I don’t know what’s better about Root, the fact that it’s USDA Certified Organic or that the golden color and rich flavor are unique to anything on the market today. Whether you enjoy your spirits mixed or if you sip it straight from a glass, Root has the flavor of root beer with the indulging kick of a liquor.

This 80-proof spirit is made with all-natural ingredients including cloves, orange, sugar cane, spearmint, birch bark, allspice berries and other natural substances. Root tea was a popular drink in the 1700s, but today Art In The Age shows us how to mix Root cocktails with a kick.

Coined the. Root, TRU Vodka, white grapefruit juice, simple syrup, lime juice, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur and a dash of Angostura are shaken and strained into a cocktail glass to make Forbidden Root, a cocktail with an edge to it.

If the Forbidden Root isn’t your type of cocktail, try out the Root Miner, which puts a twist on the standard martini. Stir together in Hendricks gin, Root, Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth. Add a dash of Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb, a pinch of Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6 and stir over cracked ice. Strain the mix into a cocktail glass for a hearty martini to beat the heat.

For a more grown-up dessert treat, I suggest the Root Float. Combine Root with birch beer and your favorite vanilla ice cream. It’s simple to make and will surely bring back memories of those root beer floats you use to love as a kid.

For $34.99 a bottle, Root is available at Philadelphia state stores and local bars. For additional information about Root, check out www.artintheage.com/spirits.