AlexisReal
Kava Enthusiast
This is why I feel honest, shared education is so important. Thanks again for sharing your feelings and experience.
Kava Cultures
- Thread starter Kojo Douglas
- Start date
AlexisReal
Kava Enthusiast
And yes mate, go to a kava bar sometime. I would if I could. I know they charge, but I bet it would be such a different and refreshing experience. Worth it once in a lifetime I say lol.
I hope I get the chance myself someday.
JohnMichael
Kava Synchronized
As all of us here can testify, our favorite cultivars tend change over time and kava seasons. For the past year, we've enjoyed beginning our session with Five Star kava, then morph into Kelai, which is still heady like Five Star, but complements it really well.. We like the taste of these two. Five Star begins with green, rather than dried root, to grind...then dry. So its taste is very nice. Kelai, as a NZKS product, has its roots peeled before grinding. So it is also delicious, for a kava. We still enjoy and drink many of the other quality kavas. I alway have some Gourmet Hawaiian kava on the shelf; Kava Supreme is a staple; and Squanch; and Savusavu. ETC! To stay on topic: this is perhaps why we've yet to visit our local kava bars: we love the various quality kavas one can order online...and share with neighbors. We have two neighbors who are becoming genuine bula buddies. Lots of fun drinking this way, but we may get to a kava bar someday!
_byron
Kava Enthusiast
On kavaforums we lean towards finding the best kava and gaining more knowledge on kava. In kava bars people are there pretty much to just enjoy. There are similarities in the two, but if you go to the kava bars and start discussing kava with patrons the conversation will likely gravitate towards something else. Which makes sense because not every kava drinker is a kava nerd hahah.
Here is where the kava nerds reside and it is sick. Nothing wrong with the U.S. kava bar scene beside K@...
Here is where the kava nerds reside and it is sick. Nothing wrong with the U.S. kava bar scene beside K@...
So you're telling me you don't read EVERY SINGLE POST?! jk jk You're good. I appreciate the acknowledgement.
ThatDankK
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I do have to mention this, on my way back from a Florida trip I stopped in greensboro NC at a kava bar called Krave and they had a nice friendly atmosphere and they made some fairly strong kava, although it was a little pricey. They also had a variety of yerbamate and other relaxing teas, it was enjoyable, didn't mind paying a bit extra to have other kava drinkers and people to talk to
In New Zealand kava can only be sold as food when it's prepared in the traditional way (via cold water extraction). No flavours or other ingredients can be added or mixed into kava. While this probably limits business opportunities for kava bar operators (no cocktails, no extracts, no flavoured drinks), it does mean that kava bars are by default focused on the traditional experience. Furthermore, it means more emphasis can be placed on quality and diverse cultivars as this becomes the only way to offer a variety of options. There is only a handful of kava bars in NZ at the moment, we def can't see any boom like the one in Florida, but perhaps our regulatory environment creates more a more sustainable space for kava for to grow long term.
Also, K@ is a prescription medication in New Zealand, so there are no K@ bars or indeed K@ vendors.
Also, K@ is a prescription medication in New Zealand, so there are no K@ bars or indeed K@ vendors.
TheKavaFlow
Kava Podcaster
I think @Kapmcrunk said it best where it all boils down to respect. I appreciate what the kava bar scene in the US has done to the industry by helping to grow it and create influence, but I also really dislike how most operate. I've been to many bars that have a chill atmosphere with people that obviously care about kava traditions, namely @Bula Kava House , SquareRut, and Lacuna. I've been to many others (looking at you, Florida and NYC) that I don't want to mention because I've found the environments to be very off-putting with an emphasis on drinking as much as possible like you're at a house party or something.
I think as a community we really need to continue to bolster the image that kava is not alcohol, it won't ever be alcohol, and it deserves a culture of respect for something that stands uniquely on its own. Kava bars shouldn't need to compare themselves to alcohol bars (sounds weird saying that), but I understand why many market themselves in that way. Someone unfamiliar with kava would be more willing to walk into a kava bar that's reminiscent of what they already know. Generally speaking though, these types of consumers might not end up being ambassadors for kava, because kava wasn't what they were looking for in the first place.
