With so many suppliers of kava, its important to pick the right one in order to offer the highest quality possible. There are 10 Golden Rules we follow for finding the best kava.
There are many reasons why Kava grows particularly well in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, and other Volcanic regions. Even though these islands cultivate the same root, there will be a unique profile and taste for each. Many factors perform essential roles in the quality of the end product, we call these the golden rules. These rules are the secret recipe to finding the best kava sources in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands:
Kava grows splendidly in volcanic soil. Hardened lava, pumice, ash, and decomposed organic matter make up volcanic soil. The mineral composition of different volcanic regions will create different profiles and different tastes. Kava from Vanuatu is different from kava from the Solomon Islands.
We are looking for the oldest kava. Tudei kava is grown fast and harvested young. Noble kava grows slowly, and the amount of kavalactone is proportional to its age. We typically say four to five years minimum to ensure that it is mature, noble kava. We buy Vanuatu kava, which is at least five years old. Solomon Islands kava root strains we sell are the best we could find and harvests are made once the root is at least seven years old.
With high demand and expecting more to grow, you want kava that comes from knowledgeable growers, one that has experience and puts love, tender, and care into each crop. Many growers have little skill and are just looking to be part of the kava gold rush.
Kava grows all year long, but some will say that the kava is affected the same way other crops are by short and long season. Short season means crops will grow up to twice as fast, therefore much higher yields can be reached. Since kava is grown over many years, it will not be affected too much by this, but some regions have more sunlight hours than others.
Since kava is a root, it is full of soil and needs to be properly cleaned before it is ready to be used. A purified, clean water source will ensure that it is clean and safe for consumption.
In the same way that a tree grows bark, so does the root. Kava bars in Vanuatu will get the fresh root and peel it on site. It takes time to remove the skin bark properly. This step is a valuable one, and it is important to buy from a reputable source because it is too late to analyze once it is in powder form.
Most kava is sundried. Still, there is the rare occasion where you can have special kiln-dried kava, which is quickly dehydrated to keep it as fresh as possible. The best kiln dried kava is the Black label kava from Vanuatu. There is a limited supply of this type of kava.
Since kava is very woody, and sensitive to heat, it needs proper care when grinding it up. Grinding too fast for too long will burn the active kavalactones away. To grind the dried roots properly, it takes the right equipment. Let us take care of this for you. *Please note that if you are going to grind the whole root into powder by yourself, we recommend that you invest in a grinder specially designed to powder up ginseng or another hard root. Once you have ground up your root, you will need someone to test it for you, and yes, we can do all the tests that you need.
The above factors are essential to find the best kava possible and we rely strongly on our suppliers overseas to follow these golden rules. Once the product arrives in the USA, further steps are taken to ensure that the quality meets our expectations. You will rest assured that you are buying the highest quality kava we could find from different regions around the world. Check out our best kava powder and instant kava best-sellers from Vanuatu.
Whether it is lab testing, controlling moisture, special packaging, you will be happy to know we have covered the smallest of details that will ensure you receive the best quality everytime you buy.