by Keith | Feb 27, 2015 | Products
Of all the types of kratom currently available, probably none is more highly sought after than Maeng Da Kratom. However, one thing we’ve seen over and over in our years in the kratom business is that customers, even other vendors, can be confused about what the Maeng Da label actually means! We’ve seen Maeng Da kratom advertised as both a strain and a grade of kratom, but these are very different things. To make an analogy using one of our other favorite herbs, kava, there are both different strains or varieties of kava–Mahakea, Isa, Melo Melo, etc.—and different grades of kava. For instance, Waka kava is harvested only from the young lateral roots and is considered the finest grade of kava; however, any strain of kava can be harvested to make a Waka-grade kava.
It’s exactly the same with Maeng Da kratom: this label simply means that the product was made from kratom leaves that have been harvested at the peak of richness, in the fall or early winter when the leaves contain the highest concentration of alkaloids. Maeng Da Kratom is not a distinct strain of kratom any more than Waka kava is a distinct strain of kava. For many kratom connoisseurs, what sets Maeng Da kratom apart from other grades is its combination of both energizing and relaxing properties in one leaf; it’s great as a daytime incense for when you want to get focused, yet it also has a smooth, relaxing quality that can be great to unwind with. The name “Maeng Da” comes from a Thai slang term that means, loosely, “pimp’s kratom”—we’ll leave it to your imagination how this translates to quality!
Perhaps because it’s so highly sought after, various rumors have sprung up around Maeng Da kratom, including the wild theory that it’s a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) created from a gene splice of different kratom strains. This is probably how the whole confusion with Maeng Da—is it a distinct strain or a grade of kratom?—got started in the first place: according to the Kratom Bible, a few years back an Indonesian kratom farm started experimentally grafting cuttings of various kratom strains to create an ultra-alkaloid-rich plant. However, according to the story, this original Maeng Da strain was not a GMO: instead, the farm was using much older grafting techniques that have been employed in horticulture to breed new varieties of many useful plants. The various types of apples available in your supermarket are mostly products of grafting.
Grafting takes advantage of a plant cell’s totipotency, a fancy term meaning that adult plant cells can be induced to diversify into any type of cell with the right chemical or physical stimulation (such as pruning, which induces the cut stem to proliferate cells that eventually produce new leaves). Supposedly, this Indonesian farm successfully grafted a cutting from one strain of kratom onto another strain and created a whole new variety of kratom, which they named Maeng Da. However, this original strain has now been lost. These days, Maeng Da kratom simply refers to any high-quality strain of kratom harvested at peak richness.
Working With Maeng Da:
We recommend Maeng Da incense only to those already experienced with kratom. As a rule, Maeng Da kratom is more alkaloid rich than other grades of kratom, so it often requires extra care when working with it. Here are some general pointers: when working with Maeng Da, estimate beforehand the smallest effective amount, and start with that first. Because Maeng Da is especially rich, as little as 1-2 g of unenhanced leaf is sufficient for most users. With enhanced Maeng Da extracts, this amount should be adjusted downward according to the strength of the extract. In general, we think it’s better to start with a conservative amount of any kratom strain the first time you use it, and titrate the amount upward if necessary.
Of course, the richness of Maeng Da kratom is another plus: it makes for a very economical grade of kratom, because you can use much less to achieve the same results. Shaman’s Garden sells this uniquely rich variety of kratom incense in multiple forms, including the original Maeng Da enhanced extract and our new “Gold” Maeng Da kratom incense, which has an almost silky feel and an extraordinarily smooth burn. Namaste!
by Keith | Feb 19, 2015 | Products
Of all the questions about kratom we get at the shop, among the most frequent is, “What kind of kratom should I buy?” We understand it can be daunting to choose among the diverse selection of kratom extracts, powders and dried leaves we offer; however, if you’re interested in acquiring kratom as an exotic incense rather than an herbarium specimen, it might make sense to buy kratom resin from us.
Kratom resin is a highly stable solid extract with the consistency of tar. Shaman’s Garden offers kratom resin for sale in chunks of 36 to 41 grams, though priced on the low side of 36 grams as an extra bonus for customers. Made only from freshly picked kratom leaves that have been extracted into an alkaloid-rich semi-solid form, our kratom resin has a sweet-bitter, slightly carmelized aroma—the perfect base for an intriguing, exotic incense blend. While not as intense as the Maeng Da (which we recommend only to consumers already experienced with kratom), our kratom resin can be more accessible and easier to use than other types of kratom extracts: just break or cut off a piece whenever you want to use some in a blend or by itself in an incense burner.
