The Industrious Spirit Company Introduces Ostreida
A Unique Vodka Made with Sustainably Raised Local Oysters
Rhode Island locavores revel in the ample offerings of local food and beverages in the Ocean State, and now there is something new—and groundbreaking—to celebrate. Welcome Ostreida—the world’s first vodka handmade from regional organic grains and fresh oysters.
“We opened our business in March of 2020, which, as we all know, was a difficult time,” says Manya Rubinstein, CEO of The Industrious Spirit Company, or ISCO, as it is best known. “Our commitment to sustainable and regenerative farming practices was at the heart of the mission,” says Rubinstein. Because of the pandemic, ISCO used their state-of-the-art Vendome distilling equipment, housed in their newly restored facility, to produce hand sanitizer for the community in addition to the noble spirits their newly opened distillery was designed to create.
Persistence pays, as does hard work and team spirit. In time, the ISCO facility began to realize its original purpose. “Spirits, like food, are based upon farming,” says Rubinstein. The company’s ideology is geared towards regional farms and food resources, thereby creating a circular economy that keeps the dollars at home.
It all starts with organic non-GMO corn grown by a regional farming partner. The corn is milled so that it can be “mashed” or made into a porridge that is then fermented into something akin to beer. The distillation process uses heat to separate water from alcohol and other elements.
The “spent” corn goes off to local farms to be used as animal feed. The resulting “low wine” then undergoes several more distillations until purity and taste requirements are met.
In the case of Ostreida, oysters, just hauled from the sea, are incorporated into the process. The final outcome features notes of minerals and hints of savory brine, making for an exceptionally smooth spirit with a velvety texture and creamy finish.
FINDING A HOME
The Woonasquatucket River is a narrow river with a swift current running from Gloucester to Narragansett Bay. As such, it was an ideal energy source for the mill industries that drove Rhode Island’s industrial revolution during the 1800s. Several architecturally significant buildings rose along what became known as “the industrial corridor” in Providence. Over time, many fell into ruin. Nowadays, ISCO, the first distillery in Providence since Prohibition, is nestled like a pearl in an area of remarkable regeneration.
On one side there is the striking 20-year transformation of the Providence Iron and Steel Company buildings into a nonprofit industrial arts complex. The Steel Yard, as it is now known, is an incubation center for a diversity of artists and makers. Classes in welding, ceramics and industrial arts carry forth the traditions that have characterized that historic location for so many years.
Directly across Sims Avenue from ISCO and The Steel Yard is the all-new Farm Fresh RI food hub. The 60,000-square-foot facility features everything from weekly farmers markets to education, onsite kitchens, a barista bar and coffee roastery, a taqueria, a brewery and a locally grown food distribution center. On any Saturday at any time of year, an often-overlooked industrial area is now a destination. Throngs of shoppers and visitors come to enjoy the attractions of steel sculpture, hand-carved marble pieces from the construction of the Rhode Island State Capitol, not to mention some outstanding graffiti art.
REFINING A MISSION
The team at ISCO is on a mission to make sure all their spirits (they also produce another vodka, plus gin, bourbon and a barrel-aged gin) are made from scratch, albeit laboriously, using only the highest-quality ingredients. It is a little-known fact that much of the clear spirits (vodka, gin) sold in the U.S. is based on neutral grain spirits (NGS) sourced from mega producers who sell the 190-proof product in bulk. The brand makers then dilute and flavor the alcohol to create their own “special” products. In the case of vodka, this is especially true. Laws surrounding the use of terms such as “small batch” and “handmade” are also very lax. Recent legal actions have thus far done little to change that. Buyer beware!
At ISCO, there are no industrially produced NGS, only genuine handmade spirits made with dedication and real passion—a measurable difference between what’s available on the wider market and the spirits produced by this small-batch Rhode Island distillery.
The connection between the sea and their newest vodka product, Ostreida, is not only close but also hyper local. Different batches are made using the oysters from a single farm, so the resulting spirit exhibits local terroir—or, in oyster-farm-speak, local “merroir.” Soon, each bottle will have a tag identifying the provenance of the oysters used for the batch and bottle you purchase. Many early batches of the product featured oysters from the Matunuck Oyster Farm but ISCO has also experimented with East Beach Blondes and oysters from Duxbury Bay (in collaboration with Bayberry Garden) and plans to continue to “test the waters” with different kinds of oysters.
With the goal of giving back and promoting sustainability, ISCO has partnered with GreenWave, a nonprofit organization with an ambitious game plan to support and promote regenerative ocean farming. A portion of every sale of Ostreida goes to support GreenWave.
TAKING A SIP
Plan a visit to ISCO and try Ostreida for yourself. While the quality and purity speak for themselves, tasting the product is only part of the experience. The design-savvy tasting room, the knowledgeable staff and the overall vibe of the place make for a truly unique local experience. Enjoy Ostreida straight up or mixed in a cocktail. Either way, you’ll be sipping a vodka that’s endemic to Li’l Rhody and unique in the wider world of craft spirits.
Try Ostreida in “Chi of the Sea,” a spicy cocktail served over rocks made with fresh veggie juices and kimchi brine. Find the recipe at EdibleRhody.com.
The Industrious Spirit Company (ISCO)
1 Sims Ave., #103, Providence
401.414.7901; ISCOSpirits.com
