6 Kava Drink Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Editor's note: While kava is not a controlled substance in the U.S., precautions should always be taken with unregulated substances. Some countries (like Australia) classify kava as a depressant drug. As with any substance, do your own research before consuming or making your own batch of kava and enjoy it responsibly.

Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or just looking for a way to have a fun night out sans booze, you've probably already heard of kava. Kava bars are popping up all over the place to give those without a drive for inebriation a place to rest, relax, and socialize, all while still sipping on a fun bevvy. The non-alcoholic drink will still give you a slight buzz, but rather than being intoxicating, it tends to impart more of a euphoric body-feel onto the drinker — perfect for letting go of inhibitions without the mind-altering effects of alcoholic drinks. 

Kava is made a few different ways, and home kava preparation will typically see you working with medium-ground kava, fine-ground kava, or a kava concentrate/extract. Some companies have gone as far as to make ready-to-consume kava beverages (or, at the bare minimum, ones that require little preparation). However, not all kava is created equal — especially given that this is a relatively new wellness trend, quality and characteristics of kava drinks can vary pretty widely from brand to brand. I got my hands on six different ready-to-drink kava brands (in the case of one, nearly ready-to-drink) to compare them based on their flavor and the resulting body feel. Fortunately, I'd consider most of these brands to be pretty competitive in the kava marketplace, and there's only one I wouldn't consume again. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I bought three flavors of DaHonu Life's kava offerings, and I could only make my way through one of them. I've had a decent amount of kava by now and can attest that the root tastes fairly bitter and earthy. Clearly, some companies have found a way to balance out those off-putting flavors — this brand is not one of them. Fuji apple was the only flavor I was able to finish, and even then, it wasn't very impressive.

I tried the tropical flavor first and was immediately put off by its sweaty smell (yes, I know — sweat). Unfortunately, that smell also translated to its flavor, and I didn't have more than one sip of that can. I figured cola would be a safer choice, as I like cola seltzers, and it seems a relatively foolproof flavor. There, too, I was disappointed. Though definitely better than the tropical flavor (and though it definitely tasted like cola), it had an unwelcome bitter aftertaste that I just couldn't get past. Finally, I moved on to Fuji apple — this can fared far better than the previous two, and I finished the whole thing. Soon after drinking, I was greeted by a pleasant, calm, intensely relaxed body feel, so in that vein, I suppose these cans fit the bill. I just don't think the payoff is worth the flavor, especially considering that all the following cans were way easier to drink. 

I enjoyed what New Brew had to offer in terms of its flavors, but the cans didn't have quite as much of a physical/mental effect as I had hoped for. Now would also be a good time to note that the latter was a secondary factor in my ranking. I didn't drink these under tightly controlled conditions; I had some right after eating a meal, some soon before bed, and others as a mid-afternoon cocktail alternative. Even taking those conditions into consideration, I didn't get as much of a chill body-feel with New Brew as I did with some of the following. 

Each can definitely encapsulates its stated flavor, but they all also have that earthy kava essence that I'm not particularly fond of. I think that's to be expected in a kava drink, but a couple of the following brands managed to eliminate that flavor entirely, which is why this scores slightly lower on the list. The yuzu flavor was my favorite — the staple Japanese fruit seems to be everywhere nowadays, and its slightly punchy citrus flavor did a good job at balancing out kava's earthy appeal. It gave minimally relaxing effects, but couldn't compare to my top choices in terms of its body feel; however, this might make it ideal for someone who's new to kava. 

Kava Haven's offering is a slight outlier on this list, in that it's a non-alcoholic spirit meant to be used in mixed drinks the same way you'd use a shot or two of your favorite liquor (though you can still definitely drink it straight if you prefer). The company has some suggested ways to enjoy it on the back of the bottle, and given the slightly lemony appeal of its flavor, I'd easily mix it into a sweet frozen lemonade or a lemon drop martini-inspired drink. For this taste test, I had it solo, and it's definitely strong but not unpalatable — it's like sipping on a very thick, earthy, lemon-flavored tea. 

