psychoactive Alpinia Officinarum tea

[mauve]

I am somewhat surprised, when i am searching the net for informations on lesser Galangal (Alpinia Officinarum), that there is so few reports on it. Because it really works. It's one of my favorite psychoactive drink, i usually grind finely the root and mix it with tea, red tea in the evening or alone. It must be strong to be active, one must feel like drinking a kind of chilipepper infusion. If you find it too hot this way, you can boil the whole root but it is a little bit wastefull.

The effects are really enjoyable, very warming, relaxing. The feeling of well being is coupled with a little loss of balance so it is advised to not attempt to drive or anything...

It is not very strong but still not subbtle, the sense of touch becomes different, very sensual. In China, Galangal is believed to makes the Chi to flow in the body and i think that it may explains the effects. Try to combine with Gotu Kola (wich opens the crown chakra) for a complete stimulation, i liked it.

The Galangal i am writing about is the Minor galangal, it has red roots and is more stronger than the greater Galangal (Alpina Galanga) wich has white roots with pinkish tones it looks similar in the plant form but is taller and has more flowers than A.Officinarum. Kaempferia Galanga is a very different plant, it is psychoactive too but in a very different way. I didn't experimented much with this one, the taste was unbearable for me in big amounts (i found it worst than Ayahuasca with many additives). The activity was somewhat like Passionflower effects.

Strangely enough, i never found any Alpinia Officinarum for sale anywhere, contrary to the greater Galangal wich is easily obtainable in asian stores...

Someone has some to trade ?

[mauve]

[Monk]

Right on, I've got either Alpinia galanga of officinarum growing right now. Need to check my records Maybe I'll dig up some roots and make tea! Always wondered about this, because galanga is always mentioned in works on psychoactive plants. Good work, mauve. By the way, I love your avatar and have some viable seeds for those that I plan to germ as soon as I'm settled

[mauve]

Thank you !

You can check easily the identity of your plants just looking at the colour (red) and the shape of the roots, i think.

Currently i have A. Galanga growing since two years, it makes an nice easy to grow indoor plant, it is somewhat hardy.

I originaly bought the fresh root in an asian supermarket.

By the way, i forgot to add that the effects of Galangal after a relaxing phase enters a very stimulating one, the euphoria is present from the begining to the end. The experience length vary between one hour and two hours.

I'm still looking for side effects or the bad side of this plant, i'm sure there is one...otherwise it is the perfect drug

[Monk]

Are the effects similar on A. galanga? It sounds great and is supposed to be good for you (chi flow)!

[Aya]

This plant sounds like quite a helper.

Thanks for the info and bringing my attention to it mauve, great report.

Would like to hear if you do end up finding some negative sides from drinking the galangal tea.

peace

[transDiMenTional]

ah my house mate will be happy to hear about this! He is currently growing several types of galangal with the intent of someday testing them for activity. Good work on your report mauve!

[mauve]

it is diuretic and it gives the munchies ! lol

About A.Galangal, i don't know, i didn't experimented much with it, i like A.Officinarum so much that i couldn't force myself to make a tea with just A.Galangal !

So i ended up high but it could have been only from the A.Officinarum...

Eating raw slices of A.G didn't gave me any effects ...appart lots of tears, coughing etc ! This stuff is hot !

My favorite way to consume A.Officinarum is to make an infusion of Rooibos, grind half a tea spoon of Galangal,put the powder directly in the mug then pour the rooibos. It is very hot but effective and i quite like the taste and feelings of this brew. I found that if you filter the powder/goo it is less effective.

[Aya]

it is diuretic and it gives the munchies ! lol

About A.Galangal, i don't know, i didn't experimented much with it, i like A.Officinarum so much that i couldn't force myself to make a tea with just A.Galangal !

So i ended up high but it could have been only from the A.Officinarum...

Eating raw slices of A.G didn't gave me any effects ...appart lots of tears, coughing etc ! This stuff is hot !

My favorite way to consume A.Officinarum is to make an infusion of Rooibos, grind half a tea spoon of Galangal,put the powder directly in the mug then pour the rooibos. It is very hot but effective and i quite like the taste and feelings of this brew. I found that if you filter the powder/goo it is less effective.

