Florida: Florida Rep. Jamie Grant Commends Republic National Distributing Company for its $15 Million Contribution to Step Up For Students Scholarship Program

Rep Jamie Grant of Tampa

     Florida Representative Jamie Grant visited Republic National Distributing Company's Tampa office this morning to personally thank company representatives for providing $15 million worth of scholarships for low-income Florida students.   

     "The significance and lasting impact of this contribution cannot be overstated," said Rep. Grant. "By supporting the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program, Republic National is investing in the future of our children and our community by providing educational opportunities for Florida's lower-income K-12 students."  

     Representatives from Step Up For Students, a Tampa-based nonprofit that administers the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, joined Grant in thanking Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) executives for the contribution, which will fund more than 2,750 full scholarships.  

     Step Up For Students is funded by corporate donors, like RNDC, that receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their contributions to the program. The program provides scholarships to qualified low-income families throughout Florida, allowing recipients to choose between a scholarship to help with private school tuition and fees, or a transportation scholarship to attend an out-of-district public school.  

     Ron Barcena, executive vice president of RNDC Florida, presented Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill with an oversized check representing the company's $15 million pledge for the 2014-15 school year.   

     "RNDC is thrilled to support a program that so positively affects the lives of Florida children," said Barcena. "We know that a quality education is the cornerstone for a successful future, and we couldn't be more pleased to help provide a great foundation for so many students in need." 

     RNDC joined Step Up For Students as a corporate partner in 2012 and has since contributed a total of $45 million.

 

 

     Read more @ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11870952.htm

 

     I find it to be a wonderful thing to see RDNC stepping up to the plate to help further the minds of young people that may not have had the chance to further their educations otherwise.   I'm proud of them and I hope others in the spirits industry can follow suit and help as well.  ;o)

 

 

Third Generation of Bahama Bob's Juices Release on Thursday at the Rum Bar in Key West

     Bahama Bob's Barrel Juice makes it's debut at the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn here in Key West on Thursday.  This is the third generation of these unique rum expressions.   A little more is learned with each generation and this one is by far the best of the breed.  


     151 proof rum that is being aged in a bottle through the exposure to cubes of former rum barrels from Grand Cayman and the Cayman Spirit Company, makers of Seven Fathom Rum.   The barrel cubes were soaked in a mixture of Agave nectar and Rhine Wine for 3 months before the mixture was dumped and replaced with 151 proof rum and allowed to rest for another 3 months.  

     The wood of the barrels and the saturation with wine and agave nectar adds an unusual flavor profile to the mixture.  This is by far the smoothest and most lingering flavors of all of the juices to date.   The notes of the wine along with the touch of sweetness from the agave nectar gives Bahama Bob's Barrel Juice a very nice sippable flavor.  The fruity flavor seems to linger and linger long after its smooth finish.   There is still a warmth from the high proof, but very mild by comparison to this rum straight out of the distiller's bottle.  There is a finishing being done by the oak that the previous juices lacked.


     This will be an opportunity to enjoy the flavor of the newest of the line of Bahama Bob's Juices,
and a really fun and rewarding experience.  Come join us on Thursday or Friday if you are in the Keys for the next of the line of fun rum juices.  ;o)

El Dorado Golden Rum Cream

     I found an extraordinary Rum Cream in the El Dorado Rum booth during the recent Miami Rum Festival.  This is not just your every day expression, It has the flavor that you have grown to expect from the El Dorado brand of rums.  The creaminess and the flavors just linger and linger long after the rum is gone.   I have just added this rum to our collection at the Rum Bar in Key West, and it is just wonderful.

     I started fooling around with El Dorado Golden Rum Cream the other day and found it to do well with so many of the liqueurs that I have on the shelf.   I tried all of the usual suspects like coffee, chocolate and amaretto, they all blended well with the El Dorado Golden Rum Cream as I was sure that they would.

     I was really looking for something that was different this time.  I tried several things that really clashed, but then I then stumbled on an idea that really works for a fine after dinner cocktail.  I have a rather large supply of Vanilla Rums, something that generally is just vanilla, and I don't give much thought to.  I think I have changed my mind after playing with it and the rum cream.  Give this mix a try, I think that you will find it to be very nice.  This one really is a fine dessert by itself, who needs ice cream?

