ReoSpeedwagon153 said:

They say you don't want to order shredded because breaking apart the whole vine and brewing it yourself is a very spiritual experience. After you brew a few more times, you'll totally get what I mean.

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Agreed.  I've never started with whole vine and broke it apart myself but I can see how the above would be true.

I just figured he was asking whether to brew shreds of it or chunks of whole vine.  And quite frankly, I don't think anyone brews the latter.  Maybe I misunderstood slightly though.  I dunno.

As far as the sediment goes, in only four times making aya I think I've pretty much perfected a way to minimize it.  I strain with cheesecloth after each boiling.  Then, after I have my final brew boiled down and everything, I pour it into this plastic water boiling thing that I have.  I don't actually plug it in or anything.  But this water boiling thing has a spout with a small plastic fine mesh screen in front of it.  That doesn't even get rid of all the sediment.  But then I put it in a jar and stick it in the fridge.  After a day or two any remaining sediment will have pretty much settled and hardened in the bottom of the jar.  I pour the liquid into another container and it's just about 100% sediment free.

I just find that powdered caapi seems to work better.  And I prefer brewing for a longer time too.  But those are just personal preferences.  Everyone should find what their own personal preferences are and I think that's a good way to put a piece of yourself into your brew.