Where Does Rum Come From?

     Behind the bar, I often get the question "Where does rum come from?".     This surprises me because I like others that are into the rum, I assume that everyone knows where the different liquors come from, but they don't.   So here we go, this is a short synopsis of where we get rum from.

     The story of rum actually begins with  the production of sugar and the waste product of sugar production called molasses.      Going back to the late 1600 in Barbados, sugar production was a huge industry for the island, but getting rid of the molasses was the issue of the day as it was in so many other places that produce sugar.   It was found that it could be fermented and distilled into an intoxicating spirit at a very low cost, thus the first appearances of rum.    

     There are basically two types of rum being produced today, one from molasses and the other directly from the sugar cane juice.     The later is in the French agricole style, a very controlled style of rum production.    The other being the  traditional style of rum made from molasses.    On the fringe of rum, though technically not rum is the Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane juice call Cachaca.   A strong virtually unaged spirit that is wildly popular in Central and South America.

     Today we find rum being produced all around the world, not just from the Caribbean.     There are fine rums coming from the Philippines, Australia, Africa, United States, and any other place that sugar is being produced and there is an abundance of molasses that needs to be disposed of.

     No matter where it is being produced, you will find fine rum wherever you find the resource and the skilled people to create the sugarcane spirits.   Try some of the fine rums that are being created in so many other places away from the Caribbean, you might be surprised at what you come across.   If you stay locked in one room, you'll never experience what the rest of the world has to offer.  Get out and look for some of these rums made in different ways and aged in different ways, you might find your new favorite rum.   ;o)

What About the Angel's Share?

     Barrels of rum left in a bodega to age have an evaporation factor that transpires during the resting process.    This loss of alcohol during the aging through the pores of the wooden barrels is known as the"Angel's Share".    This loss is combated in several ways, but little overall can be done to stop it.   The excepted loss on average is approximately 2% per year.    This varies wit h the average temperature and the climate.

      There are several ways to slow the loss to evaporation, one is to add a bit of water to the barrel reducing the rum from approximately 90% ABV down to 80% ABV before placing the rum in the barrels.  This will reduce the loss a bit, but  there is little that can be down to completely end the loss.   Other companies like Cartavio in Peru spray water over the barrels in the bodega to keep the barrels cooler to slow the evaporation.   The odd thing about this is that in the lower latitudes of Caribbean rum matures about 3 time faster than it does in the cooler climates, but this heat causes more evaporation and your net losses are about the same.  The cooler temperature zone have less evaporation, but to attain the same maturity of the rum it has to spend three times longer resting.

     Wray & Nephew just introduced a new 50 year old Appleton Estate Rum to celebrate the 50th year anniversary of Jamaican Independence.   The aging process began with 24 barrels in 1962 and in 2012 only 14 barrels remained making the "Angel's Share" or "Duppy's Share" as it is known as in Jamaica is 42% plus.    The older the Rum the larger the amount of loss there is to the angels.   This is a cost factor in the making of old aged rums, explaining why the price of 20 plus year old rum sky rockets so quickly from the 5 to 12 year rums.

    I hope this explains the term and helps you understand the problem of producing premium aged rums and what it costs the rum producers every day.   There are people that are working on systems to collect and recycle the vapors of alcohol in the aging bodegas  as we speak.  If this can be done at a reasonable cost, it would help the bottom line for the rum producers.    ;o)

Talking Urinals to Stop Drunk Driving

    Talking urinals are the latest weapon to be used in the battle against drunk driving.    This is a program that has been used in Detroit and several other regions around the United States.   In a press release from Wizmark Urinal Communicators it ells of how it is being used in New Mexico.

New Mexico Police Target the DWI Driver with

You Drink, You Drive, You Lose Talking Urinal Messages

Islip, NY, February 14, 2007 B Innovative pro-active state traffic-safety officials in New Mexico recognize talking urinals offer a unique way to reach men with a Drink Responsibly message. Attracting the attention of the elusive male drinking demographics has always been a challenge for the New Mexico Department of Traffic Safety. In their continuing efforts to get the word out that drunk driving won’t be tolerated they have initiated a pilot program featuring  Wizmark^®Urinal Communicator to be distributed free to bars and restaurants located within the state. Their intent is clear as demonstrated by their message “You Drink, You Drive You Lose.”

