TRIP Drinks Review: 7 Things I Liked Most About This Calm Drink Brand

“As a nutritionist, I look for quality ingredients and TRIP ticked many boxes for me — in fact I recommend it to my clients. The combination of adaptogens and functional mushrooms in the Mindful Blend is genuinely interesting from a formulation standpoint. Lion's mane at 100mg per serving, magnesium at 120mg — these are meaningful doses, not token inclusions. The CBD line adds another layer for people managing daily stress. What I appreciate most is the clean label: vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar, under 25 calories. In a market full of functional drinks that bury their active ingredients behind sugar and artificial flavours, TRIP's restraint is notable. I love these drinks as an anytime daily drink and also as a substitute for alcohol — I felt the benefits after using them over a few weeks, mainly to sleep quality and a calmer mood.”

— @nourishedforlife, registered nutritionist and functional wellness practitioner

TRIP at a Glance

① The Flavours Are Actually Good — Not “Healthy Good,” Just Good

This sounds obvious but it's the thing that separates TRIP from most of its functional drink competitors: it tastes genuinely delicious. Not “tolerable for something healthy.” Not “fine if you've adjusted your expectations.” Actually delicious — the kind of drink you crave on a warm afternoon the same way you'd crave a sparkling water or an iced coffee. Elderflower Mint is floral and clean without being perfumy. Peach Ginger has real warmth from the ginger without being spicy. Lemon Basil is the most surprising — it sounds like it shouldn't work and it completely does. Cold Brew Coffee was a revelation for afternoons when I wanted something grounding. The Mindful Blend's Cucumber Mint is probably my favourite of the whole range: refreshing, light, and sophisticated in a way that makes it feel like a proper grown-up drink. This is where TRIP's brand identity (“lifestyle product, not a wellness one”) pays off most clearly — they treated flavour as a design decision, not an afterthought.

② Two Different Lines for Two Different Needs — and They're Clearly Labelled

TRIP has two distinct product lines and I appreciate that they're clearly differentiated rather than blurred together. The CBD Sparkling Water line (Elderflower Mint, Peach Ginger, Lemon Basil, Cold Brew Coffee) is for people who want the calming effects of CBD combined with natural adaptogens — under 19–21 kcals, no added sugar. The Mindful Blend line (launched 2024, in collaboration with Calm) is CBD-free — it's formulated with Lion's Mane (100mg), Magnesium (120mg), and Ashwagandha (100mg) for people who want functional ingredient benefits without CBD. This distinction matters because they work differently and are suited for different contexts. I use the CBD line in the evening for winding down; the Mindful Blend fits better into my morning or afternoon routine. The fact that TRIP labels both clearly, rather than keeping both products ambiguous to appeal to everyone, is something I actively respect.

③ The Mindful Blend's Ingredient Doses Are Meaningful — Not Token

One of my consistent frustrations with functional drinks is the “fairy dusting” problem — a trace amount of an active ingredient listed on the label that's so far below an effective dose it's essentially decorative. TRIP's Mindful Blend avoids this with specific, meaningful doses: Lion's Mane at 100mg, Magnesium at 120mg (which is 32% of your recommended daily intake per can), Ashwagandha at 100mg. These are not micro-doses added for label credibility. Magnesium at 120mg per can is a genuinely useful daily supplementation amount — it's the ingredient most commonly cited by users as making the clearest difference to their stress levels and sleep quality. The collaboration with Calm app on the Mindful Blend is also a meaningful signal: Calm is a serious wellness brand with high standards for what it co-signs. That partnership reflects ingredient credibility, not just marketing alignment.

④ The Clean Label — Vegan, Gluten-Free, Under 25 Calories, No Artificial Anything

I read labels. TRIP's is one of the cleanest in the functional drinks category. Vegan. Gluten-free. Under 25 kcals. No added sugar on the CBD line. No artificial flavours or colours. Made in the UK in 100% recyclable cans. The CBD line uses carbonated water, fruit juices from concentrate, natural botanicals, and CBD — the ingredient list is short and the longest word on it is “concentrate.” Compare that to other “calm” drinks in the same market that bury their adaptogens under 25g of sugar, artificial sweeteners, and a paragraph of stabilisers — TRIP's restraint feels intentional and honest. For people who want functional benefits without sacrificing the rest of their clean-living choices, TRIP is genuinely one of the best options I've found in this category.

⑤ It Changed My Evening Ritual — a Genuine Swap for Alcohol

I wasn't expecting this to be the thing I liked most, but it turned out to be the most practical impact TRIP had on my life. I'm not a heavy drinker but I'd developed the habit of a glass of wine or a gin and tonic as a decompression ritual after work — not because I particularly wanted the alcohol, but because I wanted the signal that the working day was over. TRIP replaced that ritual completely. Cracking a Peach Ginger or a Lemon Basil at 5:30pm gives me the same sensory cue — cold, sparkling, flavourful, something for my hands to hold — without the alcohol calories, the next-morning fogginess, or the guilty feeling when it becomes two glasses. The nutritionist recommendation above specifically mentions this too: “I love these drinks as an anytime daily drink and also as a substitute for alcohol.” The ritual replacement is real and something a lot of TRIP users mention. It's not marketed heavily as a no-alcohol drink alternative but that's probably its most widespread practical use case.

⑥ The Great Taste Awards Are Real Credibility — Not Just a Badge

Great Taste Awards are judged blind by food and drink professionals — chefs, buyers, journalists, and food critics. There's no marketing spend that gets you a Great Taste star. TRIP has won Great Taste Awards for Elderflower Mint, Peach Ginger, Lemon Basil, and Cold Brew Coffee — four out of their core CBD line flavours. They're also the first CBD brand to earn Great Taste recognition, won “Soft Drink of the Year” from The Grocer, and were named “Brand on Fire” at The Beverage Forum Europe. These aren't self-awarded certificates. They're assessments by industry professionals who tasted the product blind and rated it against the best soft drinks in the market — not just the best CBD drinks. For me, knowing these awards exist means when I describe the flavour as “genuinely good,” I'm not just a subjective fan. People who taste drinks for a living agreed.

