I’ve heard some people like this one mixed with gingerale or tart cherry juice, but I personally just enjoy it over ice for a slow sipper or with a dash of water. We focused on creating one drink initially - S ocial Elixir - but the idea was always to reach the magic number of three as soon as s o on as we could. They are all very different from one another, and that is no accident. We originally set out to look closely at alcohol and study in detail how alcohol (ethanol) interacts with the human nervous system and mechanisms responsible for mood. We identified alcohol's obvious perceived positive effects, such as loss of inhibition, relaxation and mood enhancement. We then looked to find the most suitable plants that could provide a similar effect on dopamine, serotonin and GABA in the brain. It's not just the physiological effects that were of interest, it was the undeniable cultural and sociological positives around alcohol that inspired the concept. According to this study, regularly drinking green tea can help promote weight loss and reduce the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It was proven to lower cholesterol, though additional studies with more diverse populations are needed for better accuracy. Watermelon isn’t just in here for flavour – the L-citrullinein watermelon helps to regulate energy levels and manage blood pressure so that you don’t start to feel like you’ve over-indulged Before I give you a drink-by-drink rundown, a comment that I think is relevant to all of drinks in the Three Spirit range: These drinks all taste like something completely “new.” There’s certainly not one like gin, one like whisky, and so on. As Three Spirit themselves say: “they’re kind of weird…in a good way.”

No! The combination of active ingredients in plants, adaptogens, nootropics, spices, and herbs gives way to the Three Spirit creative non-alcoholic elixirs with a complex flavor profile and (potential) mood-altering benefits. Three Spirit delivers plant-based, non-alcoholic drinks made with functional ingredients directly to your door. Created by bartenders and plant scientists to stimulate your palate, mind, and body for a better and more connected night out without the hangover. I’ve also experimented with larger “doses” of the drinks. I am quite sensitive to caffeine, and found that an extra Livener was a bit much for me – so I will proceed with some caution there from now on! Regarding anything that could be considered supplementation - please note the following: Livener contains natural caffeine and L-theanine from guayusa and green tea respectively, and Social Elixir contains damiana and is fortified with B-vitamins, and L-theanine (from green tea). Nightcap contains valerian.Social Elixir is perfect for sipping, its “balancing effect” will keep you “blissful and tuned-in” throughout the evening. Health benefits inside the Social Elixir Beautiful drink, unlike a lot of non alcoholic beverages, it doesn’t have that – something missing feeling. You get a slight buzz also but remain at that happy place! The taste is amazing…I chose it over alcohol the other evening and rather than feeling sleepy early on, I felt bright.” We have some amazing partners who cultivate many beautiful plant-based ingredients. It is really important for me to find producers who are both innovative and ambitious as well as technically proficient and able to produce a consistent level of quality. That is not always easy. There is generally a divide between large mainstream ingredient suppliers with all the credentials and efficiencies and the smaller artisan producers who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. I like to work with both as they are good at different things. When we work with the smaller guys, we can create bespoke ingredients that are made to the exact specification that we need. For instance, we source our guayusa from small native farming communities in Ecuador who grow the magic caffeinated leaf under the canopy of the rainforest, meaning that their cultivation methods are in harmony with the surrounding habitat that is so very rich in flora and fauna. The dried leaves are then transported to an incredibly high tech lab in the United States where we produce a beautiful extract using methods, equipment and techniques that would never be available in the jungle. It is this balance of working with ancient plants and high-quality raw material and then finding modern techniques to get the best out of the plant for our needs. We need to be able to make it soluble, identify the flavour and functional compounds of interest and produce a consistent and safe extract that can be blended and bottled.

Three Spirit is a range of three alcohol free spirit-style drinks, known as The Livener, The Social Elixir and The Nightcap. Lion’s Mane mushroom (which tastes a bit like chocolate) is a mood-booster and energiser, which studies also suggest improves overall cognitive health Of all of the Three Spirit drinks, The Livener – in my experience – has the most pronounced effects. Some of the herbal ingredients contain natural caffeine, so there’s a definite energy boost. According to Three Spirit it’s only equivalent to a cup of coffee. We found the Three Spirit Social Elixir to taste like a sweet tomato drink without the acidity. It was slightly bitter with hints of dark berry and savory notes. This drink is definitely bittersweet tasting.The recommended “perfect serve” for this one is the “Light and Stormy,” a mix of Social Elixir with ginger beer or ginger ale, and a sliver of lime. Once again, Fever Tree is the perfect choice but – in all honesty – I didn’t feel it lost anything on a day when I used cheaper Schweppes mixers. For me, discovering Three Spirit has been fantastic. As I said near the start of my Three Spirit review, I’d reached the point where I was finding it a little harder to refrain from alcohol. These drinks give me something tasty and enjoyable to drink at the start, middle and end of every social event (and – increasingly – on several weekday evenings!)