2013 Miami Rum Renaisance: Day 3

     After Breakfast with Don Pancho and the introduction of Origenes Rums, it was off to the judging chambers for another round of tasting in the RumXP Competition.    Today it was Gold Rums, Spiced Rums, Cachaca and Agricole for the first session.   The second session of the day was for White Rums, some 22 were entered in the competition.

Jay Maltby and Lindsey Kops

     Lunch was a treat provided by the folks from "Papa's Pilar Rums".   This was a wonderful presentation by Jay Maltby  on the methods of making the rums and the unique solera blending methods.   He also related some stories that Patrick Hemingway, Ernest's son related to him during the project about the real man.  This is a rum that is all about being the rum that represents the way and boldness of Ernest Hemingway's life.     Brand Manager Lindsey Kops was there to answer all pertinent questions, she also provided us with the rest of the story on Papa's Pilar Rums.

I've already covered how good these rums really are and they are available at the Rum Bar for your sampling today.

Botran Rum Blending Center

   The evening was made up of three stops.  First was Roberto Ramos' Cubaocho in Miami.  The Botran people put together another of their very special VIP Parties.  This year they are introducing their new Botran Vintage White Rum.   There was an opportunity to become a master blender and produce our own rum.  Something that was really fun to do.   The meal and the hand rolled cigars were very nice and as usual, the Botran Party was the hit of the evening. 

    The evening was completed by a visit to the Miami Club Party at Gramp's in Wynwood and the Pink Pigeon event at the Wood Tavern also in Wynwood.  All in all a very fun and busy day and a lot of stories for future blogs.  ;o)

Don Pancho's Origene Rums Unveiled

Olli, Don Pancho, and Carlos

   Wednesday was started off with a breakfast meeting with Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez and his brand new Don Pancho's "Origenes" line  of exquisite rums.  Don Pancho and his partners Carlos Esquivel G. and Olli Hietalahti are responsible for many very high quality rums in the past years.   Along with the Don Pancho's Origenes lines of rums, the have produced the Ron de Jeremy Rums, Bohemio, Zahfra, Panama Red, and many many more.  Omelette's and Don Pancho Rum, this is my idea of a great breakfast. 

     "Origenes Rums" are Don Pancho's very own rums, these are very much in the true Cuban tradition of how rum should be made.   The rums will be available in an 18 year old version and a 30 year old version.   These are rums that Don Pancho bought many years ago for this project and has had them stored away aging in order to produce his "masterpiece rums".   Both of these rums will absolutely take your palate to a state of ecstasy as you let this absolutely wonderful rum pass through your mouth.

     Although not yet available in the United States, they will be soon.   When they become available this is a line of rum that your don't want to miss out on.    Don Pancho has really out done himself this time and has captured the true taste of Cuba with his magnificent rums.  I am looking forward to when I can serve these rums in Key West at the Rum Bar.  ;o)

2013 Miami Rum Renaisssance Festival: Day 2

     After the welcome breakfast it was straight to the judging chambers and right to work evaluating the first 24 rums.   With nearly 150 rums entered in the RumXP Competition this year our work is really cut out for us.  As Martin Cates said "It's like Rum Tasting and the Hurt Locker all in one".   Today we have tasted 45 different rums in two sessions, producing some very nice surprises at the reveal.    Only four more sessions over the next two days.   Today it was a pretty fine group of rums that ranged from about four to twenty-one years in age.   These are generally good tasting rums and a pleasure to evaluate.

    Today's lunch meeting was with Poesia Cachaca.    Poesia means poetry in Spanish, and is a fitting name for this cachaca.    Cachaca's as a rule are very rough  to swallow if you will .  They are unaged sugar cane spirits and tend to be unfriendly toward sipping neat.   Poesia was a real surprise, it had good flavor and was really smooth.   This like so many other cachaca's comes from Brazil and made from Brazilian sugar cane.   Poesia Cachaca will be available here in Florida in early May, and it is on the list of spirits that I am looking forward to seeing on the shelves.   This will make an awesome caipirnha , the smoothness of this cachaca is impossible to beat.

