Appreciating The Rums of the Past

     I had an opportunity to enjoy tasting a pair of rums that were produced by Callwood Distillery in Cane Garden Bay, BVI.   Though this is not a rum that would fit onto my list of favorite sippers, it has a place in the collection.  This is an unaged white rum that hasn't been filtered or played with after being distilled in a wood fired pot still. 

Callwood Still

     Callwood Distillery is the oldest continually operating distillery in the world, and their methods haven't change a bit.   Although they don't have all of the latest equipment that the large and modern distilleries do, it still produces a consistent rum as it did in its early days.

River Antone Cane Crusher

     River Antone Distillery in Grenada is in a similar situation.  They crush their sugarcane with a water powered crusher, and separate some of the sugar out of the mash and then ferment it in open fermentation tanks before going into their wood fire heated pot still.   

    Like the Arundel Rums, "River" is a pure classic rum that is available in high proof expressions of just plain pure rum.

River Antone Still

Colors of a New Year

     A new year offers many  new opportunities and colors to get you started.   We all make resolutions and plans to improve or just to put a little bit of change into our lives.   The new year is like a new coloring book that you get to put your own personal imprint on.  It is up to you to put the color into your book to make it great and fitting for you.

Global Rum Consumption

The IWSR Magazine

By Daniel Mettyear

November issue

    Global round-up Global rum consumption has been on the slide. The market lost 7.7million cases between 2011 and 2014 and, according to the IWSR's latest Forecast Report, little change is expected as the global rum market is predicted to shed a further 4.4 million cases by 2020. In the past this could have been firmly attributed to continued losses in the large low-priced and value-oriented markets such as India and the Philippines (which account for 40% of global rum consumption), but in 2014 eight of rum's top 10 markets faced volume declines - France and Cuba were the only markets to remain in the black. For the rum industry this news is cause for concern, but no reason to panic; while some declines are down to a more general move away from rum, others are being caused by premiumization, as the drinking less but better mantra applies. Indeed, the global premium-and-above rum market now sits at around 6.75 million cases, having risen by an impressive 7.7% in 2014. Only premium-and-above gin grew faster. Furthermore, this vein of good form is set to continue as the IWSR expects premium-and-above rum to add another 1.8 million cases by 2020.

     This is a good/bad situation, it makes me very happy that the premium and ultra premium rums are showing growth, but the overall drop is reason for concern.  It is going to take some work by those of us in the rum world to get the category back on track.

2016 Offers a Chance for Rums to Soar for New Heights

     Today we are starting a new year, one that looks to have a lot of promise for the rum industry.  During the past few years there has been a growth of the premium and ultra-premium expressions in the category.    2016 looks like a year that the labors of the category will start to show some rewards.  Many of the larger brands have added new expressions and the possibility of brands from Cuba finally arriving in the United States will all have an effect for the rum sales here in the United States.

     “The next big thing I think people have been waiting on is sophistication and premiumization of rum,” said Frank Quinones, managing director, Botran Aged Rum. “The premium segment is accelerating more than the standard and white rums.   I believe today, compared to five years ago, we have made quantum leaps within rum. There are a lot more premium rums now on offer and our time will come because rum is extremely flexible and versatile.”

     Quinones statement is pretty much right on the money in my eyes.   The time spent in the past few year developing these fine quality rums will start to come to fruition.   I see the introduction of many premium white rums as well as the traditional dark expressions and an indicator of what is to come.   

     “The attractiveness of the rum category comes exactly from its very big diversity,” said Stéphanie Labasque, global marketing & commercial director, Groupe BBS, Trois Rivières Rhum. “These new brands will allow the rum category to answer the needs of new rum consumers.”   


     The Craft Rum sector of the category is another area the I see huge growth here in America during 2016.  There are s many great small batch distilleries here in America that have grown up to the point where they are a significant part of the picture in 2016.  


