No shortage of Hawaiian 'Awa

[Zaphod]

My experience has been weird, not to say that GHK doesn't have great, clean, tasty and fresh Noble kava, but both kinds I've tried from them have been harvested within 3 months of ordering and were some the strongest .. both Honokane Iki and Hanakapi Ai and I didn't particularly like either one.

I found Honokane Iki way too "one tracked" in that it had a weird/not really fun feeling and no real body effects, but not really good euphoria either.

The Hanakapi Ai I expected a lot more from, especially considering it's 10 years old and a waka, everyone said it's heady and I've seen a lot of people say it can knock you out too and it's "special stash" worthy etc ... but I either got the wrong kava in a Hanakapi Ai bag or I just don't like it or maybe Hawaiian kava's aren't for me .. because I honestly much prefer KWK's Loa Waka and definitely Dua Na Bilo's waka, (ironically two of the cheapest Noble kava's right now)

I feel like both of those were more euphoric and had a better body high for me. I feel like Loa Waka was a bit headier and Dua Na Bilo is a bit more sedative but both seemed significantly stronger to me .. like I said maybe Hawaiian kava just affects me differently ..

But basically the reason I made this post, has anyone else experienced similar effects and does anyone think GHK has a more sedative kava than Hanakapi Ai that's just as strong if not stronger?

Again I really appreciate everything Chris/GHK does, providing us with the safest quality and guaranteed Noble kava (and so many strains at that!) I trust his quality over anyone else, maybe I just haven't found the right strain yet ..

Two things - First, out of the GHK varieties I have tried Papa Kea has been the most heavy body sedative kava I have had. Second, this right here is another distinct advantage that GHK has. As a buyer I know when I order single cultivar from Chris I know exactly what I am getting. When you order from other vendors who name their stuff generic names like say Rock Kava - it could be anything and change from batch to batch. One week it tests out fine and noble, then the next batch could be filled with crap...

One additional item - are you using an aluball? I have been doing some expermineting and keeping notes which I plan to share with the forum soon, but at this point I am more than convinced that doing traditional prep will extract more of the body heavy KL than the aluball. In fact I don't think the aluball does any extractions of KL. I think it just mechanically washes all the fine particles and you are drinking a mini-microgrind wash that is more heady than traditional prep. So if you are looking for body heavy kava - traditional prep is the way to go.

 

[Jerome]

Two things - First, out of the GHK varieties I have tried Papa Kea has been the most heavy body sedative kava I have had. Second, this right here is another distinct advantage that GHK has. As a buyer I know when I order single cultivar from Chris I know exactly what I am getting. When you order from other vendors who name their stuff generic names like say Rock Kava - it could be anything and change from batch to batch. One week it tests out fine and noble, then the next batch could be filled with crap...

One additional item - are you using an aluball? I have been doing some expermineting and keeping notes which I plan to share with the forum soon, but at this point I am more than convinced that doing traditional prep will extract more of the body heavy KL than the aluball. In fact I don't think the aluball does any extractions of KL. I think it just mechanically washes all the fine particles and you are drinking a mini-microgrind wash that is more heady than traditional prep. So if you are looking for body heavy kava - traditional prep is the way to go.

That Rock kava will get you stoned.

 

[GussWest]

Zaphod, my conclusions on the aluball mechanism of action are consistent with yours.

Doc Fresh did a video on subjective comparison of strength of trad and aluball prep.

 

[Zentri]

Two things - First, out of the GHK varieties I have tried Papa Kea has been the most heavy body sedative kava I have had. Second, this right here is another distinct advantage that GHK has. As a buyer I know when I order single cultivar from Chris I know exactly what I am getting. When you order from other vendors who name their stuff generic names like say Rock Kava - it could be anything and change from batch to batch. One week it tests out fine and noble, then the next batch could be filled with crap...

One additional item - are you using an aluball? I have been doing some expermineting and keeping notes which I plan to share with the forum soon, but at this point I am more than convinced that doing traditional prep will extract more of the body heavy KL than the aluball. In fact I don't think the aluball does any extractions of KL. I think it just mechanically washes all the fine particles and you are drinking a mini-microgrind wash that is more heady than traditional prep. So if you are looking for body heavy kava - traditional prep is the way to go.