I've started rambling, but you catch my drift. It's a complicated topic!
I think as a community we really need to continue to bolster the image that kava is not alcohol, it won't ever be alcohol, and it deserves a culture of respect for something that stands uniquely on its own. Kava bars shouldn't need to compare themselves to alcohol bars (sounds weird saying that), but I understand why many market themselves in that way. Someone unfamiliar with kava would be more willing to walk into a kava bar that's reminiscent of what they already know. Generally speaking though, these types of consumers might not end up being ambassadors for kava, because kava wasn't what they were looking for in the first place.
I've started rambling, but you catch my drift. It's a complicated topic!
fait
Position 5 Hard Support
Off the top of my head, I would want to visit/run a "kava parlor." I feel like I could think of a better name for a place to drink grog than "parlor," but it's a step-up from "kava bar."
The Auckland kava bar (Four Shells) doesn't call itself a bar at all to avoid associations with booze bars. Instead they use the term "room". four shells kava room.
fait
Position 5 Hard Support
Kind of a related topic to the name of this thread, but in the South Pacific with mild weather in much of it, how much difference is there between indoor kava drinking and outdoor? Outdoor kava drinking for sure in my area would be seasonal. Don't wanna drink kava in below 0F weather anywhere. I'm normally drinking indoors since that's where the fridge is.
Alia
'Awa Grower/Collector
I agree totally and will open the pandoras box to quote you- "...bolster the image that kava is not alcohol, it won't ever be alcohol, and it deserves a culture of respect for something that stands uniquely on its own". And ask- what is "krunk" of not a throw-back to drunk?
Krunk is "Kava drunk". When you're right, you're right. Krunk is another american insertion into the kavasphere that I'm 100% guilty of perpetuating myself.
Would that not be the kava culture that was brought into the US when we annexed Hawaii? I've always considered kava drinking in the US a thing that started way before any of us made our first website.
_byron
Kava Enthusiast
To the people of that culture yes. I am all for keeping the traditional beverage the same (I.E no extracts), but it is not my culture. Kava bars playing heavy on the pacific island traditions for profit, and the owners are not of the culture, is not very appropriate. All of this is my opinion, and I do not have any cultural background to kava, I just god damn love it, and do not think that it needs to be tied to the traditional practices besides how you drink it...
fait
Position 5 Hard Support
It's very hard to look to the future when you look at the past too long. It's like a boat that moves along. New things should come about as a result of deliberation. A bright future requires fruitful dialogue. Kava and its culture is no exception.
Agreed. Especially about the goddamn loving it part
I just want to be as respectful in our rendition as we can be.
TheKavaFlow
Kava Podcaster
I'll admit a couple years ago I used the term, albeit infrequently, but I don't really talk about it in that way anymore. I think it denigrates the experience of kava to describe it as if it was from alcohol. We should stop using that word.
Sidenote: Hope you're well, @Alia . Always love to see your posts!
TheKavaFlow
Kava Podcaster
Really love what you said here about the pacific island themed kava bars. I think it's a really difficult line to toe -- on one hand you want to celebrate their culture and the root they've shared with us; on the other hand you don't want to offend or make light of by misusing pacific icons or words. Personally, I think we can benefit more from adopting, or at least partially adopting, their traditions rather than making our own. The reason I love the traditions on the islands is that they create community and instill values of peace that is often missing from American culture. We could learn a lot from them.
I do think though, that the idea of kava has benefited me immensely, potentially more-so than the root itself. It's helped me to take a step back in life by learning to assess my moods proactively rather than reactively, to become close friends with many folks on the forums and in person, and has helped give me a bit of solace whenever I need it. Just the ritual alone of squeezing a bag of kava is somewhat religious to me, as a time to reflect and not be affected by outside influences. There's no anxiety for me that there is for so many of our neighbors like, "Am I drinking too much?", "Will I become addicted?", "Will I throw my life away for a substance?", "How will this affect my family?". Kava, its prep, and the community has been a constant source of calm in a sea of chaos that is the world, and for that I think it needs a different respect that mainstream American culture just doesn't quite get.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, @_byron . Would love to hear more about why you think we should create our own kava culture.