fueledbykava
Kava enthusiast
Hey all, I recently purchased some FijiFreshKava after reading some of the the other Kava Forums members' reviews, and I'm very pleased to report that this was an excellent purchase. Not only did it ship fast (only a few days from CA to NY), but is probably one of the best tasting and effective Kavas I've had to date.
I began by preparing this Kava according to the "stronger" preparation method of 1:1 tablespoons of powder to cups of water, specifically for this first batch I used 2 tablespoons and 2 cups of water. Given that I refrigerate my water, I took the 2 cups in a measuring cup and microwaved it for 60 seconds on the default "high" setting which brings the temperature of it to a tepid warm. My thinking is that the traditional method of preparation is outdoors in a warm climate, so using a similar temperature water brings the experience to being as authentic as I can in my kitchen.
I used a rubbing and grinding type of motion for about 5 minutes in and out of the water, flushing the water through the bag often. Here is what the mixture looked like after finishing (notice the spots of what I believe are the kavalactones floating on the top):
Also, here is what it looked like after pouring it into a glass. Note, I use the double-pour method, since the kavalactones like to stick to the bottom of the bowl. This means, I pour once into the glass I am going to use, then pour a bit back into the bowl. I swoosh that around for a couple of seconds, then pour the remaining Kava back into my glass. This captures and removes everything from the bottom of the bowl. As you can see, it has a very fresh look to it:
Overall, this is probably the best tasting Kava that I've tried to date (personally, and subjectively). I would describe the taste as being very "clean", in that it tastes like a plant and less like the ground it was grown in which I have found with other Kavas with the exception of GHK which also has a very "clean" tasting kava to me. I've become used to keeping a chaser nearby (a sip of coffee or a lemon wedge, usually), but to my surprise and to my pleasure, after drinking the first bowl, no chaser was needed and it tasted great.
One more note on my prep method; coming from other brands which suggested brewing their Kava with 4 cups of water to approximately a half cup of Kava powder, I was hesitant to attempt my first brew with the first recommended brew of 1000mL to 2 Tbsp since this, to me, would likely be much weaker than I was used to. Given that I've also had stomach troubles in the past with Kava in general other than with Lowena/Lewena, I decided to compromise and go with the stronger variation of 1:1 as I described above. As far as potency goes, even for being a lewena was pleasantly potent and heady. I found myself immersed in my work and extremely focused on answering emails as well as writing this post, entranced in kindness and feelings of wellness all over. Being someone who tends to run at 200% nearly 24/7 and doesn't normally enjoy experiencing life at a slower pace, this drink is just the elixir of relaxation that I need.
Kudos to the FijiFreshKava team, this is a fantastic product and I can't wait to make and try more! Bula, friends!
I began by preparing this Kava according to the "stronger" preparation method of 1:1 tablespoons of powder to cups of water, specifically for this first batch I used 2 tablespoons and 2 cups of water. Given that I refrigerate my water, I took the 2 cups in a measuring cup and microwaved it for 60 seconds on the default "high" setting which brings the temperature of it to a tepid warm. My thinking is that the traditional method of preparation is outdoors in a warm climate, so using a similar temperature water brings the experience to being as authentic as I can in my kitchen.
I used a rubbing and grinding type of motion for about 5 minutes in and out of the water, flushing the water through the bag often. Here is what the mixture looked like after finishing (notice the spots of what I believe are the kavalactones floating on the top):
Also, here is what it looked like after pouring it into a glass. Note, I use the double-pour method, since the kavalactones like to stick to the bottom of the bowl. This means, I pour once into the glass I am going to use, then pour a bit back into the bowl. I swoosh that around for a couple of seconds, then pour the remaining Kava back into my glass. This captures and removes everything from the bottom of the bowl. As you can see, it has a very fresh look to it:
Overall, this is probably the best tasting Kava that I've tried to date (personally, and subjectively). I would describe the taste as being very "clean", in that it tastes like a plant and less like the ground it was grown in which I have found with other Kavas with the exception of GHK which also has a very "clean" tasting kava to me. I've become used to keeping a chaser nearby (a sip of coffee or a lemon wedge, usually), but to my surprise and to my pleasure, after drinking the first bowl, no chaser was needed and it tasted great.
One more note on my prep method; coming from other brands which suggested brewing their Kava with 4 cups of water to approximately a half cup of Kava powder, I was hesitant to attempt my first brew with the first recommended brew of 1000mL to 2 Tbsp since this, to me, would likely be much weaker than I was used to. Given that I've also had stomach troubles in the past with Kava in general other than with Lowena/Lewena, I decided to compromise and go with the stronger variation of 1:1 as I described above. As far as potency goes, even for being a lewena was pleasantly potent and heady. I found myself immersed in my work and extremely focused on answering emails as well as writing this post, entranced in kindness and feelings of wellness all over. Being someone who tends to run at 200% nearly 24/7 and doesn't normally enjoy experiencing life at a slower pace, this drink is just the elixir of relaxation that I need.
Kudos to the FijiFreshKava team, this is a fantastic product and I can't wait to make and try more! Bula, friends!
