Brewing Kratom Tea with Kratom Powder: Methods & Tricks

Kratom, a tropical tree from Southeast Asia, is a popular herbal supplement with potential benefits like enhancing mood, promoting relaxation, and easing mental tension. Aside from being available in various strains and color varieties, this botanical also screams versatility in its various forms, leading to a variety of available consumption methods. One popular and satisfying method is brewing kratom powders into a tea.

Kratom tea is a popular method of taking this herb, especially since not everyone likes to stomach the bitter taste of the raw powder or gulp down half a dozen capsules at a time. Unlike taking powder in methods like the toss and wash, using a tea form can help mask kratom’s bitterness, therefore making the experience feel smoother and more palatable. Plus, you can mix in your favorite sweeteners into the kratom tea to improve the taste even more.

Making Kratom Tea with Powder: A Step-by-Step Guide

Many users find it relaxing to brew kratom tea, which has been a familiar ritual and a preferred way to take kratom for many. Since unground kratom leaves are pretty uncommon, many turn to kratom powder to brew their desired tea blend. Due to the high affordability and availability of kratom powder, as well as its exposed surface area, it is perfect for extracting the alkaloids from kratom as well.

 

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1. Using Regular Kratom Powder in a Pot

Using regular kratom powder in a pot or saucepan is one of the most common methods of brewing kratom tea.

You’ll need the following materials and ingredients to brew kratom tea from powder in a pot or saucepan:

• Saucepan, preferably with a pouring lip or a kettle
• 8 oz water
• A small whisk
• Your desired dosage of kratom powder
• Sweetener & flavorings of your choice (ex., honey, sugar, stevia, lemon juice, agave, maple syrup, ginger, vanilla extract, etc.)

Directions

1. Measure your kratom powder using a teaspoon or a milligram scale for accuracy. Read our guide on how to measure kratom powder.
2. Fill your saucepan or kettle with water and heat it until it’s hot—don’t wait for it to boil.
3. Gradually add the kratom powder to the hot water.
4. Lower the heat and allow the powder-water mixture to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Slowly stir the tea.
5. When the tea is ready, get a strainer or a coffee filter to filter the solid bits.
6. Add your desired flavorings and sweeteners.
7. Allow the tea to cool down before drinking.

Simple Hack: Getting Empty Tea Bags or Tea Infuser

To save you more time, consider using empty tea bags and pre-measure your kratom powder before the brewing session. They are pretty affordable, costing around 3-5 cents per empty tea bag (Amazon). After pre-measuring kratom powder, you simply have to place the tea bag in your mug and fill it with hot water (again, not boiling!). Allow the tea bag to steep for around 3 to 5 minutes until you see the water change to light amber.

Ultra-fine mesh tea infusers also work like tea bags but have the benefit of being reusable. Hang the infuser in your pot, allow the kratom powder to steep, and remove it when you see a change in the mixture’s color.

The Importance of Brewing Hot and Not Boiling Water

You might wonder why we keep repeating the use of hot water instead of boiling water. Here’s the thing: boiling water may break down significant compounds in the kratom powder that contribute to the herb’s potent effects. Remember that kratom’s alkaloid compounds are most stable at high temperatures but should not exceed 100 degrees Celsius as degradation of the primary alkaloids starts occurring after this point.

2. Using A Coffee Maker

Yes, coffee makers can work, too, and it’s pretty easy and efficient to brew kratom tea using one. Some people like to re-run the brewed kratom tea from the coffee maker 2-3 times to increase the strength of the tea.

For this method, you need the following ingredients:

• 8 oz water
• 1-3 heaping tablespoons of regular kratom powder
• coffee maker
• flavoring and sweeteners (optional)

Directions

1. Place kratom powder in the coffee filter basket of your coffee maker.
2. Pour at least 8 oz water into the reservoir.
3. Place the filter basket on the coffee maker.
4. Switch on the coffee maker.
5. After brewing, discard the filter basket with the kratom powder.
6. Pour in your mug, and enjoy your tea.
7. You can enhance the taste further by adding sweetening or flavoring agents of your choice.
8. Repeat the process again if wanting a stronger tea.

3. Using A French Press

Got a French press stocked up in your cabinet? If you don’t want to spend the extra bucks to buy empty tea bags or mesh infusers, a French press should also work with brewing kratom tea. For this method, you’ll need the following materials:

• Your chosen strain of kratom powder (1-3 heaping tablespoons)
• A French Press
• A utensil for stirring the tea
• Water (about 8 ounces)
• A water pot or kettle
• A cup for serving

Directions

1. Before anything else, you need to heat the water you’ll be using. Pour at least 8 ounces into a kettle or a pot, turn it on, and let it heat up. Again, make sure not to wait for the water to boil because boiling water can break down kratom’s alkaloids (specifically mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine)
2. Place the pre-measured kratom powder in the French press. (1-3 heaping tablespoons)
3. Pour hot water into the powder in the press.
4. Let the tea steep for about 10 to 15 minutes, enough to allow the effects to come through.
5. Pour the tea into your mug and enjoy drinking.
6. Again, if you want your tea sweeter, you may add any flavoring or sweetener (s) of your choice.

The Best Sweeteners for Kratom Tea

Kratom powder is naturally bitter, so brewing it into tea may also make your drink unpalatable. Beginners not used to the herb’s bitterness may not like the taste, affecting their kratom experience. Fortunately, natural and artificial sweeteners are widely available to help enhance your tea.

Adding Honey or Cane Sugar

Honey has been a staple sweetener for users drinking kratom tea. But other individuals prefer cane sugar because it’s more natural. Nonetheless, both should work when you don’t want to taste the tea’s bitterness. Plus, they are both widely available. What’s unique about both sweeteners is that they don’t totally cover kratom’s natural flavors. The bitterness is still there, but it feels smoother as it matches the sweetness of honey and cane sugar.

But, if you’re controlling the sugars you eat, we strongly encourage you to use unrefined cane sugar instead. It’s still sweet but has a lower glycemic index than honey and refined cane sugar.

Mixing with Honeybush Tea

A healthier alternative to honey is Honeybush (similar to Rooibos), which tastes less sweet and earthy. This sweetener has yellow flowers that give off a honey-like aroma, contributing to its overall taste. Like honey, adding Honeybush to your kratom tree can mask the herb’s bitter taste, improving your experience.

Adding Fruits

Besides lemon juice, which has long been used as a flavor enhancer in kratom teas, mixing other fruit juices is also possible. It’s like the best of both worlds — masking kratom’s bitterness and enjoying the health benefits of these fruits.

• Pineapple: an excellent natural sweetener, more so because it contains nutrients like Vitamin C and B6, and it’s rich in Potassium, Magnesium, and Manganese.
• Orange: Orange juice is also a popular kratom tea sweetener, especially when it’s freshly squeezed — adding brightness to the flavor.
• Coconut: Both coconut milk and water provide natural sweetness, masking kratom’s bitterness and enhancing its overall flavor. Health-conscious individuals might also use coconut sugar, which is a healthier sweetener alternative.