Kava Blending principles

[Thomas2060]

I'm interested in experimenting with different combinations of kava, but I'm unsure how to find the right balance between too little of each, and too much overall.

For example, I currently have two micronized kavas from Bula Kava House, Nambawan and 11 Year Waka. With the Nambawan, 3.5 tablespoons is enough to blast me into space for an evening. But the 11 Year, I need 5 tablespoons to have a similarly strong, lasting effect.

I've tried having reduced amounts of each one about 20 minutes apart -- like 2 tbsp Nambawan, 3 tbsp 11 Year -- each in 6-8 oz of liquid. I've also tried those amounts at the same time in 12 oz of liquid. But in both cases the effect ends up being kind of vague and weak, and therefore unsatisfying. There's not quite enough of either to really impact me the way I want, therefore it ends up disappointing and feeling like a waste of kava.

But obviously -- for a relative newcomer like me anyway -- consuming both at full strength (8-9 tbsp total) in the same time frame would be too much. I've had too much before a couple times and experienced upset stomach and/or an unpleasantly fucked up mental state.

So how do people make effective combinations of kava?

 

[Zaphod]

I'm interested in experimenting with different combinations of kava, but I'm unsure how to find the right balance between too little of each, and too much overall.

For example, I currently have two micronized kavas from Bula Kava House, Nambawan and 11 Year Waka. With the Nambawan, 3.5 tablespoons is enough to blast me into space for an evening. But the 11 Year, I need 5 tablespoons to have a similarly strong, lasting effect.

I've tried having reduced amounts of each one about 20 minutes apart -- like 2 tbsp Nambawan, 3 tbsp 11 Year -- each in 6-8 oz of liquid. I've also tried those amounts at the same time in 12 oz of liquid. But in both cases the effect ends up being kind of vague and weak, and therefore unsatisfying. There's not quite enough of either to really impact me the way I want, therefore it ends up disappointing and feeling like a waste of kava.

But obviously -- for a relative newcomer like me anyway -- consuming both at full strength (8-9 tbsp total) in the same time frame would be too much. I've had too much before a couple times and experienced upset stomach and/or an unpleasantly fucked up mental state.

So how do people make effective combinations of kava?

It depends on what I am looking for. A lot of times I will take a well rounded kava like Mahakea and depending on my mood add something that was headier like a Moi or something heavier like Squanch. Other times I am looking to broaden the experience - for example just the other night I mixed 50% nambawan with 25% Freshfiji waka and 25% Fresh Fiji Lawana and had a great experience. Superstrong, great headiness, great body, and zonked me out like baseball bat to the head. In general my recommendation would be to mix unlike kava's together to get a more broad exposure to different Kavalactones.