Papa Kea - Purchased 1/13/19

[The Kap'n]

Hey kava lovers. Just wanting to open a thread and get thoughts on how you feel about this kava.

The taste is quite floral, and similar to what I remember Ono from Cactus Kava tasting. It is reminiscent of the Loa Waka smell from KWK.

Came on slowly. Very slowly. Usually I end up "kava'd" in about 5-8 minutes. This one took about 20 minutes to come to full effect.

This is day one. The day that usually is but a warm up. The next few days should really give me a good idea of how this kava behaves.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Tastes great, rich and complex flavour that seems thick, full bodied. On the heavyish side, like a good Solomon Islands kava. For the price it's a dream come true. For regular price it is still excellent. I find if I drink a bunch at first I then have to go fairly slow with subsequent shells. It was a wonderful deal. I did get an immediate kava glow from the first sip, very pleasant, and the taste is very intriguing so you want another sip to be sure you're tasting what you think you're tasting. And a suprisingly heavy, for an 'Awa, heavy mellow kicks in around 20 min in.

I'm pretty sure I don't want to abuse this really hard, but it will fit in with the other heavyish balanced kavas I enjoy when I'm in that mood. I see it as a night time kava, but I could drink it all night. Although oddly, I'm finding myself hitting a saturation point with it, as it is quite strong.

 

[fait]

I haven't tried mine yet and I'm itching to drink some pretty soon. I've been taking a break because my skin's been very dry lately and I was losing sleep because of dehydration. I like what you guys are describing with the Papa Kea though!

 

[PapaMoi]

I like it. Taste is like almond-ish and the texture is smooth and mild...not spicy or bitter like some strong Vanuatu kavas. The grind was perfect for either aluball or traditional prep. Hawaiian heavy all the way. Price point was great too. Smelled like sandalwood. Which is saying it smelled exotic and wonderful!!!

 

[Alia]

...and it is a great looking plant too! Papa- flat/short; Kea- white, light, bright ;
Can be called- Ke'oke'o ;
One historian- Kamakau- wrote in 1869, one of the low varieties that "grow to be very handsome and decorative".
Personally I have always found that fresh Papa Kea beverage effect is extremely fast, but that could be due to age of plant or how many laterals as opposed to stump in a particular mix.

 

[The Kap'n]

...and it is a great looking plant too! Papa- flat/short; Kea- white, light, bright ;
Can be called- Ke'oke'o ;
One historian- Kamakau- wrote in 1869, one of the low varieties that "grow to be very handsome and decorative".
Personally I have always found that fresh Papa Kea beverage effect is extremely fast, but that could be due to age of plant or how many laterals as opposed to stump in a particular mix.

I've always felt as though the dry powdered versions are just a whisper compared to the fresh version.

Day #2: Dosage 40g +/- 1g Traditional Prep (400ml 120°F water)

Texture: While kneading the kava, it gives a very silky texture. I almost expect half of the kava to be gone from the bag while kneading, but it's all there. It reminds me of kneading very fine powdered kava. It actually reminds me of the feel of Stone when kneading. My gloves are gaining a slight bit of green buildup during kneading, but not much (not a telltale sign of quality in all kavas, just an observation)

Timing: Took about 10-12 minutes to feel it this time. The drying effect of this kava is quite mild. I can always tell if a kava is working by the dryness of my lips and face. It didn't slam me, and that's okay.

Effect: For me (and given that this just day two) I'm not feeling too much sedative properties, but the next few days should open that up for me. I actually felt more motivated and energized last night after drinking it which is the polar opposite of usual.

Day # 2 Conclusion: A good, lighter, middle-of-the-road kava. The next few days will likely have me adjusting my conclusions