Conched In Key West Bar Crawl

     The 2012 end of summer party is the major event this week.  The second annual Conched in Key West Bar Crawl gets underway on Friday night September 21 at the La Concha with a Pre- Party Party.    Saturday at 2 pm is the Main event, the Second Annual Conched in Key West Bar Crawl.

This years event is for the benefit of the Reef Relief in Key West.   Mike Streeter of "Rum Connection" is quoted in Chilled Magazine as saying,

 “We have the utmost respect for the work that Reef Relief does here in the Florida Keys to protect our unique environment.   It’s gratifying to see so many friends join in the fun while giving back to those that do the most to preserve coral reefs and our marine sanctuaries.”

   
     This is going to be a fun event filled with good fun and some very special drinks.  Participants will enjoy tropical libations while leisurely strolling along Key West’s famed Duval Street, stopping at The Cork & Stogie, the Rum Bar at Speakeasy Inn, Pearl’s, Kelley’s, the Bottle Cap, Bogarts, Cowboy Bills, Willie T’s and Smokin’ Tuna.     The cost is $30 and includes a t-shirt, drink specials, a Cruzan Rum cup and a donation to the non-profit organization.

Remember that I will be behind the bar at the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn serving a very special "Hemingway Daiquiri" made the traditional "La Floridita" way with Diplomatico Blanco ultra premium white rum.    Rob Burr will also be on hand to introduce you to "Rob's Rum Guide", the definitive guide to the sugar cane spirits.

   

 This is going to be a really great event with a lot of fun people crawling through Key West for an important cause, Reef Relief of Key West.  ;o)

 
    

Dominican Club Rum

   

     Dominican Club Rum, is now available here in Florida.   This is a wonderful rum that for its young age is very sophisticated, flavorful and smooth.     Many of the new rums today lack the total package that this fine rum is offering.   I have ordered it for the rum Bar and it will be on the shelf very soon.    It is my opinion that this will soon become one of the classic rums.     One that will be requested on a regular basis at the Rum Bar in the near future.

     An amber colored rum, Dominican Club Rum has a delicate balance of aromas from mocha, banana, and buttermilk.   This rum doesn't have a lot of sweetness on the palate, it even borders on the dry side.  Dominican Club is medium bodied, well rounded, with silky fruited flavors on the palate. The rum is somewhat spicy with hints of praline in the finish.

     I think this is going to be one of the new rums that you will add to your collection, both as a sipper, and as a mixer for your premium cocktails.   Dominican Club Rum will really surprise you.     ;o)      

Summer is Almost Officially Over

    September 22nd is the official end of summer for 2012, and I can hardly believe that it disappeared so quickly this year.    I'm lucky I guess being able to make a living here in the tropics where it is a little harder to tell summer from fall, but I'm seeing some changes in Temperature and the first signs of leaves changing colors in the northern tier of states.   This is a great time to take advantage of the warm evenings and get to know a new rum on the patio before the colder seasons return.

    There ares so many new rums on the market now, and I'm really not going to give you a list, this is not the purpose for the article.    The idea is for you to take a few minutes walking the aisles of your favorite liquor store and discover a new rum, it could be a great new discovery that will become your new favorite.    This is the fun of becoming a rum aficionado.   It is the exploration and locating and trying a new rum for the first time.   A really great tool to use for research about different rums that are out on the market today is Rob's Rum Guide, a great pamphlet that Robert Burr produces and reviews over 300 different rums.   You can look at the book and order it on line at http://www.robsrum.com/Rums.html.   This will help you in narrowing down you rums that you will probably be interested in.



   With a little bit of investigation you too will be on the back porch enjoying a snifter of fine rum, relaxing and easing away the stress of your day in the evening hours.   Enjoy your special rum in your own special way to celebrate another summer coming to an end here in the northern hemisphere.   ;o)

   

The Sun, The Wind, and The Sea

 

 

 

  
    The forces of nature can carve beauty with the tools she possesses, Wind, Sun, and Sea.

