How to drink kava

The Kava Moon Experience

What one 1.5 oz pour feels like, minute by minute, and how to pour it straight or mixed.

What it feels like

$44.90 · 17 full-strength pours · about $2.64 each

A chilled shot of Kava Moon Signature and a tall pineapple kava mixer over ice on a limestone counter in afternoon light

Where it comes from

For 3,000 years, kava has been shared from one bowl.

It’s about the intention, the moment and the people around you. Kava Moon brings that to your evening, in a bottle you pour at home. First time? Here is what a kava drink is and how much to pour.

0.5 oz 1 oz 1.5 oz

One serving

Measure it once: 1.5 oz.

A jigger or a standard shot glass is one serving. Shake the bottle, pour to the line, and that’s it.

Per serving
1.5oz
Kavalactones
300mg
In every bottle
17pours

Full strength in every pour, and 17 of them in a bottle, about $2.64 each.

The experience

What it feels like.

Not a buzz, and not a blur. One 1.5 oz pour is a quieter kind of evening: calm, clear-headed and easy to talk through. Here’s what most people notice.

  • The taste

    Earthy and a little peppery, the way kava has always tasted. Signature brings citrus to the front; Plain keeps it pure for mixing.

  • The tingle

    In the first minutes your lips and tongue may tingle a little. That's normal, and a sign you're drinking real kava.

  • A slower evening

    Around 15 to 30 minutes in, a calm, easy relaxation settles in. Nothing dramatic. The evening just slows down.

  • Clear-headed

    You still feel like yourself: present, at ease and able to follow a long conversation.

  • The next morning

    No alcohol means no hangover, no crash and no foggy start. Just an ordinary morning.

300mg of kavalactones
in every pour

What’s behind it

The relaxation comes from kavalactones, natural compounds in the kava root. Every 1.5 oz pour has 300 mg of them. We use only noble kava, the varieties Pacific growers have chosen for everyday drinking for generations, and we send it to an independent lab and publish the results.

The science, in depth What kavalactones are and how they work The six main kavalactones, how they act in the brain, and why noble kava matters. See the third-party lab testing results

Try it tonight. One pour is a full serving, and a bottle holds 17 of them, about $2.64 each.

Minute by minute

One pour, start to finish.

Everyone is a little different, and it depends on how much you pour and whether you’ve eaten. This is how one 1.5 oz pour usually goes.

How much you notice it 1 2 3 4 5
  1. 1The first minutes

    The tingle

    Your lips and tongue may tingle slightly. That's normal, and a sign of real kava.

  2. 215 to 30 minutes

    It settles in

    A calm, easy relaxation. The evening slows down, and you still feel like yourself.

  3. 330 to 60 minutes

    Clear-headed and social

    Present, at ease and still sharp. Good company for a long conversation or a quiet evening.

  4. 4A couple of hours

    It fades gently

    It wears off slowly, depending on how much you poured and whether you'd eaten.

  5. 5The next morning

    No hangover

    No alcohol, so no hangover, no crash and no morning fog.

What changes it

  • How much you pour

    One 1.5 oz pour is a serving. If you want a second, wait at least an hour, and stop at two in a night.

  • What you've eaten

    Most people feel it more on an empty or light stomach, and less after a big dinner.

  • Your first time

    Some people notice very little the first time or two. That's common with kava, so give it another evening rather than a bigger pour.

Enjoy it responsibly. For adults 18 and over. Don't mix it with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it. Skip it if you're pregnant or nursing, and ask your doctor first if you have liver problems or take medication.

How to pour

Two ways to pour it.

A chilled 1.5 oz shot of Kava Moon Signature

Straight

Quick and classic, and how most kava drinkers have it.

  1. 01
    Shake the bottleKava settles. A good shake keeps every pour the same.
  2. 02
    Pour 1.5 ozChilled, into a shot glass. That's one serving.
  3. 03
    Take it in oneThe classic way, and the quickest.
  4. 04
    Chase if you likeA sip of juice or water afterwards.
Kava Moon Plain mixed with coconut water and lime over ice

Mixed

Built in a glass and sipped slowly. Pure Canvas, our unflavored bottle, is made for it.

  1. 01
    Shake the bottleKava settles. A good shake keeps every pour the same.
  2. 02
    Pour 1.5 oz over iceInto a tall glass with plenty of ice.
  3. 03
    Top with about 4 ozJuice, coconut water or soda.
  4. 04
    Stir and garnishThen sip it slowly.

Straight

The classic shot.

  • The Shot, a Kava Moon recipe

    The Shot

    Signature

    The simplest way, and the one most kava drinkers come back to. Signature's orange notes make it an easy one to take straight.

    See the recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1.5oz Kava Moon Signature, chilled
    • Ice, optional
    • A sip of orange or pineapple juice to chase, optional

    Preparation

    Shake the bottle well. Pour a chilled 1.5oz into a shot glass, over a single ice cube if you like it colder, and take it in one. Chase with a sip of juice if you want.

Mocktails

Find your next mocktail.

All 17 mocktails now have their own page, with photos, ingredients and step-by-step preparation.

Browse mocktail recipes

Tips

Six small things that make it better.

  1. 01

    Chill it

    Keep the bottle in the fridge. Cold kava is smoother, and a chilled glass helps.

  2. 02

    Shake the bottle

    Kava settles. A good shake before every pour keeps each one the same.

  3. 03

    Start with one pour

    Most people notice it within 15 to 30 minutes, so give it time before having more.

  4. 04

    Keep it light

    Most people feel it more on an empty or light stomach, so skip the heavy meal beforehand.

  5. 05

    Water nearby

    Keep a glass of water nearby through the evening.

  6. 06

    Fresh mixers

    Fresh juice and good tonic make all the difference. Skip the artificial stuff.

Questions

Frequently asked questions.

How much should I drink?

One 1.5oz pour is a serving, with 300mg of kavalactones, and most people find one is plenty. Follow the serving on the label. Most people notice it within 15 to 30 minutes; if you have a second, wait at least an hour, and stop at two in a night.

Can I mix with alcohol?

No - we strongly advise against mixing kava with alcohol. Both substances affect the liver, and combining them can increase the risk of liver stress and intensify impairment. Kava Moon is designed to be a complete alternative to alcohol, not a complement to it. Enjoy one or the other, not both.

How does it taste?

Our Signature blend has been carefully crafted for smoothness with subtle earthy notes. If you prefer a blank canvas for mixing, our Pure Canvas variety is unflavored and perfect for creating your own recipes. Most people find it much more palatable than traditional kava preparations.

Is it safe?

Pacific Island cultures have drunk kava for thousands of years. Ours is made from noble kava root only, and we send it to an independent lab and publish the results. Enjoy it responsibly: it's for adults 18 and over, don't mix it with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it. Skip it if you're pregnant or nursing, and ask your doctor first if you have liver problems or take medication.

How often can I drink it?

In moderation. Many people enjoy it a few evenings a week and take regular breaks. Heavy daily use is not recommended.

Tonight

Start with one pour.

17 full-strength pours in every bottle, about $2.64 each. Signature for straight shots, Pure Canvas for mixing.

Third-party lab tested · Noble kava only · Made by a family in Orlando

Kava Moon Signature $44.90 · 17 pours