I was a bit confused, i thought A. Galangal and A.officinarum were just synonyms of the same plant, my mistake. I was wondering if you found any negative side effects from the fantastic sounding plant (A. officinarum, Correct?) you mentioned in the first post.

[Rev]

ive found that fresh root in the shops too

wonderd about the difference

i used to brew a 'coffee' of 2 parts galanga to 3 parts powdered red B caapi back when you could import it

it was visionary. more so than capi on its own

and quite pleasant

[mauve]

In fresh form ? Where the roots white-pinkish or red ?

I never found anything but A.Galanga in fresh form...very easy to plant, by the way.

[mauve]

A good pic of the plant and dried ryzhomes.

[Agamemnon]

Has anybody found an Australian source to purchase fresh rhizomes from? I can think of lots of potential combos with this plant too!

[mauve]

it was visionary. more so than capi on its own

and quite pleasant

It must be a very interesting and euphoric combination !

I finaly found a bad effect from Galangal : it makes you fart a lot the day after !

I noticed differences of potency from one root to another, the darker roots are stronger than the light red ones.

[mauve]

i took a picture of dried roots, it shows the differences in coloration.

From the left to the right: "pink grade", "red grade" and "black grade"...

The pink looks light brown but when you look closely, there is some touch of reddish pigmentation that gives a salmony pink color to the root when you powderise it. The black roots gives a dark brown powder, the aroma is very different, more floral, less spicy. The pink and red roots smells more eucalyptus-clove like.

I have been experimenting a lot with Galangal, this week end and i ended with a very good method:

-First i grind the root in powder, between half a tea spoon and a full tea spoon (it's not very precise).

-I put the powder in a tea bag (i love those bags, great for any herbal infusion) then i put the bag in the pot with the water

-I bring it to a boil, let it boil gently and wait until the water turns very dark brown/red (it is less effective without boiling)

-I discard the tea bag, pour the hot water in the tea pot

-Then i add a tea bag loaded with a pinch of Roiibos (red tea) in the tea pot, it gives more "body" to the brew but doesn't affect too much the mysterious taste of Galangal...

It is way more palatable and less spicy this way...and i find it more effective.

Edited April 4, 2007 by mauve

[Rev]

Has anybody found an Australian source to purchase fresh rhizomes from? I can think of lots of potential combos with this plant too!

possibly

ill know by end of the week

ill buy all i can and if id'd as correct - propagate it, if not ill b having lots of thai chicken dishes

[mauve]

please do ! I'll give an arm for fresh rhizomes !!!

[Agamemnon]

I think Ive found an Oz source too.... will let people know where once Ive confirmed ID

[Vertmorpheus]

Fresh root can be had from a lot of brissie northside fruit n veg shops that I've been to, and usually at the fruit shops in chinatown / f'tude valley. Powder and dried root slices everywhere for bugger all. I tried this stuff out a few years ago and had much the same experiences as we read above, but sending the trip report to erowid just earned me a "this is considered an atypical response" kinda email...thanks a lot guys, come back to earth, Earth.

Downsides are yeah gas, some caustic toilet action (scary), and for me my eyes got that bloodshot it looked like I'd been using fibreglass as eyedrops.

Cheap fun and as enlightening as you want it to be (like most things eh).. but definitely on the agitating, hot, spicy side of experiences.Very "sparky" visuals at higher levels (can't remember dosage now but I would've started at a teaspoon in water and moved up from there)Meant to be pretty popular in some highland PNG groups.A mate tried to xtract and ended up with a mostly closed up throat, gee whodathunkit.

galangals great, kava is kinder :D

GD

[transDiMenTional]

i find galangal tea great as an immune booster when i feel a cold/flu coming on. And the essential oil is THE BEST cold sore remedy i have ever come across. (and ive tried a few!)

[Rev]

yeah well you guys got the source i have too

i didnt make it - too much to do too little time

grab me some or leave me some ey ;)

[Rev]

fresh rhizomes i mean

[Vertmorpheus]

Found source of galangal plants , mailing out of somewhere near bundaburg.

http://heartgarden.com.au/description.asp?id=202

Might help someone, not into recreational indigestion here thanks

[Rev]

Of the 4 gingers referred to as Galangal, the common name for Alpina galanga is "Greater Galangal"

got that one

its one of the other 3 needed

[Vertmorpheus]

sorry, went out n found a book on how to read... :D