One Week Until Conched in Key West Bar Crawl

 

     We’re just a few days away from the best bar crawl on the planet! The Conched in Key West Bar Crawl! On behalf of all of the sponsors and Reef Relief we can thank you enough for registering for this year’s event. It’s time to party with a purpose as we crawl our way down Duval and raise money for a great local charity, Reef Relief. Enclosed is the schedule of events for the weekend. That’s right we’re not just crawling on Saturday, we have a full weekend of events planned and would love for you to join us! Also, below you’ll find some additional information about the weekends activities. We hope you’ll join us for them all, but if not, no worries! We’ll see you on Saturday!

     Don't forget that I'll be serving you Authentic Hemingway Daiquiri's made with Diplomatico Blanco Rum at the Rum Bar, the third stop on the crawl.   This is a chance to meet Rob Burr, author of Rob's Rum Guide, and producer of the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.    I be there to greet you and serve you your cocktails.     We will also be offering you a chance to taste other Diplomatico  Rums during your visit.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Republic National Distributing Company Rum Tasting
8pm – 10pm
Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Grill & Brewery
301 Whitehead Street, Key West

Join us for a special rum tasting event at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar!    Republic National Distributing Company will be providing light appetizers and lots of great rum for tasting & cocktails. They will also have one of their professional mixologists behind the bar creating some great libations!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

KW Crawl Pre-Party
9pm – Close
Smokin’ Tuna Saloon
4 Charles Street, Key West

     Join us at Smokin’ Tuna Saloon for the official Pre-Party of the Conched in Key West Bar Crawl. You’ll be able to enjoy Cruzan Rum drink specials (with Cruzan cup – which we’ll have on hand) and meet your fellow bar crawl buddies.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Conched in Key West Bar Crawl
2pm – ? (How long can you make it?)
Start location: Cork & Stogie
1218 Duval Street, Key West

Bar Crawl Schedule:
Times may vary based on rum consumed, pace of walking & overall flow of event.

2pm: Cork & Stogie – Sponsored by Rum Connection!

3pm: Pearl’s Patio – Sponsored by Team Cocktail

4pm: Rum Bar – Sponsored by Rob’s Rum Guide

5pm: Bottle Cap – Sponsored by Coastlines & Tan Lines

6pm: McConnell’s – Sponsored by Team Cocktail

7pm: Cowboy Bills – Sponsored by Big Kahuna Brew


8pm: Willie T’s – Sponsored by Rum Shop Ryan

9pm: Kelly’s – Sponsored by Starfish Travel

10pm: Smokin’ Tuna Saloon – Sponsored by Coastlines & Tan Lines

Join us as we crawl our way down Duval! Each bar will feature different rums provided by

Republic National Distributing Company
Company, drink specials, raffle prizes, games and more!   We encourage everyone to wear their

Conched in Key West t-shirt that you received with your registration.

 Additionally you will need to get a wristband at the first stop so all bars know you are a part
of the bar crawl.   This will help ensure that you receive all drink specials.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Reef Relief Check Presentation
1pm
Conch Republic Seafood
631 Greene Street, Key West

 http://rumshopryan.com/2012/09/14/conched-in-key-west-bar-crawl-schedule-of-events/  for more information and tickets.

Don't miss all of the fun and festivities of the event that helps us keep the seriously faltering reefs around Key West from disappearing altogether.   ;o)

 

Living Like a Pirate in Key West

     Key West of 2012 is much different that the days of the marauding pirates of the 1800's, but much of the heritage is still  present today.   The days of the wreckers, something of a pirate group themselves is brought to the forefront many times a year with the  "Wrecker's Races", and the celebration of the history of Key West.    Pirates like others need a place to rest their weary bones and for the modern day pirate of Key West  lerk along the canals of Key Haven on Stock Island just to the East of Key West.

     Hidden from the prying eyes of the tourists and others is the very unique lairs of the modern day pirates of Key West, or at least the ones who like to feel like they are.     Down the maze of canals that make up Key Haven are some of the more unique dwelling in the area.    This is really just a very up scale community, but with the unique houses and twisting canals, it is very much like heading into a secret maze that you can expect to find a pirate waiting around the bend ready to ambush you.

