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CptnGarden
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Registered: 05/13/04
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How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands
#6076823 - 09/19/06 02:02 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Log in to view attachment
now available for download on .pdf pictures are in the .pdf version, until im not lazy and decide to upload them all over again. i dont know how but my photobucket account went bye-bye...
Welcome to my Kava tek!
I want to first explain to everyone that: Kava is not one of those "alternative" drugs, so anyone in search of an alternative to pot, or in search of a cheap easy high, this is not for you.
With that being said lets moving onto the kava info...
Kava (Piper Methysticum), is part of the pepper family, and is usualy spread by a cutting. A fijian man told me: There are some wild varieties of kava, but through time they have been cut and stuck in the rich clayish soil of the pacific islands, propagating it this way through time bred out their need for seeds to survive, so they simply stopped producing them.
This is kava:
and a field
most kava will be grown for at least 5 years, when top potency is reached, it is dug up, cut from the rest of the plant, washed up, and bundled for the sale. there are pine tree's on the fijian islands, but they arent common to use for christmas tree's, so our christmas in fiji was spent with a kava tree:
this weighed aproximately 4.4 LBS (2kilos), and was comprised entirely of kava root.
The plants effects will range from a numbing of the mouth, to full blown drunken euphoria, with very little if any loss to mental ability.
The three main kavalactones in kava are Kawaiin, Yangonin, and Methysticin. These three lactones also have iso- and dihydro- counterparts. The 6 majoring lactones are produced in different combinations, and this is how different varieties are told apart.
Kava has many medicinal qualities too Kava is a Diuretic, Stimulant, Anesthetic, Muscle and Mind relaxant, Antispasmodic, Antifungal, Analgesic, Anticonvulsant, and Painkiller.
Kava has been used to treat: - Sore tooth or gums, mouth pain - Anxiety - Trouble urinating - Insomnia - Impotence - Depression - Fungal infections of the skin - Bad mood
And is used as a beverage intoxicant among the men of the pacific islands everyday...
Kava is a very safe and very healthful plant, and to back it up even more is a quote from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kava
Quote:
Medicinal kava
In the Western world, kava is used as a herbal remedy to ease the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
On 15 February 2006, the Fiji Times and Fiji Live both reported that researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and the Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire du Cancer in Luxembourg had discovered kava was effective in the treatment of ovarian cancer and leukemia. Kava compounds inhibited the activation of a nuclear factor that led to the growth of cancer cells. Aberdeen University had published its findings in the journal, The South Pacific Journal of Natural Science, that Kava methanol extracts had been shown to kill leukemia and ovarian cancer cells in test tubes. The Kava compounds were shown to work selectively, passing healthy cells by and targeting only cancerous cells.
It is common in the pacific islands to fast on a little tea of lime leafs, and maybe a little papaya slice. Rarely would one eat for up to 4 hours before drinking Kava, but these few things which pass through the system quickly. Vitamin C is scarce in the smaller Fijian islands, so lime leaf tea is the major source, despite a ferry that comes once or twice a week to deliver food. It is well spoken there that the effects of Kava are best felt on an empty system. Once one is in a state of complete well-being, with a slight drunken feeling of euphoria, it is time to eat! Eating after drinking Kava is said and has proven to me to enhance the effects. For what reason, I am not sure and I encourage you to learn why.
Many Fijian men will stay up 'til 4 in the morning, drinking Kava, smoking Benson & Hedges cigarettes and their own crops of Nicotiana Rustica known as 'Suki' there, which they roll up in long tubes of newspaper (sometimes up to a foot long). This however is not a common thing, and usually happens when there's a great mourning over the loss of family, or a crop of Kava just came through.
Kawaiin and Yangonin , I have considered to account for the numbing sensation of the mouth, and some of the feelings in your chest when you feel euphoric.
