What is The Pathfinder non-alcoholic spirit?
/If you’ve been anywhere in the non-alcoholic space for longer than five minutes, you’ve seen the signature apothecary-style bottle, and bold red label with the ‘all-seeing eye’ staring back at you. That’s the Pathfinder Hemp & Root spirit that has taken the world by storm with a cult-like following. Here’s a breakdown of what it is, how to drink it and a recipe to use it in!
What is the Pathfinder?
The Pathfinder is a non-alcoholic spirit distilled from hemp and layered with botanicals. It first appeared at Life on Mars bar in Seattle in 2021, but soon spread to others and became a cult favourite around the city. It’s no accident that it then experienced meteoric growth outside of Seattle. The three founders of The Pathfinder are ex-beverage brand guys with experience in global branding, on-premise sales and cannabis.
What speaks louder than experience and branding though is taste, and The Pathfinder is indisputably one of the best non-alcoholic spirits in the category.
What does The Pathfinder taste like?
The Pathfinder Hemp & Root is kind of wild - in the best way. It tastes like someone took a hike through the Italian alps and bottled it. It’s got this earthy, rooty vibe with a hint of smoke, almost like a cozy campfire. There’s a little ginger kick, some herbal bitterness, and just enough sweetness to balance it out. It’s definitely not trying to be a gin or whiskey and that’s good because it’s really its own thing. If you like drinks that feel complex and grown-up without trying too hard, the Pathfinder really scratches that itch.
Does it have cannabis in it?
This is the biggest question I’m sure they get about their drink, because people see the word hemp and immediately freak out. The Pathfinder uses fermented hemp seed in order to produce the hemp spirit in the liquid. Where it gets confusing is there are several different parts of the hemp plant which are extracted for different reasons. Cannabinoids are the psychoactive part of the hemp plant, including THC, CBD, CBG, etc. The Pathfinder excludes all cannabinoids from their distillation process, resulting in an ingredient that has no psychoactive components (or trace amounts well below that required to cause any effect).
Medicine cabinet or bar?
The strange but cool branding for The Pathfinder really encourages imbibing on it when you don’t feel your best. Why is that? The liquid is crafted from the same thing that expensive amaros and digestifs are made from - wormwood, angelica root, ginger and lots of other things that sound like they should be in a cauldron.
Digestifs are meant to help with digestion and in this case, I highly recommend a shot of The Pathfinder when your turkey dinner is not settling. Or if you just feel blech, and want something to perk up your insides. It’s really a cool, versatile bottle that you could keep in your medicine cabinet or on your bar - that’s up to you!
How to drink it
The Pathfinder is totally unique so if you’re not sure where to start, here’s what’s worked for me. Easiest first step? Pour it over ice with a splash of soda or tonic. That simple combo lets the flavour shine without being overpowered. You get that rooty bitterness and little hints of ginger and spice, but it’s balanced and super refreshing.
Want to get a little fancy? Try it with ginger beer and a squeeze of lime for a kind of grown-up ginger ale with a twist. Or go full-on nightcap and sip it neat in a rocks glass. It’s got enough body to stand on its own, especially if you’re someone who used to like a digestif or amaro-style drink after dinner.
If you’re dying to make a mocktail with The Pathfinder, this is by far one of the best and tastiest mocktails I’ve ever made. I’ve made this multiple times now for myself and for friends and it’s absolutely delicious.
Cheers!
Recipe: The Pathfinder Cherry Espresso Martini
Ingredients
1 shot of espresso, cooled (should be about 1.5oz of liquid)
1.5oz - The Pathfinder
1.5oz - tart cherry juice
Pinch of salt
Preparation:
In a mixing glass, mix all ingredients with a large ice cube until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
Garnish with a cherry.
Salted Cherry Espresso Martini Mocktail
This fabulously tasty drink uses The Pathfinder non-alcoholic amaro to elevate an espresso and cherry mocktail recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 shot of espresso, cooled (should be about 1.5oz of liquid)
- 1.5oz - The Pathfinder
- 1.5oz - tart cherry juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, mix all ingredients with a large ice cube until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cherry.
