How to Make Kava (Without Making a Mess)

So, you bought your first bag of Kava from Moods Botanica. You opened it up, smelled that earthy, peppery aroma, and now you are staring at it thinking, “Okay, what do I do with this?”

If you just toss the root powder into water and try to drink it like a smoothie, you are going to have a bad time. The root fibers are tough and can upset your stomach.

Making Kava is actually more like making coffee or tea, but with a bit more… hands-on action.

A Few Precautions for First-Timers

Before we get into the methods, here's what matters:

• Water Temperature: Heat kills Kava. If you use boiling water (like you would for tea), you will destroy the kavalactones(the good stuff) and make it bitter. You end up with a thick, starchy sludge that doesn't work. Always use  Room temperature or warm tap water  (around 40°C - 60°C). If it’s hot enough to burn your finger, it’s too hot for the Kava.
• Empty Stomach: Kava works best when you haven't eaten for 3 to 4 hours. Food blocks absorption. If you must eat, keep it light.
• Don't Rush: Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes for proper prep. Cutting corners means weaker kava. You're wasting your money and your time.
• Stay Hydrated: Kava is a diuretic (like coffee). It will make you visit the washroom often. Drink a glass of plain water in between your Kava shells to avoid waking up with a headache or dry skin.

Ratios to Remember

• Traditional/Blender: 30g of kava per 500ml of water 
• Micronized (stir-and-drink): 10–15 g to 250–350 ml water
• Instant: 5 to 8 grams (1 teaspoon) to 250 ml (1 cup) of water.
• Concentrate: Follow the bottle instructions. Usually, 1 part concentrate to 5 parts water.

Method 1: The Traditional Brew (The Real Deal)

This is how they have done it in Vanuatu and Fiji for centuries. It takes about 10 minutes, but the result is usually smoother and more potent.

What You’ll Need 🥥👐

• Kava root powder (traditional Medium grind, e.g., Kenya Kava Pouni Ono ) – about 30–35 grams per person (about 4 to 6 tablespoons). If it’s your first time, stick to around 30 g. You can always make a second batch if you want more, but that amount is a solid starting point for most people.
• 500 to 600 ml of room temperature water (about 2 to 2.5 cups)
• A strainer bag (75-micron), but in a pinch, you can use a clean muslin cloth, a nut milk bag, or even a (clean!) nylon stocking.
• (Optional) Coconut milk – 1 part coconut milk to 4 parts water (for 500 ml water, ~125 ml coconut milk is great). Why? The little bit of fat in coconut milk acts as an extra emulsifier to pull out more kavalactones (the active compounds) from the root. Plus, it can make the taste a bit creamier. 
• A bowl – medium-sized, for mixing/straining. And maybe a cup or coconut shell to serve the kava when it’s ready.

The Steps:

1. Put the kava in your strainer bag. Tie it closed so nothing leaks out.
2. Place the bag in your bowl and pour in the water. If you're using coconut milk, add about 100 to 150 ml (half a cup) and reduce the water slightly.
3. Let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes. This lets the water get into the root fibers and softens them.
4. The Knead (The Important Part):  Twist the top of the bag so nothing escapes, and start kneading the bag underwater. Massage it like you are kneading dough. Wring it like you're washing clothes by hand. You want to work those kavalactones out of the root and into the water.
5. Keep Going: Do this for about 10 minutes. You will see the water turn a milky, muddy brown. Get every last drop out. You should see an oily film on top of the water. That's the good stuff.
6. Serve: Squeeze the bag dry one last time (set it aside for a second wash if you like). Stir your bowl and ladle it into a cup.
7. Pro tip: Save the used root. Put it in a freezer bag and date it. Once you have enough saved up, you can make a second, weaker batch by blending it with warm water.

Choose Traditional if:

• You want the full experience
• You have time to prepare properly
• You want the cleanest, smoothest kava

How Much to Drink

Don't chug the whole bowl at once. Pour yourself a shell (about 100 to 150 ml, half a cup). Drink it in one or two quick gulps. Kava is not a sip-and-savor kind of beverage (trust me, the taste is earthy and a bit bitter – you won’t want to nurse it for long). Have a chaser ready if you’d like: a slice of pineapple, mango, and oranges, or even a bit of chocolate. A quick bite of something sweet or citrusy after downing the kava helps cleanse that earthy taste from your palate.  Wait 15 to 20 minutes before drinking another shell. Your body needs time to absorb the kavalactones.

Method 2: The Blender Method (The "I'm In A Rush")

Best for: When you don't want to stand there kneading for 10 minutes.

This is faster and easier on your hands, but it can be a bit louder.

What You Need:

• 30 to 35 grams of traditional kava powder
• 500 to 600 ml of room temperature water
• A blender
• A strainer bag
• A bowl

Step-by-Step:

1. Put the kava and water in your blender. Add coconut milk if you want (about 100 ml).
2. Blend on high for 3 to 4 minutes. The water will warm up a bit from the blending. That's fine.
3. Pour the mixture into your strainer bag over a bowl. Squeeze it out gently. Don't squeeze too hard, or you'll push root particles through.
4. Done. Chill it if you want, or drink it as is.

