Why does some kava smell like rubber or gasoline?

[ThePiper]

What is the reason fo the gasoline or rubber smell that some kavas have? I’m not talking just funky kava. Like pungent gasoline solvent smell. Makes me worry about methyl bromide and such.

 

[The Kap'n]

What is the reason fo the gasoline or rubber smell that some kavas have? I’m not talking just funky kava. Like pungent gasoline solvent smell. Makes me worry about methyl bromide and such.

Improper moisture content. Mold. Makes those styrene smells. Smells like grandmas perfueme mixed with gasoline.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

what kapm says but could also be the packaging in some cases

 

[Jacob Bula]

Improper moisture content. Mold. Makes those styrene smells. Smells like grandmas perfueme mixed with gasoline.

How common is this. I've smelled a pungent solventy smell before. I drank a few shells before throwing it out. How likely is it I did some serious health damage? No naseua or anything.

 

[The Kap'n]

How common is this. I've smelled a pungent solventy smell before. I drank a few shells before throwing it out. How likely is it I did some serious health damage? No naseua or anything.

Not all that common, but I wouldn't say it's rare either. You shouldn't have any health problems, but I wouldn't make a habit out of searching for kavas that had that smell.

 

[Edward]

It's unlikely you're going to get kava like that from a bigger vendor here. Usually it's the keen but inexperienced Fijian vendors who haven't dried it properly. Shakas mystery waka.

 

[Bula Kava House]

Improper drying is the culprit. Often it won't be quite dry enough when it's milled and bagged and once it gets into the bag the smell develops. Also can happen if the roots are dried, then get wet and have to be dried again. Shouldn't hurt you, but it sure makes it hard to get down.

 

[nabanga]

As well as poor drying it can also be packaging - when I lived in Samoa about 20 years ago one of the main exporters (Wileys?) used to heat-seal their 100g bags, and the smell of the burned crinkly plastic bag went through the kava and gave it that nasty chemical/gasoline smell.