Preparation

[Jack3]

I’m trying to move toward the bag method because it’s makes for a smoother drink and causes less dermopathy. I’m having trouble with the amount, though.

After using a wire mesh, I’m having to mix washes together and drink them at once to get where I want to go with kava. Yesterday, between 4-10pm, I consumed 100g through probably eight washes.

Today I’m using a blender because kneading wears out my wrists and forearms due to chronic illness.

Third and fourth washes followed by the first and second about half an hour later. Added 20g and making the second wash now. I’m waiting for the sediment to settle, then scooping off some water and using that to make further washes.

I prefer a thick grog and sips of water later to a watery grog and several trips to the toilet

 

[BulaPonoKava]

Some trial and error is common. Quality of the final product declines rapidly after the first couple of washes, especially if you are going after a think chocolate milk type result.
As you note, the ratio to water & number of washes/blender batches are as important as the amount of root and which variety/supplier. As an experiment you might consider would be to prep several washes, but drink the most dilute first to get a sense of the usefulness, or lack of, for the higher numbered washes. Just because the tea is brownish in the later washes does not seem to translate into a similar final product when compared with initial 1 or 2 washes for many.

If not already aware, hope you might find this from U of H College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources interesting:
CTAHR PDF: https://kavaforums.com/forum/attachments/bittenbender-preparing-kava-pdf.10297

Curious to see how your new method works out

 

[Koa_Kava_]

I’m trying to move toward the bag method because it’s makes for a smoother drink and causes less dermopathy. I’m having trouble with the amount, though.

After using a wire mesh, I’m having to mix washes together and drink them at once to get where I want to go with kava. Yesterday, between 4-10pm, I consumed 100g through probably eight washes.

Today I’m using a blender because kneading wears out my wrists and forearms due to chronic illness.

Third and fourth washes followed by the first and second about half an hour later. Added 20g and making the second wash now. I’m waiting for the sediment to settle, then scooping off some water and using that to make further washes.

I prefer a thick grog and sips of water later to a watery grog and several trips to the toilet

Most def it takes some time to get the ratio's right but we always like to say it's best to "low ball" then continue to add until you get the right mix for you.

 

[Jack3]

Most def it takes some time to get the ratio's right but we always like to say it's best to "low ball" then continue to add until you get the right mix for you.

A lot of trial and error around meal times as well. Ideally I would like to be able to prepare enough washes to completely exhaust the medium grind and have the right amount to either drink at once or two or three strong shells over the course of a few hours. I don’t like having leftovers.

As a person living with chronic fatigue, I’m thinking I should go for instant, micro, or extracts because the medium grind is such hard work and aggravates the chronic pain.

I just don’t know how the concentrates correspond.I’m having trouble with the math. I know what works for me with taking it straight, through wire mesh, and I’m pretty close with the bag, but I have no idea how many milligrams that is and what amount of concentrate would correspond.

There are other complications like the fact that the medium grind from F/V is 100% lateral, but their instant is like 70% lewena. I would rather keep the act of drinking to a minimum, so lewena just seems like the wrong way to go for me.

I like that there is less mess and it helps when I’m tired, stressed, and in pain—which is most of the time—to be able to just scoop it, weigh it, stir it, and drink it. It does cost more but it aggravates the chronic pain to knead that bag or shake that bottle even though I’m switching hands throughout the process.

 

[Jack3]

Some trial and error is common. Quality of the final product declines rapidly after the first couple of washes, especially if you are going after a think chocolate milk type result.
As you note, the ratio to water & number of washes/blender batches are as important as the amount of root and which variety/supplier. As an experiment you might consider would be to prep several washes, but drink the most dilute first to get a sense of the usefulness, or lack of, for the higher numbered washes. Just because the tea is brownish in the later washes does not seem to translate into a similar final product when compared with initial 1 or 2 washes for many.

If not already aware, hope you might find this from U of H College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources interesting:
CTAHR PDF: https://kavaforums.com/forum/attachments/bittenbender-preparing-kava-pdf.10297

Curious to see how your new method works out

I have also used the blender but the only one I have is a Vitamix and it turns it all into a thick sludge which is hard to maneuver into the bag orwire mesh. As a result, I have to use more water.

Using the last of the F/V Vanuatan, which turned out to be a little over 66g, I made five washes or maybe six with the bag and drank the last three at once on an empty stomach. That actually worked quite well.

Unfortunately, I have low fasting blood sugar, so I can only wait so long between meals. I took the rest in thirds before and after a meal starting about an hour or so after quaffing the first batch. It was milder but it did calm the nerve pain and make for a night of sleep that was less interrupted and restless than usual, when combined with cannabis.

Cannabis helps me get to sleep but the kava helps me stay asleep. The kava is better for the anxiety but the CBG is best for pain. The two work great together. Easily as good as baclofen for the muscles but unparalleled for easing the anxiety.