Bahama Bob's Vanilla Creamsicle

• 1 1/2 oz. El Dorado Golden Rum Cream
• 1 oz. Brinley Gold Vanilla Rum
• 1/2 oz. Siesta Key Spiced Rum

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until fully chilled.  Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.  Garnish with fresh nutmeg and a mint sprig.

Heading to Work in Havana

     It is funny, the perception of life in Cuba that we have here in America.  The Cuban people are educated by the state, and have regular jobs like you and I have.  It is really nice to walk among them at 7:30 in the morning as they are headed to work in just the same manner as we do here in America.

Key West Through the Windshield

     What can I say, Key West is one of the more unusual islands in the world.  You need several kinds of windshields to really see it, one on your boat, one on your scooter or bicycle, and maybe one from your car.  The car is the least likely for someone that lives on the island, because they are really a problem if you are out and about here.  This is because there is very limited parking and what is available is expensive.   I get around on my scooter most of the time, it gives me an economic means to get from place to place and still be able to carry a case of rum every now and then as needed.  My dinghy is the other mode of transport that works very well around here.  I run between the keys with it and over to my favorite watering hole as well.  I can cruise over and back to the boat in a clam and enjoyable mode.

    The views of the island are as different as the people that live here.   You turn a corner and you see something different that you did not expect to see, somethings that you wish you could unsee every now and then, but you get use to this when you spend a little time here.  Key West is one of the most beautiful places you can ever visit or live, the combination of the people, the water, and the wildlife (all kinds) make it such a fun place to be.


    Famous for its sunsets, the beautiful waters, wildlife, and its people.   You only need to spend a week here and you will never want to leave.   Riding the tides through the many small uninhabited keys is always provides  interesting views as the birds fly right past you like you weren't even there.  The numerous fish, turtles, dolphin and rays that you can watch swim past you will keep your head turning the whole time.

     In the evening it is gathering clouds as the sun begins to settle in the west.  Sitting at the dock tiki bar enjoying a fine rum cocktail after a day of work on Duval Street.  it is hard to imagine how it can get much better than this.  ;o)

A Planter's Punch If You Please

     The Planter's Punch is a cocktail that grew out of the Jamaican Plantations in the 1800's.   This is the original recipe in verse according to an 1878 article in London's "Fun Magazine".  

A wine-glass with lemon juice fill,
Of sugar the same glass fill twice
Then rub them together until
The mixture looks smooth, soft, and nice.

Of rum then three wine glasses add,
And four of cold water please take. A
Drink then you'll have that's not bad—
At least, so they say in Jamaica.

     It seems that several of the early versions of Planter's Punch recipes were written in verse.  A Jamaican lady dropped by the Rum Bar in Key West several years ago and recited this recipe to me for a real Jamaican Punch.  

Take two of sour (lime)

To one and a half of sweet.

Of Old Jamaica pour three strong (Jamaican Rum),

And add four parts of weak(water).

     This is a recipe that was something similar to the original daiquiri from Cuba.   Many of the Caribbean recipes from that era had this style of verse to describe the ingredients and how to put them together. 

     Here is a pretty good idea that I have put together for a flavorful Planter's Punch.

 

Bahama Bob’s Planter’s Punch

·         1 oz.  Plantation Jamaica Rum

·         1 oz.  Matusalem Platino Rum

·         1/2 oz.   Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

·         2 oz.   Orange Juice

·         2 oz.   Pineapple Juice

·         1/2 oz.  lime Juice

·         2 dashes Bitters

·         1/2 oz. Dekuypers  Pomegranate Liqueur

·         1 Orange Zest

 

       Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled and pour into a pint glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange zest.

Where is Rum Really Going?

     I came across several articles in the past couple of days about rum and where different people believe it needs to go.   I find the differences of opinion very interesting, in that it is a category that really has no rules to start with.   There seems to be several factions that are trying to be heard and each has strong beliefs as to where rum needs to go in order to be successful.