The men's rooms offer one relatively untouched ad vehicle that just about everyone who enters it faces: the urinal. The patented Wizmark^® Interactive Urinal Communicator is positioned within the urinal and directly above the drain.  By sheer logistics, this strategic location immediately attracts the viewer’s attention to the public service announcement contained within. The device automatically recognizes the presence of a “Visitor” and after a brief delay allowing the viewer to get properly positioned, proceeds to emit a very audible pre-recorded 16 second message stating “Hey there big guy, having a few drinks? Then listen up! Think you had one to many? Then it’s time to call a cab or ask a sober friend for a ride home. It sure is safer and a hell of a lot cheaper than a DWI. Make the smart choice tonight, don’t drink and drive! Remember, your future is in your hand"  

     This is a plausible idea that might have some merit.  It has to be a surprise when you are "half in the bag" and  have the urinal start talking to you, at that point you might even listen to the urinal.     I do believe that if it gets even one person to take a cab or some alternate transportation rather than driving, it is well worth the investment.

     I believe that no matter how you keep impaired people off of the road, it is a good thing.  Here in Key West is is done post problem, in that the local and state police are very vigilant in removing drunk drivers from the road.  It is my belief that you can save yourself about $30,000 by listening to the urinal.     Give some thought to it, will not only save you money, it may save your and my lives.    ;o)

Fourth of July Key West Style

     The way to celebrate the Fourth of July here in Key West is to take your boat or get on a charter boat that anchors off the White Street Pier on the Atlantic side and enjoy the fireworks.    This is a long adhered to tradition that I sure will be happening again tonight.    Many of the participants get their anchorage set up in the early afternoon and then the celebration and party begin.   The afternoon soon becomes the night time and the real party is underway when the fireworks brings it to life.    Many stay anchored for the night and the rest head back to their docks and anchorages in the marinas and mooring fields.   Either way it is a party that lasts until the wee hours of the morning.

   The boat parade, not officially a parade, but it really looks like a parade as they gather off the end of the White Street Pier.  many of them are rafting up and others achored solo, either way they are there to party.    The celebrating is audible for miles around and a great fun time is had by most.   This is always a fun and crazy Key West tradition of fun and frolic.   Lots of the revellers are on one of the many charter boats and others prefer to be on their own, but either way the waters are truly littered with almost anything that floats.     The real excitement begins though when the fireworks ends.  that is when the floatilla begins to head back into the marinas and anchorages at the same time.   It is a traffic jam of  epic proportions, usually not coming to an end until well after 2 in the morning.

     Others just park along the south side of the island and watch from the beaches or their cars, but you can bet that there won't be a parking spot anywhere on the south side tonight.  Even South Roosevelt Blvd. becomes a quasi parking lot and the travelers slow to a snail's pace to watch as they search for a parking spot.   

     No matter where you watch from, the show is always a great one and this year I'm sure will be no exception.   Where will I be, well as usual I'll be on the second floor patio of the Hurricane Hole and enjoying the show without having to endure the crowd on the water.  You can bet that I'll be headed home the minute it is over to avoid the rush down Cow Key Channel after the show.  There are way too many boats coming through the channel after the show and hopefully, I'll be safe back at the boat in Sunset Marina before the rush gets underway.   No matter how you celebrate the Fourth of July, do is safely, I need my readers back on the "fifth" tomorrow.  ;o)

Headed into Fourth of July: What's Up for You?

       
     The anniversary of our independence and how are we going to celebrate it this year?   Most of us will find a cool place to hang out and watch the fireworks; others will go to a fun place for a picnic or other fun outdoor event. I plan to be at work. I'll be behind the bar making all the tropical and other fun cocktails that make my people happy here in Key West.   Don't get me wrong, this is a fun place for me to be, where as I do enjoy spending my day having fun with my guests and friends at the Rum Bar.

     This is a time that I have to think about what all had to happen for us to be where we are today here in the United States.  Some will say that "How did we mess it up so bad", but for the most part, this country have a strong resilience and usually right itself with the passage of time.  Tomorrow is a day to celebrate the fact that in 1776 our founding fathers did such a great job building a solid foundation from which this wonderful country has grown and survived for some 236 years now?  While so many other countries and their government systems have fallen apart, ours is still hangin' in there pretty well.     I still believe that with the support of all of us by voting our minds this year it will be a sign that we really do care and the people we place in office will in fact put forth an effort to do what is right for the country as a whole this time.