     Did I say a pirate, how about a fortress, one complete with antique cannons and howitzers point at you as you round the bend.   This is a beautiful place that is hidden in the palm trees complete with a widow's watch and a strong Spanish style architecture.   It is the castle of some famous pirate, it must be, not really, but your imagination can take you there as you cruise these waterways.    It is the very uniqueness of the houses here in Key Haven that draws me to cruise the dinghy through her quite often.

     Should you find yourself out on the east side of Stock Island in Boca Chica Channel, see if you can find the entrance to Key Haven and at idle speed, cruise through the waterways and enjoy the wide variety of sights in the neighborhoods.   Remember these are private house and docks, so show the residents the respect that you would like when they go through your neighborhood.    It is still a great adventure for us with an imagination.  ;o)

Cool Cars in Key West

Morgan Plus 4

   The slow times at the Rum Bar here in Key West is when I get to stare out the window to Duval Street.   In doing so I get the chance to spot some unusual things, my window on the Duval Street world is a very interesting one, you'd be surprised what all I do see.    Today I'm focusing on a few unusually cool cars that I have spotted outside the Rum Bar on different occasions.   Of course there are the usual number of Ferrari's, Jaguar's, Rolls Royce's, Bentley's, and Lamborghini's, but I'm talking about the really unusual classic's that seem to appear on a regular basis down here in Key West.

VW Microbus

     It isn't enough to see all of the "regular hot cars", but these classics's that keep rolling by  really get my attention.     Wood framed Morgan's and VW Microbuse's, now we are really talking.    An "Old Hippie" like myself can always relate to a VW Bus, a lot of memories from San Francisco are brought to the surface by this vehicle.

     I guess what really surprises me is the number of classic vehicle that live down in the very corrosive environment of Key West, but there are truly droves of them here.   One friend of mine is currently working on a restoration project of a Triumph TR-250, cutting out the rust and replacing panels has been a 4 month project for him, but when he is done, he will have a great sporty classic automobile in which to cruise Key West.

1959 Cadillac Sedan Deville

     The biggest eye catcher that I have been able to get a picture of was a 1959 Cadillac Sedan Deville.    This is the ultimate Cadillac is the icon of the fifties.  Every rock star, movie star, or any other person of importance had to have some model of the 1959 Cadillac.    Here we are 53 years later and the old girl is still roaming the streets of Key West.   

     This is one more thing that keeps me here in the ever changing world that is Key West.   I hope that picture keeps on being as interesting as it has been in my first 7 years here.  ;o)

Bike Week Kicks-off Tomorrow in Key West

     This is one of the fun weeks here in Key West, Bike Week always brings a variety of extremely cool motorcycles down here.    Duval Street becomes a "showroom" for everything from production bikes to the most extreme of custom "choppers".     The "Poker Run" is a charity event to benefit "Big Bike Riders Children's Foundation".

     This is a really fun weekend of bikes, bar crawls, and many other events that begin with the Bar Crawl on Thursday night.    Beginning at the Southernmost Beach Cafe and mores to the north on Duval and the surrounding streets.    This is a week that you don't want to miss here in Key West and one that we have fun with at the Rum Bar as well.   We are a part of the Thursday night bar crawl, so stop by and see Nick and Anne as they serve you the "Poker Rum Punch" that is being concocted just for the event.

     Bike week is a mixture of bikes and very colorful fun loving people that always make this such a fun event.   Make your way down to Key West this weekend for a really fun time.  ;o)

New Round of Complaints about US Rum Subsidies

    The rum wars that have been escalating since the large increase in the subsidies began in 2009.     The problem doesn't look like it is going to go away soon either.    The purchase of Lascelles DeMercado (Appleton, Coruba and Wray & Nephew) by Davide Campari-Milano SpA, seems to be part of the fuel for the latest salvo.     There are arguments on both sides of the battle, but there doesn't seem to be any solutions coming from either side.

A report in the Washington Post makes this clear.

By Associated Press, Published: September 10

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Rum, the sugar-based liquor that has fueled the development of the Caribbean for centuries, has become the focus of an increasingly bitter dispute with the U.S.

