That’s the Spirit: Optimist Botanicals

When Lisa Farr Johnstone and her partner, Tom Johnstone, moved from London to Los Angeles, much changed: farmers markets and hiking replaced the bustle of city life and drinking at bars; as time wore on, the couple became more thoughtful about their alcohol consumption. Add two young kids and an increasingly tense political atmosphere to the mix and the sobriety stuck. Lisa and Tom liked how they felt after cutting out alcohol, but their social lives suffered. When they did go out, the non-alcoholic offerings were non-existent or heavy on the sugar (a different kind of hangover!). 

They took the lack of options as inspiration. In January 2020, the couple began developing what would become their zero-proof spirits company, Optimist Botanicals. Guided by a strong philosophy – “No sugar, no additives; purely distilled, using CO2 extraction which is super clean and great at extracting flavor”  – they found a local distillery to build flavors that evoke the senses. By that point, the Pandemic was raging. Picture spirits tastings over Zoom and insane sourcing issues and you get the idea. 

Several lockdowns later, three distinct flavors reminiscent of the California landscape emerged. “Bright” is citrus-forward, reminiscent of salty beach air, lemon trees, jasmine and lavender. It drinks like vodka with a twist. “Fresh” plays with the botanical side of gin: wet earth, wild herbs, juniper and oregano. “Smokey” highlights warming spices – cinnamon, ginger, clove – and gets its smokiness from Lapsang Souchong. All three offerings are distinct, and don’t “taste like” any particular spirit; Lisa isn’t interested in mimicking alcohol. “We want to be more future-facing and create complex adult flavors. Think about what you’re drinking, be selective, care about it.” She isn’t anti-alcohol; she’s pro-thoughtfulness when it comes to alcohol consumption. 

After a difficult two-plus years, wherein many of us upped our alcohol antes, sobriety now happens to be en vogue. Lisa celebrates that, but has bigger dreams for Optimist; she wants to be a key player in a significant cultural behavior shift. “In the last 10 years, the number of people drinking has been declining and the number of people seeking alternatives to alcohol has been rising rapidly. Restaurants have seen a $3 million uplift in revenue from non-alc sales in Dry January.”

At Botanica we can attest that this is true! Very few zero-proof options existed when we opened five years ago; now, a dozen creative and compelling non-alcoholic beverages line our shelves, from beer to aperitifs to these Optimist spirit-alternatives. 

Crafting artisanal beverages is just a part of the Optimist philosophy; there’s a strong emphasis on social connection, gathering, pleasure and giving back. Motivated by social entrepreneurship and mental well-being, Lisa and Tom discovered Venice’s Safe Place for Youth, a nonprofit addressing racial and social inequity through community-driven solutions, particularly in young people experiencing homelessness. They are now Optimist’s non-profit partner; the company donates 2% of sales to directly fund this program. Lisa hopes to soon expand their offerings with various organizations rooted in meaningful, transformative social connection. 

To further spread the message of optimism, togetherness, and thoughtfulness, they created a podcast with Dr. Drea Letamendi, Acting Director of UCLA Resilience Center: Optimist In Progress shares insights on building a practice of optimism. We’ll drink to that.

Shop Optimist in our market, or come by for a drink! We serve a non-alc version of our Arugula cocktail using Optimist Fresh (recipe below!). We’ve also included a recipe for our Optimist Basil cocktail, no longer on the menu but equally delicious!

Optimist Arugula Cocktail
makes 1 cocktail

Small handful arugula leaves
2 ounces Optimist Fresh
¾ ounces agave
1 ounce lime juice

Add the arugula leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the Optimist, agave and lime, a handful of ice and shake well. Strain and serve up with an arugula leaf garnish!

Optimist Basil Cocktail
makes 1 cocktail

Small handful basil leaves
2 ounces Optimist Bright
¾ ounces agave
1 ounce lime juice

Add the basil leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the Optimist, agave and lime, a handful of ice and shake well. Strain and serve up with a basil leaf garnish!