The Kava Journal

Field notes, research, history, culture, cultivation, and observations from more than two decades working with kava.

Understanding Kava Varieties: Noble, Tudei, and Papua ISA
Understanding Kava Varieties: Noble, Tudei, and Papua ISA
Science & Research
4 min read

Understanding Kava Varieties: Noble, Tudei, and Papua ISA

Understanding Kava Varieties: Noble, Tudei, and Papua ISA In the diverse world of kava, not all varieties are created equal....
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Latest from the Journal

HPTLC chromatogram of Kali-ISA, Kali-Rogu and Kali-Hiwa kava roots under derivatized white light, showing the characteristic kavalactone band at Rf 0.4
american kava hplc hptlc kava science kavalytics nirs research white paper
2 min read
Three Ways of Asking the Same Question: Is American-Grown Kava Really Kava?

Before you can say anything useful about how strong a kava is, you have to prove what it is. The three American-grown cultivars behind Technical White Paper No. 2 were put through three independent identity checks,  HPTLC fingerprinting, HPLC-UV quantification and near-infrared classification with KavaLytics, and all three agreed. Every lot is authentic Piper methysticum, and every lot is beverage-grade, with flavokavains at just 1.6–2.5% of total kavalactones. Two of the three are noble by chemotype; one reads Isa-type, but still very much Beverage-Grade.

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