Low alcohol, big ideas
“Where my interest really is now is in functional herbs and natural medicines that help you feel something,” Triggs says. “I don’t drink alcohol anymore, but I do still crave some kind of mind-altering state. Naturally, I think humans crave feeling happy and they want to release tension'
Triggs’s three other brands, all founded in 2022, lean into this. With Ghiddy, Brewtropic and, now, Highr, he’s finding ways of (subtly, and legally) giving some sort of potency to alcohol-free drinks.
Highr produces ready-to-drink cocktails like a “Giin and Tonic” with distilled juniper, yuzu tonic, chamomile and valerian root made in collaboration with Japanese chef Chase Kojima. The common thread is that many of the ingredients and compounds that go into them are chosen not just for their flavours, but for their effects too.
Nootropics, adaptogens and “magic” plants
Triggs is fascinated by compounds called nootropics (caffeine is one) and adaptogens, as well as other “functional” ingredients. “Usually when you’re talking about nootropics, you’re talking about brain function – things that help you increase focus or maybe remove any jitteriness,” Triggs says. “Adaptogens are pretty similar. They help plug holes where you might be deficient.”
For instance, the Highr Negroni Spriitz contains L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea that’s associated with increased concentration and an adaptogen called ashwagandha, a medicinal plant traditionally used for its calming effect. Triggs also adds mango leaf (which he compares to cannabidiol, or CBD) to the Brewtropic sour, the calming Californian poppy goes in Highr’s aforementioned G&T, and good old-fashioned chamomile features in Ghiddy's “vermentino”.
These active ingredients are legal, and many can be found in supplement form at pharmacies. The effects are supposed to be subtle, providing a lift or change that’s beyond a standard non-alc drink, but not up to the level of alcohol intoxication.