Methysticin (safe non-toxic in Kava) being closely similar to that of Myristicin (a toxic psychoactive in nutmeg), is probably the culprit to cause the dreamier and more colorful euphoric state of Kava, and in my own experience it tends to be concentrated mostly in fresh roots. Some people in fiji will crush the fresh roots in water and drink it (I did, it tastes like unripe eggplant tea, with a hint of mud and tingle), and pass out an hour or two later in a dreamy daze, and yes I did do exactly that. While in the dreamy daze I imagined and felt myself as just a ball of light and thought drifting through space observing and collecting. Blotches of color and tracers that smear tend to appear in higher doses or with fresh root too.
You may not experience effects of kava on your first time trying it, so I would suggest taking some preparation first. (Very important for first time users of kava, and those who cant seem to get effects!)
First of all, DRINK WATER! Alot of it, regularly. A full grown Adult should drink slightly over a gallon a day, spaced between meals. This is key to keeping your system in a constant healthy rhythm.
Second of all, I, My girlfriend, and many friends along the way, have all shared one thought in common about first timers drinking Kava, and that being the thought that there's some sort of reverse tolerance, in a sense that if one were hoping to get intoxicated, they would have to be exposed to large amounts of the drink over a few days length in order to sort of "break them in". Also we came to the conclusion, that the more Kava you drink on a regular basis, the less you will need to get drunk.
Because Kava availability in the U.S., and Canada, is quite poor, and usually of the very poor quality of the Kava that is imported, it could be quite expensive to take this approach.
To get past this, I have considered one option that would work based on basic knowledge of Kava dosage. If one were to get in their car and drive down to their health-food store, and pick up a bottle of some form of Kava supplement, and take this on a regular basis, one could build up this tolerance enough so that they could get it right on their first or second attempt instead of their fourth or fifth, and around 12$ in expenses instead of a possible 40$+.
Most Kava supplements are 150mg of Kavalactones, and I would suggest 300mg of Kavalactones a day for at least two weeks, to build up this tolerance. One could even take them at night to fall asleep, so that it may not affect their day with euphoria if it does arise.
Kava is usualy brewed in a Tanoa, and they usualy look like this little guy:
They are usualy carved out of Vesi, a VERY hard wood. They are then soaked in mangrove mud to stain it with a black protective finish. A normal sized tanoa holds 3-5 gallons. Some villages have 10 gallon tanoas and more, as sometimes there may be an 80 person kava circle. People will travel through many villages for kava.
here was my Kava setup
Some Kava ceremonies:
and some Kava kickbacks
The plant resides mainly in the pacific islands, such as fiji, vanuatu, new caledonia, and samoa. Though hawaii has some kava, its nowhere near the quality of fiji or samoan kava. Melanesian (vanuatu) people tend to ship out some good kava, ill explain later in the sources.
Much of the US supply of kava comes from hawaii or fiji, though its a pale commercial kind (we will discuss color in a second), and can be bought in most healthfood stores. This kava is very poor in quality and although it does its job, alot needs to be consumed.
Q: I hear kava is toxic to the liver, is this true? A: It depends on which part of the plant, let me explain
The whole pepper plant from leafs to roots are numbingly intense with the desired lactones, however everything above the surface of the soil contains pipermethystine, which is a hepatoxin. Leafs and stems of leafs are also chewed for sore gums or mouth, as it numbs it within a few seconds, and keeps it numb for a good 20 minutes. While the whole plant contains the lactones, the roots are going to be the only thing you want to consume. If you have access to fresh leafs as I mentioned, and are using it to cure mouth pain, it should be used only when needed.
Q: What other kinds of kava are out there? A: Lets discuss that now!
Kava can be found through most sources, as three main colors: - Pale: common commercial, usualy from fiji, or hawaii - Yellow: decent commercial, usualy from vanuatu or hawaii - Brown: excellent, usualy from fiji or samoa
I like to call this part of potency identification as "Quality with color".
Heres some pictures of the three for visual comparison:
Pale/Commercial Fijian harvest from the main island, usualy premature or low in quality
As you can see its quite pale in color, this is the commercial stuff you will find in most healthfood stores. It's only good for a sleep aid, and alot is needed to get the desired effect. This kind of kava is usualy avoided unless you find two kilos of it for 30$ which I did.
