Kava. It’s ancient and relaxing. And, now it comes in a can.

It was five or six years ago that I first sampled kava in a divey little joint in South Florida. I’d heard a lot about the stuff from friends who were genuine fans, but whose reviews of the stuff — and this amused me — seemed more like brags, the kinds of things people say when they finish some eating or drinking challenge, rather than pleasurable musings.

The server behind the bar did nothing to change this.

As I sat, perusing the various flavor options, I queried as to which he might recommend. Black cherry seemed appealing. Or maybe piña colada.

“Can I be honest with you?” he asked.

I nodded.

“It’s not going to help.”

I laughed, then went all-in. Straight kava. And immediately, I realized he was right.

The stuff he served me, in a simple half-coconut shell, tasted like mud water.

I wasn’t surprised. This was how everyone had described it. But from the moment I sipped, I felt an odd, warm, constricting sensation in my throat. With each draw, my tongue and lips went slightly more numb. And before long, I felt a bit giggly.

Kava bar helps relax the stressed

Caleb Warner, retail operations manager for Elevate Social Lounge & Kava Bar in Maitland, wouldn’t dispute the enjoyable — or at the very least interesting — qualities of this ancient beverage, but nor would he argue the former.

“Unfortunately, that’s the majority of people’s first experience with kava…. The average bar throws a bowl of mud water in your face and expects you to enjoy it and come back for more,” Warner says.

To his point, my second kava experience came shortly after our chat when I popped into Elevate to sample some of the newer ways to reap kava’s more medicinal benefits, including fruity seltzers, like those of the brand’s sister company, Mitra 9.

Elevate opened just six months ago, but those partaking in Dry January have boosted the books.

“It’s been our best month ever,” Warner notes, citing lots of interest from folks looking for alternatives to post-work sips both at home and while out socializing.

Kava is a shrub native to the South Pacific islands, where its root was used ceremonially, medicinally and recreationally to promote a sense of wellbeing and relaxation.

Fast-forward to today, and kava (in beverage, extract and supplement form) has been used to treat anxiety, insomnia and other conditions, and like its users a thousand years ago, some simply dig the way it makes them feel.

“If the guest is looking to relax, they want something calming, an evening chill-out beverage, we recommend kava.”

It’s of particular interest, says Warner, for people who either don’t drink at all or are looking to cut back.

“The effects are very mild,” he notes. “They are non-intoxicating and don’t effect your ability to drive a vehicle … but just like alcohol, a person’s size can influence tolerance.”

Warner says daytime sales this month have grown so impressively that they’re nearly matching the evening numbers, which has been Elevate’s primary revenue stream since it opened.

My recon lines up. I popped in mid-morning on a Monday, and there were plenty of folks camped out, some in pairs, others working individually, at tables or the bar, where server Dawson couldn’t have been friendlier or less like the gent I met back in South Florida. Here, I had options.

Even coffee, which, by the way, comes via local roaster and purveyor KOS. Everything from espresso to latte is offered alongside kombucha and other non-alcoholic soft drinks, but the kava is the star.

In fact, bars like Elevate (and there are quite a few of these upscale enclaves around the metro) have craft beverages a la your favorite bars, with sips that mirror classics like the Moscow mule or margarita, but without the booze.

Worthy of exploration whether your abstention is temporary or permanent or you’re simply curious about the effects or even the flavor.

Speaking of, the seltzers proved a decided upgrade, though beneath the pleasant effervescence and fruity flavors like tangerine and coconut lychee, a trace of the kava persisted. I liked it, though, as it helped remind me I wasn’t actually drinking.

Despite the new-era sips, though, I couldn’t resist the lure of the traditional and went in on a kava shell (to go). Face-numbing fun ensued. It’s still muddy — I can’t glamorize it — but I’ve since learned that the proper way to do kava is to chug it.

Yeah, it keeps the sediment from settling. But, even its earliest proponents, who called it the word for “bitter,” were likely not drinking it for its flavor.

Get some

Elevate Kava Bar & Social Lounge: 400 N. Orlando Avenue in Maitland, elevatesociallounge.com

Kava Culture: What began in southwest Florida now has 10+ locations, two in Central Florida, with a decidedly Sunshine State vibe. More info: 245 Wheelhouse Drive in Lake Mary, 321-926-3374 or 1174 Tree Swallow Drive in Winter Springs, 321-765-4432; kavaculture.com)

Sodo Kava: Two locations (SoDo and Longwood) mean there’s twice the opportunity to soak up the plant-based offerings, whether that means kava, chamomile, cayenne or otherwise. More info: 227 E. Michigan St. in Orlando, 407-203-3677 or 911 E. State Road 434 in Longwood, 321-972-6101; sodokava.com

Z-Co Space & Clubhouse: Cool vibes, local art pair with a zero-alcohol buzz (that includes the coffee kind) at this creative workspace/lounge. More info: 1413 Haven Drive in Orlando, 407-986-8260; zcospaceclubhouse.com

Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com, For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.