Here at the Bula Kava House Blog, we spend a lot of time talking about kava’s many wonderful benefits, its rich history, and exciting new varieties we have to offer our loyal customers. But for a lot of first-time kava drinkers, an obvious question that often goes overlooked is – what’s the next step after you buy kava online?
When the kava arrives at your door, what’s the best way to prepare it? Is there a time of day that’s best suited for drinking kava? What can you do to feel kava’s full effects? All excellent questions that many first-time kava drinkers simply won’t know the answers to unless they ask in advance. To help make your first experience an enjoyable one, here are a few answers to some of the most common questions on how to enjoy drinking kava at home.
How Do I Prepare My Kava?
The correct method for preparing your kava really depends on the type you purchased. Instant kava, traditional kava powder, and micronized kava all have different brewing methods. Let’s take a look:
Instant kava is by far the easiest type to prepare at home or on the go. Simply add the desired amount of kava to a glass of water, juice, milk, or whatever your beverage of choice and then stir vigorously. Keep in mind that the more instant kava you use the more potent your beverage will become. As a general rule, about 10 grams of instant kava powder added to a 12-ounce glass of liquid will produce a fairly strong drink, while adding the same amount of kava to a pint will produce a milder effect. However, potency can vary depending on the type of kava you purchased, so always check the directions and description we provide to determine the right amount for you.
Traditional kava root might seem more complicated to properly brew, but you’ll probably be surprised about how easy it really is once you brew up your first batch. We won’t go into too much detail about the process here, but check out our video on how to prepare kava to get a step-by-step tutorial.
Micronized kava can be mixed into a liquid like an instant kava, but with a little more effort. You can choose to blend the kava together, which will help to speed up the mixing process, or you can simply use a spoon or whisk. At our Portland kava bar, we use a whisk to mix our micronized kava powder into water. Using a whisk may take a little longer to get the powder to blend fully with your liquid of choice when compared to blending, but you’ll eventually achieve the desired results either way.
What Time of Day is Best for Drinking Kava?
While the best time to enjoy kava is really up to the individual, there are a few things that first-time kava drinkers should keep in mind when planning out their day.
The potency of a kava matters depending on what you have planned for the day. Drinking a shell of extremely potent kava, like our Nambawan Kava Powder, in the morning may leave you feeling less than motivated to go run those errands you had planned for the afternoon. The same could also apply to your productivity or attentiveness should you try to go to work or school when all you really want to do is lay out in the park or stay curled up on the couch.
Stronger types of kava – those used to help alleviate stress and allow you to better relax – are best enjoyed when you have the time and ability to truly enjoy their euphoric properties.
However, there are many types of daily drinking kavas – such as our Nangol Noble Kava Powder – that provide a more uplifting effect that can easily be enjoyed throughout the day.
We cannot stress enough that until you know how your body reacts to certain types and strengths of kava, you should never get behind the wheel to drive immediately after slamming few shells. Just as you might not realize the effect a few drinks have had until after leaving the bar, it’s better to be safe than sorry when enjoying kava.
How to Get the Most Out of Drinking Kava?
To get the full effect of drinking your kava, you need to start by following the instructions on how to brew what you purchased. If you don’t mix the kava properly, you cannot expect to get the desired effect. Once you master mixing your kava, you can start to experiment with potency when brewing instant and micronized varieties.
Kava is also not much of a sipping drink. Not only is the flavor of kava an acquired taste, to enjoy the full effects of every coconut shell it’s important that you down the beverage quickly. Each shell you brew should be finished within a few hearty gulps. Sipping or slowly savoring your beverage could provide inconsistent or diminished effects.
Following the instructions on how to brew traditional kava powder will yield more than one shell per batch. For first-time kava drinkers, we’d recommend starting at one shell and waiting to see how strong the effects are before having a second. Just as being a little tipsy is more enjoyable than being drunk, you don’t want to overdo it your first time when drinking kava at home.
Finally, it’s important that you have the time to fully enjoy the kava drinking process. Trying to learn how to brew kava powder, discovering its effects, and deciding whether to drink more are all far more enjoyable when you have the time to learn and indulge your curiosity. Instead of cramming these activities into a busy afternoon or shortly before heading out for the evening, we suggest you find a night you plan on spending at home to be your first kava experience.
We hope by answering these questions you’ll find drinking kava at home to be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. There are many benefits to drinking kava daily, and we hope that you’ll keep coming back to Bula Kava House to explore the different varieties and effects offered by our kava menu. Enjoy!