Kava is a name you may have seen before on The Sober Curator when I wrote a scathing review of the ritualistic practices of drinking kava, and how they triggered the same rituals I have always associated with alcohol: drink a lot in a short amount of time to gain a desired effect. With some separation from that initial meeting with kava, I have decided to try some of the new blended kava beverages that have begun to inundate the non-alcoholic alternative marketplace. These beverages come in many forms and with varying levels of potency, so let’s hop in and visit the Pacific Islands to find out more about kava and what delicious, and sometimes disgusting, drinks are available to us.
First, you should know that kava is a plant from the Pacific Islands in the pepper family. The liquid is made from the root of the plant and the beverage derived from this has been used for medicinal and ritualistic purposes for thousands of years. As our world continues to get smaller, kava has made its way across the ocean and into your local non-alcoholic bottle shops. Because this is a plant or supplement, regulations are not as strict as they may be for other medicinal items, and the definitions get blurry when it comes to whether you are drinking something with actual kava root in it or just extract from the plant.
As an alcohol replacement, kava is being touted as an anxiety reducing formula that can also assist in other areas you may be needing reprieve including insomnia. This is not without research. One heavily studied subject is the anxiety reducing powers of kava and this is even recognized by the National Institute of Health. The other part of that is a potential for liver damage from prolonged or excessive use, but that is something that has less research behind it, at least in regard to the exact cause, type, or dosage that causes possible liver damage.
So with all of that said, let’s dive in with two companies that are making this beverage for you to consume, each very different from the other, and find out more about what we’re talking about.
First up is a line of “Sparkling Kava” from Botanical Brewing Co. out of Cape Coral, Florida. These brightly colored cans come in a variety of flavors including Orange Dream and Peach on the Beach. They are putting their marketing foot forward with call outs right on the can of “Zero Alcohol”, “Hangover Free”, and “Catch a Plant Buzz.” There are also words like “calm”, “social”, and “mood enhancing”. The brightly colored can looks fantastic and makes you want to crack it open in a sunny social situation, so I hopped on a Zoom with the original Sober Curator, Alysse Bryson, to see if we can become kava kustomers or if we end up kava krappers.
Cracking the can, each flavor brings into the air the aroma of fruit from its label. The Orange Dream bringing a spiral of citrus fun and the Peach on the Beach bringing up other familiar flavors that we’ll get into in a minute. Contrary to my previous experience with the root water of kava, there was no earth tones or anything like that coming from the can, but we’ll see how it shows up in the flavor.
The Orange Dream drinks like a sparkling orange juice, almost like an Orangina, but with a hint of vanilla flavor that was likely kicked in from the monk fruit I found on the label. I have had this vanilla lactose flavor before from milkshake IPAs that ended up being flavored with monk fruit, so I’m drawing conclusions here. This is a sweet and tasty beverage with none of the anticipated earthiness I thought I would get from a kava drink.
The Peach on the Beach had a different vibe with me, and a very specific one at that. In high school, one of my best friends was obsessed with the now defunct fruit drink Fruitopia Peachberry Quencher, and this was the first time I have tasted anything like it since the year 2000. Like it’s partner, Peach on the Beach was a sweet fruity beverage with a nice jolt of bubbles and a refreshing after taste.
After we finished the cans, I wondered what the deal was with this beverage. It had none of the trash flavor I associated with kava previously and upon further inspection of the label, I figured out why. While kava is in these fruity drinks (as well as 12 grams of sugar), it’s the last thing on the ingredient list and is listed at only 660mg. This is a nice drink for those looking to dip their toe in the water of kava, no pun intended, but may be adverse to the ritual of overindulgence that comes with the traditional ingestion methods of the Pacific Islander.
Up next is a line of regular and premium “Artisanal Kava Elixirs” from Lumanai. There are half a dozen flavors available and all of them have a specific phrase on them that sets them apart from some of the other kava drinks, like the ones from Botanical Brewing: Herbal Supplement. These are in bottles instead of cans and have the look I remember from my previous kava experience. They range in colors from a light brown to a pale pink, with delicious flavor combinations like “Raspberry Orange Spice”, “Goji Cacao”, and “Ginger Honey Lemon.”
It’s a good thing these bottles aren’t carbonated because they require a bit of shaking as they have a layer of sediment on the bottom, but upon review of the label, that is mentioned as “Separation is natural”, and while we’re talking about the label, let’s mention some other key phrases you may see, including “Anti-Inflammatory”, “Restful Sleep”, and “Mood Support.” In addition, there is a brief history that includes the phrase “alcohol replacement”. In what feels like an attack on other companies, there is also a callout that “Kava extracts are added to many supplemental blends and beverages, but there’s nothing as potent as the traditional stuff, which is what we do.” There is even a QR code that takes you to the website and has a FAQ section with further drinking instructions. NOTE: We did not read these before drinking. Whoops.
After some vigorous shaking, a twist of the cap releases into the air what can only be described as a pleasant experience at Yankee Candle company. The aromas from the unique flavor combinations are potent, and not in a bad way. This is true so much for the Raspberry Orange Spice that Alysse is currently looking into how to get it made into a candle. As the scents make my mouth water, I am hopeful that my past experience with kava is about to get washed away.
As the herbal supplement begins to introduce itself to my mouth, there is definitely a difference in textures and tastes from the Botanical Brewing bevvies, but there is also a difference from the dirt water I drank in a kava bar last year. These supplements still have the foundation of the root extract, giving them the earthiness I was expecting, but the flavors add a nice overture to the symphony of “what is happening in my mouth right now?” The reason I am asking that question stands to be noted, as well. The kava, in what we will discover is a potent form, creates a sort of numbing effect on the tongue. Unexpected, it is sure to create anxiety before it makes it go away, but it does fad after a bit of time.
Overall, one thing is for sure: these Lumanai drinks are the real deal. This is proven when I look at the label and see that not only is kava the third ingredient (instead of the last), but at 4g, it’s nearly seven times that of the sparkling drinks we tried beforehand. This shows up in the flavors as the earthy dirt tones, but it shows up in the efficacy as somewhat present, instead of nothing at all.
So, in the end, is kava right for you? That’s up to you to decide. As a person skeptical of many herbal supplements (file that under trauma around my mom buying every quick fix available as a kid), I am not sure it’s the drink choice for me, but if you are sober-curious or one of those people seeking out alternative methods of decreasing anxiety, these might be for you. Also, if you loved Fruitopia as a kid, please try the Peach on the Beach and tell me if you agree with me.
You can check out Botanical Brewing Company here (http://www.botanicalbrewingco.com) and Lumanai here (http://www.lumanai.com) and place your own orders and let us know what you think.
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