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The stages of kava preferences

Palmetto

Thank God!
When I first started drinking kava, my preconceptions were different from how I see it now. As far as my preferences for kava types, here are the stages I have gone through over time:

1. Follow every review and examine them for what effects might bring the ultimate euphoria
2. Look for the heaviest roots that produce couch lock
3. Hangovers from heavy kavas, and a lack of euphoria/sleep produce an appreciation for balanced kavas

I do appreciate a variety of kava, but I have found that I do not prefer highly heady nor highly heavy kavas. Even the heaviest of nobles are not something I want too often. Anyone else have similar experiences?
 

Intrepidus_dux

Kava O.G.
I feel my tastes have changed over time not due to handovers, but finding strains that have less dermo and farty gut impact. :D

My experience has been the opposite where I wanted to try all kinds of different chemotypes of kava when I first started out a year ago, but now I’ve settled into one or two types that I seldom venture away from.
 

Palmetto

Thank God!
I feel my tastes have changed over time not due to handovers, but finding strains that have less dermo and farty gut impact. :D

My experience has been the opposite where I wanted to try all kinds of different chemotypes of kava when I first started out a year ago, but now I’ve settled into one or two types that I seldom venture away from.
Well what chemotypes are they?

I have gone through stages where I felt most of the KLs were my favorite at one time or another, except DHM and yangonin. I can appreciate that they add something to the overall effect, but I'd rather not have either higher than the third place at most. And I probably don't need anything that is above 30% DHK.
 

Intrepidus_dux

Kava O.G.
The ones I do well with right now are the Squanch Waka (which is the main kava I use) and Lawena, GHK Mahakea, Dua Na Bilo.
The most recent batch of Dua Ne Bilo was disappointing with the strength.

The ones that almost always give me immediate dermo though I enjoy them are the Supreme, Melo Melo, and I can’t remember the last one in this moment. I don’t know the exact chemotypes of these kavas, although I’m sure they’re floating around on the forums somewhere.
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
Balanced is best, but potency is crucial. A heady kava will feel balanced if potent enough.
This is what I was thinking. In past years a heady leaning kava would still be sedating at sufficient doses and most heavy kava still had a good amount of headiness to them. I would buy mostly heavy kava because I needed the sleep and muscle relaxation in addition to the strong kavain rush. The past couple of years it's usually one or the other and maybe 1/3 as strong.
 

Palmetto

Thank God!
The obstacles to a good kava effect are:
poor potency
bloating / too much water, yet dehydrated
diarrhea / DHM headaches
cost

If I had a ton of money and my own lab with chemists, I would make a bunch of extracts low in flavokawains. Each would favor a different chemotype / kavalactone. I would blend them at whim, but I would not keep anything high in DHM. Maybe that';s why I don't find melo melo so amazing.
 

Intrepidus_dux

Kava O.G.
The obstacles to a good kava effect are:
poor potency
bloating / too much water, yet dehydrated
diarrhea / DHM headaches
cost

If I had a ton of money and my own lab with chemists, I would make a bunch of extracts low in flavokawains. Each would favor a different chemotype / kavalactone. I would blend them at whim, but I would not keep anything high in DHM. Maybe that';s why I don't find melo melo so amazing.
I totally get bloated and dehydrated on occasion. You get diarrhea sometimes?! :wideyed:
You poor thing. I wish I would get a little of that these days as I have the opposite problem from unrelated issues.

Your imaginary lab sounds super cool. Melo melo gives me dermo near instantly. :unsure:
 

SelfBiasResistor

Persist for Resistance!
The obstacles to a good kava effect are:
poor potency
bloating / too much water, yet dehydrated
diarrhea / DHM headaches
cost

If I had a ton of money and my own lab with chemists, I would make a bunch of extracts low in flavokawains. Each would favor a different chemotype / kavalactone. I would blend them at whim, but I would not keep anything high in DHM. Maybe that';s why I don't find melo melo so amazing.
Are you saying you get actual diarrhea from some kava or referring to the urge to pass a bowel movement when drinking it?

The lab sounds great. You could feel free to send some of that excess DHM my direction...
 
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