I don't disagree with your points, I do love that we know what we're getting with Chris, I just haven't found the one for me yet and the stuff is expensive and my experience with shipping speed thus far hasn't been the best either, but that's probably just Hawaiian shipping to blame. I will try the Papa Kea sometime ..

I almost always do traditional prep with the Kavafied Strainer bag and warm water, plus I knead the hell out of it, I mean multiple strainings, I wring it out like a rag multiple times, knead again. I make my kava pretty strong.

When I do use the Aluball, I only use 400ml water and use ~3 tablespoons and shake the ever living hell out of it for like ~3 minutes at different frequencies/angles, it's not quite as strong as traditional but feels close .. I usually make a second wash and either then strain that makas with the straining bag OR I will save that makas for later to be strained with a new batch of kava in the straining bag via traditional prep.

So far I do like the Hanakapi Ai, it's just not as strong as I was expecting and like I said not as much body high as I want. I've already ordered some Cactus Kava's Malolo though so I'll have to wait on trying more for the moment .. thanks for recommending Papa Kea though .. I wish GHK had a sampler pack with like a 1oz each of most of their medium grinds .. that's enough for me to get a good enough experience.

 

[Bubba Bula]

I don't disagree with your points, I do love that we know what we're getting with Chris, I just haven't found the one for me yet and the stuff is expensive and my experience with shipping speed thus far hasn't been the best either, but that's probably just Hawaiian shipping to blame. I will try the Papa Kea sometime ..

Papa Kea isn't as heady as some others, but it has heavy body effects. Also, all kava prices are increasing. I haven't noticed Chris raising his much lately. It seems the cheaper vendors have raised their prices to the point where GHK doesn't really cost you much more. Maybe $5, but heck that is like a McDonald's happy meal and the GHK kava is premium. I'd say the $5 extra is worth it.

@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava Chris where is your Kumakua?

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Papa Kea isn't as heady as some others, but it has heavy body effects. Also, all kava prices are increasing. I haven't noticed Chris raising his much lately. It seems the cheaper vendors have raised their prices to the point where GHK doesn't really cost you much more. Maybe $5, but heck that is like a McDonald's happy meal and the GHK kava is premium. I'd say the $5 extra is worth it.

@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava Chris where is your Kumakua?

With the price of kava going way up into the clouds in Tonga and even Fiji and other places it is natural for a price increase when it gets to the end consumer, the middle man has to take his cut. I have heard of the cost of kava in Tonga being around $80 per pound and even the price of a good Fijian kava is up to around $30 per pound. It is interesting to note that there seems to be a shortage of Lawena, the price for Lawena is the same as the waka (from my supplier) I was told that the people in Fiji prefer the lawena, I don't know if it is true or not but that is why he said there is such a demand for the Lawena.
The good thing about GHK is that I only have a small overhead, there is no middleman, it goes from ground to processing to you.
The Kumakua is almost done drying and then I will begin grinding, maybe a day or 2 it will be ready.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[Jerome]

With the price of kava going way up into the clouds in Tonga and even Fiji and other places it is natural for a price increase when it gets to the end consumer, the middle man has to take his cut. I have heard of the cost of kava in Tonga being around $80 per pound and even the price of a good Fijian kava is up to around $30 per pound. It is interesting to note that there seems to be a shortage of Lawena, the price for Lawena is the same as the waka (from my supplier) I was told that the people in Fiji prefer the lawena, I don't know if it is true or not but that is why he said there is such a demand for the Lawena.
The good thing about GHK is that I only have a small overhead, there is no middleman, it goes from ground to processing to you.
The Kumakua is almost done drying and then I will begin grinding, maybe a day or 2 it will be ready.
Aloha.

Chris

I appreciate immensely your kava, particularly now while I'm going through state mandated testing for two weeks. I've been pounding the micronized moi pretty hard these last few days! All while trying to keep a particularly unruly group of students focused on a series of mundane assessments! Thanks Chris @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava !