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Looking for Recommendations on First Kava Purchase

EtherealElement

Kava Curious
oh, that just means I post a lot. I'm not really a heavy kava person, so you'd probably be better off asking the connosieurs of heavy. My fave goto heavies for when I need heavies would be Savusavu, Supreme, any kind of melomelo, Borogu, Solomon, a few others, but I'm really a rank amateur in the heavy dept.
Ha, well thanks for your honesty and advice anyway. So it sounds like I'm getting the same reccomendatioms, but, they, like you, seemed to be into heady kavas. Which, from all prior experience and preferences for sativa and such, and now even recent experiences specific to heady kava, I'm most likely going to enjoy the header ones. I'm looking to get a heavy one to help with getting off of painkillers. I Had/have a bad knee and had really bad knee pain, but since getting on painkillers I've had a procedure that worked and took care of like 80-90% of the pain (thank GOD) but am now stuck tapering off of painkillers that I no longer have any real reason to take. Lol, life, huh?
So that's why I was looking into that. Just putting it out there so anyone who has suggestions might see it and help out.:) it's a great message board. I've seen lots of people supporting each other getting off of alcohol and such. It all seems very supportive.
 

tarragon

Kava Curious
I'm actually about to drink some pouni Ono from kwk. It seems a little heady, but much less so than the loa waka. So would you compare the squanch as similar to the pouni Ono?

And now that you clarify that relaxing and sedating kavas aren't really considered to be 'euphoric' , then could you please reccomend some good, heavy, sedating kavas? Something that might make me think indica marijuana but kava? I know they're not comparable but in that they share a stimulating and sedating strain each. So Im Thinking couch lock, jammin to music, or watching some anime (; super chill, almost stoned feeling if possible?( Again referring to a state of relaxation, feeling cloudy behind the eyes if you know what I mean ? Like after a good meditation session or a long jog.
-Ethereal
Hmmm, seems like you might be looking for Mahakea.
 

EtherealElement

Kava Curious
congratulations, you crossed the bridge into kavaland, now as @recentreturn was so ably saying, it's now just a question of sorting out your individual tastes and preferences which will be special to you. The main task has been accomplished, though. Good liquid ratios and prep, btw, and it seems to have had the desired effect.
hey there, i'm trying to purchase from @GHK (is that how i tag??) but the cart says it's empty even after i add something to it. any clue? ]=
iwantmykava
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Ha, well thanks for your honesty and advice anyway. So it sounds like I'm getting the same reccomendatioms, but, they, like you, seemed to be into heady kavas. Which, from all prior experience and preferences for sativa and such, and now even recent experiences specific to heady kava, I'm most likely going to enjoy the header ones. I'm looking to get a heavy one to help with getting off of painkillers. I Had/have a bad knee and had really bad knee pain, but since getting on painkillers I've had a procedure that worked and took care of like 80-90% of the pain (thank GOD) but am now stuck tapering off of painkillers that I no longer have any real reason to take. Lol, life, huh?
So that's why I was looking into that. Just putting it out there so anyone who has suggestions might see it and help out.:) it's a great message board. I've seen lots of people supporting each other getting off of alcohol and such. It all seems very supportive.
Only thing I have to add here is some people have opposite reactions with kava, that is, the heavy kavas will make them energized, wired, even anxious, and the heady kavas knock em out for the count. Kind of hard to predict. Most people get heavy response to heavy kava and heady to heady but some folks, maybe 10 or 15% have opposite reactions.
 

BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC

Learn to love me, assemble the ways...
My loa waka came in yesterdayband Yes i think I do suffer from reverse tolerance but after a few doses I've been able to start feeling it. I used my all all and did 3 balls and 2 washes with just room temp water and it was before the reverse tolerance build up, and it was an 'almost there' sort of feeling but still very nice. Later I did 3 balls 4 washes ( extra from wash before) and chugged half of the like 30 oz or so that I ended up with, and got almost fidgety, like too much coffee, but after a while it mellowed out and was very nice. I think I just got too big for my britches too fast, and after reading it sounds like I'd enjoy it more if I drank it cup by cup over a longer time. Which is actually what I did before. But I, a little anxious to try it because of how edgy I felt at first the second time.
Today my poni ono arrived and I realize I ordered another heady side kava. This one reads to be more mild but like you said, after reading so many reviews I see multiple reviews saying al,ost opposite things. I guess I just have to look go majority's and trends.
So now I have 2 heady kavas I'm looking for a sedating/ relaxing one. Really I do want something euphoric though, so it's looking like Borogu or Vula waka. But I am only really looking at Kalm with kava, so any reccomendatioms would be super appreciated.
I react similarly to KWK Loa Waka. I am past reverse tolerance, at least, I think so but it would be great if I am not and could still get more effects from the kava after almost a month of daily drinking! However, KWK Loa Waka gives me a more calm feeling to begin with but then I seem to get anxiety with it later on and follow with Vula Waka for sleep. Weird. I do feel this might be situational or even RT with that strain, as I only have 1/2lb bag and haven't even gone through the entire thing yet. I mix it with Kava Supreme from Kavafied (also on Amazon, if you wish, it is labeled as a strong/heavy strain). I do get the strong/heavy effects from it but that's what I'm looking for as I am weaning off benzos and need muscle relaxation and calm. There are kavas for all different situations, I have found, for myself. I have a cupboard FULL of kava, all recommended on these forums! I went a bit nuts, justifying that it is my health at stake. :) Well, it is! I am a daily "sipper" of kava. All day. So, even with our intentions being different (mine for daily sipping and calm effects and yours the opposite in focus), I feel like we have the same reaction to KWK Loa Waka. I am chalking it up to RT at this point! Good luck and enjoy your kava! I always enjoy it, even the taste. It's a beverage for me (I never say, "take" or "use" because my action is to "enjoy" kava). Bula!
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I react similarly to KWK Loa Waka. I am past reverse tolerance, at least, I think so but it would be great if I am not and could still get more effects from the kava after almost a month of daily drinking! However, KWK Loa Waka gives me a more calm feeling to begin with but then I seem to get anxiety with it later on and follow with Vula Waka for sleep. Weird. I do feel this might be situational or even RT with that strain, as I only have 1/2lb bag and haven't even gone through the entire thing yet. I mix it with Kava Supreme from Kavafied (also on Amazon, if you wish, it is labeled as a strong/heavy strain). I do get the strong/heavy effects from it but that's what I'm looking for as I am weaning off benzos and need muscle relaxation and calm. There are kavas for all different situations, I have found, for myself. I have a cupboard FULL of kava, all recommended on these forums! I went a bit nuts, justifying that it is my health at stake. :) Well, it is! I am a daily "sipper" of kava. All day. So, even with our intentions being different (mine for daily sipping and calm effects and yours the opposite in focus), I feel like we have the same reaction to KWK Loa Waka. I am chalking it up to RT at this point! Good luck and enjoy your kava! I always enjoy it, even the taste. It's a beverage for me (I never say, "take" or "use" because my action is to "enjoy" kava). Bula!
I like the way you're finding your way. Seems the learning curve to kava is pretty simple and goes like

1. know nothing, make a bunch of mistakes

2. know the basics, make far fewer mistakes, start to have some good times

3. Really picking up particulars, rarely make mistakes or except on purpose, have a really good time fairly often and start to feel really good things as the systemic effects kick in now that your body has adapted.

4. Fine tuning. Finding out more and more that some things that work for others, even for everybody else, do not work for you, but others hit you in ways others don't feel. You gravitate somewhat naturally to your path because you get both positive and negative feedback loops guiding you to it, so your path is adapted to your specific needs and desires and dynamics.
 

BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC

Learn to love me, assemble the ways...
I like the way you're finding your way. Seems the learning curve to kava is pretty simple and goes like

1. know nothing, make a bunch of mistakes

2. know the basics, make far fewer mistakes, start to have some good times

3. Really picking up particulars, rarely make mistakes or except on purpose, have a really good time fairly often and start to feel really good things as the systemic effects kick in now that your body has adapted.

4. Fine tuning. Finding out more and more that some things that work for others, even for everybody else, do not work for you, but others hit you in ways others don't feel. You gravitate somewhat naturally to your path because you get both positive and negative feedback loops guiding you to it, so your path is adapted to your specific needs and desires and dynamics.
Great breakdown of the beginning of kava use! :) Yes, I did loads of research and love being on the forums as well. My cupboard and pocket book can attest to the fact that I am still trying many many new kavas and enjoying every bit of it! Much like yourself, I am a daily drinker and I do enjoy the taste of the ones that I have tried so far. I may just associate it with the lessened anxiety, which is considerably lowered, even after decreasing benzo use. Kava is a wonderful beverage! BTW, you had mentioned somewhere, the vehicle in which you comsume your kava. It started with a "B"?? This helps you keep dermo at bay, if I remember the thread correctly (not that I could find it again!). If so, I'd like to try to obtain a "B" type vessle to consume my kava as well. :D Thank you for wise info. from a seasoned Kava drinker!
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Great breakdown of the beginning of kava use! :) Yes, I did loads of research and love being on the forums as well. My cupboard and pocket book can attest to the fact that I am still trying many many new kavas and enjoying every bit of it! Much like yourself, I am a daily drinker and I do enjoy the taste of the ones that I have tried so far. I may just associate it with the lessened anxiety, which is considerably lowered, even after decreasing benzo use. Kava is a wonderful beverage! BTW, you had mentioned somewhere, the vehicle in which you comsume your kava. It started with a "B"?? This helps you keep dermo at bay, if I remember the thread correctly (not that I could find it again!). If so, I'd like to try to obtain a "B" type vessle to consume my kava as well. :D Thank you for wise info. from a seasoned Kava drinker!
oh that, a bombilla, traditionally used for drinking the tea maté made from the herb yerba maté in South America. It is much appreciated there for its hydrating quality in a hot summers, but also for its enjoyable often smokey taste and a very mild caffeine kick which ranges from not noticable at all to quite pronounced, depending on the variety you buy. The second biggest consumers of maté are Syrians, where especially young men love to chain smoke cigarettes while they drink endless gourds of maté and this apparently has led to some sor of outbreak of cancer related to the extreme amounts of tobacco use involved and perhaps also irritation and inflamation from constantly putting that much hot liquid constantly through your mouth and throat. Anyway, traditionally you drink it out of a dried gourd, packing in a small handfull of the dried leaves (I like it elaborated with stems), and you use a special straw called a bombilla, so you are drinking fron the bottom of the gourd rather than the top, where the flavour is more concentrated. To keep from constantly spitting out soggy bits of yerba maté leaf at the bottom of the straw it is enclosed, often with a sort of spoon shape and there are little holes allowing the liquid, but not the solids, to pass up through the straw to your mouth. I recommend people use cheap metal bombillas rather than the expensive fancy ones you might prefer for yerba maté but you want a lot of holes, and smaller ones, rather than fewer larger ones, think 100 holes rather than 20. For me this is the last protection I have between my gut and the hard solid bits of peelings or whatever that somehow got past everything else in the straining and prepping process. Seems to work like a charm for me, though. It's nice having my hands back, never getting sties.... I mean, I didn't have dermo bad, but it was still annoying.
 

BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC

Learn to love me, assemble the ways...
oh that, a bombilla, traditionally used for drinking the tea maté made from the herb yerba maté in South America. It is much appreciated there for its hydrating quality in a hot summers, but also for its enjoyable often smokey taste and a very mild caffeine kick which ranges from not noticable at all to quite pronounced, depending on the variety you buy. The second biggest consumers of maté are Syrians, where especially young men love to chain smoke cigarettes while they drink endless gourds of maté and this apparently has led to some sor of outbreak of cancer related to the extreme amounts of tobacco use involved and perhaps also irritation and inflamation from constantly putting that much hot liquid constantly through your mouth and throat. Anyway, traditionally you drink it out of a dried gourd, packing in a small handfull of the dried leaves (I like it elaborated with stems), and you use a special straw called a bombilla, so you are drinking fron the bottom of the gourd rather than the top, where the flavour is more concentrated. To keep from constantly spitting out soggy bits of yerba maté leaf at the bottom of the straw it is enclosed, often with a sort of spoon shape and there are little holes allowing the liquid, but not the solids, to pass up through the straw to your mouth. I recommend people use cheap metal bombillas rather than the expensive fancy ones you might prefer for yerba maté but you want a lot of holes, and smaller ones, rather than fewer larger ones, think 100 holes rather than 20. For me this is the last protection I have between my gut and the hard solid bits of peelings or whatever that somehow got past everything else in the straining and prepping process. Seems to work like a charm for me, though. It's nice having my hands back, never getting sties.... I mean, I didn't have dermo bad, but it was still annoying.
Thank you so much for all of this information. I will get one and, hopefully, not experience dermo or, at least, not severe. A great device, indeed!
 

Camaytoc

Kava Enthusiast
oh that, a bombilla, traditionally used for drinking the tea maté made from the herb yerba maté in South America. It is much appreciated there for its hydrating quality in a hot summers, but also for its enjoyable often smokey taste and a very mild caffeine kick which ranges from not noticable at all to quite pronounced, depending on the variety you buy. The second biggest consumers of maté are Syrians, where especially young men love to chain smoke cigarettes while they drink endless gourds of maté and this apparently has led to some sor of outbreak of cancer related to the extreme amounts of tobacco use involved and perhaps also irritation and inflamation from constantly putting that much hot liquid constantly through your mouth and throat. Anyway, traditionally you drink it out of a dried gourd, packing in a small handfull of the dried leaves (I like it elaborated with stems), and you use a special straw called a bombilla, so you are drinking fron the bottom of the gourd rather than the top, where the flavour is more concentrated. To keep from constantly spitting out soggy bits of yerba maté leaf at the bottom of the straw it is enclosed, often with a sort of spoon shape and there are little holes allowing the liquid, but not the solids, to pass up through the straw to your mouth. I recommend people use cheap metal bombillas rather than the expensive fancy ones you might prefer for yerba maté but you want a lot of holes, and smaller ones, rather than fewer larger ones, think 100 holes rather than 20. For me this is the last protection I have between my gut and the hard solid bits of peelings or whatever that somehow got past everything else in the straining and prepping process. Seems to work like a charm for me, though. It's nice having my hands back, never getting sties.... I mean, I didn't have dermo bad, but it was still annoying.
I didn't get it. Are you using the mate gourde? I have hard time to understand how you can retain kava powder any better with that straw then a 75 micron strainer.
But it vividly interesting me because I am at the sunburn stage...
 

