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Powdered Kava Review Ambae's Kava

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
Had the first-time opportunity to drink Kava Time kava as of last night. How interesting it is that the kava retains the brick shape after you've broken the vacuum seal. That means it's quite laden with kavalactones holding it together. It takes a good bit of effort to get it all broken down back into normal loose kava. Not a big deal because I dispense it by weight instead of volume.

Grind: A mixture of fine to medium coarse. It has a few larger pieces, but you cannot feel them when kneading.

Prep: I did my normal prep routine. 40 grams of kava with 400ml of heated water (120°F, microwaved in Pyrex measuring cup for 1:20). You can instantly feel the quality of this kava once you begin the first knead. When a kava feels similar to kneading a bag of clay, you know you're in for a treat.

Taste: It's reminiscent of old time Vanuatu kavas. Peppery, with that bitter, almost rubber flavor that always underscores a good kava from Vanuatu. It's strong, but not overwhelming and the taste disappears pretty quickly. I didn't have issues with lingering unpleasant flavors.

Viscosity / Mouthfeel: On a 10:1 ratio batch you're getting the "whole milk" tier of kavas. It's thick, but it's potent. I found that using my Bula Kava House strainer kept all small particles from getting through so absolutely no grit on this batch.

Color: Your standard Vanuatu beige. Not dark and not too light. It's just right really. They should seriously name that a color. Someone call Pantone down here.

Effects: Yep. It's a keeper. I knew when I opened the bag that I was in for a ride. It knocks you around with that kavain kick at the forefront, and eases you into relaxation further in. Granted my "sampling" time is about 1/2 an hour, but by that point the sedative effects were already beginning to kick in. Wasn't as heavy as other Vanuatu kavas, but honestly sometimes you don't need that heavy sedation. I'd go as far as to say it's a balanced kava. A kava I would be very happy to sit with at the end of a long work day. Good for social settings too like a group of friends.

Quality: Probably one of the highest quality root powders that I've tried. Again upon opening the bag you can immediately tell it's a good quality root.

Kava time is a "hands on" vendor. A vendor working to improve the industry from the inside with today's technology. Just as this vendor's products are noble, so are his aspirations.

Keep up the amazing work. Personally I think I'm going to keep at least a LB of kava time's kava in my pantry.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
Very accurate review. This is one of the stronger kava products available. Taken to high doses, it's effect are on a similar level of my current Vanuatu favorite Nangol.

Kava Time is definitely one of the best of the newer vendors. Selective about the products he sells and very open... no secretive farms, information about the farmers, current pics, etc.
 
D

Deleted User01

Good review. Sounds like you got a batch of freshly harvested kava from a vendor who has good relationships with the farmers. No sitting around in a dank warehouse for that one. Good job Kava Times! However, if he is a member of the Kava Kartel, then I take it all back. :LOL:
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
Had to adjust my amounts down last night. I figured I would see an increase in effects once my system became used to the chemotype, and boy did I. I'm thinking 35 grams will be plenty tonight. Last night my arms quit working. This is some powerful kava.
 

mzii

Kava Curious
Is it safe to assume that once this batch runs out there will be no more of this stuff? It's one of my all time favorites so far, but I can't really justify ordering another lb at te moment so I guess I should just enjoy it while it lasts!
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
Mindlessly making kava last night I used my normal 40 grams and yet again nearly didn't make it to the bed. This kava reminds me of the old time Stone kava we used to drink back in the day. This is one of the few kavas that absolutely commands respect. I'm over a week now into consumption and it's opening itself up as a heady beast.

Kavas parallel in strength: Stone, Solomon, nangol noble. It's more similar to stone than the other two. Even the texture of the powder in the bag while kneading is similar.

Hardheads take note, you'll get what you're looking for from this kava.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
Mindlessly making kava last night I used my normal 40 grams and yet again nearly didn't make it to the bed. This kava reminds me of the old time Stone kava we used to drink back in the day. This is one of the few kavas that absolutely commands respect. I'm over a week now into consumption and it's opening itself up as a heady beast.

Kavas parallel in strength: Stone, Solomon, nangol noble. It's more similar to stone than the other two. Even the texture of the powder in the bag while kneading is similar.

Hardheads take note, you'll get what you're looking for from this kava.
This is very promising. I've tried it and there is an "old kava" feeling to it. I have to wonder though if we are starting to get older plants harvested and into the export market or if we are getting the local private reserve type of stuff since they had no choice but to harvest and ship it.
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
This is very promising. I've tried it and there is an "old kava" feeling to it. I have to wonder though if we are starting to get older plants harvested and into the export market or if we are getting the local private reserve type of stuff since they had no choice but to harvest and ship it.
That was one of my first thoughts when I opened the bag. It even kneads like the kavas we saw in the past.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
That was one of my first thoughts when I opened the bag. It even kneads like the kavas we saw in the past.
Also the smell when you open the bag... The first time I drank it, I made it really strong just in case it was a typical lower potency root that I've gotten too much of in the past 2 years. It was the first time in a long time that I got up and stumbled. The closest I've gotten to that in recent time was with the current Nangol batch. This Ambae has a more heavy sedation going on with it though.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
This is very promising. I've tried it and there is an "old kava" feeling to it. I have to wonder though if we are starting to get older plants harvested and into the export market or if we are getting the local private reserve type of stuff since they had no choice but to harvest and ship it.
When their Dokobana unexpectedly put me cross-eyed the other day, the fact that the plants were said to be 8 years old was one of the first things that came to mind. I've wondered if the seeming shifts in potency have been on account of harvesting younger plants. (If BKH ever made a medium grind version of their 11 year, I'd definitely try it.)
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
When their Dokobana unexpectedly put me cross-eyed the other day, the fact that the plants were said to be 8 years old was one of the first things that came to mind. I've wondered if the seeming shifts in potency have been on account of harvesting younger plants. (If BKH ever made a medium grind version of their 11 year, I'd definitely try it.)
Same here. I'm thinking age is probably the biggest factor in potency, especially when it comes to the longer lasting KLs. You can get a brief kavain buzz off of the weaker stuff but hours of relaxation followed by deep sleep seems to be a product of older plants. The Vanuatu act of 2002 lists a minimum of 5 years before harvesting plants for export. I have a feeling a lot of it on the market has been harvested in under 3 years.
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
I received this in the mail today, I got to say I like that little vacuum sealed brick. My initial impressions of this kava are that it's excellent and inline with kapm's review. I'll leave one after a few more days with it. I'll say this though, I barely made it past the first wash. :)
 

GussWest

Kava Enthusiast
All this talk about oily, greasy, d*ck-stompin', old root Ambae from a now desolate volcanic island has my kava romance flame alight.
Just dropped my order for four pounds of the stuff. Brick city.

I still have two bricks of the Savusavu in the freezer.
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
Every time I think about writing a review for this kava I am already krunked by it, this kava really limits my motivation to do much more beyond moving my mouse around. It's an excellent heavy kava, one of the few kavas I've had that I genuinely cannot drink during the day otherwise I'll be napping sometime shortly after.
 

recentreturn

Kava Enthusiast
Mine'll be here tomorrow!
*I gave this a first try. Went way overboard, ended up puking. It is incredibly potent. I will not drink that quantity again (4 level tbs followed by 5 heaping tbs).
*Edited on account of embarrassment (and excessive details).
 
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