Warning: The blender chops the root into finer particles. Some might pass through your strainer and upset your stomach. If you have a sensitive stomach, stick with traditional prep or sieve several times.

Choose Blender if:

• You want traditional-style kava but faster
• You don't mind slightly more sediment
• Your hands get tired from kneading

Method 3: Micronized Kava (The Convenient Middle Ground)

Best for: Convenience without the high price tag of True Instant.

Micronized kava gets ground into an ultra-fine powder, fine enough to stir directly into water. Preparation takes seconds. But get one thing clear, micronized gets marketed as "instant," and that's not accurate. True instant kava is pre-brewed and dehydrated. Micronized is just finely ground root powder. When you drink it straight, you're swallowing all those root fibers.

Does it hit the same? Yes. Many people find micronized hits faster and feels stronger because you consume the whole root material. The question is whether your stomach can handle it.

What You Need:

• 10 to 15 grams of micronized kava (about 2 tablespoons). Check out our Boroguru Micronized Kava.
• 250 to 300 ml of room temperature or slightly warm water (about 1 to 1.5 cups)
• A strainer bag (optional but recommended)

Step-by-Step:

• Measure out 10 to 15 grams of micronized kava. Pour your water into a cup. Stir hard for 30 to 45 seconds. Micronized clumps easily, so shake it in a sealed jar or use a small whisk. The result looks muddy and cloudy.
• The powder settles fast, so stir before each sip. The texture feels grainier and thicker than instant kava because you're drinking actual root fibers.

Some people handle this fine. Others struggle with the gritty mouthfeel. If you want to try this method anyway, mixing your micronized kava into something creamier like coconut water or almond milk helps with both texture and taste. Many people report nausea and digestive issues from drinking micronized without filtering. The fiber doesn't digest. It sits in your gut and causes problems. If you want a smoother experience, pour your mixed kava through a fine mesh or sieve before drinking. This filters out the bigger chunks and root particles while still being faster than traditional prep. You'll, however, lose a tiny bit of potency.

My take: If you're going to strain micronized anyway, just buy traditional kava. Traditional costs less and gives you more control. Micronized only makes sense if you're okay with the stomach upset risk, or you need something fast occasionally when you're in a rush.

Method 4:  Instant Kava (The Lazy Person's Friend)

Best for: Office breaks, travel, or lazy evenings.

If kneading sounds like too much work, this is why we stock Instant Kava. This isn't just ground-up root; it is dehydrated fresh green kava juice.

What You Need:

• 4 to 8 grams of instant kava (about 1 to 2 teaspoons)
• 250 ml of cold water or juice (1 cup)

Step-by-Step:

1. Measure Your Kava: Start with about 8 grams of instant kava powder for one serving (roughly one shell, ~150 ml of water). If you’re new to kava or prefer a lighter effect, you can use a bit less (say 5–6 g). If you know you like it strong, you can add a little more next time – but 8 g is a good gentle beginning.
2. Add water or juice. Room temperature or cold, doesn't matter.
3. Stir well. Keep stirring until it's fully dissolved. Instant kava settles quickly, so you'll need to stir between sips.
4. Drink it. You can sip it slowly or gulp it down. Your choice.

Instant kava is more concentrated than traditional, so you need less. It’s perfect if you are at work or just need a quick shell before bed.

Choose Instant if:

• You're in a hurry
• You want something easy
• You don't care about tradition

Method 4: Kava Concentrate

Best for: Making mocktails or flavored drinks.

Kava concentrate is pre-brewed kava that's been dehydrated into liquid form. Think of it like concentrated juice. Just add water, and you're done.

What You Need:

• 30 ml of kava concentrate 
• 150 to 180 ml of water (about 3/4 cup)

Step-by-Step

1. Pour the concentrate into a cup.
2. Add water. Adjust the amount based on how strong you want it.
3. Stir and drink.

Some concentrates come flavored. Watermelon, guava, cinnamon. They taste way better than plain kava. Perfect if you hate the earthy taste.

Choose Concentrate if:

• You hate the taste of plain kava
• You want consistent strength every time
• You're willing to pay more for convenience

The Taste Problem

Let me be real: kava tastes terrible. Earthy, bitter, muddy. Here's how to deal with it:

• Have fruit ready. Pineapple, mango, and oranges work great.
• Chase it with coconut water or juice.
• Mix instant kava with flavored drinks.
• Just accept it. You get used to it eventually.

Storage

Fresh kava lasts 3 to 5 days in the fridge. After that, it starts losing potency. Make what you need for a session, not for the whole week. Keep unused powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Heat and light degrade kavalactones.

Where to Get Your Kava in Kenya

You know where this is going. Moods Botanica stocks all three types: traditional powder, instant, and concentrate. We source directly from Fiji and Vanuatu. The real stuff, properly processed, stored correctly.

Whether you want to go full traditional or keep it simple with instant, we've got you covered.

Start with what feels manageable. You can always level up to traditional prep once you know you like kava. No judgment.

Now go make yourself a shell.

Bula!