      The United States is one of the largest consumers of rum in the world.  As such, all of these new brands and expressions are going to be huge for those of us that already enjoy our rums, but will also help to attract new people to the category.   The United States is the largest consumer by volume and the second largest based on value.  In the past, we have not had the access to many of the premium rums that the rest of the world enjoys, and hopefully this year more of the premium expressions will be on our shelves for our enjoyment.

Today Puts a Final Sunset on the Year 2015

     2015 has been a very interesting year.  Between the events of the world, and this nation, and so many wonderful things that have happened as well.   For me it has been a year of wonderful new places and adventures.

     2016 is going to one of change and heading out into a new world of adventures.  I see myself smiling and enjoying this year as one that brings more happiness to everyone around me and around the world.

     Happy New Year One and All

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part Six)

     Saturday Day Spa time, the birds have gathered by the watering hole for some preening and bathing.  It is so cool to watch the sea gulls all bathing in the same place.  It seems like a social event not unlike us visiting a day spa.   Just another sight that make the winter such a beautiful place down in the Keys.

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part Five)

The soaring birds remain throughout the winter, they fill the skies with a beauty and awe that is hard to believe.  These large and amazing birds always have my attention when they are overhead.  Today we see the Frigate Bird and the Osprey as they soar over my head.

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part Four)

     The Mangroves provide shelter from the winds and a place for the water birds to rest from their labors of fishing.   The Mangroves provide shelter for so many animals, birds and even marine life.  The are a very important part of the eco health here in the Keys.

Bahia Honda Sunset, Breathtaking Especially in the Winter

     No matter how many times I photograph the sunsets and the skies around the old rail/auto bridge at Bahia Honda, The beauty and my amazement of the sight keeps me clicking one shot after another. The old bridge is in the autumn of its life and there are pieces that keep falling off as corrosion takes its toll on the venerable structure.

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part Three)

     The Pelicans have returned from their summer in the northern latitudes to enjoy fishing in the relatively warm waters and climate of the Keys.

Merry Christmas from My Place to Yours

     Today is a very special day for many people, a day the we get up early in the morning and watch the children and the adults share with each other in a spirit of peace and love.  I hope that you Christmas is a very Merry Christmas for all.

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part Two)

     Unlike other regions, people and other living organisms migrate to the Keys for winter.  He we see the Monarch Butterfly as it forages the winter foliage and enjoys the warmth of the sun.

The Living Winter in the Keys (Part One)

From now until the end of the year, the rum industry is generally pretty quiet as we share time with families and friends.

So from now until the end of the year, it will be a series of photos that show how the people and the Keys adapt to winter.

How about a Mint Chocolate Daiquiri

     As a lover of a good daiquiri, you don't get too many opportunities to have a holiday season daiquiri come your way.  Today I set out to remedy this.   First thing I had to do was come up with a peppermint flavor that wasn't from a crushed or infused candy cane.

     I came up with a peppermint syrup that is very easy to make.  In a sauce pan put 1 cup of water and heat to just below a boil.   Lower the temperature to a low simmer, add 1/2 cup of Sugar in the Raw and stir until sugar has dissolved. add 1 1/2 tsp of Peppermint extract and simmer for a couple of minutes.  Pour into a squeeze bottle and put in the refrigerator to cool.   This mixture is good in the refrigerator for about a week, then it might start to ferment.

Bahama Bob's Mint Chocolate Daiquiri

• 1 1/2 oz. Pilar Blonde Rum
• 3/4 oz. Selvarey Cocoa Rum
• 1/2 oz. Peppermint Syrup

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled.   Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a candy cane or a hard chocolate rim of the glass.

Cocktails and Tales for Christmas

     Looking for a great Christmas gift for someone/  Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales Too is now available and makes a wonderful present.

     Just clik on the icon to the right and order yours today.

A "White Christmas" in the Keys

     The shopping season is coming to a close and it is time for all of us to celebrate Christmas for what it is really suppose to be.  Time with your friends and families, celebrating it in a way that is right for you.   For some people it has to be cold and snowy for it to be Christmas.  Others like to be in a rural scene or even a California sunny day for others.

