Kratom Tea: A Guide to the Perfect Brew
Drinking kratom tea is a wonderful way to enjoy the effects of the Mitragyna speciosa plant. While you can consume kratom in its raw powder form with your beverage of choice, brewing it into a tea can produce stronger effects, and many kratom enthusiasts prefer sipping tea over consuming the powder. Follow this handy kratom tea guide to make the perfect cup.
1. Select Your Preferred Strain
Before you start brewing your kratom tea, it’s important that you know what kind of effects you hope to achieve. First, start by choosing the right vein color. Depending on the maturity of the plant, kratom leaves have either red, green, or white veins. Different vein colors provide different effects, so select the type that most closely matches your desired outcome.
Red Vein
If you’re shooting for a relaxing experience, red is the best color for you. Red vein kratom varieties tend to sit on the slower side of the spectrum, providing a pleasant, warm feeling of sedation. Red vein strains are also typically best for alleviating physical pain.
White Vein
White vein kratom tea is perfect for replacing your morning cup of coffee. White kratom strains tend to be the most stimulating of the three, providing a clean energy boost without the jittery feeling or anxiety associated with caffeine.
Green Vein
Green vein strains are usually the most well-rounded, providing a balance between reds and whites. Green strains are excellent for relieving social anxiety, and they tend to be the most euphoric of the three colors.
This kratom tea guide is mainly going to cover the brewing process, so you may want to research different red, white, and green strain types. Strains are named according to where they were grown. For example, Red Bali is a red vein kratom that was grown on the island of Bali. The location it was grown also plays a role in the kratom’s effects, so you may want to research different strains to really target the specific effects you’re looking for.
2. Gather Materials
Now that you’ve chosen a strain to make your kratom tea, it’s time to get your equipment together. Fortunately, if you already drink tea, you probably have the materials required already. If not, you may need to take a trip to your local store. Here are the items you’ll need to make the tea in this kratom tea guide:
A tea kettle
Water
A cheesecloth (a strainer will work in a pinch)
Kratom powder
A scale (to measure your dose)
3. Measure Your Dose
Now that you have everything you need, it’s time to measure out your kratom. If you’re already an experienced kratom user, you can simply use your usual dose to make kratom tea. If this is your first time, a good starting point is 1-2 grams. If you find that the effects aren’t potent enough for your liking, you can boost your dose to 3-4 grams or more.
4. Bring Water to a Simmer
In this kratom tea guide, the recommended approach is to boil 1 ½ cups of water for every dose, but you can use more or less depending on how strong you prefer your tea to taste. Regardless of how much water you use, the effects will be the same as long as you use the same amount of kratom.
For example, if your usual dose is 2 grams, and you’re making two cups of tea to share with a friend, you would add 4 grams of kratom to 3 cups of water. However, if you prefer a weaker kratom tea taste (it can be bitter), you could add an extra cup of water while still using 4 grams total kratom powder. Bring the water right up to a boil, and then lower the heat to keep it simmering.
5. Add the Kratom Powder
Now that the water is simmering, you can add the kratom powder directly into the kettle. Lower the heat, and allow the mixture to simmer gently for approximately 10 minutes. If you want a weaker tea, simmer it for 7 minutes, and if you want a stronger tea, simmer it for 15 minutes. As the kratom tea simmers, it will get darker, which means it’s getting stronger.
6. Filter the Tea
So now your tea is fully brewed, but you still have that sludgy powder residue in the kettle. Place your cheesecloth or strainer directly over your mug, and carefully pour your tea into the mug. You can discard the kratom powder remnants, or you can reuse it to make a much weaker tea later.
7. Flavor the Tea
This is where you can get creative, or you can stick with the standard recipe listed in this kratom tea guide. Kratom tea naturally has a very bitter flavor that some people enjoy and others can’t stand. If you fall in the latter category, you may need to take steps to mask the Earthy, pungent taste of the kratom leaves.
You can prepare kratom tea just like typical tea, using sugar, honey, stevia, lemon, or cinnamon to add some flavor. You can even add standard tea bags into your kratom tea if you really want to cover up the flavor. If you take this approach, you may want to add extra boiling water so the flavors don’t become too overpowering.
You can also serve your kratom tea iced –– it’s a wonderful treat for a hot day, especially with a slice of lemon. If you feel like getting extra creative, you could even blend the chilled tea with a fruit juice.
8. Sip and Enjoy
Now that you’ve completed the perfect brew from this kratom tea guide, the only thing left to do is enjoy it! It’s always a good idea to drink your tea slowly so you can see how strong it is as you go. You may want to drink half of the cup and wait approximately 30 minutes so you can be sure it’s not too potent for your tastes. Even if you’re an experienced kratom user, brewing your standard dose into a kratom tea may cause more pronounced effects.
9. Store the Leftovers
If you’re a regular tea drinker, you may want to make a larger batch than just one cup. That way you can heat up a cup (or pour it over ice) whenever the mood strikes. Wait for your leftover tea to cool down fully, and then pour it into a pitcher or container of your choice (an old juice container works great). Now, just keep it in the fridge and use it just like you would any other homemade iced tea. Just make sure you label it clearly and keep it away from children.
10. Other Fun Ideas
If you made a lot of kratom tea and you’re not sure if it will stay fresh before you use it all, try freezing it. You can pour the tea into an ice cube tray, and then add the cubes to other teas, juices, or whatever beverage you prefer. You can also try experimenting with “cocktails” (no alcohol). For example, you could add some V8, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and a garnish of celery to make your own Bloody Mary-style drink.
Make your first kratom tea experience the best it can possibly be.
Like CBD, ideal results start with using quality ingredients. Not all kratom is equal, so it’s essential that you buy safe, potent kratom from a trusted vendor.