    Tonight the gang is head up to Fort Lauderdale to the Mai Kai for dinner, cocktails and the Polynesian show.
   for me, this is going to be my recovery night.   The Mai Kai is one of those places that takes you back to the height of the Tiki Era in 1960's California.  The shows are out of this world along with the food and the cocktails.  I'm staying home, working on the blogs, watching some TV and most of all sleep.   The rest of the week is rum for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two VIP Parties each night.   I need tonight to prepare for all that is happening ahead. 

Tomorrow morning it is rum with Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez and the introduction of his newest rums.  Don Pancho's creations are always very exciting and a pleasure to sample even at breakfast.   I'll fill you in on what he is introducing in tomorrow's blog.  ;o)

2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival: Day 1

   I arrived in Miami safe and sound yesterday afternoon and it was right to it.  Meeting of many of the judges and friends in the lobby of the Doubletree, then off to the "Broken Shaker" for the Chilled Magazine and The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley VIP Party.

     This was our first chance to see each other in a year, especially the judges and bartenders from the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.  We were able to sample some very nice beverages made from Perfect Puree and our favorite spirit.  Of course you know that is rum.  




     The welcome party is a really warm and fun event for all of us and as usual is over entirely too soon.   It was back to the hotel for a good night sleep.  It was needed after a day of packing and driving up from the Keys to Miami.

    This morning is a breakfast and right to the first judging session of the event.    Lunch with Poesia Cachaca and back to the judging again for the second session.   Tonight's VIP event is in Fort Lauderdale at the Mai Kai for dinner and a Polynesian show.   It really looks like this is going to be a fun and exciting week here in Miami.   The schedule is very full for all of us RumXP's.   Keep watching, you'll be able to see what we are up to all week long.   ;o)

Headed Off to Miami Rum Renaissance for 2013

     It is finally here, the 2013 edition of Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, time to get seriously back into the world of rum.   This is such a great opportunity to be around and learn more about the rum and the people that make rum really happen.   These are wonderful people that have become my friends over the years and have become very special in my life.   It is also a chance to sample and get to know the new rums and people in the industry.  

    Loading up many copies of my new book, "Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales" for those looking for the book.   Don't forget the celebrity seminars, Grand Tasting, and all of the other fun events that are all a part of the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.

     See everyone in Miami this afternoon!!!!!   ;o)

The Artistry of Mother Nature

   There is no artist in the world that can work so beautifully with her palate than "Mother Nature".  Her tools of wind, sand, water and sunshine create some of the most beautiful sculptures anywhere.

Troy Roberts and Drum Circle Distillery

Troy and Tom

     For the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure to know Troy Roberts and his partners, Tom Clark and Ryan Adams, at Drum Circle Distilling Company.    Troy stopped by for a weekend at the Speakeasy Inn and Rum Bar a couple of weeks ago and it was good to be able to catch up with him and all of the progress they are making toward growing their distillery in Sarasota, Florida.   They currently are producing three very nice award winning rums, Siesta Key White, Gold, and one of the best spiced rums anywhere.   This is one of the small batch distilleries that are so popular now, producing high quality unique rums.   Their ability to produce one of a kind rums and experiment with new ideas make these small batch units so interesting.   

Troy and Carl, the Still

     Troy is one of the most intense people I know when it comes to his rum creations.   His interest and drive to make his rum the best makes him very exciting to be around.  From the fermentation, to the distilling, then the aging, every step is meticulously watched over.   This hard work is rewarded by the fine quality of his products.     I was given a chance to visit this very impressive distillery a couple of years ago, and enjoyed being around his awesome place.   I also was given the chance to taste the distillate as it came off of the still and it was impressively smooth even warm and before it had any aging.  

     There are regular tours of the plant, and you can find the schedule for the tours at http://www.drumcircledistilling.com/Company/tours.html    If you are in the area of Sarasota, the plant with all of the very high quality distilling equipment and the hand bottling  and labeling of this true high quality rum. 

Hand Bottling Fixture

     Thanks to Troy for his visit at the Rum Bar and all of his fine rums.    While he was there we came up with an interesting cocktail with Siesta Key Spiced Rum.





