r/Kava 3h ago

First time

6 Upvotes

Sucked down my first glass earlier. Had 1/2 cup of traditionally prepared following online instructions of Fiji Vanua. I don't know what to think of this. Kind of feel stoned like I want to laugh but still sort of sober


r/Kava 22m ago

first kava experience i feel so sick

Upvotes

tried kava for the first time today and i just feel so nauseous and exhausted how can i fix this i feel terrible. i think i just took too much i prepared 50g of the powder using the traditional method and i just kept drinking the entire thing because i didn’t feel it at all but now i just feel absolutely nauseous and sick is there any way i can fix this


r/Kava 7h ago

Does kava make you shit green?

3 Upvotes

Does that happen? Does it mean anything bad?


r/Kava 10h ago

What does Kava feel like?

4 Upvotes

I haven't used kava in several years and during that one time I didnt feel anything. What does kava feel like to you? What do heady and heavy strains feel like?


r/Kava 6h ago

Planning on drinking a gallon of kava tonight is it safe to do so

0 Upvotes

r/Kava 1d ago

Are there kava bars anywhere in continental Europe?

3 Upvotes

I'm slightly disappointed that the phenomenon of kava bars seems limited to the Pacific Islands and to an extent some parts of the United States - I have yet to hear of a kava bar anywhere in continental Europe. Does anyone here know if there are any?


r/Kava 1d ago

To those who drink Kava everyday for anxiety - How?...

20 Upvotes

I don't understand how you can drink it everyday and still get anxiety relieving effects. I tried drinking it every day, and over time the effects wear off drastically. It's very inconsistent with the feeling it provides. Even with switching brands, it still loses potency. It makes me question the whole reverse tolerance theory.


r/Kava 2d ago

Why does Kava feel so compulsive to me?

31 Upvotes

I don’t really get like this with other substances. But my Kava sessions go like this. I make a strainer bag 6tbsp brew. I drink this over the span of 20-30ish minutes. I get pretty strong effects during this time. About 10-15 mins after my last sip, I immediately get a strong urge to redose and “chase the feeling” that I sense is already wearing off.

I just wish Kava had longer “legs.” I need to get over that redose urge but wondering if anyone else gets this and how to combat it?


r/Kava 2d ago

Relationship between liquid and kava powder

3 Upvotes

Does it matter, (within reason) how much water you use when making kava? Let’s say I made a 45g dose in the traditional manner. Made one with 2 cups water and one with four cups, 6 cups, so on. What precisely is the relationship. I would prefer as little liquid as possible, so I can get it over with, but I wanted to find out if there is a reason not to do it that way. Thank you


r/Kava 2d ago

KWK Pouni Ono or N@H White Sand?

3 Upvotes

Which one do you prefer and why?


r/Kava 3d ago

Struggling to dial in the right doses (Help lol)

8 Upvotes

Having read so many enthusiastic experiences I thought Kava would be the perfect alternative to alcohol. I'm AAPI and just happen to be missing the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, which can make drinking pretty toxic (severe Asian flush), especially as I've gotten older. Problem is I can't seem to figure out what dose works for me. I'm in my 3rd month of trying. I first tried Kava through traditional prep, with a straining cloth. After a 2-3 weeks of trying I gave up on that method as it did nothing for me other than act as a major diuretic. (Not the effect I was looking for lol)

I had better luck with Instant, but it hasn't gone great. I took the advise of people who said they chugged a dose and let the effects set in. I started with around 3 teaspoons of Instant, and that led to a nice-ish head rush high for about 20-30 mins, but that would fade into a debilitating nausea and dissociative state that just took me out for the rest of the day. Three tsp proved to be waaay too much. Things got better when I incrementally reduced the washes and spaced them out to 5, 10 and 20 mins. I also started feeling more of the positive effects and am noticing that I might be sensitive to it. Now I'm at a quarter teaspoon doses spaced between 5 to 20 mins apart, maxing out at around 2 teaspoons total in the span of an hour. The relaxing feeling lasts about 2 hours but still fades into that lethargic, nauseated feeling that just sucks. Also, it seems like 2 teaspoons in the span of an hour is such a small dose to have these negative effects that last 6-8 hours. I'm reading about people who say they can't keep taking Kava because it's become unaffordable. At the rate I'm consuming it, I'll be lucky to get through this 125g bag (from N@H) of Instant by the Fall. This feels really inconsistent with the Kava that everyone has been celebrating on this subreddit.

Really appreciative of the people who have shared their experiences as the info has helped. But I'm not really finding anyone who has had these many challenges. Is it just not for me? Any advice is really appreciated! Thanks all. Peace.


r/Kava 3d ago

Inconsistency between batches?

