Nonalcoholic spirits brand targets the calming sensation of alcohol, not the taste

Unlike other nonalcoholic beverage brands, U.K.-based SENTIA was conceived to replicate the calming effects of alcohol — not the taste.

SENTIA’s alcohol-free drinks tap a proprietary blend of food-approved herbs to target and enhance the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that inhibits nerve activity by thwarting the nervous system’s cells’ ability to send and receive signals — thus, producing a calming effect.

Traditional alcohol, too, affects the brain’s GABA system.

“The prime effect of alcohol in the brain that most people are seeking, which is relaxation and conviviality, is mediated through a neurotransmitter called GABA,” David Nutt, SENTIA co-founder, professor and neuropsychopharmacologist, said. “Alcohol calms you because it enhances the effect of GABA.”

GABA activity increases when alcohol is consumed, creating the sought-after soothing sensation many alcoholic beverage consumers desire.

Heightened interest from consumers in nonalcoholic drinks, especially among younger generations, has led to elevated sales in the category and a notable leap in new product launches in recent years. New survey data from NCSolutions underlines the trend toward increased interest in alcohol alternatives. The survey found a third of Americans tried a nonalcoholic drink in 2023.

“Up till SENTIA, alcoholic alternatives have essentially been drinks that mimic the look of alcohol but don't have a functional effect,” Nutt explained. SENTIA, unlike other nonalcoholic beverages, targets the functional effects of alcohol.

Function over form  

SENTIA drinks are functional and completely free from alcohol. That means prioritizing function over form — a bold move in food and beverage.

In fact, Nutt contended that trying to pinpoint a taste that replicates alcohol is “kind of meaningless.”

“A lot of people are quite finicky, and they like red wine or white wine, etcetera,” he explained. “So … to say there is a taste of alcohol is kind of meaningless, isn't it?”

SENTIA instead starts with selecting the best functional herbs to produce the desired calming effect of the beverage. “Then add to those herbs other herbs [to improve taste],” he said.

SENTIA uses a “three-tier” approach, or three groups of herbs, to create its functional calming effect. One group of herbs enhances the effects of GABA in the brain, another group facilitates the uptake of the functional herbs into the stomach, and the third group facilitates the transfer of the GABA-enhancing molecules from the blood into the brain, Nutt explained.

“Then, of course, you’ve got the challenge of the taste,” he said. Herbs can add bitter and other undesirable flavors, making taste a notable hurdle. That’s especially true in natural formulations like SENTIA.

In addition to functional herbs, SENTIA uses herbs for flavor and color.

Red and Black

SENTIA is available in two varieties: GABA Red and GABA Black. The company describes GABA Red’s taste as “sweet heady aromatics, rich herbal complexity, bittersweet spiced berries.” GABA Black’s taste is described as “spiced pepper warmth, intense, earthy body and smoky bitter finish.”

Per Nutt, SENTIA’s taste is “exotic,” “interesting” and “distinct.”

While SENTIA was not developed to mimic the taste of an alcoholic drink, Nutt mentioned vermouth as its closest taste counterpart. The beverages are marketed to encourage consumers to drink them with mixers.

Water is used to extract the herbs in SENTIA. Steeping the herbs in hot water produces sediment and creates a colored extract — which could be considered undesirable in a finished product.

“The only way to get [a pure, clear drink] would be [to use] pure extracts, which would be to extract with alcohol … and we don't want to do that,” Nutt said.