Seeking information about Kava

[benwahl]

I've been doing a little reading and wanted to try Kava. Does any one know of a good trusted source. When I googled it there were a ton and It seem like something you should get from a trusted vender. Also, any personal experience with Kava would be cool.

[shah8]

I'm your man...Drinking Kava for 15 years now...

What specifically do you want out of kava, though? Do you know?

[benwahl]

I'm your man...Drinking Kava for 15 years now...

What specifically do you want out of kava, though? Do you know?

I really enjoy the relaxing feeling I get from drinking pu-erh. It also seems to wire me out a little/ meaning I stay up late. I was thinking the Kava would be a cool change of pace and from what I've read so far it seems to have a relaxing quality along with a mental alertness that sounds cool. The relaxing part of drinking tea rather than coffee was a surprise to me- I've been a lot less stressed out. So... I guess I'm looking to see if Kava might be an enjoyable addition to my bag of tricks. Would really love to know what you get out of it and any tips on the best way to enjoy it. By the way- I've ordered some sheng from your recommendations and also quite a few other samples- I'm sipping some YS- 2011 " Ba Da Mountain right now 10s,10s,15s, a little bitter but I like the citrus and hops notes in the background- over all a mellow tea.

[Taylor of Bank Street]

I bought from a company based in Quebec back in the Fall.
I'm not a regular drinker so I have no reference points outside of this single purchase.
Worked for me...

http://www.tranceplants.net/

[shah8]

These are the big suppliers...

For Hawaiian kava...

http://hawaiiankava.com/products.html

http://paradisekava.com/

http://mauikava.com/

There is only one real South Seas Kava supplier

http://www.nakamalathome.com/

There is also http://www.kickbackwithkava.com/ I've ordered from them a very long time ago, still have 10yo kava!

Okay...next thing

For Hawaiian Kava, the two standard top grade kavas are made from either the Black Hiwa or the Purple Moi. In fact, you more or less have to check Hawaiian Kava Center on a regular basis if you specifically want pure of either of those. Mauikava has them in tincture form. Another, much less known top grade strain is honokane'iki--if you spot *that* in non-tincture form, grab it sight unseen. The major strain in most kava is Mahakea, which is always pretty much available, because there is much less demand for it. Hawaiians drink up most of the kava they grow. The next significant strain is Ise or Tuday (Two Day), which is a heavy hitting South Seas varietal grown in Hawaii. This is the Hawaiian Kava you'd want to use for getting smashed.

South Seas varietals are pretty much infinite, since this is where kava, and its close cousin, black pepper, originates from. Most kava from the South Seas comes from Vanuatu. Some will come from Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.

Now, as you see, there are two major kinds of kava, Hawaiian, and everyone else. Your top stuff Hawaiian kava is something that tends to not mess with alertness, is euphoric (but not like crack, okay?), and has relatively strong tendency to promote socialization. It also has strong anti-anxiety properties. Black Hiwa and Purple Moi were meant for the top of the polynesian social heirarchy for their mind-altering properties. The former, but really both, strongly promotes vivid dreams. Etc, etc, etc, why any group likes their psychotropics. Mahakea is not very strongly acting on the mind, but more relaxing of the body. One would take that after a hard day's physical labor, for instance.

South Seas kavas (including the Tuday, which is still difference because of soil and climate, but...) are meant you get you stoned and but good. These guys are not euphoric, and while they wouldn't mess with your reflexes much, the main difference between this and alcohol is that you know you're too inebriated and your impluse control and judgement isn't impaired. Hence the appeal for a bit of solitary drinking. You might get hangovers, though, as the name tuday might suggest.

I do think that the relaxing high is very similar to the qi of older puerh, and certain younger puerhs like the '06 YQH Gushu Chawang, but with no caffeine. Numbs parts of your face as well, pleasantly My suggestion for you is that Hawaiian kava is the most guilt-free, tho' you might take to South Seas quickly for whatever reason. Paradise Kava, while they don't do specific varietals, have a very good reputation for delivering a good blend. I think, for a start, you could do worse than trying this product:
http://www.paradisekava.com/Kava-Ext...tract-p27.html

Grab whatever that looks most friendly on the nakamul@home site--they're all sorta good, but pick a Vanuatu kava to start with. Fiji, PPNG, are very strong tasting, strong acting kavas. Then try it with the classical strong prep. I don't usually do that. I usually do a fifth of a teaspoon and drink it with juice. I don't like being drunk, and I don't need much to take it easy. Hence, I've ten years and older kava still around, even though I do partake of them regularly--sorta like debunix at TeaChat and her 1g puerh prep! Kava typically does not taste good. Some do, like the Black Hiwa that I have, which is kinda light earthy/chocolaty in an ovaltine way. Others are pleasantly black pepperish. Most just don't taste very good.

Kava does have hassle in the sense that there was a scare some years ago, in Germany that Kava is bad for your liver. Drinking a lot of very badly prepared kava (with the wrong plant parts) will do that, but I believe (without going into the usual anti-science paroxysms like the vaccines cause autism folks) that this was a fake controversy in light that kava, especially hawaiian kava, is a reasonably effective spot treatment for anxiety and mild depression. I certainly take it whenever my head is circling in angry/frustrated thoughts that don't let go. Therefore, specifically for anxiety, and not depression, kava might be as competitive as a remedy as Xanax and other benzodiazepenes, especially for light sufferers, and that is something pharm companies are aware of. Furthermore, the US can take really silly attitudes about anything weird in the druggy way. Customs can be a problem, as anyone who've ever imported puerh tea more than a few years ago can attest. One can't get Solomon islands kava for some stupid reasons regarding certifications, right now, for instance...

Okay, that's enough for now...

P.S., one last thing...There's a reverse tolerance issue with Kava. You might have to take it a bunch of times before your body really starts reacting to it.

[valleyrider]

In Fiji all the vendors there love to have the tourists drink up a bunch of kava before they ever talk business. They grow it all over the place and the more they can get you to drink the more they can get into your wallet.

[benwahl]

Thanks shah8 for all the information. I defiantly don't want to feel drunk but like the idea of being relaxed. I think I'll start off trying the ground powder instead of the extract- I've just always felt the more natural the better.

[poison]

I buy whole powdered kava root from a local fijian market, been using it for years now as well. I like it a lot. In my experience, extracts are way inferior; whole root is better. I have tried Hawaiian kava, and was not impressed; but don't know the legitimacy of what I ordered, so I certainly can't infer that it all sucks. I may look into some of the types outlined above.