Of course, you might still be wondering, “Why should I buy kratom resin from you instead of one of your powdered extracts?” Honestly, it’s a matter of preference. Some people prefer working with our Maeng Da powdered extract, or our Gold, Silver, and Bronze powdered extracts; some prefer the resin; and some want to work with the whole leaf. All of these ways of working with kratom have their attractions and merits! We offer kratom resin for sale to those who prefer the merits of a solid extract, including kratom resin’s long shelf life, stability, and ease of use in incense preparations. Kratom resin requires no messing about with fine powders that can get everywhere: just break or cut off a piece, measure it on your scale, and adjust the amount up or down as needed.
As with any kratom product, positive independent user reviews are a must when finding where to buy kratom resin. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of bunk kratom on the market. Furthermore, once the kratom leaf is processed from its whole form into a powder or resin, it becomes harder to assess the quality of the herbal product at a glance. However, we haven’t been in the kratom business as long as we have without picking up a few tips about distinguising good kratom resin from bad. Besides independent reviews, look to the manufacturer’s own advertising about their kratom resin: does it include the strain and origin of their kratom? Do they include informational articles about kratom on their website or blog? You only want to buy kratom resin from a vendor who knows their stuff about this complex herb, and it’s these kinds of subtle clues that will tell you who’s done their homework and who’s just looking to cash in on the latest internet craze.
When it comes to kratom extracts such as the resin, we also have to talk about concentration. You’ll find most kratom extracts offer a concentration on their label: numbers such as 10x 15x, 20x, etc. These markers indicate the ratio of fresh kratom leaves used to make 1 gram of the finished kratom extract. For instance, 15x represents a 15:1 ratio, meaning it took 15 grams of fresh kratom leaves to make 1 gram of the finished kratom extract. This ratio can be useful to have because it gives you an idea of how much extract to use by comparing it with the known amount of fresh kratom leaves that went into the extract.
However, be wary of kratom vendors that advertise huge ratios such as 100X kratom extract: though this may sound like a great deal, in actuality any kratom extract over about 20X is not going to be full spectrum and will not preserve the full range of kratom’s properties. This is because not all the alkaloids in kratom are extracted equally. Kratom contains at least 25 identified compounds, all with different chemical properties; in order to appreciate the true range of kratom’s properties, it’s desirable to preserve as much of the chemical balance of the fresh leaf as possible. Sadly, most kratom extracts above 20X—and certainly any kratom extract above 50X—will not be a full-spectrum extract.
Finally, for those do-it-yourselfers out there, you can always choose to make rather than buy kratom resin! Here is one simple method we found that requires no complex equipment, just a pot, stove, and a freezer:
1) In 1 liter of water, add 25-35 grams of fresh kratom leaves or plain kratom leaf powder. (Note: don’t use “enhanced” kratom leaf or powder that already contains an extract of kratom. You would essentially be reextracting the kratom, which will result in a stronger-than-desired extract that is also not full spectrum.)
2) Bring to a gentle boil, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes, until half the liquid has evaporated.
3) Strain the kratom leaves or powder and set the liquid aside.
4) Add the strained kratom leaves to 1 fresh liter of water and repeat steps 1-3.
5) After one repetition, discard the remaining kratom leaves/powder.
6) Combine the two liquid portions in your pot and gently boil it down until the liquid has reached a syrupy consistency. You can then pour the liquid onto a ceramic plate or heat-treated glass container (we recommend Pyrex).
7) If desired, place your new kratom resin into the freezer for a few hours to firm it up. There! Now you have a homemade kratom resin you can place in the incense burner, dissolve in liquid, or use in myriad other ways as you desire.
Of all the types of kratom currently available, probably none is more highly sought after than Maeng Da Kratom. However, one thing we’ve seen over and over in our years in the kratom business is that customers, even other vendors, can be confused about what the Maeng Da label actually means! We’ve seen Maeng Da kratom advertised as both a strain and a grade of kratom, but these are very different things. To make an analogy using one of our other favorite herbs, kava, there are both different strains or varieties of kava–Mahakea, Isa, Melo Melo, etc.—and different grades of kava. For instance, Waka kava is harvested only from the young lateral roots and is considered the finest grade of kava; however, any strain of kava can be harvested to make a Waka-grade kava.
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