Welcome to Kava Culture - The New Chill Way to Ease Anxiety

The practice of kava has been spreading across the United States, especially in laid-back coastal communities like Florida. Kava, what is it exactly? What gives this earthy drink its appeal compared to beer? Why are kava bars so well-liked as a way to relax without getting a hangover? Delve into the fascinating and soothing realm of kava, where history and modernity converge, and where serenity is as close as a shell.

What Kava Does

Kava, also called kava-kava, is a tropical evergreen shrub from the nightshade family that is endemic to South Pacific islands such as Vanuatu, Fiji, and Hawaii. The roots are crushed or ground and taken orally, usually as a bitter beverage. It has long been utilized in Polynesia for medicinal, religious, political, cultural, and social purposes, as well as an aphrodisiac.

In Western countries, it has been used to alleviate anxiety, tension, and restlessness, as well as to successfully combat alcoholism. Kava Bar is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Many establishments can make delicious kava cocktails with ingredients like lavender, mint, cayenne, mocha, and chai. It's also available in tinctures and capsules.

Kava stimulates the brain's GABA receptors. GABA is an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, which regulates the majority of brain and body activities. Low levels of GABA activity may be associated with anxiety or mood problems, epilepsy, chronic pain, insomnia, depression, and mental illnesses. Researchers believe that GABA activity may improve mood or have a calming and relaxing effect. Other substances that contribute to this include alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Kava, classified as a herbal supplement, is currently unscheduled in the United States (and most other countries), which means it is lawful to sell, possess, or use. Currently, there are no documented calls to schedule or regulate kava in the United States. Researchers believe that GABA activity may improve mood or have a calming and relaxing effect.

A US Kava Culture

I first learned about kava a few years ago from a New Yorker article, which highlighted the opening of Kava Bar at St. Augustine. I believe the community began there because there were probably people who couldn't or chose not to drink, and they were looking for a place to hang out where they didn't feel obligated to drink alcohol. I'm guessing kava and kratom became popular in this place, and the community began to flourish. I've made a lot of friends through this culture. It may resemble Amsterdam's "coffee" shops rather than noisy and chaotic pubs and cafés.

Take Green Turtle Kava, for example. With locations in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, and St. Augustine, this Florida-based kava bar chain is a perfect reflection of what modern kava culture is all about. The bar I frequent feels like both a tight-knit community of regulars and employees, as well as a refuge. The environment is serene, and you're free to spend long periods of time there - in this way, it's maybe more akin to Amsterdam's "coffee" shops than to noisy and chaotic pubs and cafés.

What’s on the Menu?

It’s not just kava at Green Turtle. Sure, that’s the main draw, but they also serve herbal teas and other non-alcoholic sips for folks who want variety. Still, the star of the show is the kava shell — typically served in a small coconut shell or cup. You drink it in one go, followed by a chaser if the earthy taste isn’t quite your jam.

Pro tip: don’t judge kava by your first sip. It’s not meant to be fancy or sweet. It's more about the effect and the ritual.

Where Can I Find Kava Bars

If you are in Florida, you are in luck. Kava Bar has locations in:

St. Augustine (156 S.R. #312, UNIT 172)

Daytona Beach (1500 Beville Road, #103)

Ormond Beach (1474 West Granada Boulevard #410)

You can stop by any of these locations, ask for a shell, and let the tension of the day melt away. Kava invites us to pause in a fast-paced world. To breathe. To link. That is something we could all use a little more of.