     There are the ones that believe that pure rum of a premium nature with no additives is the answer, while there are those that feel that the "club scene" is where the profits are no matter what the quality of the rum.  Then there is the question of additives to enhance the flavor and color of the rums.  All of these subjects keep coming up on Facebook, newspaper articles and other media, but where does the future of rum really lie?

     Diageo executive Ed Pilkington in a speech to The Distillers City Debate, hosted by The Worshipful Company of Distillers in London, said, “There’s a huge opportunity for premiumisation in the rum due to an increasing connoisseurship in the category,”    “The stories and history of rum are crucial for its future, but over the past 20 years, there has been an explosion of the clubbing scene, which has caused rum to lose its soul and become a commodity for high energy occasions.   “This has caused rum to be devalued and belittled in the eyes of the consumer.”
    

     Also Speaking at last week's The Distillers City Debate, hosted by The Worshipful Company of Distillers in London, Chris Searle, now retired director of Northern Europe and Asia at Bacardi, argued against the motion that "the future of rum lies with connoisseurs, not clubbers".

     For Searle, "age is an issue" which could hinder the premiumisation of rum, and the category should instead further its position in the emerging middle class markets, particularly among "aspirational" young clubbers. 

     "The skill of rum lies in blending and not in creating bottles with age statements, which is a big challenge for distillers," said Searle. 

     He added that this difficulty derives from the fact that many rum distilleries are based in countries with hot climates, meaning that if rum is left to age for a significant amount of time, this can be very costly due to evaporation. 

    "Rum producers struggle to create plenty of extra aged bottleings because of the angel's share, rum lost to evaporation in aging, and age statements are often the key to selling expensive drinks.   The rum hierarchy is not understood by consumers - its story is more interesting than age."

 

     The issue really boils down to the marketplace, where what goes out the door putting money back into the coffers of the rum producers that will determine where its efforts need to be placed.   Rum is the rogue category of spirits and as such, is as different as night and day as to the style, flavor and content of the brands.   There are the purists  that believe that rum should be honest and color and flavors come only from the barrels that they were aged in or the type of stills that they were created in.  Others believe that the cost factor of very old rums will make it too expensive for the market, and kill the category.  Some believe that younger rums with some caramel and sugar added to give it the taste and flavor of older rums  is OK too. 

 

    I guess the real answer to this lies in the palates of the consumers.  There is truly a market for all of the rums that are provided us these days.   I find myself on the side of the cleaner and purer rums, but as a barman in a Rum Bar with over 240 rums I find that the sweetened rums fit a lot of the patron's palates as well.   So I keep the shelves stocked with rums from all of the types in order to turn a profit for my owners in the real tasting competition which is the marketplace of what I am able sell.   Where do you fit in to this debate?  ;o)

How Would Hemingway Handle It?

     I find it funny, that as a younger person growing up in the 50’s and 60’s I neither read or really knew much about Ernest Hemingway.   After moving down to Key West in 2005, I discovered a very interesting man that I would have loved to have been able to call my friend.    Hemingway was a man’s man, he was a sportsman, brawler, adventurer, writer and most of all a person who followed his own dreams.  I get the feeling that if something really interested him he would do it and then deal with the consequences for it later.    I share some of his drives in my own life and try hard not to worry too much about what happens if it doesn’t work out.

     I came to Key West not knowing how I was going to support myself.  I looked at a few ideas, got my “Captain’s License”, but shuttling tourists around the island didn’t really ring my bell if you will.   I ended up as a barman, this was thanks to a friend that was at a party I was asked to bartend.   Rum and making of cocktails was a great interest and  fun for me, but wasn’t really something that I thought about making a living with.   

     After going to work at the Rum Bar in Key West, I really got seriously involved with rum and the creation of new and interesting cocktails.  Robert Burr asked if I was interested in becoming a member of the RumXP, a group of likeminded rum enthusiasts that gather in different places around the world to learn about rum and sample and judge it for competitions.   I was encouraged to start a blog and write about this life that I am currently living.   The idea of a book came along next, all working out very well.

