Kava preparation is somewhat of a personal preference but the basic ideas are all the same. We’ll give you the beginners rundown in case you don’t know quite what to do with that powder you just received in the mail.
Quick Kava Prep Method:
Add 2-4 Tablespoons of Kava for each serving you plan to prepare and 8-12oz. of water (As hot as your tap gets extracts the most active ingredients, usually around 120 degrees – not boiling though as temperatures over 140 degrees can cause the kava to congeal and become difficult to strain) to a standard blender. Blend on high for approximately 4 minutes, empty and strain this through a cloth strainer.
Chill and Enjoy!
Traditional Kava Preparation Method:
Things you’re going to need:
– High Quality Kava Root (if you need some, you’re in luck we have Premium Kava Root for sale here) Kava Root
– Strainer Bag (Also called muslin bag but you can use cheesecloth, a flour bag, or simply an old T-shirt)
– Warm / Hot water
– Medium sized bowl to knead the kava in
*Note – For maximum results Kava should be consumed on an empty stomach
First Step
Measure out the Kava Root and dump it into your strainer – Typically a standard serving for one individual is 2-4 Tablespoons. Many times people will double this amount and plan on having 2-3 servings in an evening.
Second Step
Measure out 8-12oz. of water depending on how strong you want your Kava mixture to taste. Hot water (about 120 degrees) will help better extract the kavalactones from the root. There is debate on whether boiling water better extracts these lactones or kills the effectiveness but it will leave your resulting liquid with more of a bitter taste and difficult to strain. Overall the best temperature we recommend is as hot as it will come out of your faucet.
Third Step
Place the strainer containing the kava root into your bowl. Next, pour the hot water directly into the bag with the kava root. Let this sit in the bowl for a few minutes (anywhere from 5-10) steeping like tea.
Fourth Step
Twist the top of your kava strainer
closed and press out all the excess air. Begin kneading the kava root that’s inside the bag in the remaining water in the bowl. Alternate kneading the bag in the bowl and twisting it to strain all the water out. Your water should be turning a nice milky brown color similar to chocolate milk. After kneading 5-10 minutes, twist the bag tight to remove all water from the root while not letting any actual root into your kava liquid.
Last Step
Typically, the kava liquid goes down a little easier chilled. Refrigerate your liquid, pour into a cup and enjoy. Many times it’ll be hard to wait for it to cool down so you can throw a few ice cubes in & start enjoying right away!
We at Kalm with Kava encourage you to try it out today and see what best fits you. Enjoy your Kava!
Cheers!