F1 Star Lewis Hamilton and Biochemist Iván Saldaña Share What Makes Their Nonalcoholic Tequila the First of Its Kind

Master distillers make alcohol and race car drivers race cars. Each possess years of training, specialized licenses, and intricate knowledge of their chosen field, constantly seeking to maintain the perfect balance. And they generally stick to their own lane. 

But when Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1’s winningest driver, partnered with biochemist Iván Saldaña, the man responsible for some of Mexico’s most innovative spirits, they both sought to push the rules. The result was the creation of the first alcohol-free “tequila” made from blue Weber agave, Almave. 

Saldaña possesses a DPhil (equivalent to a PhD in the U.S.) in plant biology/biochemistry from the University of Sussex. “I grew up in a key agave region in Mexico and spent my whole life around agave,” he says. “My background in biology stemmed from my desire to explore it and its role in spirit-making.” 

It’s this background that helped Saldaña to found Casa Lumbre in 2011, which has since gone on to create Ancho Reyes, Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky, Montelobos Mezcal, and numerous other brands that have been part of the Mexican spirits renaissance over the last decade and a half. However, the brand has been removed from the budding alcohol-free market that’s skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years. That’s until Hamilton came knocking.

A true fan of tequila

“I’ve always loved tequila,” says Hamilton, when asked about his drive to create Almave. “I love its nuances and its versatility.” But the seven-time F1 World Champion realized he needed something that “allows [him] to stay clear-headed around the clock.”

The alcohol-free market has plenty of nonalcoholic tequila-adjacent products. Ritual Zero Proof, Lyre’s, Spiritless, and other producers make distillates geared towards tequila fans. But none fully satisfied Hamilton. 

“When it came to ingredients, production, and taste I just wasn’t finding anything that brought me the same level of story and enjoyment,” he says. “Not to mention, [authentic tequila is] actually made in Jalisco, Mexico.” That’s when Hamilton found Saldaña and enlisted him to create a nonalcoholic tequila.

“It took very little convincing,” says Saldaña. “After decades spent researching and producing agave spirits, I saw this as a unique opportunity to take the traditional ingredients and distillation methods of tequila and create a blue agave spirit that goes beyond proof for those who prioritize nuanced, quality taste.”

A nonalcoholic tequila is born

Creating Almave forced Casa Lumbre to take a different approach than other alcohol-free products. 

“Typically, to make alcohol-free beer and wine, the spirits go through a fermentation process and then a separate stage to remove the alcohol,” says Saldaña. “Other N/A spirits can be water-based and use flavorings and additives to mimic natural flavors.”

Instead of going the traditional route, Saldaña and his team “achieved [creating an alcohol-free tequila] through careful agave fiber selection followed by a multi-step distillation process done in traditional copper pots,” he says. “Our process mirrors traditional tequila production while skipping the fermentation. We instead directed our focus on extracting as much flavor as possible from the agave plant so that the final flavor and mouthfeel emulate that of tequila.”

While Saldaña and his team were responsible for much of the more “scientific” parts of the process, Hamilton was along for the ride at every turn. 

 The collaboration

“Lewis was very close to the creation process for both Amabar and Blanco,” says Saldaña, referring to the brand’s two expressions, which mimic the flavors found in aged and clear tequila, respectively. “We had several tastings in Mexico, but also in other locations. We held the final tasting together in Monaco, where Lewis lives, to sign off on the liquid before production.”

That closeness between the biochemist and the driver is something Hamilton emphasizes, while also noting the education he received along the way. 

“I had this incredible, hands-on opportunity to go into the blue agave fields in Jalisco with Ivàn and learn first-hand about the plant and how important it is to Mexico,” says Hamilton. “Tasting each new batch of Almave was critical for me to really understand the depth of the process.”

While Almave is made from blue agave, Saldaña is careful not to call their product tequila. “It’s important to note that for the true ‘tequila’ appellation, the spirit must contain alcohol,” he says. 

Nonetheless, Hamilton feels that Almave accomplishes the goals he and Saldaña set out when they first began working together on the brand. 

“Our foundational belief is that alcohol was beside the point,” says Hamilton “Ivàn and I believe that the spirit of tequila is in the ingredients, like blue agave, and in the traditional practices, like the distillation process. Removing those removes much more than the ABV."