BIG shell(s) up-front, or many shells spaced out?

[TrevC]

What's your preference, or which do you find gives the most consistent effects?

I've got this notion that whatever I'm going to *feel* from Kava, I need to grab on the front-end, meaning... I make my batches fairly strong and then down a completely full shell (much more than a 6oz serving), thinking that whatever heady or mood-lift effects I'll get, I'll only get for that 30-minute window.

Big fan of consistency and keeping notes, but Kava is elusive. There are times where I do the same exact thing I've been doing, and I question why I even still drink it. But then there'll be that one time that knocks my socks off and I question why it hasn't caught on with everybody else. (I think the answer to that is taste. But for those of us battling anxiety and depression, taste has no real bearing on the drink.)

I'm about to have a daytime pre-lunch Kava session and am considering making my typical strong batch, but starting with a SMALL shell, followed 15 or so minutes later by another, etc, etc.

There have only been a few times where I've had each shell sorta "wash over me", as people say. Like the effects start over. This happened with KWK Samoan Ava. But it only happened a few times, despite trying the same approach each time.

So again I come back to, for more consistent effects... a few larger shells or more spaced smaller shells?

Prep: Medium grind (30g to 50g), traditional knead-and-strain in warm water + milk. Typically less than 32oz of water. My grog is muddy, never too translucent. I don't like the full "Kava belly" feeling. But if MORE water is beneficial for effects, I'll give it a go!

 

[nabanga]

I enjoy good front-end effects like yourself, and do 2-3 shells of about 8-10 ounces (250-300ml) 5-10 minutes apart to start with at 5pm. After that smaller shells of 6-8 ounces 20 mins or so apart through to about 8pm. This is with 14 US tablespoons med grind to 1.5 liters (50 US ounces) water, sometimes with a second mix of half those quantities.
With the same mix, same routine and same kava on an empty stomach it is pretty consistent in that I know what I'm going to get - quick onset of that great kava feeling lasting up to an hour, followed by increasing level of sedation as more shells go down. But the way I read your post, I think you mean a "consistent" effect to be having that front-end effect continuing on throughout your session - a consistent effect throughout? I've never come across that - either you keep drinking past the front end euphoric effects into deeper sedation, or stop drinking after reaching the initial euphoric effect and have it slowly fade away.

 

[Jacob Bula]

I enjoy good front-end effects like yourself, and do 2-3 shells of about 8-10 ounces (250-300ml) 5-10 minutes apart to start with at 5pm. After that smaller shells of 6-8 ounces 20 mins or so apart through to about 8pm. This is with 14 US tablespoons med grind to 1.5 liters (50 US ounces) water, sometimes with a second mix of half those quantities.
With the same mix, same routine and same kava on an empty stomach it is pretty consistent in that I know what I'm going to get - quick onset of that great kava feeling lasting up to an hour, followed by increasing level of sedation as more shells go down. But the way I read your post, I think you mean a "consistent" effect to be having that front-end effect continuing on throughout your session - a consistent effect throughout? I've never come across that - either you keep drinking past the front end euphoric effects into deeper sedation, or stop drinking after reaching the initial euphoric effect and have it slowly fade away.

I think that's an issue with an expectation of kava. Those if us using it for depression and anxiety are trying to make it something it's not. Wanting that kavain rush to last 24/7 and it's just not going to do that. The more time I spend with kava, a big part if enjoying it is realizing what it does and what it doesn't do. For me, it's amazing after work during a movie. When I try to make it last all day, I just end up dry and lethargic. As Kapm pointed out in an earlier post, it's not good for generalized anxiety.

 

[TrevC]

Thank you guys for the responses!

But the way I read your post, I think you mean a "consistent" effect to be having that front-end effect continuing on throughout your session - a consistent effect throughout? I've never come across that - either you keep drinking past the front end euphoric effects into deeper sedation, or stop drinking after reaching the initial euphoric effect and have it slowly fade away.

I re-read and realized I wasn't super clear about what I was getting at. What I was wondering is if it's better to get that consistent mood lift / sense of well-being each time you drink kava by go with big shells/servings, or multiple smaller shells, spaced out. I have this notion that "Ok, you're about to drink kava. The best effects are at the beginning.", and so I go big with that. What I'm going to try the next time is to make myself go with 6-oz shells, and aim to do a 2 or 3 hour session.

I CAN say kava helps with sleep. Even when I start earlier in the day, it sorta "catches up with me" by the time I go to bed. (Unless I go heavy on something like N@H Wow or Nambawan - then I want to take a nap shortly after. Ha.)

I think that's an issue with an expectation of kava. Those if us using it for depression and anxiety are trying to make it something it's not. Wanting that kavain rush to last 24/7 and it's just not going to do that. The more time I spend with kava, a big part if enjoying it is realizing what it does and what it doesn't do. For me, it's amazing after work during a movie. When I try to make it last all day, I just end up dry and lethargic. As Kapm pointed out in an earlier post, it's not good for generalized anxiety.

Very solid perspective right there. I did get to a point with Loa Waka daily where I was feeling more run-down and unmotivated. It felt like too high a price to pay for that 15-30 minutes of mood lift on the front end. HOWEVER, switching to something different (KWK Samoa Ava, currently) made a world of difference.
And then there's Nambawan... which hits me stronger than any I've tried. It can be stunning sometimes. But it also has a tendency to leave me with this weird post-session anxiety.

