Embracing Kava as a Sober Social Alternative: A Q&A with Ash of Lumanai Kava

Seduced by the neon glow of the lights of Las Vegas, it’s easy to get caught up in the city’s famous nightlife. But beyond the downtown bars and champagne dinners, there’s a growing movement seeking solace in a different kind of drink—one that promises all the social lubrication with none of the next-day regret.

Kava is a root that has been revered for centuries across the South Pacific for its calming effects and use in traditional ceremonies. But for many, like entrepreneur Ash of Luminai Kava, it represents a profound shift towards healthier social rituals.

Ash’s own journey from battling alcohol addiction to discovering kava mirrors a broader cultural awakening. Unlike alcohol, the research surrounding kava shows that it’s non-addictive, which makes the transition away from spirits surprisingly smooth. Imagine evenings spent in laughter and conversation, minus the dread of a hangover. This is everyday life in places like Fiji, where the kava bar serves as a communal hub for relaxation and camaraderie, much like local pubs here in the U.S.

We spoke with Ash to delve into how kava could redefine social life and get a glimpse of a lifestyle where hangovers are obsolete and the vibe is perpetually bula (the Fijian version of aloha)—especially for those navigating the choppy waters of recovery and searching for a more serene way of life.

Sobriety’s New High – Kava Conversations with Ash

For those who may not be familiar, can you explain what kava is?

Kava is an ancient psychedelic plant medicine that’s been used as a ceremonial drink for over 3,000 years. It’s the root of an indigenous plant that was first grown on the islands of Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Guinea and spread throughout the South Pacific. It has anti-inflammatory, mood-lifting, and anti-anxiety benefits, depending on the strain, and works with your GABA receptors to create a buzz that’s a lot like drinking alcohol—but without the alcohol.

And while it doesn’t taste great, I make it taste better.

Tell us what inspired you to start your kava company.

Like any good millennial, I was first turned onto kava from a podcast, and it sounded like something I could use in my life. I’d been in the health, wellness, and supplement space for a while, and I had heard about its medicinal uses, but not its recreational ones. Once I got a hold of some myself, I fell in love with it and wondered why it wasn’t more popular.

It’s probably because it tastes like bitter dirt water.

Before discovering kava, I’d spent some time bartending in LA and was trained by a top mixologist. After trying it, I thought to myself: What if I could do this with kava instead of booze?

Have you seen kava help people?

The people I’ve turned onto kava have told me that it’s saved their lives. And I know that during the ‘80s, it was largely used in Australia as an alcohol replacement.

Personally, kava has helped me thrive as well. After an on-again, off-again toxic relationship with alcohol, I quit drinking on Dec 5, 2020, and it was kava that helped me break up with it for good.

Do you think kava makes for a good alcohol replacement in general?

Yes. Kava gives you what you’re looking for in alcohol without many of the unhealthy downsides—and without lowering inhibitions to a point where you would do or say something you regret.

It’s a social lubricant and an anxiolytic. And like cannabis, there are a ton of different strains. There are heady kavas and heavy kavas. But the overall effect is relaxing, stress-relieving, and mood-lifting.

For me, it sits somewhere between alcohol and cannabis, and I can see a time in the near future where kava will be sold wherever alcohol is sold.

Are there any misconceptions about kava?

The biggest misconception is liver damage, and you’ll see this warning propagated across the internet. This misinformation derives from research done in the 1990s by two pharma companies in Germany and Switzerland, where they were extracting the kava plant with alcohol.

During this study, concentrated kava was shown to cause liver damage when consumed in an alcoholic or acetonic extract. As a result, the plant was banned in the UK, Europe, and Canada.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a study of their own and found that water-based and noble kava products pose no risk of liver complications.

Tell us about some of your products.

My premium noble kava flavors include:

• Ginger Honey Lemon
• The Kolada (fresh pineapple and Madagascar vanilla bean)
• Raspberry Orange Spice

All of our premium noble kava is hand-pressed without the use of CO2 or solvents and is third-party tested for purity.

Our non-premium flavors include:

• Gogi Cacao (chocolate-covered cherry vibes!)
• Acai-Biscus
• Basic Batch

These are made with powdered produce rather than fresh, making them more affordable—a big hit among the Gen Z crowd, who are more likely to opt for sober hangouts at clubs and concerts.

All products come in reusable glass growlers.

With all of my flavors, I didn’t want to bury the bitterness of the kava but to work with it. Mixology is about complementing the spirit, not masking it, and I try to improve on every batch.

What’s next for you?

For our bottled drinks, I’m working on a truly sugar-free option.

Outside of that, my next goal is to make an instant version of my kava drinks that you can take on the go. Because when you’re sober and you go out, like to a birthday party or a club, you might be the only one not drinking, and that can kind of suck.

But with an instant kava mix, you can just mix it with water and get a buzz without needing an alcoholic drink.

Where can we find your product?

In Vegas, you can find my product at all Herbally Grounded locations, or order online from anywhere at Lumanai.com. I deliver locally here in Vegas, or you can even schedule a pickup.

Thank you for chatting with us, Ash!

You can follow Ash’s kava journey on Instagram at @lumanaikava.

**Source:
Assessment of the Risk of Hepatotoxicity with Kava Products – World Health Organization (WHO)