     But for me, this is my idea of a "White Christmas."   However you celebrate, I hope yours is a merry one.

St. Croix Flavor of Rum Festival

     St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” is an annual event to promote St. Croix’s historical culture of spirits, food, music and arts. St. Croix Rum Festival takes place on Sunday, May 29, 2016 at the historical Fort Frederik in Frederiksted, St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands; overlooking the magnificent backdrop of the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility. Flavor of Rum is a one day event full of fun experience!

     This is the best opportunity to taste, sip and enjoy some of the world’s finest rums.   You’ll fine great food from some of St. Croix’s finest restaurants, live music, and a celebration of Virgin Islands joyful energy, culinary and musical richness and culture!   St. Croix Rum Festival is filled with entertainment:

     Keep these dates open, the information will be coming in the months prior to the event, but this has the potential of being a really fun festival on an island loaded with rum, culture and beauty.

Finally, a Day Drifting in the Dinghy Through Mud Key

     The weather has finally headed north and the 80 degree weather has hit Key West again.    Today is the perfect day to jump into the dinghy with camera in hand and enjoy some water time.   The seas were less than a foot as I headed out toward Channel Key to make the big turn to the North and Jewfish Basin.  A short trip across Jewfish Basin and into the channels of Mud Key.

     Mud Key is a Mangrove island that has various channels that chris - cross through the mangroves and provide the birds and the other wild life a secure home.   If you have you eyes open, you will see many of the islands birds and looking into the crystal clear waters, you will see a wide variety of marine life as well.

     Today as I arrived at the island and was headed into the first

channel, I was greeted by three osprey that circled above me and squawked at me for being in their fishing grounds.   I cruised ahead into the mangrove channel and to find  several other species of birds including gulls and a variety of wading birds.

     As I aprocached Mud Key Beach, I noticed a frigate bird and another osprey overhead.   Just around the corner was a condo of seagulls on some dead mangrove branches.   It is interesting to see areas where the mangroves have died and in the middle you will often find brand new shoots of young mangrove filling in where the ones had died.

      I love the Keys and the small latitudes because in the middle of December you can cruise out 12 to 15 miles out to sea in you swimsuit and get a tan in the warmth of the 80 degree sunshine.   On the way back, the wind did pick up a bit and shortened my trip a little, but what a wonderful and to long awaited trip to the uninhabited parts of the Keys.

Cana Brava 7 Year Old Reserva Aneja Rum

      Today we have a new addition to Caña Brava's line of rums. The 86 Company  announced the release of Caña Brava 7-Year-Old Reserva Añeja Rum.   This is their first dark aged spirit in the portfolio.  Holding to the standards of the award-winning, Caña Brava 3-Year-Old Carta Blanca Rum.  This expression was distilled and blended by legendary master of rum “Don Pancho” Fernandez in Panama.  There was a large amount of input from the professional bartenders in the spirit to work as a replacement for rye whiskey in classic and contemporary cocktail development.

     Caña Brava 7 begins with a selection of young and fresh rums handpicked by the "Don Pancho". The rums were blended to create base of aged rums which is then put back into used bourbon casks and further aged  util they have reached seven years before bottling.   

     “Caña Brava 7's character emphasizes the fresh cut sugarcane flavors associated with their style while the aging has added depth and richness you would expect from rum with this age.  The surprisingly dry finish and higher than normal proof.” according to Robert A. Burr.

Conch Time Cocktail

     I've had a bit of time lately to work in the Rum Lab again.  It has given me an opportunity to play with some new ideas.  Today we are looking a cocktail that brings several elements together to leave a sophisticated flavor behind as you sit down for the evening or just head out on the aft deck of the boat for a little bit of relaxation.






