Big Things Happening at the Hemingway Rum Company in Key West

Carlton Grooms Making Final Inspection

     After nearly four years of construction and planning rum production has begun at the Hemingway
Rum Company in Key West, Florida.  The dropping of the yeast into the first batch of molasses in the fermentation tank last Saturday rum making is underway.  Carlton Grooms, Shawn Martin and the rest of the crew ceremoniously dropped the yeast in the first batch Saturday the 12th of August and 2:00 pm to get the first batch started.

Shawn Martin Dropping the Yeast

   If the fermentation goes as planned the distillation will begin on Tuesday afternoon.  the wine will be pumped from the fermentation tank into the still to begin the extraction of the fresh rum.   At this point there should be approximately 10% of the by volume of the original of the distillation come out as rum.


     The ceremonial tasting of the first batch will follow and hopefully it will bring smiles to the faces of all of us that are involved.  The rum will then pass through the solera and mixed with the other components of the sourced  blend of aged rums and bottle.  This is a huge event that has been in the making for nearly four years and I'm so glad to see it finally getting underway for everyone in the company.