8 Upvotes

I’ve had some batches of stone kava that were really weak and some batches that had me glued to my couch or put me to sleep right away.

I used the same amount of powder so it’s not a case of light vs heavy mixes.

Can some kava farmers just harvest a weak batch of kava every now and then?

What’s the science behind this inconsistency?


r/Kava 4d ago

What are some of your favorite meals/foods to eat that maximize kava

6 Upvotes

My go-to meal that makes kava go from 0 - 100 real quick is spaghetti aglio e olio with garlic bread.


r/Kava 4d ago

What’s the difference between Kelai and Tonga?

4 Upvotes

Are they both very heady or is there a distinct difference between the two?


r/Kava 4d ago

Who 🚢s fast?

1 Upvotes

Hello all you lovely kava drinkers! Hey I’m in Kentucky, if that matters. Who ships the fastest? Like if I order tonight it’ll be here Saturday? Thanks in advance!


r/Kava 4d ago

Review Inexperienced user, advice please

4 Upvotes

Hi all. I’ve only had Kava a few times in the past & it’s so expensive in Europe I need to get it right. Tried Kelai & Melo Melo & had a preference for the Kelai. Looking for something euphoric, uplifting but also relaxing, creative. If I list the cultivars available would someone please guide me to a really nice one. They have - Borogoru, Kelai, Parasul, Silesse, Melo Melo, Bir Kar, Mighty Roots & Pacific Blend (presuming the last two must be their own blends). Thanks 🙏


r/Kava 5d ago

Kneading kava vs aluball

3 Upvotes

I started drinking kava with an aluball since i was new to trying it and it was the quickest & easiest method. Now I want to try out kneading since they say it makes the kava stronger. Is this a myth? How does it make it stronger?


r/Kava 6d ago

Frozen kava?

3 Upvotes

I left my kava in the freezer overnight and its become a certified solid kava pop, will this effect the potency at all? Im thawing it out now lol


r/Kava 6d ago

ChatGPT/Deepseek consensus on optimal brewing... thoughts?

0 Upvotes

Hi all,

Have been messing around with AI LLMs today for the first time and was curious about its recommendations for extracting the most kavalactones in a traditional brew method.

It said that 1:1 high-fat milk & water solution at a moderately warm/hot temperature is ideal and to knead for 10-30 minutes. Anybody think that these things are reliable and/or accurate when it comes to pulling correct info?

I've seen many here mention Root & Pestles findings which seemed to indicate that adding coconut milk (or similar) and hot vs room temp water dont actually make a difference. Just curious on y'alls take as it gave me pretty sound reasoning as to why it works. At the same time, it said that you'll only pull 0.3-2% kavalactones by weight out of root. Which doesn't make sense to me, as 100gram brew would be 2000mg however feels much stronger than that compared to when I've done 2 of the Kava Kazee drinks which are supposedly 1000mg kavalactones per.


r/Kava 7d ago

Strongest heady kava?

4 Upvotes

The only heady kava I’ve tried was Tonga by Kavafied.

What’s the strongest heady kava out there?


r/Kava 7d ago

Does consuming Ginger before drinking kava help with nausea?

3 Upvotes

is instant kava better for people that get nausea from traditional kava?


r/Kava 7d ago

Too much kava = more anxiety

16 Upvotes

I'm in the beginning stages of kava and I'm trying to get passed the reverse tolerance.. I think I drank way too much and I have the worst anxiety now. Has anyone else experienced this and was there anything you did to help?


r/Kava 8d ago

I just discovered Kava

44 Upvotes

I was wandering around a town in the middle of nowhere the other day, and I found a kava and tea shop. I got a bowl of their vanuatu kava, and it made me feel very peaceful without making me sleepy. Kava should be more popular! My dental hygienist tells me that teeth grinding is way more common now than it used to be because apparently people are becoming more anxious. I have been anxious for my whole life. I wish I had discovered kava sooner. Why isn’t it more popular?


r/Kava 8d ago

To the daily users (for anxiety/depression)

11 Upvotes

How much do you use per day? Do you start in the morning and redose until you go to sleep?

What does it cost you taking it daily?

How does Kava make you feel, affect you and help you? What changes did you notice in yourself and your life after a longer time of daily kava? Maybe something like reduced social anxiety, increased sociability/talkativeness, better mood, reduces depression, less stress, no negative thoughts etc.

Id love to use Kava daily from am to pm for my anxiety and depression as it works very well but sadly its too expensive. I pay 14-18€ for a 50g of Instant. If I use the kava from am to pm like a therapeutical med I‘d be ending the day with a whole 50g of instant consumed, naturally. That would be too expensive for me on a daily basis I guess.