Any way to make kava taste better?

[kl.neal8929]

Hi, I am very new to Kava; this is actually my 3rd day using it and so far I like the effects, but not the taste. I mean really, Kava root powder is probably one of the most disgusting things I have ever eaten, both in texture and taste. I thought I would be able to be tough and chug it down but it turns out I really need to figure out a way to make this stuff bearable. I gag when I drink it.

What I have tried so far is to mix water and soy lecithin, and then add Kava powder. Then mix it in a blender, then strain that through a wire strainer. Finally I take the goop in the strainer and squeeze it out with a cheese cloth to get all the juice out. The final product does not have chunks in it, but still taste disgusting. I have tried adding chocolate powder, cinnamon, and cocoa, but it really does not help.

Any advice on how to make a decent Kava drink?

 

[uuku pi]

I think the best flavor fixer (for me) has been the addition of liquid creamer. I use french vanilla from Aldi ..but I believe any french vanilla would work. One time I added some Propel by mistake ...and it took the evil edge off. Sometimes it tastes good to me,but only if I have not done any for awhile and I am desperate to feel like I can get along with the humans who inhabit my area. Hope this helps. Have drunk a little borogu and a little fu'u today. The last few shells needed french vanilla.

 

[Prince Philip]

Retire the cheesecloth. Paradise and Kule'a both sell really nice Fijian strainer bags. Realkava.com also sells functionally equivalent strainer bags, but they lack the visual artistry.



Remember, you can always add more water. As many of my neurological peers on here will tell people, taste is often not a big deal compared to texture.



Sent from my DROID4 using Yuku app

 

[kl.Atreides]

Refrigerating the kava really mellows the taste for me. Rather than masking the grog with flavouring, I go for the almond milk (or any milk) chaser. It seems to wash the taste out of my mouth instantly.

 

[sentiententity]

One thing I've been doing is using Paradise's extract first to numb my tongue. That helps. I also add a lot of creamer, chocolate milk, and additional chocolate syrup to the mix to make it bearable.

 

[Ed!]

I like to grate some sharp cheddar cheese into my kava and sometimes add some chopped scallions and bacon. Tastes like a dream.



Really, dark chocolate almond milk is the best I've found in kava.

 

[kavalover]

One thing I've been doing is using Paradise's extract first to numb my tongue. That helps. I also add a lot of creamer, chocolate milk, and additional chocolate syrup to the mix to make it bearable.

I never thought about using their extract to numb my tongue... that's pretty smart though, combat kava with kava, I'm going to have to try that.

I usually just add ice cubes, cold brew is much easier to drink and eventually, you will either get accustomed to the taste or get accustomed to "how to drink kava" - The latter is very similar to taking shots of liquor, as in, a regular gulp will make you taste the alcohol immediately and you can "choke on the fire" lol. Thus, there's a certain way everyone teaches themselves to take shots. Very similar I've found I chug kava, chugging very fast and not breathing until a little while after I've chugged a shell, not much flavor remains when I start breathing again. If that even makes sense, I'm pretty krunked, it feels like I'm giving good advice anyway.

I've dabbled with adding coffee creamers into my kava, this works pretty well but is heavy on the stomach.

 

[The Kap'n]

Chilled helps and I second kavalover's advice on the drinking technique. Chug, don't breath, rinse your mouth out, and drink some more water before you take that first breath. Or if it's that bad keep your favorite gum on hand and after you drink rinse and then chew some gum real quick before you take that breath. Drinking kava has become some what of an art form. You'll get accustomed to it and the taste won't be as shocking.

 

[kavadude]

I will third or forth the advice to chill and chug. Beyond that, well, its basically putting lipstick on a pig. I also agree that its nice to have gum (or icebreakers or whatever) on hand for afterwards.



I also like to pretend I am about to down a big ol' glass of chocolate milk. Doesn't help the taste but it helps me start chugging at least.

 

[kl.el187joker]

brew it cold much much better tasting. the warmer the water the nastier the beverage.
*also i like to have a tootsie pop while drinking, well lately i been on a dumbdumb thing, love the blue ones lol.

 

[kl.new2kava]

I use coconut water instead of water and then chill it and it makes it more palatable. Also as someone said above, chugging and not sipping is the way to go.

 

[kl.nataliekobrapuke]

chase it with diarrhea

 

[kl.Lente]

Since this post has been dug up from the grave, here is what that inveterate whiner Troost describes, here is the best method. Find a place of beauty, think of poetry, chug, and try not to throw up for about ten seconds. Done.


Although Boroguru doesn't taste too bad for Kava.


And like all substances, as your consciousness becomes melded with the substance, the anti-pleasantries of consumption can be overlooked.

 

[Nihilist]

I've been drinking it for almost a year now. The taste still haunts me sometimes.

I've tried a lot of stuff to enhance it but it kinda makes it worse.

The numbing effect does something to my taste.

I'll eat things like kiwis after each chug somethings. Still doesn't help that much. The kava taste sits in my mouth for about 5-15mins maybe longer.

What ever you do don't put the Mio type water flavoring in it. I tried it before it was nasssty. I've tried milk before... didn't help either.


I really don't mind it. I find the numbing on taste interesting. I always like to eat a little bit after.

 

[Ed!]

One good trick to get the kava down when you're not feeling the taste is to use a straw, preferably a slightly wider one. I can definitely drink kava faster with less "bleh" that way.

 

[kl.Lente]

As many have stated before, I think the "bad" taste is part of the experience and a good one. It's like when the USA started to consider putting hot pepper extract in Oxycontin to discourage insufflation.

 

[odys1i]

Here is the BEST way to make kava taste better; GET USED TO IT

I love the strange taste of kava now, took me a minute to get used to though. In truth the very best flavoring I have found is either just plain old cane sugar, which is actually quite traditional or even better is pure maple syrup. Maple syrup makes me think of kava now because it blends so deliciously.

 

[kl.nataliekobrapuke]

on a serious note, i have much success with dentyne fire gum. this shit is soo concentrated cinnamon flavor, the flavor of a handful of wet hot garbage chewed and held in the mouth for five mins, then spat out, would be obliterated immediately by this gum. also epic about it is that it keeps your stomach empty for more kava, rather than filling it with random foodstuffs. if you must eat, may i recommend sunflower seeds (salted, in the shell). itd take four days worth of cracking/eating them to achieve one mouthful of them, so you wont be blocking absorption of the kava. hope that helps!

 

[The Kap'n]

The only way I've ever held back the taste of taste of kava is to not breath through my nose, then immediately rinse my mouth out with water.
Oh, that and chill. Make sure that stuff's cold.