The Pathfinder (drink)

The Pathfinder Hemp & Root
TypeNon-alcoholic spirit
OriginPacific Northwest
Introduced2021
Proof (US)0
FlavorBotanical
IngredientsHemp, juniper, saffron, wormwood, angelica root, Douglas fir, orange peel, ginger, sage, sugar
Websitedrinkthepathfinder.com

The Pathfinder Hemp & Root is a hemp-infused non-alcoholic spirit. It has developed a cult following due its reputation and occasional scarcity.

Description

The beverage is made using fermented hemp seeds,[1] which are then distilled in 16th-century style copper pot stills.[2] The process is similar to the creation of traditional spirits like whiskey or tequila, with hemp as a substitute for grain mash. The beverage is then infused with various botanicals,[1] including juniper, saffron, wormwood, angelica root, Douglas fir, orange peel, ginger, and sage.[3] A proprietary yeast strain is used to prevent the production of alcohol during the fermentation process.[4] It contains no alcohol, THC, or CBD.[5]

Serving

It is served both neat, on the rocks, or as a shot.[2] It is also commonly used to add complex, bitter and botanical flavors to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails like whiskey sours,[1] negronis,[6] spritzes,[7] and americanos.[8] The beverage was included in Nicole Schaefer's Portland Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Roses.[9]

In January 2025, the company released The Pathfinder Negroni, a premixed nonalcoholic cocktail containing Pathfinder.[10]

History

The brand was founded by Steven Grasse, founder of Quaker City Mercantile, Chris Abbott, founder of Mr. Moxey's Mints, and Guy Escolme, a former Diageo executive.[1] The drink was developed as a distinct type of beverage based on ingredients found in the Pacific Northwest.[3] It was inspired by the history of snake oil salesmen, apothecarial medicine (materia medica), and the occult in the Old West,[11] which was considered the "Golden Age of Cannabis". The bottle and packaging was based on historical bottles of cannabis-based remedies with labels like "Pain Destroyer" that were sold in the Old West during the 19th century.[12] The beverage was inspired by the botanical infusions and elixirs popular in that time period.[8] It was intended to taste like a drink that "could have existed in like the 1850s" and includes ingredients with supposedly medicinal properties.[13]

The beverage first debuted at Life on Mars bar in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle in late 2021.[8][14] It subsequently developed a cult following among bartenders. The high demand for the beverage created occasional scarcity, with Kirsten Fleming of the New York Post as the "Pappy Van Winkle" of non-alcoholic beverages.[15] Sarah Kate of Some Good Clean Fun described it as "one of the most popular and sought after non-alcoholic bottles in North America."[16] In 2022, cocktail and mocktail workshops based on the beverage were hosted at Art in the Age in Philadelphia.[17] As of 2024, it began to be distributed in the United Kingdom.[18]

Reception

Lee Sherman of The Alcohol Professor wrote that Pathfinder's bottle "is reminiscent of a bottle of snake oil from a bygone era and the earthy, smoky, woody smells when you lift the cap conjure mystery and adventure. This is poetry in a bottle."[13]

It has been compared to amaro,[6] sweet vermouth,[19] and absinthe.[13] Penelope Bass of Imbibe magazine compared the beverage's flavor to an amaro, while noting that its botanical ingredients closely resembled a traditional gin, and observed that its color was reminiscent of a cola.[7] Adam Bloodworth of City A.M. described it as feeling "luxe", and wrote that "ginger, sage and saffron disrupt the cane sugar to create something like harmony."[20] Christopher Null of Drinkhacker described it as "bittersweet, woodsy and a bit fruity," writing that "In a world of no-alcohol spirits that are largely duds, The Pathfinder greatly impresses."[21]

In 2025, it was included in The New York Times list of "The Best Nonalcoholic Drinks", with journalist Mace Dent Johnson describing it as "strong, bracing, and surprising, with intense bitterness and a fresh pine aroma". Johnson noted that one of the Times' tasters commented that "I feel like I need to have tattoos to qualify to drink this."[22] The beverage has also been associated with the rising popularity of non-alcoholic spirits, exemplified by movements like Dry January.[15][11][23]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Miller, Kirk. "Review: The Pathfinder Is a Non-Alcoholic Spirit That Shines in Boozy Drinks". InsideHook. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  2. ^ a b Bryson, Alysse (2022-03-19). "Pathfinder Non-Alcoholic Spirit Alternative Review". The Sober Curator. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  3. ^ a b "Meet The Pathfinder: A Hemp-Infused, Non-Alcoholic Spirit". Cannabis Business Times. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  4. ^ Christie, Tiff. "Exploring The Non-Alc Road With The Pathfinder". Cocktails Distilled. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  5. ^ Mix, Ivy; Marrero, Lynnette; Krigbaum, Megan (2024-04-30). A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood. Abrams. ISBN 978-1-64700-834-5.
  6. ^ a b Aaron (2023-03-22). "The Pathfinder". 1889 Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  7. ^ a b Bass, Penelope (2022-04-26). "Drink of the Week: The Pathfinder Non-Alcoholic Spirit". Imbibe Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  8. ^ a b c Streefkerk, Mark Van (2022-01-20). "Life On Mars Shifts Seattle Bar Culture With the Addition of Its Elaborate Nonalcoholic Drinks Menu". Eater Seattle. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  9. ^ Schaefer, Nicole (2023-03-28). Portland Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the City of Roses. Simon and Schuster. p. 255. ISBN 978-1-64643-355-1.
  10. ^ Staff (2025-01-15). "The Pathfinder Releases Non-alcoholic RTD Negroni". Craft Spirits Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  11. ^ a b Newell, Maddison (2024-01-05). "The Pathfinder Passport: Navigating Dry-January". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  12. ^ Uitti, Jake (2022-01-11). "Pathfinder: Your New Route To Exquisite N/A Flavor". Sip Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  13. ^ a b c "The Pathfinder: Finding the Soul of a Cannabis Spirit". Alcohol Professor. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  14. ^ Reynolds, Conor (2023-05-18). "Stoli Group invests in non-alcoholic The Pathfinder Hemp and Root". Just Drinks. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  15. ^ a b Fleming, Kirsten (2023-02-10). "NYC can't get enough of alcohol-free spirit The Pathfinder". The New York Post. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  16. ^ Kate, Sarah (2024-01-18). "A Path Well Travelled: A Non-alcoholic Cocktail With The Viral Pathfinder Hemp Spirit". Some Good Clean Fun Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  17. ^ Johnson, Marilyn (2022-01-15). "The Pathfinder Hemp and Root Launches in Philadelphia". Philly Grub. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  18. ^ Mason, Jessica (2024-10-22). "The Pathfinder Hemp and Root hits the UK". The Drinks Business. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  19. ^ "The Pathfinder: Paving the Way for Alcohol-Free Spirits". S E A T T L E I T E. 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  20. ^ Bloodworth, Adam (2025-01-30). "I tried a different alcohol free drink every day of Dry January". City AM. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  21. ^ Null, Christopher (2022-06-10). "Review: The Pathfinder Hemp and Root". Drinkhacker. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  22. ^ "The Best Nonalcoholic Drinks". The New York Times. 2025-01-31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  23. ^ Aranita, Kiki (2025-01-13). "Actually good non-alcoholic drinks for dry January". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
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