     No matter how you plan to celebrate Independence Day, get out and enjoy the day and remember what it has taken for us to keep living in this country in the manner that we do. And give thanks to those who have given so much to see that we can celebrate Independence Day tomorrow.     ;o)

When I Think About a Cocktail: It's the Painkiller and the Soggy Dollar

     There is something very special about a Painkiller, it's creamy, refreshing, and evokes all the pleasures of sitting on the beach at the Soggy Dollar Bar basking in the sun. This is a cocktail of distinction that was first created by Daphne Henderson at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI. At The Pusser's website, the story of the painkiller is revealed. 

   

     The infamous Pusser's Painkiller® had its start at the six-seat Soggy Dollar Bar on a long stretch of white sand beach at White Bay on the island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. There's no dock, so the usual way in is to swim. Of course, your dollars get wet - hence the name: Soggy Dollar Bar.

     When all this started, the bar with its four adjoining cottages was owned by an English lady, Daphne Henderson. Boaters, including Pusser's founder Charles Tobias, came from all around to sample her tasty Pusser's Painkiller® for which she'd become locally famous. The fact that Tobias had gone to Great Britain's Royal Navy and gotten permission to commercialize the rum in 1980 made him more curious about this deliciously concocted recipe made with Pusser's Rum.

     Daphne Henderson and Charles Tobias became good friends, but in spite of their friendship, and no matter how hard he tried, she refused to divulge her secret recipe for the Pusser's Painkiller®. Two years passed, then late one Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of a long session of Painkilling, Tobias somehow managed to get one of her concoctions back through the surf and over the gunwale into his boat, and ultimately into his kitchen on Tortola where he lives. There he went to work, trying to match her flavor as closely as possible with his own recipe which he finally worked out to be "4-1-1" ratio - four parts pineapple, one part cream of coconut and one part orange juice - adding Pusser's Rum to suit.

Read more about this story at http://www.pussers.com/t-pussers-painkiller.aspx

Today it is made to many different recipes, but this is the one that I use at the Rum Bar in Key West, one that has become very popular with the locals and visitors to our Island.

Rum Bar Key West Painkiller

• 1 1/2 oz. Pusser's Rum
• 1 1/2 oz. Cream of Coconut
• 1 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• Splash of Orange Juice

Place all ingredients into a shaker and shake until chilled and pour into a pint glass and garnish with fresh ground nutmeg, an orange wheel, and a cherry. Serve with a smile and let the pleasure begin.

    

This is one of the all-time favorite cocktails of the Virgin Islands and all over Florida. Take the time to have one that is made properly and you will be "jonesing" for one all summer. Enjoy the guilty pleasure of the Painkiller.    ;o)

  

Sunset on Another Week

   

The week that finally saw the end of the rains.   Generally this was a just plain nice sunny week to look back on.     Hopefully the sunny days will continue into the summer, giving us another fun and smooth sailing summer.   ;o)

The End of an Era at the Hurricane Hole

   
Paul Watler, longtime bartender at the Hurricane Hole, celebrated his final night as a bartender with a huge party last night. Paul has served our cocktails and beers in the evenings for the past six years, but starting today is he a fisherman full time. Paul is an extraordinary man with many skills and the ability to work with people and accomplish whatever he sets his mind to do.

He arrived at the Hurricane Hole six years ago as a bar back for Patty Wacker, one of Key Wests most well-known bartenders, and a year later he was carrying the shifts that were made available when Patty moved on. He has become a great friend and always a pleasure to see when he is behind the bar.

His world changed drastically a little over a year ago with the arrival of his daughter Eleanor. Paul the father became a very different and better man. It meant doing things that would better provide for his family and among them a new way of making a living. Fishing is that new way. After a year of working the bars by evening and fishing the rest of the time, yesterday marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.

Paul the family man along with his wife Thuy and daughter Eleanor will have more quality time together starting today and can look forward to a Paul that will be working in an area that makes him happier than the bar life could ever make him.