Conch Time Cocktail

• 2 oz.  Siesta Key Beer Barrel Aged Spiced Rum
• 1/2 oz.  Sweet Vermouth
• Dash of Angostura Bitters
• 1/2 oz. Licor 43
• 1 Maraschino Cherry
• 4  Ice Cubes

Directions:

 Pour rum, licor 43 and vermouth into a Shaker with ice cubes. Add Bitters, shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass with 4 cubes of fresh ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Open Letter To The USBG From Flor de Cana

In an effort to be fair and show both sides of the situation in Central America with the sugarcane field workers, here is a letter from Carla Palazio, Office of the Presidency, Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua .   

Dear Members of the USBG:

     As you are likely aware, Flor de Caña is fielding inquires and follow-ups from bartenders who are concerned about working conditions at Ingenio San Antonio Sugar Mill (ISA). This comes on the heels of recent press about sugarcane workers with a kidney disease of unknown origin (i.e., Mesoamerican Nephropathy or CKDu).

     We share their passion. For many years now, we have been dedicating significant resources to this complex epidemic that is yet to be fully understood by the medical and occupational health communities. However, since we consider the articles incomplete, we would like to shed additional light on our efforts.

     While the press articles rightfully share concern and sympathy for workers with this unsolved kidney disease, they fail to reflect our own commitment and how deeply we care for, value, and invest in our workers. The articles have not discussed our openness to collaborating with many parties who have a vested interest in understanding, diagnosing and proposing solutions to this situation, nor referenced our research collaborations with academic medical partners such as Boston University and Baylor University. In fact, our current operational procedures reflect changes we've made based on the recommendations from these partners.

     We believe our continued work to advance knowledge and prevention programming is critical because our people are our greatest assets. This desire to protect their health and safety is in keeping with our 125-year legacy of building industry infrastructure that supports the development and welfare of our workforce. To that end, we hope to continue with what we have always done, which is put the education, transparency and health of our workers and communities at the forefront, even if it puts us in the crosshairs of debate.

     We look forward to continuing this dialogue with the USBG membership as ISA continues to work with the aim of eradicating CKDu. We will continue to communicate to you as things progress.

Thank you,

Carla Palazio

Office of the Presidency

Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua

One in Four Regret Drunken Behavior at Christmas

     The "Holiday Party Season" has arrived and this is an article that I think is  very important to keep in mind before you head off to your company party and end up making a fool of your self.   I've seen it before; I'll see it again and I've been guilty of it myself, but don't let it happen to you this season.  I think that this article makes it clear that a quarter of the people that drink too much at their holiday parties truly regret it in the days afterward.

     Drinkaware is warning revelers to watch how much alcohol they drink over Christmas, as research shows one in four regret drunken behavior over the festive season.    The research was carried by Opinion Matters on behalf of the alcohol education charity and showed 26% of adults have regretted something they did at a work Christmas party after drinking too much.

     The top five regrets were kissing or trying to kiss a colleague (37%), criticizing a superior or colleague (24%), being aggressive with a colleague (17%), over sharing personal issues (15%), and drinking too much and passing out from alcohol (13%).   Furthermore, 13% of workers confessed to pulling a sick day following the office Christmas party - the majority of whom were men (17%) compared to women (10%).  

What's more, more than half of those absences were due to embarrassment or regret over their behavior the night before (57%), while 36% were simply too hungover to go to work.   On a more serious note, approximately 50% of those who criticized their boss or superior and around 62% of those who acted aggressively were issued with warnings for their actions.

     "The festive season is a time to socialize with colleagues but as our research shows many of us may end up drinking more than we intended to, risking our health and potentially our professional reputation," said Elaine Hingal, chief executive of alcohol education charity Drinkaware.

     "The more alcohol you drink, the more vulnerable you are to a risky or even dangerous situation.   "Try making every other drink a soft one and avoid drinking in rounds to help you to drink at your own pace."

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/12/one-in-four-regret-drunken-behaviour-at-christmas/

The Wintery Skies of a Key West Evening

     Summer has all of the hot reds and oranges in the late afternoon, but winter in the Keys offers some of the most beautiful merging of the sun, clouds and the sea.  All of the ocean's shades of blue highlighted by the yellows of the sun and the whites and grays of the clouds.  Such a beautiful time down here in the littler latitudes.