Philly Beer Scene Magazine

It is a given that we all love craft beer, its why we do the magazine, and its why your reading the magazine, but what about those rare occasions when you want something else, something different? If that is the case, than the City of Brotherly Love has come through for you yet again! Recently a new liquor has been introduced into the market called Root. Created, or as I should say, re-created (read on) from the minds of the Philly based Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction and Steven Grasse, Root takes a page from the history books and brings it to a shot glass or mixed drink near you. Intrigued? You should be, because Root is unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. It extends beyond your normal liqueur and cannot be defined as a vodka, schnapps, whiskey or bourbon. It’s is seemingly in a league of its own. So where did this indefinable Root come from? Well according to Art in the Age, the history goes like this; Root was originally called Root Tea back in the 1700’s. The Native Americans first began making it from wild roots, herbs, wintergreen and birch bark. They passed this on to colonial settlers and from generation to generation the mix would grow stronger and stronger with more and more ingredients added along the way. Pennsylvania was the most productive place for Root Tea because here the ingredients were extremely plentiful.

As usual, over time someone had to ruin all the fun. Once the Temperance Movement, also known as the day the alcohol died, set in, a Philadelphia based pharmacist named Charles Hires saved the future of Root and also created the one of the only delicious non-alcoholic beverages known today as Root Beer. Root Beer was created to not only comply with the Temperance Movement but to allow Pennsylvania steelworkers and coal miners a tasty alternative drink. At this point, Root Tea had appeared to be gone forever.

Cut to today where the mastermind known as Steven Grasse who is the CEO of the Philadelphia ad company Quaker City Mercantile and creator of Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum brand, decided to pay homage to Pennsylvania’s history. After experimenting with different ingredients and bases and finally settling on a sugarcane one, he hooked up with the team at Arts in the Age. Today, there is Root. However, once again the fun was ruined in 1960 when, we’ll call this one the day sassafras died, the DA banned the use of it due to its “risks to the liver”, ironic since that is every alcoholic beverage risk. Grasse and Art in the Age compromised and created Root with a sassafras essence along with smoked black tea, sugarcane, birch bark, orange and lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, allspice and anise.

Root is truly hard to compare to any other drink. Art in the Age strongly stresses that it is not a root beer flavored vodka or sweet liquor, and it certainly does not fit under either of those descriptions. Though it smells almost exactly like Root Beer, it contains a taste all its own. In its spicy, earthy and completely organic flavor you can taste the history of Root. The notes of cloves and vanilla provide a hint of sweetness, while the 80 proof that it possesses is the your only reminder that it is an alcoholic drink.

Root is a versatile drink that is great as a shot, a cocktail, or even in food. Root has begun to catch on all around Philadelphia. There have been Root dinner pairings, cocktail competitions, cooking recipes and city wide specials. The first batch of Root was released throughout bars and Wine and Spirits Shoppes in Pennsylvania in limited quality and for approximately $40 a bottle. So, it is highly recommend that if you find this exotic liquor, you try it! For more information about Root including cocktail and cooking recipes or where to purchase it around Philadelphia visit Art in the Age’s website at www.artintheage.com.