New from Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, an organic produce brand dedicated to “work marked by fine craft and intellectual rigor” that offers a slew of culturally-relevant, anti-industrialization products, comes Rhuby. A rhubarb spirit, Rhuby’s creation was inspired by the tale of how the deliciously bitter root vegetable found its way into the US in the first place: brought over in seed form by Benjamin Franklin as a gift to one of his botanist friends in 1771. The botanist, John Bartram, then proceeded to use the ingredient to make a fresh garden tea, mixing it with beets, carrots, lemon, cardamom, pink pepper, coriander, vanilla and sugar cane. Since then, we’ve enjoyed Strawberry Rhubarb Pie as a national dish, yet little to no rhubarb has made its way into cocktail culture. Rhuby, however, is out to change that by turning Bartram’s tea into a refreshing and tasty organic liquor completely unique in the marketplace. Although it may sound only remotely appetizing to some, a spirit as earthy and savory as Rhuby is sure to have a myriad of uses in the fickle world of mixology. Those who are curious can check out some recipes on how to make Rhuby cocktails here and view a quirky, informative and beautifully-animated video from Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction above.
