The combination of B. Caapi and P. Viridis is the most traditional combination of plants used to make the Ayahuasca brew.
B. Caapi, often referred as the sacred vine, contains harmala/harmaline, a MAO inhibitor that temporally disables the enzymes in the body that break down the DMT found in P. Viridis leaves. When used alone has mood enhancing and sedative properties.
P. Viridis leaves contain between 01% to 0,61% of N-DMT. On its own it will produce no effect since the enzymes in the body will bake the DMT content of the plant. This enzymes will be inhibited by the harmaline in the B. Caapi.
Below we provide you with different ways to brew Ayahuasca using the B. Caapi and P.Viridis. There are thousands of ways to prepare the sacred brew. You can follow these instructions in full or use them as a guideline and find your own way in connecting with the gods.
Either way the are some elements that should always be respected and kept in mind:
- Remember you are taking a MAO Inhibitor that can be extremely dangerous when combined with certain food or substances, also see: Toxic combinations
- More heat used equals more loss of active ingredients;
- Use stainless steel or ceramic pans. No teflon and aluminum pans are suitable to make the brew (the aluminum is reported to chemically react with the harmalines in B. Caapi);
- It is possible not to use any acid at all, it was never used by the Amazonian Indians. But that will increase the extraction time (according to some researchers);
- The less water you use and the shorter you let it simmer, the more acid you need to use to help to the extraction of the active ingredients;
- Some people recommend distilled water. As with the acid, it was never used by the Amazonian Indians;
- Brewing the two plants together is the traditionally way and should work just fine. However, when taking the two plants together part of the active ingredients in P. Viridis became inactive in the digestive system because the MAO inhibitors take some time to became active;
- For those who have a sensitive stomach it is recommended to drink the B. Caapi extraction spread out in over 15 minutes and once finished immediately start drinking the P. Viridis.
1. Combined extraction recipe
This recipe was probably developed after recipes used in Ecuador and northern Peru.This recipe call for boiling the two plants together. It's useful if you do not have enough pans for a separate extraction.
1. Make alternate layers of B. Caapi and P. Viridis in a stainless steel or ceramic pan;
2. Cover with water;
3. Boil gently for about 4 hours;
4. Strain and keep the liquid aside;
5. Use the leftovers plants, fill again with fresh water and gently boil for another 4 hours;
6. Strain the liquid again. Press all the moist out of the plants. The leftover plants can now be thrown away;
7. Combine the 2 liquids and gently boil to reduce volume so the amount of liquid is drinkable. During the evaporation make sure it does not boil too vigorously so it does not cause the degradation of the active ingredients and thickness of the drink;
8. When the volume is reduced, let it cool down and drink it.
2. Fast extraction recipe
1. Chop both B. Caapi and P.Viridis (separately);
2. Get two doubled folded cheesecloth squares (any cotton with a fine mesh will work) of about 45 cm x 30 cm;
3. Place the B. Caapi in one of the squares and securely tie it as a tea bag;
4. Place the P. Viridis in the other square and securely tie it as a tea bag;
5. Get two stainless steel or ceramic pans and fill each one with one liter of distilled water;
6. Gently boil the two bags (one in each pot) for two hours;
7. Remove the bags and squeeze the liquid into 2 drinking glasses one for each plant);
8. Boil remaining water in individual pots until you get a manageable drinking volume (between 120 and 180 ml). This usually takes about 30 minutes;
9. Add liquids to the correspondent liquids from the pressed bags;
10. Allow to cool in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before taking them;
11. Take first the B. Caapi extraction and 15 after the P. Viridis extraction.
3. Three extractions recipe
First extraction
1. Put B. Caapi in one pot and add about 500 ml of water;
2. Put the P. Viridis in another pot and add about 500 ml water;
3. Add around 200 ml of lemon juice or white vinegar to each pot;
4. Put the pans on the stove without lids and bring it to a boil;
5. When the water starts to boil lower the fire to the minimum possible;
6. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes;
7. Strain each pan with a cheesecloth (or any other cotton with a fine mesh like a handkerchief), keeping the liquids in separate containers – Caution very hot pan!
8. Press all the moist from the plant material and put the liquids containers aside. Pay attention and don't get burned.
Second extraction
9. Gather the leftover plant material and put it back in the pans used for the first extraction (no need to wash them);
10. Add 500 ml of water to each pan;
11. Add around 200 ml of lemon juice or white vinegar to each pot;
12. Put the pans on the stove without lids and bring it to a boil;
13. When the water starts to boil lower the fire to the minimum possible;
14. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes;
15. With the same cloth used in the first extraction strain the pans to the same containers you used in step 7 (always keep the two plant extraction separate);
16. Press all the moist from the plant material and put the liquids containers aside.
Third extraction
17. Gather the leftover plant material and put it back in the pans used for the first extraction (no need to wash them);
18. Add 250 ml of water to each pan;
19. Add around 50 ml of lemon juice or white vinegar to each pan;
20. Put the pans on the stove without lids and bring it to a boil;
21. When the water starts to boil lower the fire to the minimum possible;
22. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes;
23. With the same cloth used in the first and second extractions strain the pans to the same containers you used in step 7 and 15 (always keep the two plant extraction separate);
24. Press all the moist from the plant material and put the liquids containers aside. The left over plants can go to the garbage.
25. Put the liquids in a pan (one for each extraction) on the lowest possible fire to reduce it (this can take between 15 minutes and a couple of hours). Do not let it boil too much, otherwise its gets too thick;
After these extractions you have two containers, one with B. Caapi extract and another with P. Viridis extract. The brew has a bad taste and also can make you vomit. To get it down to a drinkable volume you have to make a boiling down.
26. Some Ayahuasca users advise to keep the extractions in the fridge until the next day and then do the reduction of volume after;
27. Take first the B. Caapi and 15 minutes after take the P.Viridis.