EtherealElement

Kava Curious
I react similarly to KWK Loa Waka. I am past reverse tolerance, at least, I think so but it would be great if I am not and could still get more effects from the kava after almost a month of daily drinking! However, KWK Loa Waka gives me a more calm feeling to begin with but then I seem to get anxiety with it later on and follow with Vula Waka for sleep. Weird. I do feel this might be situational or even RT with that strain, as I only have 1/2lb bag and haven't even gone through the entire thing yet. I mix it with Kava Supreme from Kavafied (also on Amazon, if you wish, it is labeled as a strong/heavy strain). I do get the strong/heavy effects from it but that's what I'm looking for as I am weaning off benzos and need muscle relaxation and calm. There are kavas for all different situations, I have found, for myself. I have a cupboard FULL of kava, all recommended on these forums! I went a bit nuts, justifying that it is my health at stake. :) Well, it is! I am a daily "sipper" of kava. All day. So, even with our intentions being different (mine for daily sipping and calm effects and yours the opposite in focus), I feel like we have the same reaction to KWK Loa Waka. I am chalking it up to RT at this point! Good luck and enjoy your kava! I always enjoy it, even the taste. It's a beverage for me (I never say, "take" or "use" because my action is to "enjoy" kava). Bula!
Well your right about my personal preference for the feeling I enjoy being the heady ones,
However I am I'm a very similair boat, tapering from high doses of prescribed painkillers for a pain condition I've since had treated and 80-90% resolved. Due to that I am more in need pf larger quantities of heavy and sedating kavas, with a bag or so of some mo'i or the like to enjoy when I'm feeling well.
And keep pushing! I was prescribed a ton of Valium before and I just decided it was doing more harm than good, now that I'm not taking it I can't believe what a mess I was with it.
All the best
-Ethereal
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I didn't get it. Are you using the mate gourde? I have hard time to understand how you can retain kava powder any better with that straw then a 75 micron strainer.
But it vividly interesting me because I am at the sunburn stage...
no, I never use a maté gourd for anything except maté. I use a bombilla to drink maté, and I use a bombilla to drink kava, but they are different bombillas with different features.

FWIW I don't think that the bombilla is filtering, which is why you don't see the difference with a strainer. What it does, I believe, is position the source of the grog differently when you are drinking, so that you are drinking from the parts of the shell where there is lower concentrations of the hard sediment which might cause dermo. Most of that hard stuff, of course, is drawn by its own weight to settle at the bottom but even if your bombilla is touching the bottom of your glass or shell, where you are sucking up grog from is above that, by several millimeters or more, far enough that you don't get larger particles being sucked through the holes in the bombilla. You can see very easily by comparing what is left in the bottom using a bombilla vs not using one.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
I react similarly to KWK Loa Waka. I am past reverse tolerance, at least, I think so but it would be great if I am not and could still get more effects from the kava after almost a month of daily drinking! However, KWK Loa Waka gives me a more calm feeling to begin with but then I seem to get anxiety with it later on and follow with Vula Waka for sleep. Weird. I do feel this might be situational or even RT with that strain, as I only have 1/2lb bag and haven't even gone through the entire thing yet. I mix it with Kava Supreme from Kavafied (also on Amazon, if you wish, it is labeled as a strong/heavy strain). I do get the strong/heavy effects from it but that's what I'm looking for as I am weaning off benzos and need muscle relaxation and calm. There are kavas for all different situations, I have found, for myself. I have a cupboard FULL of kava, all recommended on these forums! I went a bit nuts, justifying that it is my health at stake. :) Well, it is! I am a daily "sipper" of kava. All day. So, even with our intentions being different (mine for daily sipping and calm effects and yours the opposite in focus), I feel like we have the same reaction to KWK Loa Waka. I am chalking it up to RT at this point! Good luck and enjoy your kava! I always enjoy it, even the taste. It's a beverage for me (I never say, "take" or "use" because my action is to "enjoy" kava). Bula!
If you and @EtherealElement are having issues with kava making you anxious etc., you might try kavas with lower amounts of yangonin' (#3 in the chemotype); I can't make any promises, but several people (myself included) have theorized that it can be a culprit behind some of the anxiety. It is often claimed that it has some agonizing effect at some of the cannabinoid receptors; and it is well known that agonizing cannabinoid receptors can cause anxiety/paranoia in some people. Nambawan was my first reacquaintance with a higher yangonin kava in quite a while. Didn't quite get me anxious, but felt like it was approaching the line. I kindof have a love hate relationship with yangonin; can make me feel jittery and anxious, but I, personally, think it also changes the "kavain rush" in an interesting sort of way. But always tough to really figure out what is doing what.
 