Yellow Vanuatu and hawaiin Kava
The vanuatu is especialy decent both potency and taste-wise, and can be yellow or yellowish-brown. Some decent kava also comes from hawaii, but its rarely seen or heard of in the states, and usualy stays on the island.
Brown Fijian or Samoan farmers harvest
the stuff on the left is basic homegrown fijian kava, same quality as the stuff on the right, but the stuff on the right smells like vanilla and cinnamon, its a beautiful aromatic flavor that reminds me of the holidays.
a closer look at the good stuff
a closeup for you, and as u can see its very chunky, very freshly pounded. You WILL NOT, find this quality in the states, you must know someone who lives in fiji or samoa, and they must risk their ass getting it to you as customs wont allow it across usualy. this is me and my girls last package from fiji, so we will treasure this kava and enjoy it like we did when we were there. But for reference, thats what the best kind will look like.
now that your drooling, lets move on to brewing so you can quench your thirst!
first of all, your going to need:
A bowl big enough to play around in with your hands, preferably deep and wide, that wont tip if u mix around in it. Mines would tip over, but ive a cool stand for it.
A clean bandana.
A bucket of clean drinkable water nearby (plenty, a couple gallons is nice).
A 1 cup sized measuring cup or coconut bowl, something to scoop and drink with.
Kava powder of choice.
Friends to join!
If you buy your kavaroot whole, it will need to be pounded in some sort of pounder, and it requires alot of strength!!!
be sure to take turns so you have energy for kava!
It Begins! Place your bowl on the ground with your bandana spread over it like so
take a scoop of kava with your drinking cup, and dump it into the center of the cloth in the bottom of the bowl. Any amount is fine, but a good dose would be a ball about the size of your fist.
Now fold all four corners up, and grab your dose into a ball like so
place your ball of dose into the bottom, and leave the four end pieces to the bandana hanging out over the edge of the bowl, as you pour an inch or two of water to start with
soak your dose
make sure your kava is nice and satured, and start pressing and squeezing your kava against the sides of the bowl, forcing the smaller particles through the banadana into the water
a good "twist and squeeze" method as displayed by me below
try and be sure to keep a tight grip between where your dose is in the bag, and the opening, as u dont want big chunks to escape into your brew! one hand to clap it shut, the other to knead with. after a minute or two your brew should look khaki colored like so
proceed to add water 2-3 inches at a time, continuing to brew and knead after each addition, until you have a full or near-full tanoa. (tanoa is the name of the brewing bowl)
take your cup and stir your kava around, being sure to ruff up the stuff on the bottom. kava powder will pile up in the bottom if u dont stir every time u serve a bowl.
a halffull bowl in fiji, is known as a low tide, while a big one like this, is called a high tide. I am in favor of high tides all around.
Now drink up!
Special thanks to everyone on Waisalima beach and everyone at the Waisalima compound, on the island of Kadavu, in Fiji.
Special thanks to my girlfriend and her family for bringing me there and introducing me to these people and their traditions, and for their care, support, and friendship. Without them, none of this would of happened.
Special thanks to a special few on the Shroomery.org message boards for keeping me motivated and spiritual!
Signed, Kid Botany.
Edited by CptnGarden (09/05/07 02:12 PM)
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550c
Day Tripper
Registered: 10/03/05
Posts: 113
Last seen: 16 years, 5 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6076839 - 09/19/06 02:18 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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awsome I was planning on brewing some kava for the first time tonight. Thanks
PS. There is a good book that I have called Kava: The Pacific Elixir: The Definitive Guide to Its Ethnobotany, History, and Chemistry KAVA
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Schwip
Never sleeps.
Registered: 06/27/05
Posts: 3,937
Last seen: 11 years, 3 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: 550c]
#6077525 - 09/19/06 10:31 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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that is an excellent book!
found that at a local half priced bookstore some time back....
recommended reading if your interested in kava
Also, SOD, why will customs not let the kava through from Fiji?