     The blog has sent me looking into many different things about Key West and the fantastic people that have inhabited the island over the years.  This is how I discovered Ernest Hemingway and the exciting life that he lived.   I have been lucky enough to visit several of the places that he  frequented during his lifetime in the Caribbean.  Wandered Bimini and the Compleat Angler Hotel in Alice Town,  where he was said to have worked on "To Have and Have Not" between 1935 and 1937.  I have visited several of his drinking haunts in Havana and Cojimar, Cuba.  I have seen Ambros Mundos Hotel, where he lived when he first arrived in Havana and finished "For Whom the Bells Toll".   I  had the privilege of visiting San Francisco de Paula, the unique village where Finca la Vigia, Hemingway’s marvelous house and Pilar which is located there today.

     Following Ernest Hemingway’s steps through the city of Havana and visiting such places as El Floridita, Sloppy Joe’s (Havana), Bodegita de Medio, and others, I have gotten a pretty good feel for the man and his unique way of looking at things   When he did something, he seemed to accept things on his terms and only being the best at all that he tried.    Most  important was, it really had to be fun.   I’d love to have any portion of his talent, but one thing I do have is the drive to do what really feels good to me.  I’m not afraid to step out into the wind, put my head down and experience something new.   This following of my gut and my sense of adventure has been often driven by some of the same strengths that kept Hemingway going especially the idea of just doing things for the fun of it.   ;o) 

Tuesday: My Day Off

     I walked up the dock as usual this morning headed for the office to write the blog, wish everyone a happy birthday, and take care of the other things sitting on my desk.   It was really hard for me to keep going this morning, I really wanted to make a u turn and jump into the dinghy and head out to the uninhabited keys for a day away from everything and everyone.   I really love my work at the Rum Bar, but once in a while I need to get away from "people".  

     I managed to make it to the office, but I was still struggling with my decision not to escape.  I hate my "work ethic" sometimes.    It is just one of those days when you dream of being totally independent of everyone and don't have to worry about anyone or anything but yourself.  Reality sets in and I don't mean "reality TV".  This means I have to do what needs to be done before I escape for the afternoon.

     The warmth and the beauty of this part of the world requires a lot of drive to keep yourself on track, but if I want to be able to send you all of the fun pictures and the daily excitement of Key West, I guess that I need to work a little bit.   Not all can be as free as the sea gulls soaring in the morning sun.

Where Does All of the Rum Go?

     According to an article in the "The Spirit Business" the top five markets in the world for rum are as follows.

• First       India with 404.2 Million Litres
• Second  United States with 241.9 Million Litres
• Third     Philippines with 169.7 Million Litres
• Fourth   Dominican Republic with 54.7 Million Litres
• Fifth      France with 36 Million Litres

     This makes for a lot of rum being sold around the world.   The real surprise for me was that India is the largest consumer of rum in the world.  India has a taste for both ends of the rum spectrum, in that there are a number of local brands as well as those more well known around the world.  India has local brands like" Old Monk", McDowell's", "Starfire" and "Old Port".   There is a strong taste for the premium rums in India as well, but no matter how you cut it they are the worlds largest consumer of rum.

     The United States is second, consuming only about 60% as much rum as does India.  The US has
a large number of distillers on fine rums within its boundaries as well.   The rum category is  one of the fastest growing category's here in the states and consumes a wide spread list of rums from basic flavored distillates to the finest in the world.  

     The Philippines really did not surprise me , because of the surprise I got last year when introduced to Tanduay brand rum from the Philippines.  This is the number 2 selling brand of rum in the world, and before last July, was not sold in the United States.  As a producer of rum, they people of the Philippines also have a taste forit as well.
    
     Dominican Republic is right in the center of rum production for the
Caribbean.  The DR has a unique combination of tourism and a population that loves its local rums.  Although the tropical atmosphere draws in the tourists and their insatiable thirst for rum, it is the locals that also consume their fine products.

     France, what can I say, it is the home of the "Agricole" style of Rhum making and the French have a taste for the spirit as well.   The French through Alexander Gabriel and his Plantation Brand Rums, provide the world with some of the most award winning rum from anywhere. 

     You can read more about this at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/03/worlds-largest-rum-markets/

Happy Mother's Day

     This is just a short note to say thanks to my mother and wish all mother's a wonderful day with you family and friends.

