Art In The Age Root

In the 1700’s it was called Root Tea. An herbal remedy made with sassafras sarsaparilla birch bark and other wild roots and herbs. Native Americans taught the recipe to colonial settlers. As it was passed it down from generation to generation it grew in potency and complexity. Particularly in the Pennsylvania hinterlands where the ingredients naturally grow in abundance.At the close of the 19th century as the Temperance movement conspired to take the fun out of everything a Philadelphia pharmacist removed the alcohol from Root Tea and rechristened it (ironically) Root Beer. He did this so that hard drinking Pennsylvania coal miners and steelworkers could enjoy it in place of true alcoholic refreshment. He introduced his Root Beer in a big way at the still legendary 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The rest as you know is flaccid historyHere at Art in the Age we thought it would be interesting and fun to turn back the clock and recreate a true pre-temperance