March 14, 2024 by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
You may have heard that alcohol consumption by Americans is down. But if you just read the headlines, you may have missed another interesting tidbit: interest in non-alcoholic beverages is growing. Purchases of non-alcoholic beverages grew 113% from 2021 to 2022, and is projected to become a $30-billion per year business sector by 2025.
Interesting to note, the trend in non-alcoholic beverages isn’t restricted to people who do not consume alcohol. There’s also an uptick in people who choose to purchase both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, including non-alcoholic beers, spirits, and wines. So, people are diversifying the drinks and spirits they consume.
Some people seeking non-alcoholic beverages still want to feel some sort of buzz. Enter: mushroom spirits and mocktails.
Below, I’m briefly showcasing a few companies and products that piqued my interest. Full transparency – none of these are affiliate links. I don’t know anyone associated with any of these companies. I found them using Google or they found me via ads. There are no secret kickbacks or conspiracies happening here. I’m also not endorsing any claims they make about the products. Whew. I think I hit all the disclaimers.
If you’ve tried a mushroom-based tonic, whether listed here or not, please let us know! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Little Saints
Little Saints was founded by CEO Megan Klein as a result of a pandemic project which has since grown into a product line of spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails. St. Ember is infused with lion’s mane, and features a blend of ginger, peppers, and palo santo. Each 2 oz serving contains 100 mg lion’s mane, and it’s made with 0 grams of sugar (!).
HIYO
Hiyo claims itself to be “the better-than-alcohol alternative™” – a social tonic available in four different flavors (featured in a variety pack if you’re feeling adventurous. They describe the effects as “the float” – a calming but energetic mental boost powered by a blend of functional ingredients including lion’s mane, ashwagandha, and l-theanine.
Three Spirit
Social Elixer by Three Spirit features lion’s mane, yerba mate, cacao, and damiana. It’s plant-based, non-alcoholic, and tasting notes include dry apple and cacao. Three Spirit also offers a Nightcap elixir. I don’t see any fungi friends in the ingredient list, but you will find ashwagandha, valerian root, and lemon balm.
AMASS
AMASS has gotten a lot of attention for several years now so apparently my roof is made of rocks. Also, this specific product does contain alcohol (45% by volume/90-proof), but they have non-alcoholic offerings as well.
This dry gin features reishi and lion’s mane mushroom as part of a blend of 29 botanicals. There’s 0 grams of sugar and 117 calories per 1.5 oz serving.