Sure, you can make delicious drinks with this kava bottle, but the fact that you have to mix it before enjoying is enough to give it the number four spot on this list. Other than that, I see no downsides to this offering, especially considering it'll last a while and you can adjust the dosage depending on how much kava you want to consume. I had the highest amount recommended, and it made me fairly sleepy after drinking, but didn't give quite the "euphoric" vibe some of the following seltzers do. Still, would I have it as a pre-bedtime bevvy? Absolutely. 

Up next is Psychedelic Water, a brand that's certainly eye-catching in its visual appeal. I can also attest to the overall taste of Psychedelic Water's cans — though they didn't have my favorite flavors of the bunch (and retained some of the earthy appeal of kava), they were still quite good. Each was slightly subtle but still delicious. To be honest, deciding between this brand and the next for spots two and three was difficult — at the end of the day, the latter got a bit of an edge for its heavier body feel.

In addition to having some great flavors in the lineup, Psychedelic Water also fits the bill in terms of its effects. I wouldn't say it makes you tired (which, for many consumers, is probably a good thing). Rather, it gave a relaxed, slightly elevated effect, perfect to be used as a bit of a mood-booster when the time calls for one. Whether you choose this or the following drink will likely depend on a tertiary factor that wasn't directly considered in this ranking. Take into account price and accessibility before making your final purchase; I'd call either a very solid choice. 

I've been fortunate enough to try the Mitra9 brand of kava seltzers a few different times now — each time, my experience is the same (and one time, the seltzer brought me down from a panic attack). I'll admit to some slight bias here. Nevertheless, the brand makes some remarkably good kava seltzers that I can recommend to newbies and experienced enjoyers alike. Similar to the previous brand, its flavors are subtle but very true to what the can claims, and the earthiness of the kava root is fairly muted in each.

Mitra9's cans do make me the most sleepy of the bunch, though it's nowhere near the effect of taking a Benadryl. Still, I could see that being a turnoff for some consumers — for me, it's a welcome way to wind down after a workday. I have nothing bad to say about these cans, and had I not wound up with my number one pick, this absolutely would have taken top spot. The following, though, boasts some unbeatable flavors that I simply can't get enough of. 

Leilo has indisputably nailed the formula when it comes to producing a yummy kava seltzer that gives a great body feel. If you want a true mocktail experience, this is an easy brand to recommend. In addition to having standard fruity flavors like tangerine mango, blackberry orange, and raspberry hibiscus, it also makes remarkably good dupes of a Moscow mule, piña colada, and lime margarita. 

My least favorite flavor was tangerine mango; I actively adored all the rest, and have had one on a near-daily basis since receiving these cans. Kava's typical earthiness is virtually nonexistent in each of these, automatically endearing me to them. Moreover, the cans have the exact physical effects I look for in kava. They're intensely relaxing without making me sleepy, and about 30 minutes after drinking one, my body feels like it's just done an hour-long yin yoga practice. I can't recommend Leilo enough to kava novices and aficionados looking for a reliable, tasty experience with the root. 

I'll say off the bat that I didn't test every kava product available on the market. I specifically stayed away from powders and tinctures, as those vary too widely in terms of home preparation to be able to conduct an adequate comparison test. I stuck with ready-made drinks as well as Kava Haven's bottle, which can be enjoyed straight or mixed into a larger drink. 

My primary ranking criterion was the flavor of each brand's offerings. Because kava tends to be quite earthy in a way that I often find unappealing, I was specifically looking for brands that masked that flavor while also imparting the desired results. Body-feel was a secondary criterion, mostly because I couldn't perform this taste test in an ultra-controlled environment. Though I had every drink in the afternoon or evening, what I ate varied each day I tried one; I can make educated guesses about the impacts of each one, but to base this ranking solely on the effects of each drink would have been unfair.