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Anytime Kavas?

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I like to have a wide variety of kavas for a number of reasons. I like kava and the more the better, of course. Also, some kavas are more suitable for certain purposes, or times of the day. And the greater the variety going into a mongrel grog, the better it will be (IMO). But I like to make sure I know what are good anytime kavas, kavas that are good at any time, specifically when you are staring at the cupboard and can't make up your mind, yet you can hear anticipatory drooling from the other room as folks want you to just get on with it.

So far, my totally reliable anytime kavas, for any time of the day or night, any mood, any anything and you KNOW it will be both good and appropriate, especially as people commend you on your excellent choice, are listed below.

Keep in mind here that it doesn't have to be great kava. e.g. KT produces excellent kavas but they are all so good and so special I would hesitate to put any of them in the anytime category, except Taveuni's Lawena which is no more, alas. And as an anytime that rules out strong kava that might prevent you from working or doing chores or being sociable as required.

My initial candidates, and I am hoping others might join in:

Squanch Lawena

Canopy Botanicals - Vanuatu Noble Kava

A 1:1 blend of Best Fijian Waka and Tikaram'S Kava Tonga

GHK Mahakea
 

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
I've heard Borogu is as "standard" as it gets over in Vanuatu but perhaps that's the popular "standard" that the West is familiar with and there are more local varieties that don't leave Vanuatu that they normally drink at the nakamals. You're probably onto something about lawenas in general being a great daily "anytime" kava for drinking throughout the day. I have no experience with lawena-specific kavas, alas. By the time I was convinced Fiji Fresh Kava had a great lawena, it went out of stock. I'm simply waiting for them to restock so I can give it a shot. I'd even be down to buy their whole lawena chips to grind up myself.
 

_byron

Kava Enthusiast
I always have at least one "anytime" kava on stock. To me an anytime kava is a one with a well balanced profile and not overly strong. Lately the rotations have been:

Wakacon Waka

GHK Mahakea

RoH Fijian
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I've heard Borogu is as "standard" as it gets over in Vanuatu but perhaps that's the popular "standard" that the West is familiar with and there are more local varieties that don't leave Vanuatu that they normally drink at the nakamals. You're probably onto something about lawenas in general being a great daily "anytime" kava for drinking throughout the day. I have no experience with lawena-specific kavas, alas. By the time I was convinced Fiji Fresh Kava had a great lawena, it went out of stock. I'm simply waiting for them to restock so I can give it a shot. I'd even be down to buy their whole lawena chips to grind up myself.
As I understand it, they'll never have that waka and that lawena again, they'll have some other waka and asome other lawena, but I would not be surprised if the next offering is as good or better, given such an obvious devotion to quality. Still I am also interested in actual hand pounded Fijian kavas, which are hard to find.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
I've heard Borogu is as "standard" as it gets over in Vanuatu but perhaps that's the popular "standard" that the West is familiar with and there are more local varieties that don't leave Vanuatu that they normally drink at the nakamals. You're probably onto something about lawenas in general being a great daily "anytime" kava for drinking throughout the day. I have no experience with lawena-specific kavas, alas. By the time I was convinced Fiji Fresh Kava had a great lawena, it went out of stock. I'm simply waiting for them to restock so I can give it a shot. I'd even be down to buy their whole lawena chips to grind up myself.
Borogu is nice; but I've found that it forces me to take a nap after about an hour. Not heavy in the sense of muscle relaxant, but headiness that turns into straight up droopy-eyed sleepiness (but I think I might have weird body chemistry). I do love how it seems to brighten the world around me for a little bit after it first takes effect.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
If you like lawena, try it! This is coming from a heavy Vanuatu fan, so if even I like 24 Wave, either I'm crazy or it's just that good.
I liked Fijifresh Lawena. After repeated use I decided I couldn't stand the milky neutral taste of Kava Vinaka's Lawena, my taste buds wanted it to decide whether it was funky milk or kava and it just wouldn't.
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
I always find that GHK Mahakea to be consistently an every time kava. Not too heavy, not to euphoric but right down the middle with good strength. I never have to worry about what time of day it is or what I have lined up for the rest of the evenings activities with it. A lot of other kavas that are in my pantry either go full tilt heady euphoria, or straight to couch mode and I have to choose carefully.
 

Blue Roads

Kava Enthusiast
I've become very partial to Kavafied's Bati. Just enough sedation without making me feel sluggish. Good happy making. Their Tonga has less sedation and reduces anxiety nicely.
 

Smoi

SKOL
Fiji Loa waka blend with Pouni ono.
Everyday if possible. Adjust ratios according to time of day/night.
Num num
 

sɥɐʞɐs

Avg. Dosage: 8 Tbsp. (58g)
Review Maestro
Anytime implies that it would be satisfactory at any time for any occasion, night or day or weekend. To me, that would be a well-balanced(perhaps leaning 'heady' slightly), potent and cleanly processed kava that I can adjust it's strength, via dosage/water ratio according to the time or situation I'm using it for and still have it be effective for all. (5 Star, Nambawan, 'Opihikao, KWK Melo, Palarasul...)

In this thread I'm seeing much more of a discussion about 'daytime' kavas than 'anytime' kavas. The stuff generally considered to be daytime kava, in my opinion, is clean, clear and light feeling, has one-sided headiness, very little body effect or sedation, which also typically is synonymous with weak, mild, barely perceptibly effective kava and definitely would not be sufficient for many other occasions or desired effects. To me, that takes all those out of the running for 'anytime' kavas. Granted, sometimes the perceived effects of a particular kava can be subjective to the individual.
::alubottle::
::shell::
::chugger::
 
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Zaphod

Kava Lover
Granted, sometimes the perceived effects of a particular kava can be subjective to the individual.
Not to follow in my teenager's footsteps but I see this written so often here on the forums, myself included, that I think we should come up with a new acronym and put it in the dictionary. Maybe instead of YMMV, Your Kava Experience May Vary. YKEMY has a nice ring to it.o_O
 
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