Small producers in countries such as Antigua, Guyana and Jamaica complain they are being punched by unfair trade and marketing advantages for global beverage corporations operating in U.S. territories, and say U.S. rum subsidies threaten to drive some beloved top-shelf Caribbean labels out of business, or force them to sell out.0

     “The amounts that are being doled out now are staggering,” said Frank Ward, chairman of the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers’ Association. “We were able to live with the level of U.S. subsidies as they once were. But the massive increases, we believe, have skewed the market.”

     It’s a high stakes battle because rum, first developed on Caribbean sugar plantations in the 17th century and deeply engrained in local culture and history, is one of the few competitive industries for the tourism-dependent region’s tiny, vulnerable economies. The tipple, which can range from colorless to coppery, from almost tasteless to richly layered, generates roughly $500 million in foreign exchange for independent Caribbean countries and more than $250 million in tax revenue.

     The subsidies come from money raised through an excise tax on liquor sold in the United States. Under an obscure federal law, almost all of the money generated by rum goes to the treasuries of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Those tropical territories in turn hand a share of it to the producers as a subsidy to do business there.

     Distillers in other countries say they lived fairly comfortably with the U.S. subsidies for decades, even if they thought the rebates gave advantages to rum giant Bacardi Limited in Puerto Rico and Cruzan Rum, a U.S. Virgin Islands brand now owned by Beam Inc., the U.S. maker of spirits such as Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.

But they are alarmed by recent deals that sharply increased the subsidies for already powerful corporations in the two territories.

     “Our Caribbean distilleries need to export rum in order to survive. But bigger subsidies in the U.S. islands means we don’t get a level playing field for our exports, and it’s going to affect both small and large producers here,” said Anthony Bento, managing director of the 80-year-old Antigua company that makes English Harbour Rum in copper stills and ages it in oak barrels.

     Clifton Shillingford of Shillingford Estates Ltd, a small Dominica distiller that makes its Macourcherie rums from local sugar cane juice instead of molasses, said the subsidies for big global brands in the U.S. islands will “destroy” his rum business.

     Diageo argues the complaints of smaller producers are overblown. Spokesperson Brooke Lawer says the subsidies the British company receives are similar to incentives from U.S. states or other countries to attract industry and do not create a competitive disadvantage.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/rum-producers-in-small-caribbean-countries-says-theyre-hurt-by-us-subsidies/2012/09/10/b7056c56-fb56-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html

     This little war is really going to hurt the entire rum industry if it doesn't get settled very soon.   I know that large corporations here in the US have purchased rum from Barbados for their new brand "Shellback", and I hope events like this can happen in other places around the Caribbean to help soothe some of the financial woes of other Caribbean distilleries.   ;o)

Monday on Key West

    This is one of those days that I guess that I should have gone ahead and slept in.    It was an air conditioning service day, the cooling system on the boat passes sea water through the system, and about every other month the sea critters try to make their homes in the warm water of the system and clog the lines making the system over heat.    Today is the day that I have to turn off the A/C and back flush the lines.

   This is one of the times that living on a boat really sucks.     The boat will heat up really quick and your clothing turn to liquid almost immediately.    It takes about an hour and a half to flush the lines of the three systems, and by the time you are finished you need a cold shower just to cool off and bury the clothes you are wearing, or scuttle them.

     The process is done and the boat is finally cooling back down.  Perfect time for me to escape  to the office and write this blog for today.    I really still love being on the boat, but like any lifestyle, there are parts of it that none of us ever enjoy.   I hope that your day is going well and you get to enjoy the rest of your day like I am.  You know that when it is all said and done, I am still living here in Key West and paradise just out the door and a short dinghy ride away.   ;o)

Cormorant Heaven

Corks and Cocktails: Key West

    
      Southern Wine and Spirits of South Florida and Transatlantic Wine and Spirits of Florida held a gala event last night at the Casa Marina Hotel here in Key West.    The evening was all about wines and spirits, with a special interest for me being rum.

    We were introduced to a new Dominican Republic rum Called Dominican Club, a really nice anejo rum with a very mature finish for a young rum.  The rum had aromas of fruit and mocha, this amber colored rum was of a very solid nature with smoothness unlike most young rums.

