alkyl halide allows formation of products containing carbon chains attached to the ring. Alternatively, this position can be acylated with a carboxylic acid chloride (RCOCl).

Meldrum's acid seems to have many different formulations..

Glad you gave it a go! Different as in more enhanced? I have a little left-over, time to experiment.:thumb_up:

 

[Ouroboros777]

Found the study that has a nice synopsis of resulting kavalactone %: