The low and non-alcoholic booze trend has been on the rise in Australia for years now but what if we told you that there’s a new option if you still want to get buzzed? Noot, a new drinks label that utilises nootropics to mimic the effects of alcohol without the actual ABV.

One of the world’s leading ethnobotanists, Kerry Hughes, M.Sc, R.H California has worked with Sydney-based Saintly Beverage Co to create Noot, a range of non-alcoholic cocktails blended with nootropics with a cognitive boost. The team claims that the nootropics mimic the relaxing and buzzy feeling of alcohol consumption. Ok. This is one we’re going to have to put to the test.

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Market data supports that this is not a passing ‘fad’. According to a study by the IWSR, the Australian market is significantly shifting towards no and low alcohol options, with 41 per cent of the adult population now no or low buyers. 40 per cent are substituting full-strength drinks on certain occasions, and 21 per cent are switching between no/low and full-strength alcohol on the same occasion. On top of this, ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages are the fastest-growing sector, with a whopping 124 per cent increase from 2020 to 2021. 

So what are nootropics? Great question. You could read this medical paper by Panteleimon Giannakopoulos on the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, sure. Or we could give you the footnotes here; nootropics are essentially a diverse group of medicinal substances whose action improves human thinking, learning, and memory, especially in cases where these functions are impaired. Many are natural, some are semi-synthetic, and others are entirely synthetic. 

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Noot claims to utilise a herbal blend to provide adaptogenic, nootropic and nervine qualities. These are herbal terms that mean they support healthy cognition, the nervous system, while also helping the body and mind adapt to stress, or in other words, to unwind at the end of the day, relax and enjoy. Class over! What are we drinking? The Noot range includes a classic gin and tonic, a Negroni spritz, and a refreshing ginger mule. All are sugar-free, alcohol-free, and hangover-free. Cheers to that!