     Cruzan had Master Distiller Gary Nelthropp, a fourth generation master distiller for Cruzan. He talked to us about the different components of the fermentation and distillation processes and what components are good for the rum and which ones are bad.

     Southern Wine and Spirits did a great job of creating a fun event that was very helpful for those of us that buy rum, spirits, and wines for the bars here in Key West, and I was grateful to all of the producers' representatives that were there to make this event very enlightening.  Rum was the most important part for me, but the evening was filled with fine wines, food and spirits of all kinds for out tasting and to become  acquainted with.  ;o)

Crossing Cuba at 8000 Feet

Key West Airport, December, 2000

    In the year 2000, my wife Marta and I embarked upon an adventure exploring the Northern Caribbean.    The first leg took us from Charlotte, North Carolina to Key West, Florida.   After a wonderful day on the island that I would call home a short 5 years later,  we were off on one of the most exciting legs of the trip.  Crossing Cuba at 8000 feet, an altitude that allowed great visibility of the island and a chance to take many really cool pictures from the plane.



Matanzas, Cuba

     After a short 40 minutes in the air, we had Cuba in sight.   It appeared on the GPS screen and we were just off of Matanzas, Cuba and our first real sight of the island.    This is a very exciting event for a guy that grew up with Ricky Recardo and the movies of the 40's and 50's about all of the cabarets and music that I was barred from as a result of the American - Cuba Feud, sort of reminiscent of the "Hatfield and the McCoys".   Anyway I was over Cuba and could not have been more thrilled.



National Farm in Central Cuba

     The trip across took us over the national farms and the Parque Nacional Cienaga de Zapata (Zapata Swamp National Park)  as we left Cuba for Grand Cayman, and our destination for the day.   The Farms were very interesting, they had a complex that appeared to be housing for the workers, and even a baseball diamond as a part of the complex.     The route they allowed us to cross was just to the east of Havana, and from the altitude we were at, never got to see Havana.     Most of the country that we saw was farmland and few signs of any city style living.

Parque Nacional Cienaga de Zapata

    
     When we reached the South Coast, the National Park was a beautiful site.  The meeting of the ocean with the land was one of beauty and just an awesome sight.   The ocean and it's many colors blending with the green and browns of the land made for a very lovely and memorable picture.   The Zapata Swamp is noteable because of the large number of birds. reptiles, plants and invertabrates that inhabit the swamp.   Truely a valued and highly protected wetlands. 

     That was a really great experience for me, and one that I will never forget, but with a little bit of luck, I'll be returning, but this time I will get to spend 4 days in Old Havana to do some research of the places that Hemingway hung out and spent his time in Havana.  Rum research is also a very big part of the trip as well.   ;o)

Fortuna Ron Reserva Exclusiva: 8 Year Old Rum

   Straight from Nicaragua and the brilliance of Master Blender Don "Pancho" Fernandez, come a fine new 8 year old light golden rum.     Fortuna Ron Reserva Exclusiva, is the latest of a string of fabulous rums from the mind of Don "Pancho" Fernandez, this rum has the sweetness of Caribbean fruits and spices, an especially peppery taste with a long lasting somewhat sweet finish.    

     The rum is aged in American Oak bourbon casks for at least 8 years and as many as 10 years.     This  five pass column distilled  masterpiece is made form molasses that produces a very clean and flavorful corn husk colored rum.   Bottled in a short and stocky bottle that brings nautical images to mind as you grab it by the neck.    The surprise comes when you uncork it and the flavors released are so very sophisticated and elegant.

     This is a new rum that I have added to the inventory at the Rum Bar in Key West, and one that is being  loved by all who have tried and enjoyed it's wonderful flavors.    This is a must find rum to add to your collection that you will find yourself enjoying as I do on the aft deck at sunset.  ;o)

Underage Consumption of Alcohol: When is it OK?

     With the starting of college and a lot of high school graduates are leaving home for the first time.     With the temptation of alcohol all around, how should you prepare the 18ish for this.     I do not have children, having said that, I've never faced this question as an adult.   I do have a friend who has just dropped his daughter off at college and I'm sure that the subject has crossed their dinner table once or twice in the recent months.

     In an article for CNN, Allison Gilbert has looked into the subject with some interesting perspectives.

