While curing a global pandemic seems ambitious from these herbal remedies, they are beginning to make an impact in the drinks industry – particularly through cocktail menus.

Adaptogens, nootropics and endorphins are the new buzzwords hitting cocktail menus under the umbrella term of ‘functional drinks’, which are generally non-alcoholic drinks with perceived health benefits. Camille Vidal, founder of La Maison Wellness, a ‘mindful drinking’ agency, and a leading authority in the low/no cocktail sector, believes the pandemic has pushed the non-alcoholic category forwards and brought functional drinks along for the ride.

“I actually think the past 18 months have been really eye-opening for a lot of people during lockdowns because it’s caused them to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol,” says Vidal. “Health and wellbeing became an even bigger part of the conversation and people realised they need to be more mindful and look after themselves, particularly during such stressful times.

“Often when we talk about non-alcoholic drinks people feel like they’re losing something, that’s why I don’t like the phrase ‘mocktails’. Consumers also say they want to have a drink to relax and just generally take the edge o or give them energy on a night out, but there are so many better ingredients that can tick those boxes. 

“Something I’m really excited about is the functional ingredients being used in drinks. CBD is the obvious example because it exploded on to the scene in the US and Europe, but there are so many other ingredients and infusions which are becoming part of the conversation.”

THE JARGON

Adaptogens, or adaptogenic substances, are herbs and roots which are said to have a range of health benefits, from treating insomnia and reducing stress to providing extra energy – again, they probably aren’t the cure for Covid-19. However, while they may be new to mixology, they’ve actually been studied throughout history and are nothing new in the vocabulary of the health industry. But like many herbal remedies, their claimed health benefits are not necessarily recognised by all parties and a product in the EU cannot be labelled an ‘adaptogen’ as the European Medicines Agency has previously ruled further clarification and studies are still needed.

Nootropics, on the other hand, are supplements which are said to improve cognitive function. The term was brought to life in the early ’70s to classify molecules which acted selectively towards the brain’s higher-level integrative activity. Unlike adaptogens, nootropics have to meet a series of criteria before they can be legally sold, although false marketing has also riddled the sector over the years.

Cameron Fielding, known as The Cocktail Coach, says on his Smartblend blog: “Cocktails are delicious, fun to make, fun to drink and fun to look at. The issue with them is that they aren’t the most healthy option. Packed with sugar and an array of liqueurs and spirits.

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“By taking these cocktails we love so much, and packing them with healthy ingredients that we may not normally have or don’t have enough of, it means not only do we have delicious drinks that are fun to make, fun to look at and fun to drink, but we also have functional drinks. Imagine having a night of binging out on cocktails and actually feeling better and healthier the next day. Having your skin glow, your breath not stink and your body function properly.”

ENDORPHINS

Vidal recently began working with the Endorphin Dealer Institute (EDI), which is a producer of non-alcoholic distilled endorphin spirits. Its first release, Spirited Euphoria, is made from hemp and a blend of natural and active ingredients including hemp terpenes, cannabidiol isolate, nootropics and adaptogens.

Jean-Éric Vergne, EDI co-founder, says: “Despite initial industry scepticism, we see a place for feel-good spirits without alcohol. Our non-alcoholic distilled endorphin-led spirits replace the effects of alcohol and will be a key driving force behind the future of socialising and mindful drinking.”

As EDI’s mindful drinking advocate, Vidal now creates cocktails with Spirited Euphoria, which is said to trigger feelings of pleasure and relaxation, without the downsides of alcohol.

“I want my drinks to tell me how I’m going to feel, not just how they taste,” adds Vidal. “In the past I’ve actually created menus based on emotion, which suggests how each drink will make you feel, and I can imagine this becoming a more regular approach in bars with non-alcoholic serves.”

Right now functional drinks go largely hand-in-hand with the low/ no sector because categorically some ingredients aren’t suited to be mixed with alcohol. For example, in the US alcoholic beverages infused with CBD have been pulled from the market until further research has been carried out on its effects. Vidal believes the use of alcohol alongside these perceived healthy ingredients shouldn’t fall under the functional drinks category. In Japan whisky is commonly mixed with green tea, which is, of course, full of antioxidants and other fancy healthy words, making it perhaps a better way to consume whisky than with cola, for example, but it doesn’t therefore constitute a healthy drink.

Vidal adds: “I think when it comes to claiming the title of functional drinks, the vast majority will have to be alcohol free because, regardless of how many nutrients and positive ingredients you’re ingesting, you can’t really claim health benefits when adding alcohol.

EDUCATION

“Bartenders have always been credited with shaping what we drink. But actually non-alcoholic drinks was a pull from consumers and I don’t see this changing. They will continue to demand more options from the movement.

“Therefore I think one of the biggest challenges moving forward will be the education of not just consumers, but bartenders too. I find there is a resistance from some people behind the bar when alcohol isn’t involved, but as the demand for more alternatives continues to grow, this attitude will change.

“And the cool thing is that there is still so much to learn. When it comes to adaptogens, we’ve barely scraped the surface. Ashwagandha, for example, is an amazing herb which helps relieve stress and the reishi mushroom is good for cleansing the liver.

“I’m just super-excited by this movement of functional drinks because the possibilities right now are endless. It’s no longer just removing the alcohol and telling people to drink more mindfully, but adding to the experience and giving consumers something more.”

< p class="p1">While the complex language used in the functional drinks sector will sound alien to many consumers and bartenders around the world, the concept of enhancing your experience from a non-alcoholic serve will be a major attraction to those looking to cut down their alcohol intake.

Given the right level of education and being presented in a social way through cocktails, these new endorphin-led spirits such as EDI’s Spirited Euphoria could take off in the same way non-alcoholic spirits have over the past few years – just don’t rely on them to cure Covid.