I didn't think there were any restrictions on it?
-------------------- -------------------------------- " If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule. There would only be you and your memories... the choices you've made, and the people you've touched. If this world were to end there would only be you and him and no-one else. " .............. "MAN! You know there aint no such thing as left over crack!"
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: Schwip]
#6077813 - 09/19/06 11:55 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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cause kava is the root, the roots = in contact with soil.
dont you know how customs is about foreign soil and nematodes?
the kava and milk recipe only works for sleep relief the way you just said to brew it results in bad stomach cramps and nausea. those pics were taken last night when i enjoyed my kava, how i do it is how the fijians do it.
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aNeway2sayHooray
Cresley Wusher
Registered: 07/07/05
Posts: 7,653
Loc: Orphic Trench
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6077973 - 09/19/06 12:40 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Great tek and I like the pictures.Thanks for the comparison on the 3 types of kava that are seen.I had been wondering what types of tints in color to expect after you told me about the color/quality thing.
Good job!THis is going in my favorite threads.
-------------------- Mad_Larkin said: Death is just a thang. MrJellineck said: Profits, prophets. That's all you jews think about. sheekle said: life is drugs... and music... and cat...
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: aNeway2sayHooray]
#6078063 - 09/19/06 01:11 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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thanks for pointing out some mistakes in a PM hooray.
this tek is nowhere near complete or edited, im just caught up too much to do anything right now. ill do more work on it later tonight.
in 2 or 3 three days this should be about 7 pages or more ^_^
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aNeway2sayHooray
Cresley Wusher
Registered: 07/07/05
Posts: 7,653
Loc: Orphic Trench
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6078088 - 09/19/06 01:17 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I know these mp3s have been uploaded before but I think they go well in this thread.Also in your original post,you mention alkaloids.The active compounds in kava are not alkaloids,they are lactones.
Ed Smith discussing Kava Kava
Ed Smith mp3 #1
Ed Smith mp3 #2
Ed Smith mp3 #3
-------------------- Mad_Larkin said: Death is just a thang. MrJellineck said: Profits, prophets. That's all you jews think about. sheekle said: life is drugs... and music... and cat...
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: aNeway2sayHooray]
#6078180 - 09/19/06 01:54 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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updated.
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aNeway2sayHooray
Cresley Wusher
Registered: 07/07/05
Posts: 7,653
Loc: Orphic Trench
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6078268 - 09/19/06 02:21 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Nice updates.Im liking the new pictures.
-------------------- Mad_Larkin said: Death is just a thang. MrJellineck said: Profits, prophets. That's all you jews think about. sheekle said: life is drugs... and music... and cat...
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mr_minds_eye
Disposable Wage Whore
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Loc: Samsara
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6080728 - 09/19/06 10:47 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I really enjoyed that.
-------------------- Our quest for discovery fuels our creativity in all fields, not just science. If we reached the end of the line, the human spirit would shrivel and die. But I don't think we will ever stand still: we shall increase in complexity, if not in depth, and shall always be the center on an expanding horizon of possibilities. -Stephen Hawking
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Dety
Old No.7
Registered: 09/14/04
Posts: 1,685
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6082758 - 09/20/06 03:20 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Wow great tek.
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
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Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: Dety]
#6082882 - 09/20/06 04:02 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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almost done
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6083004 - 09/20/06 04:44 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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anyone interested in some good fijian tunes to drink your kava with? supply me with the link to a good free file hosting site besides rapidshare and ill put the file in zip or rar format and host it.
I've got a CD of the band Southern Junior, from the island of fiji i was staying on. the music is very kava influenced.
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entheoindole
SeāĂ° Wīdfarend
Registered: 04/04/04
Posts: 595
Loc: Eormensyll, VÄ«nland
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: mr_minds_eye]
#6083540 - 09/20/06 06:55 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
mr_minds_eye said: I really enjoyed that.