Best wishes and may things work out all for the best for you and your family. This hurricane Hole will recover, but it will never be the same without Paul behind the bar, but you be safe and enjoy your new world. ;o)

Summer Cocktail Time

  

When it's summer cocktail time here in the Keys I think about some of the Tiki style cocktails from the 50" thru the 80's. This brings back memories of the Zombie, Fog Cutter, and of course the Mai Tai. I love to put new spins of old cocktails in the Rum Lab, and the Mai Tai is a great one to give a new look and taste. It is always fun to try out new rums like Caliche from Roberto Seralles and Rande Gerber in some of the traditional cocktails. I also enjoy creating new syrups in the kitchen before we have a Rum Lab. These new rums and syrups will really bring many of the old cocktails to life and brighten up your summer days and evenings with a cool and refreshing tropical delight.

Bahama Bob’s Mai Tai

· 1 ½ oz. Caliche Rum

· 1 ½ oz. Centenario 7 year Old Rum

· ½ oz. Orgeat Syrup

· 1 oz. Sour Mix

· ½ oz. Bahama Bob’s #3 Syrup

· 1 oz. Grapefruit Juice

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange, a lime and a sprig of mint.

Bahama Bob’s #3 Syrup

· 4 ½ cups Boiling Water

· 1 cup Sugar in the Raw

· ¼ cup Nutmeg

· ¼ cup Cinnamon

Stir on the stove until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken. Allow to cool and put into a plastic squirt bottle for easy dispensing. The syrup will stay good for a week or two if kept refrigerated.

Try this recipe for both the Mai Tai and my #3 Syrup, I think you will really enjoy them. Don's be afraid to use the syrup in some other cocktails, it blends well with many style of cocktails and rums. ;o)

Back to the Beach

West Side of Marquesa Key

     Today makes two straight beautiful mornings of warmth and sunshine here in the Keys. Today would be a perfect day to pack up the boat and cruise to the west and some of the best beaches in the area if I didn't have to work. Pure white sand and virtually void of humanity and the only thing I get to leave behind me are my footprints. The good news is that I can go in my mind through pictures and memories.    Though most of these beaches will be soon washed away by the tides, today we can preserve them in photographs.   The Marquesa Keys and Boca Grande Key areas out to the west of us about 25 miles or so are always an adventure to be there and see what new things you can find. Today it is the beaches that are holding my attention, the white of the sand against the beautiful blues of the water and the sky keep catching my attention.

Wilma or Brewskey 2006

    

     There is something magical about finding a beach that wasn't there last year and may not be here next year and get to be one of the few that get to enjoy its presents even though it was only a moment’s occurrence. Brewskey or Wilma Key as it was called by the locals was formed duing Hurricane Wilma in 2005, and by 2009 the tidal action had all but washed it away. It became a nesting area for several varieties of marine birds and turtles during its short existence. The best part of the beach it was almost like stepping off of a spaceship onto a new planet when I first saw it in 2006. The ever changing land masses of the Keys are part of the mystique that brings me back to these areas again and again year after year to see how Mother Nature has rearranged things this time.

   

     Her winds, waters, and sands are her paint brush and the land is her canvas to create these beautiful and breathe taking landscapes for all of us that have that adventuresome urges to seek them out. Take a weekend or even a few hours and go back somewhere you haven't been in a while or like us go back to a place you've been before and see what has been rearranged and resculpted. ;o)

To Feel the Warmth of the Sun

     The doldrums caused by Debby have finally departed Key West, leaving the sun shining and a sky of blue again.   It is so nice to walk down the dock and feel the warmth of the sun on my back, it just picks up my spirits and makes me smile.   The sunshine is the best medicine in the world for what ever ails you, it just makes me feel like dancing when I'm out in her warmth.   

     The days seem nicer now that the nine plus days of grey sky and rain have passed.   Debbie didn't cause much of any damage in the Keys, but it sure ruined the great vibe of it's residents while she hung around here.   This is one storm that we  in the Keys won't miss at all.   Most storms are here and gon in 24 hours or less, but not Debby, she just didn't want to leave.

     Blue sky is the other magic ingredient to bringing smiles back to our faces and getting us back out doing what wedo down here in the Keys. Keeping the vibe of community alive and well is what make life in Key West such a joy.   