Troy's Aperitif 

• 1 oz. Siesta Key Spices Rum
• 1 oz. Rum Chata

Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass and sip for dessert.

   There is no limits as what you can do when you put your mind to a product, bring home a bottle of Troy's fine quality rums, you won't be disappointed.  ;o)

Friday of an Exciting Week in Key West

    There have been several exciting things going on down here this week to keep my adrenalin flowing.   There was the arrival of the much anticipated Papa's Pilar Rums, the book is selling well as it finally became available online, then Monday I head off to Miami for the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.   The Rum Bar added Cruzan's new Key Lime Rum to the inventory in addition to the Papa's Pilar Dark and Blonde Rums.  All in all a lot of great happenings here in Key West .



    Monday I leave for Miami Convention Center for the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.  This is going to be an exciting week of rum and rum people from all over the rum world.  It  is an opportunity to get together with all of the people that make, mix, promote and enjoy rums of the world.   It is always one of the highlights of my year.   There is nothing   but busy for all of us during the week.  There is judging, meetings, tastings and yes, social events, all designed to keep us on the go for this week of exciting happenings.   Don't miss this one, you can get your tickets at http://www.rumrenaissance.com/




   If you haven't stopped by the only bar in Key West to have the Pap's Pilar Rums, today is a good one to drop by and taste these really fine rums.   These solera aged sugar cane spirits offer bold and unique flavor you need to experience.   Don't be a spectator, come by and join the adventure at the Rum Bar this afternoon.




     This has already been a fun and exciting week, your visit will keep it going on, stop on by and say hey.  I'll be there today until 6pm, visit us and try some of the excitement of all the fine rums we have to offer.   Don't forget to pick up your copy of my Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales just to the right here on the blog, at the Rum Bar or the Hurricane Hole, here in Key West. This is a must have for your spring and summer cocktail enjoyment.   ;o)
   

Papa's Pilar is Now on the Back Bar at the Rum Bar

Papa's Pilar Dark and Blonde Rums

    The long awaited Papa Pilar Dark and Blonde have reached the shelves of the Rum Bar in Key West yesterday afternoon.   This is a long awaited arrival of a very fine pair of rums that will boad well for the serious rum drinker.    These are bold rums that are not for the spectators, but for those that live their lives through the experience rather than the experiences of others. 

    This is a multi sourced rum that is solera blended and bottled in the tradition of the bold in a WWII style canteen bottles.   Now that it is available don't wait to experience the flavor and boldness of this rum for yourself.   

     I will be working with the Papa's Pilar Blonde in the Rum Lab in two weeks, after the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.  This is going to be a fun and exciting experience working with the fine flavor the rum.  Keep an eye out for more about these rums next week during the coverage of the Rum Renaissance Festival.   Don't waste any time trying these ne rums, they are really that good.  ;o)

Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales is Now Available On-Line

     The stuff is finally completed and you can order your copy of Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales right here on the blog.   

      This is the two year project that started with cocktail development in the Rum Lab and has now come to a conclusion with the book.    This has been a fun and eye opening project.   It is my sincere hope that you enjoy this book and use it for your cocktail enjoyment.   The book is very bar friendly, having vinyl laminated cover and back plus the individual pages are all on glossy heavy cover stock that will last in the bar environment.

   There are some ten classic rum cocktails that the history is explored and there are several recipe interpretations including some of my own offered.  These tales about the cocktails are fun and give you the opportunity to sample them while read about them.

    Next, you will find some 42 of my own cocktails, the best of the Rum Lab experience.  With the help of my Lab Mice, we were able to choose from some 200 cocktail ideas to come up with the "Best of the Rum Lab" cocktails.   The recipes are complete and include recipes for all of the special syrups you will need to make these libations authentically.

     Please take the time to purchase the book right here on line.  The "Buy" button to the right will get you your copy.  ;o)

Key West Airbourn

Dry Tortuga's Lighthouse

     There are several ways to see Key West, but one of the most exhilarating is from the air.   I remember the days when I still lived in North Carolina and we flew down here in our Cessna 210.   Seeing all of the sights around Key West and Flying out to the Dry Tortuga's bring back form memories of the days we traveled by air.   Today we travel by boat around the keys, but there was something very special about being able to see all of Key West and the Keys from above.

    Today there are biplane tours that take you around the island and show you all of the activities on the land and sea.  These tours are available on a daily basis and can be a lot of fun.  There is really something to sit in an open cockpit plane and look over the side and see all that is happening below you.  









Key West Airport in 2001

    
     It is the old days in our own plane when Marta and I would head out to all of the fun places of the Caribbean and the Bahamas that really made the flying so much fun.  Yes I do miss the plane, but the environment here in the keys takes its toll on the aluminum parts of an aircraft and I can't justify the plane any more.  ;o(

Getting a bit of Wanderlust in My Shoes

Great Guana Cay, Abacos. the Bahamas

     I was sitting here this morning getting antsy for some travel again.   I was thinking about some of the places that I have visited in the past couple of years and all it did was make me want to break the bonds of work and this island to see something different for a few days.    The good news is a week from today I head to Miami for the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, with a week of fun and getting together with a lot of my rum friends.   I know most of you don't feel sorry for me as you sit is the freezing snowy cold of the northern tiers, but I don't like my feet being tied to the ground for too long before I feel the need to get away.

     I think back to Panama, and the canal, the beautiful resorts, the Abuelo Distillery, and of course Panama City.   Flying in by helicopter to the distillery and seeing all of the aging bodegas below us.  All of that rum just waiting for its time to bring happiness to all of us rum enthusiasts.

    The mountains of Venezuela bring me memories of more great rum and the tassels of sugarcane waving in the breezes with the beautiful mountains in the back ground.   All of this just makes me think that I need to see something new again.   

Megan's Bay, St. Thomas

   
     Today I'll just settle to jump on the dinghy and cruise out to one of the mangrove keys and watch the birds,  fish, raccoons and fill the need to get away.   I get these wandering urges every now and then, but I can usually get them out of my system with a cruise to just over the horizon and explore a new key.   I guess that it is an understandable thing if you see the same sights every day, you become itchy to see something new.  It is called spring fever and I'm suffering from a bit of cabin fever as well even in Key West.   We have had a month of more of windy cool days that are not real conducive to head out on the water.  Finally the weather is warming up and the winds are subsiding making this a day to get out again.   Maybe I'm just being spoiled, but I'll get out on the water today and be ready to work through another week at the bar before heading to Miami.   Hope you can escape your winter blues soon and head to your very special  Saint Someplace and regenerate the spirit of fun.   ;o)

Sundown at the Hurricane Hole





Saturday Evening at the Hurricane Hole in Key West can be very relaxing and beautiful.  ;o)

 

 

Old Boats, Beaches and a Mug of Rum

     This morning I was thinking about how many times I've walked along the beaches of some of the Caribbean Islands and see so many old boats that are sun aged and just left to their own survival.   This day is for these old boats that once were the pride of their owners and able to navigate the sea.   Some of these boats were lucky enough to be restored, but most are relegated  to a life of a slow rotting away.   I find many of these sitting on beaches of on the rocks of every island that I ever been on.  In the Bahamas after Hurricane Francis or the Keys after Hurricane Wilma, you would see these boats scattered everywhere.

     Many have been crushed and disposed of, but others still sit on blocks waiting for mother nature to finish them off.   Some of these provide me with some really great photo opportunities, but most are just a pile of rotting wood or fiberglass.  

    I liken these to old whiskey barrels that bring us some of the finest rums.  These barrels sit in the bodegas of the Caribbean and the rest of the world making or rum smooth and flavorful.   I like it that some of these old boats they become a work of art as they become older.   Many of these boats had great lines and were a proud ride for a brave seafaring captain.  Today they are relics that remind me of their proud past.

