I’m sorry to say that despite the valerian, hops and other herbs, it didn’t immediately send me off to dreamland. In fact, my insomnia spell continued, and I was still up until gone 2am that night. So while it was a great drink, it wasn’t a magical sleepy potion – not for me anyway. (In fairness, once I was asleep, I did sleep well that night). It’s hard to describe the taste and mouthfeel of a drink that blends everything from cacao bean and passionflower to lion’s mane mushroom and caraway seed. What I can say is that it’s smooth, the overall taste is aromatic, and when served over ice with ginger ale it’s just the right level of warmth. Three Spirit recommend serving this with a slice of fresh orange or ginger, but a wedge of lime is also a solid shout. Function: By working with Prof Michael Heinrich we are looking at ways to learn more about plants, full stop. We work with UCL to choose the best plants and extracts to use in our drinks n ow or in the future. On top of this, we are working with the school to design and execute an independent research project into the efficacy of our products and some of our key ingredients. This we hope will provide novel research that can benefit the wider industry as well as helping us improve our products, supply chain and extraction processes. The combination of active ingredients in plants, adaptogens, nootropics, spices, and herbs gives way to creative non-alcoholic elixirs with a complex flavor profile and (potential) mood-altering benefits.

Despite not being one of the main ingredients in the drink, for me the overwhelming taste in the Nightcap is ginger. So, if you’re not the biggest fan of that then I apologise! I, on the other hand, am a massive fan of the plant so a gingery spirit is 100% up my street. On the nose, it was incredibly herbal. At first I wasn’t so sure about the scent but I think it just took a second to adjust to the strength of the flavour, and once you were familiar with it it was delicious. Notable Botanicals: Lemon balm, turmeric root, valerian root, white willow bark, ashwagandha, vanillaMellow, calming and sleep-inducing, Nightcap is the Yin to Livener’s Yang. Lemon balm and Valerian are well-known for promoting better sleep, and for helping to calm the body and make it easier to get to sleep faster, but here’s a bit more info on some of the other ingredients. The Social Elixir contains trace amounts of caffeine from Green Tea, Yerba Mate, and Cacao extracts, less than 6mg per serving. Watermelon – Bet you didn’t know watermelon was so good for you! Watermelon is a good source of hydration and essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. It may also have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties that can benefit overall health. Schisandra – Schisandra has been traditionally used as a natural remedy for a variety of health issues, including improving liver function, reducing inflammation, and boosting cognitive function. It may also have anti-aging and adaptogenic properties that can help the body better cope with stress. 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.

In this blog post, I want to share my personal experience with Three Spirit Social Elixirs and how they’ve changed the way I approach drinking. We’ll explore the different flavors, the benefits of adaptogens, and how you can incorporate these elixirs into your own social life.

The potent nootropic saprotroph

I have always appreciated plants and nature and to be honest, I find it a funny question as I just assume that all people appreciate plants. How could anyone not be in awe of the plant kingdom? There are endless resources that they produce like oxygen, food, shelter, wood, a tree to climb, fuel, perfume, paper, glue, rubber, medicine, habitats and so on. But forgetting the big stuff, I guess I love nature, I love learning about how and why things exist, what their physical and chemical attributes are, what the historical use of a plant has been and how we can utilise these properties today. They wrote, “ It’s like a caffeine hit without the jumpy edge.” The review concluded, “ The effect is good and – to me – noticeable. I’m always ready to get stuff done after one of these.” Well, Tati and I met on a dancefloor in a field someplace about 10 years ago. I fell in love with her right then and there and we have been rolling together ever since. We are now married, have two kids and n ow a business together. 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.