 

[Groggy]

Thank you guys for the responses!
I re-read and realized I wasn't super clear about what I was getting at. What I was wondering is if it's better to get that consistent mood lift / sense of well-being each time you drink kava by go with big shells/servings, or multiple smaller shells, spaced out. I have this notion that "Ok, you're about to drink kava. The best effects are at the beginning.", and so I go big with that. What I'm going to try the next time is to make myself go with 6-oz shells, and aim to do a 2 or 3 hour session.

I consistently drink a pint at a time, 20 minutes to an hour apart, depending how strong the kava is, like vanu's tend to only take 1-2 good washes for great effects. Most other kavas I drink the pint about 30 minutes apart, placing emphasis on the strength, on those first 2 shells. (I also chug them faster).

As the night goes on I either eat something light, wait an hour or two and drink more or just have dinner and wrap it up. The only time I don't get full on effects is if the kava is not that good to begin with.

I always use 2/3 cup to 500ml of water.

 

[the_wilderness]

I down everything in one go after 4-5hrs of fasting. 6 tbsp of med grind or 2 tbsp micro. It is a lot of liquid at once but for me it minimizes the nausea (contrary to most, I think!) I don't seem to get good effects if I space shells, just get sick.

 

[TrevC]

I consistently drink a pint at a time, 20 minutes to an hour apart, depending how strong the kava is, like vanu's tend to only take 1-2 good washes for great effects. Most other kavas I drink the pint about 30 minutes apart, placing emphasis on the strength, on those first 2 shells. (I also chug them faster).

As the night goes on I either eat something light, wait an hour or two and drink more or just have dinner and wrap it up. The only time I don't get full on effects is if the kava is not that good to begin with.

I always use 2/3 cup to 500ml of water.

I just prepared some grog with your amounts in mind. Thank you for the info!
I'm laughing now because I *thought* recalled "3/4 cup", so that's what I made, and strained in 500ml water.
Came back and re-read your amounts to learn you said "2/3 cup".
Ha. It's definitely hitting me pretty hard right now.
Just for fun, I checked the gram amount and it came out to something over 85g.

 

[Groggy]

I just prepared some grog with your amounts in mind. Thank you for the info!
I'm laughing now because I *thought* recalled "3/4 cup", so that's what I made, and strained in 500ml water.
Came back and re-read your amounts to learn you said "2/3 cup".
Ha. It's definitely hitting me pretty hard right now.
Just for fun, I checked the gram amount and it came out to something over 85g.

I often do a heaping 2/3 of a cup, lol, so it's prolly close to 3/4 cup anyways.

 

[ThePiper]

Why not both?

 

[Groggy]

@TrevC I should also mention that I use a different strategy for daytime drinking. I still make it the same strength but I space the pints out further. I eat much less throughout a kava drinking day (like today ) but I drink plenty of fluids to offset that. I also forgot to mention before, I always use warm/hot (to the touch) water on the prep and ice it down before drinking it.

 

[Edward]

What's your preference, or which do you find gives the most consistent effects?

I've got this notion that whatever I'm going to *feel* from Kava, I need to grab on the front-end, meaning... I make my batches fairly strong and then down a completely full shell (much more than a 6oz serving), thinking that whatever heady or mood-lift effects I'll get, I'll only get for that 30-minute window.

Big fan of consistency and keeping notes, but Kava is elusive. There are times where I do the same exact thing I've been doing, and I question why I even still drink it. But then there'll be that one time that knocks my socks off and I question why it hasn't caught on with everybody else. (I think the answer to that is taste. But for those of us battling anxiety and depression, taste has no real bearing on the drink.)

I'm about to have a daytime pre-lunch Kava session and am considering making my typical strong batch, but starting with a SMALL shell, followed 15 or so minutes later by another, etc, etc.

There have only been a few times where I've had each shell sorta "wash over me", as people say. Like the effects start over. This happened with KWK Samoan Ava. But it only happened a few times, despite trying the same approach each time.

So again I come back to, for more consistent effects... a few larger shells or more spaced smaller shells?

Prep: Medium grind (30g to 50g), traditional knead-and-strain in warm water + milk. Typically less than 32oz of water. My grog is muddy, never too translucent. I don't like the full "Kava belly" feeling. But if MORE water is beneficial for effects, I'll give it a go!

First of all well done for using the milk. Not many people get it!

I'm going with more spaced larger shells! I've tried a lot of different variables and I've been settled on the same routine for a while. I make up a litre of kava in a blender with the same 30 to 50g depending on the kava and the need. Then I drink 250 ml (8 oz?) shells every 30 to 60 minutes depending on how I feel. If I didn't get everything I want from that then I will sometimes make up some instant or aluball a quick extra shell. This hasn't happened so much recently, I must be getting better at judging how much I need in the first litre.

It's worth mentioning that I almost exclusively drink heavy kava, I like heavy Fijians, so I'm not worried about getting a lot of kavain up front, I just need to get the kava in and the 2's and 5's will build up over time.

 

[bogmonkey]

I'm a front loader as well.
But I usually just have the one 8 ounce serving, unless I'm feeling frisky (like today, where I made a 16oz batch) The "krunk" effects only last a while, but the after effects will continue to work their magic all night with beautiful dreams and a calm soul.

I also love to mix kavas. Today I am having a Kavafied "Kava Tonga" and a "Chief's Choice" (I forget the vendor).
At the time of this writing I am feeling so f-ing delightful and floaty. Front loading it hard!