Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Can someone please tell me how to make it taste better? I want to stop drinking alcohol and start drinking kava!

H

HeatherCO

Newbie
I searched "recipe" and this wasn't helpful - it will take me hours to read through everything that isn't a recipe to find helpful tips on improving the taste so I can choke it down.

Please help! I'm sitting here with Fiji Vanua's Malo Tonga and Santa Cruz a unique Solomon kava, and also some Ofa's kava. I can't force myself to drink it and if I don't, I'm going to be extremely tempted to go get my usual Smirnoff Whipped Cream vodka or vodka with ginger beer.

Yes, I know kava isn't supposed to be great-tasting stuff, but it would be immensely helpful if I can doctor it up well enough to be able to ingest some. I've been using alcohol to dull my neck and back pain, and kava is a certainly a much healthier substance for pain relief. Besides the pain, this week is going to be a difficult one - last year on June 22 we were hit by a drunk driver on the way home from getting me an ice cream cone. I'm waiting to get nerve injections, but the test procedure only helped somewhat so I'm not excited about it.

Am I missing a sticky thread for tips to improve the taste? Please forgive my rudeness, I really do want to start drinking kava and quit alcohol entirely.
 
Groggy

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
HeatherCO said:
I searched "recipe" and this wasn't helpful - it will take me hours to read through everything that isn't a recipe to find helpful tips on improving the taste so I can choke it down.
Click to expand...
Those recipes are here ;)

Kava Lounge

General Kava Discussion
kavaforums.com

Welcome to the forums.

Also search posts with a green tag named Kava recipes.

The least offensive combo imo is pinapple or mango juice, think tropical flavors.
 
Last edited:
H

HeatherCO

Newbie
Krunʞy said:
Those recipes are here ;)

Kava Lounge

General Kava Discussion
kavaforums.com

Welcome to the forums.

Also search posts with a green tag named Kava recipes.

The least offensive combo imo is pinapple or mango juice, think tropical flavors.
Click to expand...
It's funny how the mind works when you're in physical pain and want a drink. I totally missed this part, even though I have a fresh pineapple and a juicer.

This will be today's kava taste improver! Last night I mixed the kava I made with whipping cream, chocolate syrup, and a squeeze of lime. I drank it and it did the job.
 
Groggy

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
@HeatherCO I just remembered, watermelon is awesome as well, last summer I bought a whole watermelon, cut it in half, scooped the meat to the blender, carved out the rest of the husk, threw it in the freezer and then poured the blended mix back into the husk an hour later. the watermelon husk/bilo thing is fun once, lol. The recipe is perfect for masking the peppery taste almost unnoticeable. A good rule of thumb, is about 3-4 cups water melon pulp, blended to whatever strength grog you are mixing in, add at least 1 strong cup.
 
kavakarma

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
If you make kava with a nice strainer and the right amount, for you, of root and water, you should be able to drink a shell and have a small sip of water. I found that sweetners are overpowered by kava and not my thing, trying honey is alright or maple however. Same with acidic fruits, they don't always blend well, yet a forum member here introduced me to soda water in kava as well as fruit, soda water, and kava. My feelings about it, hazelnut milk is excellent with kava. Almond milk is not bad, oat milk very good, coconut milk decent. Regular cow milk half and half with water is okay, too. These are all to be included during brewing, else you may find yourself brewing a strong shell and diluting it, which believe it or not impacts the taste.
 
Y

yestothat

Kava Curious
I've enjoyed kava for 10+ years, and I don't think I've found any additive that makes the taste less unpleasant. The following helps mute the experience:
1. Choosing a milder tasting kava, e.g. Nakamal at Home's Wow is lighter tasting than some darker varieties out there
2. Always drinking kava ice cold. Prep it warm if you have to, but put it in the fridge to cool it down substantially. Warm kava instantly triggers my gag reflex.
3. Holding your breath while chugging so you don't smell/taste it going down :)
4. Follow each chug with a piece of fruit. Nothing too acidic or fibrous - don't need to exacerbate the effects of kava.
 
Edward

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
HeatherCO said:
I searched "recipe" and this wasn't helpful - it will take me hours to read through everything that isn't a recipe to find helpful tips on improving the taste so I can choke it down.

Please help! I'm sitting here with Fiji Vanua's Malo Tonga and Santa Cruz a unique Solomon kava, and also some Ofa's kava. I can't force myself to drink it and if I don't, I'm going to be extremely tempted to go get my usual Smirnoff Whipped Cream vodka or vodka with ginger beer.

Yes, I know kava isn't supposed to be great-tasting stuff, but it would be immensely helpful if I can doctor it up well enough to be able to ingest some. I've been using alcohol to dull my neck and back pain, and kava is a certainly a much healthier substance for pain relief. Besides the pain, this week is going to be a difficult one - last year on June 22 we were hit by a drunk driver on the way home from getting me an ice cream cone. I'm waiting to get nerve injections, but the test procedure only helped somewhat so I'm not excited about it.

Am I missing a sticky thread for tips to improve the taste? Please forgive my rudeness, I really do want to start drinking kava and quit alcohol entirely.
Click to expand...
This is along the lines of "to avoid hangovers don't drink" but... the more you drink it the less you will notice the taste. In other words you will get used to it. I actually really like the taste of kava now. The Malo Tongan from Fiji Vanua is one of the nicest tasting kavas I've had. People have said that I like the taste because I associate it with the coming effects but either way there's nothing nicer than a strong bowl of freshly made kava.
 
fijivanuakava

fijivanuakava

Kava Vendor
Bula Edward

Vinaka for the kind words. We appreciate it.
Malo Tonga indeed is a well balanced, easier on the palate Kava.

Tesh
 
P

Plantacious

Kava Enthusiast
fijivanuakava said:
Bula Edward

Vinaka for the kind words. We appreciate it.
Malo Tonga indeed is a well balanced, easier on the palate Kava.

Tesh
Click to expand...

I havn't heard of you all, but I'm curious.
The first thing I like to find out, is whether you ship from inside the U.S., just to make sure it doesn't take weeks to get to me.
From looking at your website, it appears you ship from California. Is that correct ?
 
Groggy

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
Plantacious said:
I havn't heard of you all, but I'm curious.
The first thing I like to find out, is whether you ship from inside the U.S., just to make sure it doesn't take weeks to get to me.
From looking at your website, it appears you ship from California. Is that correct ?
Click to expand...
They do ship from within the US and I can attest it takes 2-3 days max, to get to the East Coast to me. Also ships free 2 day priority. You're definitely missing out!

I recommend Santa Cruz for a heavier kava or the Malo Tongan, depends what you like, they're all awesome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top