These Adaptogen Drinks For the Mind and Body Are Transforming the Meaning of Happy Hour
L'OFFICIEL takes a look at the functional beverages making space at the bar and speaks with Kin Euphorics Founder Jen Batchelor about its mood-boosting drinks.
With bars reopening in New York, London, and more cities around the world, grabbing a drink is the easiest it’s been since the global pandemic started. But the challenges of the last year have shown changes in our drinking habits—a study published September 2020 showed a 14 percent increase in alcohol consumption among adults compared to a 2019 baseline, and women in particular showed a 41 percent increase in heavy drinking (defined as four or more drinks within a few hours). As people continue to manage the stress of the pandemic, it’s easy to see why happy hour has become a coping mechanism for many. However, people have also grown more aware of their daily habits over the past year, and many want to support their emotional and physical well-being.
At this crossroads of wanting to unwind with a cocktail and still make healthy choices, there is a new generation of drinks that can help you de-stress, but without the hangover and other side effects of alcohol. Kin Euphorics is leading the charge with its collection of adaptogen and nootropic-infused beverages, each formulated for a specific mood—Kin Spritz for a lightly caffeinated pick-me-up, High Rhode for a healthier happy hour, Dream Light for a relaxing nightcap, and the just-launched Lightwave for a calming effect, anytime.
"Euphorics help deliver something to celebrate in every sip, without any of the sacrifices of traditional alcoholic options," Kin Founder and CEO (that's Chief Euphorics Officer) Jen Batchelor says. Over the past year, she's witnessed the collective realization that our well-being is not to be taken for granted.
"Global stress and anxiety levels reached an all-time high last year, so naturally we felt it our duty to rise to the occasion by making a delicious drink that calmed the mind and fortified the body," she shares. The result is Lightwave, a vanilla-forward sparkling beverage that Batchelor says "drinks like a whiskey mule on a summer day" and is loaded with adaptogens and nootropics that boost serotonin, leaving you with a mellow, happy vibe. "Activated zen in a can," as Batchelor calls it.
Other direct-to-consumer names like Curious Elixirs, Droplet, and Sunwink also offer herbal, adaptogen tonics and zero-proof cocktails. Not just for Dry January, these booze-free beverages are transforming one of the world’s oldest social traditions and happen to be using age-old ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda to do so.
Adaptogens are plant-based ingredients that work with the endocrine system and help manage the body’s response to stress—a popular one is reishi mushroom, which is commonly used in Eastern medicine for its immune system-boosting properties. When paired with nootropics—natural and man-made supplements that boost cognitive function—like in Kin Euphorics, the combination of physical and mental benefits will have you sipping guilt-free. "Adaptogenic herbs are uniquely suited to balance our endocrine system so we can reach homeostasis and stress less, while a gentle blend of nootropic brain boosters help us experience that healing as pleasure and peace," Batchelor explains.
Referred to as “functional beverages” in the food and drink industry, this fairly new market is estimated to reach a value of $208.13 billion by 2024. Major corporations are catching on, too. PepsiCo was recently called out for plagiarizing Droplet’s product with the launch of its sparkling Soulboost drink earlier this month. While big names in the business attempt to introduce their own functional beverages, it’s important to recognize the trailblazers who have introduced them to the market, many of which are women.
Droplet’s founder, Celeste Perez, is Filipina-American, and she wanted to bring the knowledge of herbal medicine she grew up with to the masses through her brand. Sunwink co-founders Eliza Ganesh and Jordan Schenck started their company after Ganesh was introduced to the healing power of herbs to treat an auto-immune disease diagnosis. Meanwhile, Batchelor’s Kin Euphorics journey began when she wanted a drink that could help with stress relief, but wasn’t toxic to the body like alcohol.
Starting from various perspectives in wellness, these women set out to create feel-good drinks that can help you chill out, and benefit the mind and body at the same time. So instead of your usual vice at your next happy hour, consider reaching for a functional beverage instead.