      Today is going to be a wonderful one for us in the Keys and I hope it is just a good for all of you.   ;o)
   

The Agricole Method: Homere Clement's Creation

Homere

Homere Clement is credited with the creation of the Rhum Agricole method, a method he developed in the latter part of the 19th century.   Clement was a native of Martinique that received a scholarship from the French government to attend the University of Paris.   In 1878, Clement returned to Martinique bringing with him a passion for the Grand Cru Wines and Armagnac (a brandy produced in the Armagnac region of Southwest France).  in 1887 Clement had established Rhum Clement as the leading producer of A.O.C. (Appellation d' Origine Controlee or "controlled destination of origin") Martinique Rhum Agricole.

     What makes A.O.C. Rhum Agricole different?    To start with it is made from a selection of the top A.O.C. certified sugarcane, chopped as close to the ground as possible to obtain the highest content of the glucose.   It must then be pressed in the same method as the grapes are to get the natural "free run" juices.     The cane is cut, cleaned, and crushed within an hour, this keeps the sugar cane juice as fresh as possible  when the house organic strain of fermentation yeasts are added, starting the fermentation process.   Fermentation lasts between 48 and 72 hours yielding the " sugar wine" which develops all of the full bodied flavors and aromas of the rhum.

     The distillation process is carried out in an Armagnac style Creole single column copper still.   This still was chosen by Homere Clement to get the flavors and viscosity he was looking for.  Even today the sugar wine is distilled in this style of still.   It is designed to produce a heavier and lower strength spirit.

     The rhum is then placed is stainless steel vats that bubble a filtered steam through the rhum and with slow agitation, remove any unwanted esters that can ruin the taste of the rhum.   This process takes about 9 months, then it is ready for bottling or aging.

     The rhum is aged in a combination or Limousin and American Oak barrels.    The aging process is monitored by the cellar master in order to attain the specific character of the rhum.  The rhum at least in some cases is stored in a solera system for aging.  The two different woods each infusing the rhum with their own intense flavor and aroma creating a very complex characteristics.   The barrels are topped of regularly during the aging process to counter act the evaporation from the barrels ( the angel's share") with rhum from the same batch to maintain a rhum that is 100% of the same vintage.

     This strict control of the origin of the sugar cane and the methods of the production is what gives an A.O.C Martinique Agricole it's unique flavor and aroma, far different from it's counterparts made from molasses.    This is a style of rhum that is different and unique from the molasses based rums, but is worth exploring the unique flavors of the pure agricoles of Martinique.  ;o)

What About the Barrel?

This is a "Maker's Mark" Barrel aging "Drum Circle Rum"

   The flavor that makes a rum so special has a direct relationship to the barrel that it is aged in.    Many of these barrels come from whiskey and bourbon makers that are brokered all over the world.    The barrels are first used to lay up bourbon, but because of the rules for bourbon production, they can only be used once.   This provides a great source for barrels to fill the needs of the rum producers around the world.    There are also barrels that are secured from producers of Cognac, Sherry, Scotch, and other varieties of wines to give the rum a flavor that the blender is looking for.

Barrels and Parts at Cruzan Distillery

     The barrels are a large investment for the distilleries, because they will be in use for many years in the case of the better premium rums.   This is why it is so important that the barrels are cared for and kept in good condition.   It is just as important to have a good "cooperage" at the distillery as it is to have a good still.    Barrel parts are as valuable as the barrels themselves.

Cooperage at St. Lucia Distillers

Standard Stacking at West Indies Rum
Distilleries in Barbados

The cooperage (barrel making shop) not only repairs barrels, but will replace a single stave to change the way a specific barrel of rum is aging when there is not enough tannin being released in a specific barrel.    They can repair the barrels and make new one from old ones when different pieces are required for the desired results.   This is an important shop in the distillery and has a huge effect on the final flavor of the product.

Solera System at Abuelo Distillery in Panama



    Once the barrels are filled they are stored in warehouse areas until resting of the rums is complete.   There are two ways that the rums are aged in the barrels.  The first is the most common and really the standard method for rum barrel placement.   They stack the barrels in an upright position in a warehouse and keeping them there for the duration of the aging.     The other method is the solera  method where the barrels are laid on their side and the rum is moved between the barrels during the aging process. ( See my March 11, 2011 article "What is this Solera Aging Process?," to further understand how the whole the system works.)