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BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC

Learn to love me, assemble the ways...
If you guys are having issues with kava making you anxious etc., you might try kavas with lower amounts of yangonin' (#3 in the chemotype); I can't make any promises, but several people (myself included) have theorized that it can be a culprit behind some of the anxiety. It is often claimed that it has some agonizing effect at some of the cannabinoid receptors; and it is well known that agonizing cannabinoid receptors can cause anxiety/paranoia in some people. Nambawan was my first reacquaintance with a higher yangonin kava in quite a while. Didn't quite get me anxious, but felt like it was approaching the line. I kindof have a love hate relationship with yangonin; can make me feel jittery and anxious, but I, personally, think it also changes the "kavain rush" in an interesting (an sort of way. But always tough to really figure out what is doing what.
So, would you suggest I drink Nambawan at work then? Since I am rushing about? Or, will my hour ride home be unsafe (ie, falling asleep at the wheel!). I found KWK Borogu is perfect for work but I am still trying types of kava with all that I have in my cupboard. I have Nambawan to use. I have not opened it yet. Just made a strong batch of Kava Supreme to add to yesterday's batch (finished off the bag) and the newest Kavafied Lapita to review tonight. So, after my workout, I'll be starting with Lapita. I have the day/weekend off to try whatever I'd like. Man, it's like a kid in a candy store! lol. Well, I refuse to waste. So, I have one full gallon of kava prepped already. I drink as much or as little as needed. Today, I presume more since I am doing cardio which tends to keep my HR high for quite awhile. :) For the love of Kava! :D
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
So, would you suggest I drink Nambawan at work then? Since I am rushing about? Or, will my hour ride home be unsafe (ie, falling asleep at the wheel!). I found KWK Borogu is perfect for work but I am still trying types of kava with all that I have in my cupboard. I have Nambawan to use. I have not opened it yet. Just made a strong batch of Kava Supreme to add to yesterday's batch (finished off the bag) and the newest Kavafied Lapita to review tonight. So, after my workout, I'll be starting with Lapita. I have the day/weekend off to try whatever I'd like. Man, it's like a kid in a candy store! lol. Well, I refuse to waste. So, I have one full gallon of kava prepped already. I drink as much or as little as needed. Today, I presume more since I am doing cardio which tends to keep my HR high for quite awhile. :) For the love of Kava! :D
as one of the biggest nambawan fans in the universe with one of the chillest gigs in that same universe, and having consumed kava at work on hundreds of occasions, I still would not drink nambawan at work.

unless I become a male stripper, that is.

I wouldn't want the chance of anything ruining it. To me nambawan is purely a 100% pleasure kava, pleasure and only pleasure.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
as one of the biggest nambawan fans in the universe with one of the chillest gigs in that same universe, and having consumed kava at work on hundreds of occasions, I still would not drink nambawan at work.

unless I become a male stripper, that is.

I wouldn't want the chance of anything ruining it. To me nambawan is purely a 100% pleasure kava, pleasure and only pleasure.
lol!
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
So, would you suggest I drink Nambawan at work then? Since I am rushing about? Or, will my hour ride home be unsafe (ie, falling asleep at the wheel!). I found KWK Borogu is perfect for work but I am still trying types of kava with all that I have in my cupboard. I have Nambawan to use. I have not opened it yet. Just made a strong batch of Kava Supreme to add to yesterday's batch (finished off the bag) and the newest Kavafied Lapita to review tonight. So, after my workout, I'll be starting with Lapita. I have the day/weekend off to try whatever I'd like. Man, it's like a kid in a candy store! lol. Well, I refuse to waste. So, I have one full gallon of kava prepped already. I drink as much or as little as needed. Today, I presume more since I am doing cardio which tends to keep my HR high for quite awhile. :) For the love of Kava! :D
I can't really tell you what to do. Trial and error is the game. Just take into account that you can always play with lower doses.
 
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