Review: Curious Elixirs Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
Curious Elixirs is a new company pushing booze-free, bottled (and canned) cocktails, largely inspired by classic options and particularly heavy on fresh juices. The company has a rotating collection of recipes denoted exclusively by number. The company’s up to 8 now, with more surely on the way — though note that recipes do sell out. (A monthly, rotating subscription is also available.)
We received six of the current eight-product lineup to review, so let’s dive in!
Curious Elixirs No. 1 – “A bitter booze-free pomegranate cocktail inspired by the Negroni Sbagliato, infused with rhodiola to lift you up.” The muddy crimson cocktail immediately surprises with a huge nose of fennel, followed by cardamom and clove notes, making for a strange start to a drink that initially feels negroni adjacent at best. Tart cranberry-rhubarb notes on the body make for an even more unusual but not unappealing character, with ample clove on the finish giving things a Thanksgiving feeling. 2 servings/bottle. B+
Curious Elixirs No. 2 – “A spicy pineapple margarita meets the smoldering ginger and lime Dark and Stormy, infused with damiana to help you unwind.” A tricky description: Imagine ginger beer, moderately sweetened, with a healthy dose of pineapple and you’re on the right track. There’s definitely some red pepper character here, plus a lime leaf quality, but far and away the bite of that ginger is what dominates throughout. 2 servings/bottle. A-
Curious Elixirs No. 3 – “A beautiful booze-free blend of lemon, cucumber, alpine flowers, herbs, and ashwagandha to help you de-stress.” Meant to meld a French 75 and Tom Collins, the drink does a better job of mimicking the former, but there’s a bold gingery character here that tends to dominate. (Curiously, ginger does not appear in the ingredient list.) The lightly fizzy concoction folds in light floral notes and then lemongrass before detouring toward a more orange-like citrus note on the finish. Ultimately it’s got a lot in common with No. 2, though the pineapple makes that drink a lot more fun. 2 servings/bottle. B+
Curious Elixirs No. 4 – A blood orange spritz made with American ginseng, non-alcoholic Prosecco, holy basil, and turmeric. There’s a significant vegetal-carrot aroma here, heightened by the racy basil note. Carbonation is very restrained, which further downplays the “spritziness” of the drink. Harmless and only gently orangey, the finished product comes off a bit too close to a children’s drink, which, considering it’s non-alcoholic, would of course be fine. 2 servings/bottle. B
Curious Elixirs No. 6 – Perhaps the most unexpected selection in the lineup, this is an NA Painkiller “that infuses cream of coconut, pineapple, citrus, oat milk, and chicory root with lemon balm and nutmeg to help you unwind, plus aloe for a beauty boost.” The coconut and pineapple are immediately strong with this one, and there’s a quick burst of nutmeg that fades with time in glass. It’s a wild experience that isn’t exactly cocktail-like but more like something you’d serve the family at a Hawaiian brunch, but I’m not complaining, as the finished product is appealing and fun. The muddy brown color, less so. 2 servings/12 oz can. B+
Curious Elixirs No. 8 – A limited edition amaro, with 8888 bottles available. “A nonalcoholic spirit from outer space. Our booze-free Black & Blue Amaro blends blackberry, blueberry, fig, herbs, roots, and spices to scintillate your senses.” Smells like fresh berries, tastes like a punchy gentian-driven amaro. The shift from bright fruit to earthy, pungent amaro is swift, with only minor detours to notes of fresh ginger, and rhubarb along the way. One of the better NA amari I’ve tried. 6 servings/bottle. Needs a better closure than a twist-off crown cap, though. A-
each $5 per 12 oz. bottle or can / curiouselixirs.com
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