     That makes me want to head down to the sea shore today with a nice glass of rum.  Just to watch the thunder storms roll in and listen to the thunder, watch the lightning and rain drops.  It doesn't get any more peaceful than this.  ;o)

Kenny Chesney announces Blue Chair Bay Rum

     Kenny Chesney's Old Blue Chair, and the mystique of the island life, are the inspiration for his new Blue Chair Bay Rums.   There will be three different blends initially when they make their debut in May.   Kenny is a regular to the Caribbean and the islands and you couldn't find a better match than island life, music, and rum.  The perfect rumstylin' scenario, my only regret is they are not hitting the streets until May.


      The three "expressions" of the rum are quite interesting, White, Coconut, and a most interesting idea of Coconut Spiced Rum.   The third will offer my mixology side with a really wide set of ideas for new cocktails.    I can't wait to get my hands on a bottle of this one.   My mind is already going crazy, because I think the idea of spiced rum and coconut rum has a wide variety of applications that will be fun and really tasty.   I am looking forward to trying all three varieties.  These rums are produced on a beach in Barbados with master blender Mike Booth, which bodes for a quality made product.  

     Kenny is not the first to produce a spirit with his endorsement.  Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo Tequila or Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Tequila have been successful with their spirits.  There is no reason that Blue Chair Bay Rums won't do equally well if the products live up to the standards of the music.  Kenny said that he was not just getting paid for the use of his name, but "I was involved in creating the blend, the taste, and even the logo".    I guess it is the "Pirate" image of this charismatic singer that will make this spirit a perfect fit to the rum expressions he has chosen.

    I am looking forward to getting my hands on all three of the "expressions" of Blue Chair Bay Rum and the opportunity to put them in the "Rum Lab" and work with them for a new batch of cocktails.  They will be available at the Rum Bar on Duval Street in Key West when the local distributor makes them available to us, but you can plan on being able to get them sometime in May in the town that Kenny so often graces with his impromptu concerts.  ;o)
  

Spring Fever Springtail Libation is Here

Bahama Bob's Rumscooter

    The first days of the arrival of the real spring means that we need a new cocktail.   Here is one idea that will help you enjoy the arrival of the warm days down here in Key West.  Just because the ground hog lied, doesn't mean we can't enjoy spring a few weeks late.  This will be a fun and tasty addition to your recipe book for a warm spring afternoon.   The warmth, my scooter and a case of rum, how can it get any better?



Bahama Bob's Springtail

• 1 1/2 oz. Brinley's Gold Coconut Rum
• 1 oz. Siesta Key Spiced Rum
• 1 oz. Cruzan Key Lime Rum
• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 oz. Orange Juice
• Splash of Barritt's Ginger Beer

Place all item except the ginger beer in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake until chilled and strain into a pint glass filled with ice.  Garnish with a sprig of mint and an orange wheel.

    For those in the frozen north, I hope you do thaw out pretty soon, I know that it didn't happen soon enough down here.  Anyway let's celebrate spring finally springing  here in Key West.  Even if you are in the still freezing parts of this wonderful world we live on.  ;o)

Spring Has Finally Arrived in Key West!!!

     This has also been a crazy winter here in Key West as well as in the northern tiers of America.   Yesterday we finally had a clear sunny warm day.   I really didn't know how to act, I couldn't decide whether to go out on the boat, or just hang out on the docks and enjoy the warm.

   I did a little of both,  I took a short cruise in the dinghy enjoying the warm sun and smooth waters.   Then I settled down in the rum lab in the back
of the boat for some relaxing me time with my old friend Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva and a bit of Barritt's Ginger Beer as a chaser.  

     The day came to an end at the Hurricane Hole as the sun slid behind the mangroves and into sea to bring a fun day to an end and the fun of the evening into play.   This is the first evening this year that I haven't needed a coat to sit on the docks of the Hurricane Hole in the evening.   I have to say that I really enjoyed the evening of great rum and Karaoke with Gary and Debbie spinning the discs for all of us.