Hear, hear
It's cool that you posted this, considering that I have some Kava on the way! I hope it's at least slightly yellow
Great Tek man keep up the great work!
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poboy
On the bounce
Registered: 03/08/05
Posts: 1,355
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands *DELETED* [Re: entheoindole]
#6086819 - 09/21/06 02:14 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Post deleted by poboyReason for deletion: d
-------------------- Burn the land and boil the sea but you can't take the sky from me.
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
Posts: 11,945
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: poboy]
#6086837 - 09/21/06 02:19 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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looks like inbetween yellow and brown.
samoan is quality kava.
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supra
computerEnthusiast
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6088255 - 09/21/06 08:43 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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how many high tides do you normally need to drink? Is one enough, or is it like alcohol in how you drink, where you drink until you are satisfied?
thanks man
peace
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: supra]
#6088877 - 09/21/06 11:26 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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on average 40-60 high tides would get me drunk.
if u drink it quick u will get nauseated.
you kind of have to dedicate your day to it since its a DUI kinda thing too, and you might drink a bowl every 5-10mins depending on how your stomach will take it. When I was in fiji i would consume 3 gallons a day, but i was only a few gallons short of everyone else
its sad that kava is so expensive around the states, since its such a wonderful plant, and kava would totaly replace alcohol if people were to discover its effects more.
- theres no hangover - you get nauseated but you dont feel 'poisoned' like with alcohol - your still able to think well, make good decisions, and stay in your head in average and even slightly heavy doses - you cant really be violent, unless you can smile someone to death
kava is so peaceful, full of good energy.
my best description of the reverse tolerance is that:
the more you drink, the less you will need to feel the effects. if you drink kava everyday, a ball the size of ur first will get u drunk. if u drink once a year, maybe 10 times that amount!
i like to drink it every month on a sunday if i can, it allows me to keep my tolerance somewhat built, while still being able to get drunk off 2 or 3 of my little tanoas.
drink it til your drunk. if it makes u too nauseated, drink what u can, and try again another time within the next few days. eventualy u will be able to drink enough, and eventualy less will be needed. the first time i really FELT it, i stumbled down the beach like a crab, had no idea wtf had just hit me i was so fuckin drunk yet i could think, like no mind state ive ever felt it was so perfect. the perfect high for me.
so many search for their perfect high, and i actualy feel like i found mine. otherwise i wouldnt be showing as much enthusiasm as i have in this thread.
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blazed123
Bing
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#6089113 - 09/22/06 12:43 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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40-60 High Tides!! WOW. I never knew you needed that much... Makes more sense now. So you would basically need a bottle of the soft gels?
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: blazed123]
#6089130 - 09/22/06 12:50 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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bottle of soft gels for what? to get drunk? or to defeat reverse tolerance?
do you mean pilled powder kava, or kava paste gels?
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xurzax
.
Registered: 08/28/05
Posts: 168
Loc: .
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands *DELETED* [Re: CptnGarden]
#6091456 - 09/22/06 08:04 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Post deleted by xurzax
Reason for deletion: .
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
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Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: xurzax]
#6091555 - 09/22/06 08:46 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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im not sure, a kilo (2.2lbs) got about 45 people drunk one night, but that was premium stuff.
vanuatu kava might only work for 1lb>10-12 people.
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CptnGarden
fuck this site
Registered: 05/13/04
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Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#7263000 - 08/05/07 04:56 PM (16 years, 7 months ago) |
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bump, updated too.
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dstark
Manifesting Minds
Registered: 02/27/08
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Re: How to brew kava: a look into life on the pacific islands [Re: CptnGarden]
#9516732 - 12/30/08 07:06 AM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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Another amazing threat from CptnGarden that MUST be bumped =] Thanks for sharing m8;)
-------------------- What is a mind, if not something to be messed with? What is consciousness, if not a state to be altered? ~I Feelat Home~
Edited by dstark (12/30/08 08:48 AM)
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