Kava Waka Powder – Authentic, Noble Kava Root Powder from Fiji – Premium, Responsibly Sourced, 16 Oz

Very potent, strong and gives a nice numbing feeling in the mouth. I am drinking it as I write this now. The taste is meh, like all Kava imo, but tolerable. It’s one of my two favorites, and I always mix some of this in every brew. You could use the traditional method, but J would recommend just blending it for 5-6 minutes, strain once, voila! Also I used to throw out my Maca. But I learned about Mongrel Grog, where you put the Maka in the freezer for a couple days for the cellular walls to break down, then use it again. This extracts an additional 20-30% of the Kavalactones, meaning if you use this strategy, you will have gotten 90% of the Kavalactones total. In terms of mixing, I would recommend just tossing the Maka in with a normal brew, use normal amount of Kava + Maka, the Maka is just extra. But you could also drink it straight, but be forewarned it is roughly a third as potent. Also, I drink it in the afternoon or evening, and after a few cups I’m usually feeling ready to sleep. I usually resist the urge though since I like finishing all the Kava I make in a brew ;).

I've ordered this particular kava three times now. As a kava drinker on a budget, this is easily my new go to variety. A few tablespoons packs quite the punch for me. If you're new to the kava scene, be sure to take the time to research its preparation and usage.My strong grog recipe:The active component in kava is kavalactone, which dissolves best in fats. This means that to increase the potency of your grog, it's important to mix some form of fat with your water. Popular choices include coconut milk, whole milk, and soy lecithin. I use a splash of whole milk in mine because I always have some on hand.Kava to liquid ratio:A ratio of 1 part kava to 3 or 4 parts liquid works best. Too little liquid and the grog becomes too thick. Too much liquid and the effects may diminish. The recipe below uses 3-4 tablespoons of powdered kava and about 8 ounces of liquid, which is a nice starting point for new users.First wash:Begin by putting a strainer bag (milk nut bag, cheesecloth, or even pantyhose!) ainto a medium to large sized bowl. I bought a milk nut bag here which works really well.In a microwavable container, heat your water/milk mixture (start with 7-8 ounces) until scalding (not boiling). Add an appropriate amount of kava to the mixture (again, 3-4 tablespoons is a good starting point if you're new to this). Stir thoroughly until partially blended and then pour the warm mixture into your strainer bag. Be sure to scrape out every bit.Next (using latex gloves, which are optional), knead, massage, and squeeze the kava through the bag to extract the maximum amount of kavalactones into your mixture. I usually do this while watching something on my computer. After at least 10 minutes of kneading, the kava will begin to feel more coarse. At this point, carefully squeeze out every bit of remaining liquid from the bag into the bowl. The mixture will look like milky coffee.Second wash:This will be weaker, but I like to get all the kavalactones from my kava that I reasonably can. Empty the kava remains from your strainer bag into a small pot on the stove (some kava will remain stuck to the sides of the bag - this is okay). On your countertop, put the emptied bag into a second bowl and drop an ice cube inside it.Add just enough water to the pot to make a thick paste of the kava. Add a splash of milk as well. The key is to add as little liquid as possible. Heat this mixture slowly, stirring constantly, until you see tiny bubbles beginning to form around the edges. Quickly remove from heat and pour into your strainer bag (in the second bowl). The ice cube will help to cool it. Knead the kava some more until whatever is left in the strainer bag is quite coarse. Then squeeze out the bag again into the second bowl. You may now discard the kava remains (the maca) and rinse out your bag for next time.Final mixture:While some people prefer to drink the second, weaker wash separately from the first, I like to mix them so that I have a consistently strong grog each time. So, stir your second wash and pour it into your first wash, scraping all the liquid out carefully. Then, stir the combined mixture and pour it into a large mug or bottle, again scraping all the liquid out carefully. Refrigerate until use.Drinking:Kava is best consumed chilled and on an empty stomach. This means in order to feel its full effects, you should wait at least 3+ hours after your last meal before drinking.This lead me to do some research! As a basic guideline, the following proteins take approximately this long to leave your stomach: fish, 30 minutes to 1 hour +; chicken, 2 + hours; beef, 3-4 + hours, pork, 4-5 + hours. The larger the meal, the longer it takes.I like mixing a squirt of chocolate syrup into my kava before drinking to help make it slightly more palatable. Other people use chasers. You can experiment to figure out what works best for you.When kava time arrives, stir your grog thoroughly and try gulping down at least 1/4 of it in one go, tasting as little as possible (yuck!). Kava is NOT for sipping. Each drink or dose is referred to as a "shell" and the exact amount will vary from person to person. The effects will take up to 15+ minutes to fully kick in, so wait at least that long before drinking more.The relaxing, somewhat euphoric experience should last for a few hours. I've found that spacing out my shells can really help to extend the effects for longer.Reverse tolerance:The effects of kava actually become more profound over time. Some people feel nothing, or nearly nothing, the first time they try it and may need to drink more to start feeling something. Other people begin to feel its effects right away. Everyone reacts differently. Over time, with more usage, the euphoric effects increase in strength while the amount of kava required diminishes.Other advice:- This should go without saying, but don't mix kava and alcohol.- Kava doesn't play well with many prescription medications. When in doubt about any particular medication, you can find charts online that show what is and isn't safe.- Kava is a diuretic, so drink lots of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration.I hope this was helpful! Å'kålè ma'luna! (Cheers!)

I was happy to get it with the expedited shipping. I did a lot of studying up on Kava Kava before I decided to purchase it, but one thing when purchasing is the fact you need a special strainer bag, and how to "wash" the product to create the drink, how many times you can wash it, and the ratio of Kava to water. My product is already gone, basically waisted because on the first attempt, I mixed it and and tried filtering it through a micro mesh, but a lot of the pulp cane through, after about 6 cups I began to feel very sick and basically had to regurgitate everything, i did begin to feel the effects slightly but getting sick completely ruined everything. Then the next day after watching some videos of preparing with a strainer bag, I saw what the water should look like, but I was also using almost 1 cup of Kava to 2 cups water, not rewashing, and then filling with another cup of kava, I used the rest of the bag trying to prepare enough that I could drink how it was recommended online about a shell or bowl every 15-20 minutes. I still didn't have the special strainer bag. So I bought some cheese cloth, it worked better, but I did not make enough to get the full benefit, but again afterwards i went back online, read about the multiple washes, using more water, however I had no more product to try it proper. Instructions and or items needed to prepare it should be listed on the product so that you can see it when your purchasing. I feel like I waisted my money, so probably won't purchase again unless I get the other items I need to prepare it correctly. I still really don't know how to prepare it ratio wise, I don't know how many cups you should drink, how many ounces is a cup,shell, or bowl? Are the special bags reusable, how many times can you wash. I already waisted almost $40 I would be a fool to buy it again until I have everything I need, so in short I'm very unhappy with the purchase, even a packet of koolaid has instructions and ratios.

Taste is terrible , preparation takes forever . I drink extract kava so that taste terrible too but nothing compared to this .— customer service on the other hand is very friendly and helpful I would buy from them again but most likely a different product