Editor's note: On Labor Day and other holidays that call for cheerful gatherings, many parents wonder whether to allow their underage children a celebratory sip of beer or wine. Allison Gilbert asks experts if giving kids a taste of alcohol is asking for trouble or preparing them for the real world. 

(CNN) -- Before dropping off his son at Colgate University a few days ago to begin his freshman year, New York advertising photographer Robert Tardio went on one last summer vacation with his family. While his wife and youngest son were out exploring the quaint streets of Montreal, Robert took his eldest, college-bound teen out for a beer. "My son is an incredible, conscientious young man. But at 14, 15, 16 -- alcohol was out of the question. We made it very clear what our expectations were and that he would not be drinking."

The rules shifted for Tardio's son Ames when he turned 18. Now, a beer here or there was no longer out of the question. 

"In our minds, he became somewhat of an adult, and we were willing to set new limits. He understood that if he was going to have a drink he had to be responsible and in control at all times. We also had many discussions with him about the consequences of his actions if he wasn't under control."

So the Tardio's did what many parents across the country do: They made up their own rules, inside their own home, when it came to alcohol consumption and their underage children. As a mother of a 10-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son, I've often wondered if it's OK to give my children a sip of wine at dinner. Would I be sending an irresponsible message, or demystifying alcohol and thereby weakening its allure later on?

Read more at: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/02/living/labor-day-underage-drinking/index.html

     There are a lot of people that I have talked to in different parts of the world on this subject, and I've gotten almost as many different ideas on the subject as I have had conversations.    I do believe that if alcohol is made available to a teenager under strict control in the home, then when the teenager goes away from home the values and the knowledge of the effects and the consequences strike a balance that will keep them safe.    I remember going to college back in the 60's and the fraternity house was a place of comradely and drinking most anytime that you wish to partake.   The real trick was that I knew " when to hold them and when to fold them" if you will.  This was because of the values that were instilled in me by my parents of being responsible for your actions.     It isn't anyone else's job to watch over me when I choose to have a cocktail, I am the only one that is responsible for what I do when I drink.   I feel that is more people would teach the kids that there is a time and a place for alcohol comsumption and to know their limits, that the "escape from the house will lead to a far less bit of crazy drunkenness the minute they get away from the parents.

    The last point is when the spring break time arrives, this is the first real test for a young person out on their own.   Peer pressure and the want to be a part of the crowd  is real important at that age and some will do what ever it takes to be a part of the group.

     I just hope that a lot of parental preparation has been instilled in the new group of freshman college students that are breaking away for the first time this year.   It is a tough age, to young to be allowed to drink, but old enough to be a voter and a soldier that will defend the country.    I remember that age very well, but we weren't allowed to vote back then.   Keep your head on and let the adult in you be your guide, I won't be the one to say yes it is OK to be drinking, but if you get yourself into that situation, be responsible for your decisions and your actions.   ;o)


    

Labor Day on Boca Grand Key

Approaching Ballast Key

     The day could not have been prettier and the winds light out of the Southeast, perfect to cruise out to Boca Grand Key.    The puffy clouds and the blue of the sea and the sky blending together was just what the doctor had called for on a day off.     This was to be a day of the dinghy, just because it was a day to be in the sun and not under the cover of the bigger boat.    The day just seemed to get better as we approached the different keys in the Lakes Passage  cruising out to Boca Grand Key.  

     Upon arriving at our destination, we got out a nice lunch and a bottle of Atlantico Private Cask rum and a can of Barritt's Ginger Beer, great beach day combination.    This was the first trip back to Boca since January, and the flowers are bringing the wildlife preserve to life.    The fish were swarming at the edge of the beach and the sandpipers picking up pieces of food as they scurried along the water's edge.   All of the activity of the boaters on the beach had little effect on the everyday life of the birds, fish, and lizards as they went about their gathering of food.

 

 

All things considered I guess it was one of the better days that I have spent on the water this year.   Still I wish I had more time to spend there and get to know the little keys that make up the Lakes Passage.   Someday I know I'll have more time that I currently do for such adventures and when I do I'll be out there a lot more often.    ;o)