⑦ The Brand Doesn't Overpromise — and That's Why I Trust It

TRIP could easily have built a brand on dramatic wellness claims — “cure your anxiety,” “fix your sleep,” “hack your cortisol.” They didn't. Co-founder Olivia Ferdi specifically says: “We never preach one type of calm, or one type of experience. Your night is different to my night.” The marketing language is consistently “a little bit of calm in everyday chaos” — not a transformation promise, not a clinical claim. This matters because it makes the brand feel honest about what a drink can actually do. A CBD or magnesium drink can take the edge off a stressful afternoon. It can make your evening ritual more intentional. It can give you something to reach for that isn't alcohol. It's not going to resolve anxiety disorder or cure insomnia. TRIP says as much implicitly, and that restraint is the thing that made me trust the brand when I was skeptical about the category. Brands that undersell slightly are the ones that over-deliver on experience.

A little bit of calm in everyday chaos. TRIP — the drink I actually reach for.

Award-winning flavours. Clean ingredients. CBD or magnesium — you choose. Use code HEYAVAFINDS for a discount on your first order.

Vegan · Gluten-free · Under 25 kcal · No added sugar · UK-made

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• Flavour — award-winning, genuinely delicious: 4 Great Taste Award wins. “Soft Drink of the Year” The Grocer. Tastes like a proper drink, not a supplement.
• Two clear product lines with honest differentiation: CBD line vs Mindful Blend (no CBD) — clearly labelled, clearly different, no ambiguity about what you're drinking.
• Meaningful ingredient doses — not fairy-dusted: Magnesium 120mg (32% RDI), Lion's Mane 100mg, Ashwagandha 100mg. Doses that justify being there.
• Clean label — vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar (CBD line), under 25 kcals: Some of the cleanest nutritional specs in the functional beverage category.
• Credible third-party partnerships — Calm app, Great Taste, The Grocer: Signals ingredient and brand credibility that self-marketing can't manufacture.
• 94% of buyers recommend to a friend: Organic word-of-mouth at this level reflects genuine user satisfaction, not manufactured review campaigns.
• Works as an alcohol swap ritual: The practical use case most users discover: replace the evening glass of wine with something that tastes intentional and grown-up.

• Effects are subtle and build over time — not instant: If you're expecting a dramatic calm to hit within minutes, you may be disappointed. TRIP works best as part of a consistent daily ritual rather than an acute stress-relief tool. Most users notice a difference after 1–2 weeks of regular use.
• Not suitable for children, pregnant/breastfeeding women, or people on certain medications: The CBD line in particular carries this restriction. Always check with a healthcare professional if you're taking medication.
• Price point is premium: At approximately £2–3 per can in the UK (prices vary by retailer), TRIP is not the cheapest sparkling water on the shelf. The quality justifies the price in my view, but it's worth factoring into a daily habit.
• The Mindful Blend's functional effects require consistency: Magnesium and ashwagandha work as daily supplements, not acute mood-changers. Drink one at a stressful moment expecting instant relief and you won't feel much. Drink one a day for two weeks and the difference becomes noticeable.
• CBD effects vary by individual: Some people feel the CBD effects clearly within 30–45 minutes; others feel very little. Sensitivity varies widely. If you've tried CBD before and don't respond to it, the Mindful Blend (CBD-free) may suit you better.

• If you're looking for an alcohol-free evening ritual that actually feels intentional — TRIP is the best thing I've found for this. Cold, sparkling, flavourful, and actually functional. Replaces the wine-o'clock ritual without feeling like deprivation.
• If you want to try CBD but you're intimidated by oils and droppers — a sparkling drink is the most approachable CBD format for first-timers. The dosage is controlled, the flavour is great, and there's no measuring involved.
• If you want CBD-free functional drinks with real ingredient doses — the Mindful Blend is for you. Lion's Mane, Magnesium, Ashwagandha at meaningful amounts, in genuinely delicious flavours, without any of the CBD considerations.
• If you're health-conscious and tired of functional drinks that compromise on clean ingredients — TRIP's clean label (vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar, under 25 kcals) is genuinely rare in this category.
• If you manage daily stress and want a tangible ritual that supports it — the combination of flavour, functional ingredients, and the intentionality of the ritual builds a real habit. Not a cure. A consistent supportive practice.

⭐ Final Verdict: TRIP Drinks Review

TRIP earns its position as the UK's #1 CBD brand not through marketing spend alone — it's there because the product is genuinely good. The flavours are award-winning and actually pleasant to drink. The clean label is real. The ingredient doses in the Mindful Blend are meaningful. The brand's restraint — not over-promising what a drink can do — makes the actual experience more satisfying than the alternatives that claim too much. 94% of buyers recommend it for a reason that's hard to fake.

It won't cure anything. It won't work in minutes if you're expecting pharmaceutical effects. But as a daily ritual that supports a calmer, more intentional way of moving through the day — and as a genuinely delicious drink that does so with a cleaner label than almost anything else in this category — TRIP is the best thing in its market.

Rating: 4.6 / 5.0 — Start with a mixed case of the CBD line if you want the original TRIP experience. Try the Mindful Blend if you want CBD-free functional ingredients in the same brilliant flavour format. Use code HEYAVAFINDS at checkout for a discount on your first order.

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UK's #1 CBD brand. Great Taste Award winner. Vegan, gluten-free, under 25 kcal. CBD or magnesium — you pick the calm you need today.

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