Required Items:

½ cup Ground Kava Root

2 cups Water

1 cup 2% Milk

Measuring Cups

Blender

Wire-mesh Strainer (the kind that sits on top of a bowl)

Large Bowl or Quart/Liter Measuring Cup

Cheesecloth, Sock, or Scrap of T-shirt Material (optional)

Large Drinking Cup

Chocolate syrup (optional)

1. Measure out 1/2 cup (120 ml) of powdered kava root, put into blender.
   Use more or less depending on taste and individual response. I find this amount to be good for most occasions. It is also interesting to obtain several varieties of kava and try various blends.
   
2. Pour 2 cups (500 ml) of water and 1 cup (250 ml) milk into the blender.
   The purpose of the milk is to provide fats and emulsifiers to help dissolve the kavalactones, as well as for flavor. I find this 2:1 ratio of water to milk to be best... using more milk makes the drink very heavy and filling, using less detracts from the taste of the final beverage. This amount of liquid (3 cups, or .75 liters) is a lot, and is intended for a tasty brew that can be sipped on slowly over an evening. You can reduce the amount of liquid if you want to drink it fast, but be aware that the taste will get much stronger.
   
3. Blend the mixture on high for 2-5 minutes.
   
4. Strain the mixture to remove the powder
   Take the wire-mesh strainer and set it over the large bowl or measuring cup. The idea is to strain out the root powder while collecting the liquid in the bowl. Do this slowly, pouring in a little bit of the liquid, letting it strain completely, pouring in a little more, and repeating. Periodically clump the root powder together. This can be done with a spoon, or with practice you will find that by gently shaking the strainer you can get the kava to roll itself into a ball. This will prevent the strainer from clogging up. When all the liquid has been poured through, press on the collected root powder to squeeze out remaining liquid. The root powder can now be discarded or saved for further extraction. This step will remove the majority of the root powder, leaving only some of the very fine particles in the liquid. I have found that using a wire-mesh strainer to get out the larger particles is much faster than straining the brew through a cloth.
   
5. Strain again if desired
   If you do have a cheesecloth, sock, or other such material, you can use this to strain out the fine powder still in the liquid, if you so desire. Alternatively, you can get a second bowl and run the liquid through the wire-mesh strainer another time or two and get out a good portion of the powder. You can, of course, leave it in the drink. Most of it will settle in the bottom of the cup. Leaving it in the drink will result in a stronger brew, but some people object to the gritty texture of unstrained brew. This step is optional, therefore.
   
6. Pour the brew into your drinking cup
   If you want, you can at this point add flavorings. I personally am quite fond of chocolate syrup. Other things that go well are Ovaltine or a little bit of coffee (You'll have to either pre-make some or use instant. Use decaf if you're using the kava as a sleep aid.) A sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom can also be a nice addition. A small scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream is also good, but requires re-blending the finished product. You want to make sure to add any flavorings as the final step in the process, as they tend to thicken the brew, which would make straining harder. Serve cold.
   
7. Drink and enjoy!
   
   

The above recipe can be doubled or more for more people. Kava is great to do with friends! I also enjoy a cup of kava before bed, as it promotes sleep as well as dramatically increasing dream activity for most people. Kava is a great way to take the edge off following entheogenic experiences, or to relax at the end of a hard day's work. Kava mixes very well with cannabis, but alcohol and other CNS depressants should not be mixed with kava. Driving and operating dangerous machinery is also to be avoided. Kava is probably one of the most benign of sedative drugs, causing neither addiction nor dangerous physical effects. As with any drug, however, the determined fool can probably misuse it. Remember that sobriety is a very rewarding state of mind, and that consciousness altering substances such as kava should be used with respect, wisdom, and moderation. That being said, enjoy your brew!