     All in all a great day off and the first warm day of the year all together.   Oh well it was a great day, and now it is back to work and a new adventure.   I guess that is what keeps me interested, I really never know what I am going to come across on any given day at the bar or in my travels down here in the Keys.   I guess I'll just jump on the scooter and get going to see what this day has to offer.  ;o)

April is National Alcohol Aweareness Month

    The Month of April has been designated as National Alcohol Awareness Month by the U.S. Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  The idea was to raise awareness of the woes of alcohol abuse.   Alcohol is a product that touches many of our lives, but it isn't for everyone.  There are people that can not stop with one or two cocktails, and end up habitually caught up in the frenzies of the buzz.   

    There are a large number of people that believe that more regulation is the answer, but for me it is better education.   We have already proved that legislation was a noble experiment that failed when it came to the control of alcohol.    We need to work with people and educate them to the problems of abuse of alcohol and to be able to find the early signs before they get out of control.   There are no laws that will do this.  

     We in the industry have a job to encourage the responsible use of alcoholic beverages and to watch out for people that are abusing it.   It is through responsible sale of alcohol that it will be kept under control.   There can be better management of the chronic alcohol abuser through awareness.  Laws will drive the production of alcohol under ground again and make it more readily available to the under age and chronic abusers.   There is not enough profit for the underground production of alcoholic beverages, but if we make it profitable again, then it will return to the methods of Prohibition.

    Lets work toward educating instead of legislating as a solution to this age old problem.   People helping people is where the answer is really going to lie.  Friends can help friends and parents can teach their children when it is properly handled.   Help all of us to be responsible for our own actions and lets not try to place the burden on someone else, especially not the government.  It is a personal problem and not one of the legislature unless we don't take responsibility for our own use of alcohol.  The government way has proven time and time again not to work, so lets try to be responsible for ourselves for once.   ;o)

One April

     This is the start of a new month, one with lots of exciting things going on.   We have a Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami, The final four for all of the basketball fans, and oh the start of the NBA championships.   I guess that all of these things are of some importance to a lot of different people.  

    For me it is a month that I get to go to Miami for a week of rum revelry and education.   It is going to be a chance for me to meet with many of my friends in the rum industry and all of you rum enthusiasts that will be attending.   I'm really looking forward to getting away and off the rock for a week.  It is my first trip this year and my first outing since last December.   I know, you don't feel to sorry for me, but like any other place, you need to get away in order to keep your mind growing.   A little rum doesn't hurt either.  

     Today is a day off after a very busy week at the Rum Bar, I actually did sleep in this morning, I guess that I'm not a tough as I once was, but I'm still hanging in there.   The book, "Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tails" is selling very well and hopefully it will be available on line within the week.  still trying to get all of the stuff together to make it work properly.

     It is with great regret that I will no longer be able to participate in the world of Rum.   After four long years in the grip of the long days and hard work, I'm Quitting.

APRIL FOOLS!

Happy Easter Everyone

   The sun hasn't risen yet, but the moon is setting just before sunrise.  We are going to have another beautiful day here in Key West.  You all enjoy your Sunday in a way that best suits you.   have a very Happy Easter this year.   ;o)

"Ask a Rum Expert" at 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

      There will be a brand new and exciting feature for the guests of the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.   "Ask an Expert" happening Friday through Sunday will be anopportunity for you to sit down with some of the RumXP's on hand for the event.    This exhibit will feature the same rum experts that were responsible for judging the many rums entered in the RumXP competition earlier in the week.   All of the members of the judging group have traveled extensively to many of the distilleries of the finest rums in the world.  Many have blogs, books, or are active mixologists giving them a unique opportunity to become very well acquainted with these wonderful spirits of the cane that we all enjoy so much.

   I am looking forward to my week of rum in Miami, and being a part of this new exhibit is going to be a blast.    This is an opportunity for all of you who are going to be at the show to get to know all of us RumXP's and learn some more about your favorite and maybe become acquainted with some of the many rums that you will get the chance to try during the "Grand Tasting"part of the week.  These should prove to be some fun and lively discussions that feature one of everyone's favorite subjects.

     Please take some time out of your visit to the 2013 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival to visit with me and the other RumXP's and see how we can better acquaint you with your favorite rums.   I'm looking forward to visiting with all of the rum enthusiasts that are going to be on hand for the week in Miami.   ;o)