Exploring The Non-Alc Road With The Pathfinder

Cocktails Distilled

While you might think the use of hemp and cannabis for medical use is fairly new, it has a long history that goes back centuries.
In the 1800s in the United States, although they weren't called that at that stage, physicians started to prescribe hemp-derived concoctions for all sorts of maladies and afflictions, and elixirs could be readily purchased in general stores.
But then came the 20th century with its inclination to basically prohibit everything. And hemp and cannabis products found themselves lumped in with opioid drugs. And well, you know, the rest.
Yet as the attitude towards hemp and CBD products has changed, there has been renewed interest in the elixirs from the past and the flavour as well as the health benefits that can be imparted.
One brand that is fully exploring what this means is the Seattle-based fermented and distilled non-alcoholic hemp liquid brand, The Pathfinder.
To find out more, we speak to global brand Ambassador Kraig Rovensky about alchemy, blazing new trails and being a destroyer of bad vibes.

Kapitler

1. Exploring The Non-Alc Road With The Pathfinder (00:00:00)

2. Was the genesis of Pathfinder to make a hemp spirit or to make a non-alcoholic spirit? (00:01:56)

3. And how long was that discovery construction period? (00:02:23)

4. Now you can't look at Pathfinder without being blown away by the graphics and the branding. Tell us a little bit about the inspiration. (00:02:39)

5. Because it actually brings in quite a lot of influences. It's got a little bit of sort of country western in it as well as I would say, sort of Victorian mythology. It's quite a crossover of inspiration. (00:03:30)

6. Even though the, the journey started four years ago, what made you guys think that another non-alcoholic spirit brand was needed on the market? (00:03:47)

7. That said though, there are some advantages to hemp spirits. (00:05:23)

8. Was it based on any historical recipes or were you just playing around and starting from scratch? (00:05:58)

9. Talk us through some of the difficulties in constructing it that the brand faced (00:06:42)

10. Now your process is a three step one. We've talked a little bit about the fermentation, but are you using any special yeasts or anything like that for that fermentation? Talk us through a little bit about that. (00:08:50)

11. And how does once you've, once you have it fermented, is there anything special about distillation process that would be different than what people would expect? (00:09:21)

12. Now you guys are branding the final stage as alchemy. Talk us through that marriage of distillates extracts and tinctures. (00:09:58)

13. And what sort of botanicals are you using? (00:10:34)

14. Does that bring with it a hempy flavour though? (00:11:27)

15. Now, a lot of the botanicals that you've been able to tell us about sort of sit somewhere between gin and vermouth almost. (00:11:51)

16. I was about to say it's got a bit more of a bittersweet than vermouth would have. So it does fit almost a little bit more into the Amaro-esque category, doesn't it? (00:12:41)

17. So if someone was buying a bottle for the first time, how should they use it? (00:13:39)

18. What sort of flavours go well with it? (00:14:40)

19. I imagine you've created quite a number of cocktails with this. Can you talk us through a few of them? (00:15:45)

20. It sounds like it works equally well in what would traditionally be spirit forward heavier drinks as it would in perhaps a spritz. (00:16:38)

21. Now talking about the cocktails that you've got on the site, it's been divided up into morning Tide delights, afternoon reveries, leisurely twilight and third eye openers. Can you explain the distinction? (00:18:11)

22. What has the reaction to it been both from the industry and from people on the street? (00:19:42)

23. There must be a fair amount of education both on trade and amongst consumers that you have to do. (00:21:20)

24. What do you see the future of that category? (00:22:23)

25. Are you guys hoping to be bought up by a bigger brand (00:24:11)

26. You've actually labeled the expression you have out at the moment as hemp and root, does that imply that there are gonna be other expressions to come? (00:24:58)

27. Are you able to say what sort of direction those other things might go? (00:25:51)

28. If people are interested in getting their hands on a bottle, where is it available at the moment? (00:26:39)

29. And are there plans to take Pathfinder on a journey of its own overseas? (00:27:49)