How to make and prepare kava tea?

If you are looking for anxiety-relieving process to enjoy with a beverage, then Kava tea must be one of your prime choices. Kava tea or Kava Kava is one of the oldest herbal drinks with sedative properties that Fijians and people of Vanuatu have been enjoying for centuries.

Kava tea has been widely used in the South Pacific Islands. People there have been using it as a beverage to enjoy at the end of a hard day as well as a beverage in their ceremonies.

Kava tea has recently become popular worldwide due to its potential in assisting of soothing essence. Having a perfect Kava tea is a feast for anyone’s taste buds.

There are various methods for preparing Kava tea with slight differences in taste and different recipes. This article will talk about all the Kava preparation recipes, including traditional and latest efficient methods.

Method 1: 

Typical Traditional Technique (Not Recommended)

In the past, this technique was practiced for more than 300 years by the people of the pacific islands.

This preparation method is unhygienic and not recommended, but for sake of history, let’s just discuss it for knowledge. 

Preparing Kava Tea Using The Orthodox Method

In primitive times, female virgins used to pluck the Kava root from the plant and chew it up thoroughly. Then they spit the fine pulp on the leaf. Lastly, the pulp was strained through with water, and the Kava tea got ready to serve. 

The Kava root is quite rough and tough, so following this traditional Kava preparation method can be harmful and impractical.

Method 2:

Adaptive Traditional Technique (Recommended)

If you don’t want to miss the authentic taste while enjoying your Kava tea, then go for this adaptive traditional technique for preparing the Kava tea.

This technique is an alternative and almost similar to the traditional passive method; that’s why it is named the “Adaptive Traditional Method.”

Preparing Kava Tea with Adaptive Traditional Method

Unlike the orthodox Kava munching and spitting technique, the granulated form of Kava root is used.

You’ll need the following things:

• A straining bag preferably made up of muslin cotton cloth
• Warm water (Do not use hot water)
• An average-sized bowl for pouring and mixing the Kava
• A cup to pour the strained liquid into

Before starting the process, decide the quantity of Kava according to the amount of serving. If you’re going to make a single cup of Kava, 10 grams of grounded Kava will be sufficient. You can increase the amount per serving. Beginners often try to combat reverse tolerance by using 50 grams of kava and 500-750ml of water to make multiple servings and slightly stronger. Experiment and see what you like the best.

After weighing the Kava quantity, simply put it into the straining bag. The muslin cotton bag will be perfect for straining and kneading the Kava without spilling.

Then add warm water into the strainer bag and let the Kava soak for ten minutes.

The last step is to knead the straining bag with pressure for several minutes to massage all the Kavalactones out of the powder. You should be able to tell that all the kavalactones have been absorbed by the water when you don’t feel that the bag is oily anymore and the kava inside is like coarse sand or dirt. Lastly, clean up and discard the used-up powder, clean the cloth and enjoy the aroma and taste of authentic Kava. Optional step is to refrigerate the drink, so it’s more pleasant to drink. Kava is bitter, so consider having a chaser around, such as orange juice, cashews or candy. 🙂

Method 3: 

Manual Shaker Bottle

This method is relatively easy and quick to prepare the organic Kava tea with a manual shaker bottle. Manual shaker bottles are specifically designed for instantly making protein shakes and can be repurposed to make Kava tea. The only downside to this is that you will not get as clean of a Kava drink due to the shaker bottles not having a fine enough mesh.

Preparing Kava Tea with a Shaker Bottle

• If you are making a single serving, put 10 grams of granulated Kava into the strainer ball.
• Add warm water to the bottle and shake it intensely for a few minutes. Here you have your Kava tea ready to enjoy. 
• For a rich taste, it is recommended to use Kava powder with less water.

Method 4: 

Blender Method

You can use a blender to prepare Kava tea instantly. This method works best for those who want to enjoy Kava tea just as a drink without the relaxing preparation methods.

Preparing Kava Tea with a Blender

As mentioned above, the amount of Kava is 10 grams per serving. You can measure the quantity according to the number of servings and follow the procedure.

• Put the Kava into the blender.
• Add water to it.
• Run the blender on high for 2-3 minutes.
• Finally, strain the mixture through a muslin or cotton cloth. 

Final Words

These were a few authentic and efficient methods for preparing Kava tea. You can choose the one that best suits you. Most importantly, the taste of Kava tea depends greatly on the quality of Kava.

To enjoy the real essence of Kava, we bring you the most desirable range of Kava products. You can visit our store and select from a wide range of Noble Kava varieties.