Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
One of the very first questions I asked on this forum was "How good does kava have to be?" I was a newb drinking newbie kava and foolishly enjoying it and found the experienced kava drinkers here drinking much better and much more expensive kava and having much more mixed experiences than the mere pleasure I was naively enjoying. I think in many ways it is a deeply philosophical question as much as one of money and ultimately aesthetics and personal preference.
I was moved to ponder this from the revelation of kava flakes. And the reason is this: if I make kava flakes from great kava, the kava flakes feel great. But if I make kava flakes from plain old merely "acceptable" kava, the kava flakes feel great. And I would be willing to bet they have similar anxiolytic effects, anti-inflammatory effects. And they feel great.
I guess what I am saying is that at least at some basic level, kava is kava is kava is kava, and kava is good.
Of course, you make a first or second wash of grog, and boy, the difference in quality between a great kava and a merely acceptable kav is enormous. A great kava is a great kava, taste, effect, bouquet, everything. And that's what you are paying for. And it's worth it.
And yet, and yet. And yet..... still, on that basic level, kava is kava is kava is kava, and kava is.... good.
For 90% of what we want and need from kava, any kava will do, as long as it's good kava. That's the cupcake. Great kava, now that's the icing. If you can afford it, and have the taste and refinement and experience to appreciate it, man, there's few things better in life. But it's still great and worthwhile if all you can manage is the cupcake.
I was moved to ponder this from the revelation of kava flakes. And the reason is this: if I make kava flakes from great kava, the kava flakes feel great. But if I make kava flakes from plain old merely "acceptable" kava, the kava flakes feel great. And I would be willing to bet they have similar anxiolytic effects, anti-inflammatory effects. And they feel great.
I guess what I am saying is that at least at some basic level, kava is kava is kava is kava, and kava is good.
Of course, you make a first or second wash of grog, and boy, the difference in quality between a great kava and a merely acceptable kav is enormous. A great kava is a great kava, taste, effect, bouquet, everything. And that's what you are paying for. And it's worth it.
And yet, and yet. And yet..... still, on that basic level, kava is kava is kava is kava, and kava is.... good.
For 90% of what we want and need from kava, any kava will do, as long as it's good kava. That's the cupcake. Great kava, now that's the icing. If you can afford it, and have the taste and refinement and experience to appreciate it, man, there's few things better in life. But it's still great and worthwhile if all you can manage is the cupcake.
