Wellness

By 

Erin Bunch

Feb 2, 2022

6

 Minute read

5 Mushroom-Enhanced Beverages with all the Benefits of Booze, Minus the Headaches

Euphorics are all the rage. Should you consider them for your next rager?

It’s no secret that alcohol consumption has increased in recent years, for obvious reasons. Alongside this not-so-healthy trend, however, another fad is emerging: euphorics.

Euphorics (sometimes referred to as adaptogenic, functional, or botanical elixirs) are nonalcoholic beverages designed to boost mood and improve cognition while promoting interpersonal connection. In other words, their aim is to approximate some of the “good vibes” of booze, but without any of the negative effects.

After all, while alcohol does have stimulant effects, it is actually a depressant, which means that any upswing in positive emotion it provides is often followed by a crash. And though it can be a tool for bonding—some evolutionary biologists believe social lubrication is the reason alcohol consumption has persisted more or less throughout human history—anyone who’s mingled under the influence is likely aware that lowered inhibitions don’t always lead to the best outcomes.

In place of this sometimes-regrettable alcohol content, euphoric beverages rely on stress-relieving and mood-boosting adaptogens, cognition-enhancing nootropics, and other plant-based ingredients. And while these ingredients can’t exactly replicate the feeling of being “the good kind of drunk” that undeniably takes the edge off, modern consumers aren’t necessarily looking for that experience. “The rise of cannabis and hemp products—and equally, a keener interest in plant-based lifestyle changes like adaptogens—has led to an interest in elevating the mind and body rather than dulling the senses,” says Dash Lilley, Head of Product for functional beverage company Three Spirit.

This is the promise of euphorics: to enhance experience rather than to numb it out. The ingredients utilized to achieve that promise vary from drink to drink, but adaptogenic mushrooms make an appearance on more than one label. Lilley attributes this inclusion to two factors. The first is that mushrooms have long been utilized for their beneficial effects on mood and cognition. “Mushrooms, such as lion's mane, have been observed anecdotally for millennia to sharpen the senses, enhance the potential for making memories, and in many studies, they have even been seen to elevate mood,” says Lilley.

The second driving force behind the mushroom beverage trend, he believes, is an increased interest in the mental health benefits of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in “magic” mushrooms. “Consumers are aware of the potential power of mushrooms for changing one’s state of mind, much like alcohol,” he says. To be clear, Three Spirit and other euphoric beverages do not contain psilocybin, but Lilley’s point is that as knowledge and excitement around “magic” mushrooms and their potential benefits grow, so too does public interest in consuming all forms of fungi—including in cocktail form.

So if you feel like day drinking without crazy consequences or simply sipping on a nightcap without a hangover the next morning, read on for a menu of five of our new favorite beverages, all of which skip out on alcohol in favor of some form of adaptogenic mushroom.

5 Mushroom-Enhanced Euphoric Beverages

One

Kin Lightwave

This canned concoction combines lavender-vanilla, birch, and smoked sea salts into a uniquely flavored fizz formulated to elevate mood, enhance social connections, and engender a sense of calm. The active ingredients in this euphoric beverage include adaptogenic reishi mushroom and passionflower for balance, nootropic L-theanine, L-serine, L-tryptophan, and magnesium glycinate to improve cognition, and botanics including lavender extract, cinnamon, saffron, and gentian root for tranquility (and flavor!).

Two

De Soi Champignon Dreams

De Soi’s apéritif also relies on the adaptogenic benefits of reishi mushrooms and passionflower, but it has jasmine and green tea in the mix, too. This fruit-forward beverage, flavored with strawberries, grapefruit, apricot, black currant and, of course, those two teas, is available two ways: served in single-serve cans or wine bottles.

Three

Three Spirit Social Elixir

Three Spirit’s Social Elixir is a heady herbal cocktail powered by lion’s mane mushrooms, which improve cognitive function and mood, damiana leaf, which enhances social connections (it’s traditionally used as an aphrodisiac!), cacao bean, which is also a mood enhancer, as well as yerba mate, passionflower, green tea, and caraway seed. It’s also fortified with vitamin C and vitamins B3, B6, B7, and B12 for an added nutrient boost your alcoholic cocktails are unlikely to provide.

Four

Curious Elixir No. 3

This elixir is like spa water with a kick. Rumored to be inspired by the Cucumber Collins cocktail, it features cucumber, grape, and lemon juices, juniper berry, lemon verbena, hormone-balancing angelica root extract, herbs, spices and, of course, mushrooms. In this case, the fungi in question is ashwagandha, a stress-relieving, energy-boosting adaptogen.

Five

Kin Dream Light

Unlike the other beverages on this list, Kin’s Dream Light is meant less for socializing and more for solo imbimbing. Designed to aid in sleep, it contains circadian-rhythm-regulating melatonin. Additionally, it relies on reishi and L-tryptophan for balancing and calming effects, respectively. Dream Light can be mixed with oat milk to create a frothy beverage akin to that warm cup of milk your mother used to make for you before bed.

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