A new exhibit at the Lloyd Library & Museum in downtown Cincinnati is exploring the botanical science behind our favorite beverages.
The Botany of Beverages will explore the deep-rooted connection between plants and drinks, from coffee and tea to wine, beer and tequila. Visitors will also get to learn how plants shape the flavor, aroma, color, chemistry and cultural significance of these beverages.
Highlights include a 1774 history of coffee, groundbreaking fermentation texts written by Louis Pasteur and Antoine Lavoisier and a collection of historical botanical illustrations that trace centuries of the cultivation, commerce and craft of plant-based beverages.
The exhibit opens at the library and museum on Friday, Dec. 12 and runs through Friday, April 24. A free opening reception with light refreshments will be held Dec. 12 from 5-7 p.m.
The Lloyd Library and Museum will also host a variety of programs to accompany The Botany of Beverages, including a Holiday Open House, where you can explore the exhibit while enjoying hot cocoa and cookies. The open house is Saturday, Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. All other programs do require advanced registration.
In January, visitors can join Alejandra Flores, the founder of Dayton, Kentucky’s Unataza Coffee, for “Climate, Coffee and Culture.” The program will examine the origin of coffee and varietals used, offering a transparent look at the farm-to-cup process, pricing that supports ethical sourcing and challenges coffee farms face, like labor shortages and climate change.
“Climate, Coffee and Culture” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 7 from 7-8 p.m. at the library. Register here.
On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the library will host the interactive talk “Sober Botanicals: The Plants That Change How We Drink” from Kentucky Botanical Co. and The Green Door founder Christain Perry-Watt. Perry-Watt will share more about the evolving culture of alcohol-free, plant-based beverages and how herbs, roots and flowers have shaped our drinking traditions.
The talk will be $5 for non-members and free for members, with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the talk from 7-8 p.m. Register here.
Plant-based fun will move outside in February with the Maple Sugaring Hike at Cincinnati Nature Center’s Rowe Woods. A naturalist will take guests on a hike to find native maple trees, check sap buckets and look for signs of how wildlife use sap. You’ll also get to visit the evaporator and sample warm maple syrup, all while learning about how to find sugar maples, how to make syrup, why Cincinnati Nature Center calls their maple syrup “liquid sunshine” and how maple sugaring has changed over time.
The Maple Sugaring Hike will be held Sunday, Feb. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The hike is $10 for non-members and $5 for members. Register here.
And ahead of Valentine’s Day, you can learn more about the way plants reproduce in “The Nature of Sex: The Sexy Side of Plants,” from plants that imprison their pollinators to the flowers that remember when a bee last paid them a visit. The talk will be led by Cincinnati Nature Center’s director of conservation, Cory Christopher, who will challenge guests to rethink the distinctions between plants and animals, especially when it comes to sex.
“The Nature of Sex: The Sexy Side of Plants” will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 7-8 p.m. at the library. Register here.
Lloyd Library & Museum, 917 Plum St., Downtown. Learn more about The Botany of Beverages and the library and museum at lloydlibrary.org.