    The aging of the rums is the most costly of all of the processes.   It requires the asset to sit in a bodega or warehouse of many years before you can realize the profits of your labors.   These warehouses and bodegas take up a lot of acreage and require regular monitoring to protect the investment of the distillery.   It is the sometimes overlooked part of the process of producing fine rum, but it is one of the most important ones.  ;o)

Aging Bodegas of Ron Abuelo in Panama

   

Barbados Day Dreaming

     It is on these Sunday mornings when my mind takes me back to so many beautiful places that I have seen in the past.    Today it is the back roads of the beautiful island of Barbados where my mind wandered for my morning vacation.   ;o)

Bacardi and the Cuban Revolution

     There is a huge amount information about the role of the Bacardi family and the Cuban Revolutionaries I discovered as I researched this article.  This is becoming very interesting in light of the court battles going on between Cuba and Bacardi over the "Havana Club" trademark and theis being the 150th annaversary of the company.     It seems that at least initially, the  Bacardi family supported the Cuban revolutionaries including Fidel Castro and the broader "M-26-7 movement".   This support came from the family members, employees, and facilities that could be put to use my the movement.   The company supported the revolution with parties and in the rum advertisements as well.

     Their support soon turned to opposition as pro-soviet Che Guevara wing of the movement began to dominate and Castro turned against the American interests.    The family and the company maintained a strong opposition to Fidel Castro's revolution all during the 60's.     Bacardi and the family left Cuba after the Castro's regime began confiscating family assets as part of the nationalization plan and the banning of all private property and bank accounts.    Fortunately for the Bacardi's they had already started moving many of their ownership of trademarks,assets, and proprietary formulas out of Cuba because of a distrust of then leader, Fulgenico Batista.    The company had started new branches in the Bahamas, Mexico and Puerto Rico to protect itself.


     Embittered Bacardi helmsman, Jose Pepin Bosch is said to have bought a surplus Douglas B-26 bomber in hopes of bombing Cuban oil refineries, and had allegedly was involved in a CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro, his brother Raul, and Che Guevara.   This was reveled during the congressional investigations into John F. Kennedy's death.

     This whole story is really covered well in a book by Tom Gjelten titled "Bacardi and The Long Fight for Cuba.    You can find a great review of the book at this blog by Greg Weeks.  http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/2011/06/tom-gjeltens-bacardi-and-long-fight-for.html    

Tom Gjelten's Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba

There are really two parts to Tom Gjelten's Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba (2008).  The first is a history of Cuba from the 1860s to the 1960s, centered on Bacardi and the city of Santiago.  The second is a narrative of how Bacardi became global and also obsessed with fighting Fidel Castro.  The Bacardi company went from being an icon of Cuba to a conglomerate struggling to maintain a Cuban identity.    
You can read the rest of the story on his blog.

      The subject is one of interest and need some further exploring, as it is like a great novel, but all of this really happened.   ;o)

   

Here is the Sunshine for All of Us in the Keys

    
     After 5 days of overcast and rain here in the Florida Keys, most of us are suffering from "cabin fever", without the cabin.   I just felt that the picture of a great and beautiful sunrise might bring a bit of happiness for a moment anyway.      I guess that the grey sky for 5 days when you are use to sunshine gets rather depressing.    I hope that it will go away soon, but weather antagonizers say that relief from the grey skys is still several days away.    They are still saying that there is no end in sight for the next few days, with the possible deepening of the storm by Saturday evening or Sunday.



They say that this low has a high chance of development into a tropical depression in the next 48 hours, but they don't realize that the Florida Keys have been put into one by all the rain and the overcast skys.   They are telling us that Sunday evening should be the end of this slow moving drenching storm here in the Florida Keys.    This is a huge low pressure area that has drenched Cuba, the Yucatan, and the Florida Keys for a week now and is finally moving north into the Gulf of Mexico.
     Sunday night will be a party for all of us if the rain finally moves away as predicted by the evening.    Look out Key West, we've been either inside or  to quote a friend outside "overcast tanning" for the past week and we are ready to get out and rock.   I'm looking forward to the weather change anyway, you really need the sunshine to keep you alive.    It may mean it is back to sweating in the high 80's heat and humidity, but it really beats these overcast days  any time.   ;o)

Where do Americans Spend Their Booze Money?

   It seems that American consumers are spending about 1 % of the money they are spending on booze.   This is an amount that hasn't changed very much in the past 30 or so years.   What is interesting about the report is where the money is being spent.  

    In a report by Lam Thuy Vo, http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/06/19/155366716/what-america-spends-on-booze, it shows that in 1982, 24% of the money spent on alcohol was being spent at bars and restaurants, and 76% being bought at stores for home use.     By the 2011 report is shows that we are spending 40% of the booze money in bars and 60% in the stores.   This is a major shift, but what does it really mean.   Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the cost of booze in Bars and Restaurants has risen 79% since 1982 and the cost of booze in the stores has dropped 39%.   It would appear that we are not really going out more, it has just gotten more expensive to drink in the bars and restaurants that is shifting the percentages..   

    The report also showed that of the alcohol money being spent for home consumption, wine purchases have more that doubled and hard liquor has been cut by more than half.   Beer is also on the decline, though not nearly as significantly.   These are interesting trends, but what really seems significant to me is that Americans haven't really changed their spending for alcohol all that much, they have only shifted where they are spending it.   Buying wine for home instead of hard liquor is a significant savings that allows them to go out and enjoy cocktails at the bars and restaurants though it has become more expensive to do so, in addition to the fact that the beer purchases for home changing only a minor amount, would tend to make me think this is the case.   ;o)

Tropically Depressed: They are Trying to Drown Us

     There is a huge low that has been trying to drown us here for the past couple of days and promises to hang out with us for a few more. These are rare here in the keys and I hate it when rain just hangs over the island for days on end like this.   Alan Jackson's song about being in in a "Tropical Depression" fits weather like this here in paradise.    The black clouds that are hanging over us are filled with rain and it just keeps dropping huge amounts of rain on us.   Then it stops for a few minutes giving us false hopes of clearing up and then dumps on us again.    

     The rain isn't the real problem, it's the grey sky and the lack of sunshine to a fun loving bunch of inhabitants that live for the sunshine.  Unable to get out on the water or play at the beach, but rather are stuck indoors.    Our world is one of bicycles, boats, and motor scooters that don't do well in the rain.   Wet streets with deep puddles that cars drive through and drench you even more than you already were don't help the mood either.   This is phone killing time for us, it isn't the phone falling into the sea that kills our phones it is being soaked by the rain water getting into your pockets and drowning the phones where they live.

     The really good news is that this is only for a few days and will be gone again and it will be back to sunshine and the warmth of the surrounding waters that keep us smiling and washes the depression away.   I hat  e all of this self pity that I get when the least little bit of bad weather comes around brings over me, but that is why I live down here in paradise where this is not suppose to be happening.    Poor me!!!   No really it is funny how when you are use to the rain just breezing in and out of here in an hour or so, when it stays it does kill your mood and leaves you feeling blue until it goes away, and we are back out the beaches basking in the sunshine again.   ;o) 

White Rum vs Spiced Rum: Who will be Number 1

   There seems to be a trend toward spiced rum going on right now according to Diageo's Russell Jones Captain Morgan global brand manager, who said the consumer is trending away from white rums and moving towards spiced ones.
Jones says that the US is a major market for Captain Morgan , as is being used as a testing ground for some of the new innovative products.    In April, Diageo launched "Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum in the United States, where  Jones says"what happens in the US tends to set the trend".     There are 16 spiced rums that have been added to the market in the past three years here in the United States.   This is going to force the hand of all of the older traditional spiced rums to improve their game or be out of the game.

     One of the new additions to the game was Oakheart from Bacardi, this is one of the better spiced rums to be placed on the market by a mass producer is many years.    The blend of good rum and a spice package that doesn't over power the rum has made it a quick riser and the sales are doing well.  This is also an indication of what the market is doing also.  For a giant like Bacardi to spend a lot of time developing a quality spiced rum really shows that there is an emerging market for the spiced rums.

     It the real world of the rum sales battle, the white rum is still the number one seller and Bacardi is the number one seller of white rum.    In 2011 , worldwide  Bacardi sold nearly 20 million cases of white rum last year compared to Captain Morgan's Spiced sold  nearly 10 million cases.    Russell Jones believes that the "more holistic trend is that the market is going away from white rums to spiced rums".    This is something that we will follow and see if what he feels comes to fruition.    No matter which way it goes, the sales of rum is growing every year, and it is on the back of companies like Diageo and Bacardi that it is growing on.   ;o)