Reflection on an Afternoon Sun

    Living on the ocean, allows me many different scenes to relax by and enjoy as I continue this voyage of my life.   I find that the ocean is a wonderful place to share our moods and nature with.   Today she is in a tranquil place with the afternoon sun reflecting out to the horizon and the waves just rolling in lazily to the shore.

Frozen Drinks on the Rebound

   
This is not good news for many of the blender challenged bartenders here in America.  For the rest of us that enjoy creating some of the fine craft style frozen cocktails, this is really great news.  It seems that there are several new bars being conceived here in America around the frozen cocktail concept.  There are new ones in New York, Kansas City and Chicago that are opening based upon the frozen cocktail. 

     The idea is making high class frozen cocktails that will rival the traditional top shelf ones for style and taste.   It seems that the American's taste is drifting back to some of the childhood memories of sno-cones and ices.   These frozen cocktails are just an adult version of your childhood sipping drinks.  At the Rum Bar in Key West I find that the frozen drink is a year round phenomena, not just a summer thing, although our winters are still pretty warm by comparison to the frozen North.  

     Constante Ribalaigua, El Floridita in Havana, was one of the first to recognize that a quality frozen cocktail can be a really great seller.  Inventor of the "Frozen Daiquiri", Constante brought the world to a new style of cocktails and allowed the rest of the world to start being creative.  I love making fresh fruit daiquiri's, bushwhackers, pina coladas and so many other fun frozen concoctions.

     Don't be a afraid to experiment, there are a million ideas out there that will work very well for a frozen cocktail.   They do not have to be real fruity, some are very tart and still taste great.  Here is an idea for a fun frozen cocktail you might enjoy.

Bahama Bob's Mango Madness

• 1 1/2 oz. Brinley's Mango Rum
• 1/2 oz.    John D. Taylor Falernum
• 1/2 oz.    Sour Mix
• 1/2 oz.    Pineapple Juice

Place all ingredients into a blender with 1 1/2 cups of ice and blend until smooth.   Pour into a pint glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry.

American Oak Barrel Shortage: Harsh Winter and Increased Sales

     While it doesn't directly effect the rum distillers right now, if it continues there could be a problem down the road for the rum industry which relies on once used bourbon barrels to age the rum products.  

     The bourbon has under gone a rapid growth in the past year or so and combined with the very harsh winter this year in America there is a shortage beginning to be felt.   A number of distillers are having to add stainless steel tanks to store the distillate until the loggers can get back into the forests and harvest the oak for the cooperage's to create the barrels. While some larger distilleries claim to be able to secure enough barrels to maintain supply, the pressure is being felt across the entire industry, with some distillers predicting the plight to continue for between 12-24 months.   You can read more on this story at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/05/bourbon-barrel-shortage-to-last-two-years-distillers-warn/

     This means that there is a possible shortage coming down the road for the producers of rum who depend on the availability of the once filled bourbon barrels to rest their rums.    Although has been partially caused by the rapid increase in sales and production of Kentucky Bourbon, there is also talk of possibly allowing the reuse of the barrels.   The problem  may have such a trickle down effect on the rum producers if they do allow the reusing of these barrels.

     Barrels are a key ingredient to all of the spirits industry, whether you are producing spirits, wine or beer.  This is one shortage that will really drive the prices of spirits through the roof if it lasts for very long.   Angostura Distillers in Trinidad keeps over 800,000 barrels of aging spirit in their sheds, a shortage would force them and the other rum producers to curb production of the rum until this shortage is taken care of.   Lets hope this is not going to be a long term shortage and not one that keeps repeating itself.

   


    

The Historic Fish House Punch

     According to "Wikipedia", "Fish House Punch" is one of the most venerable cocktails in our history.  It was a cocktail of the patriotic leaders of the founding years of the United States, and still a really nice cocktail for today's parties and patio summer afternoons and evenings. 

     "This most venerable of American flowing bowls is held to have been first concocted in 1732 at Philadelphia’s fishing club, the State in Schuylkill, also known as the "Fish House".

     A 1744 note by the secretary of an embassy of Virginia Commissioners contains what may be the earliest record of the Punch. Meeting local notables at the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, he described being served "a Bowl of fine Lemon Punch big enough to have a half a dozen of young Geese swimming in." America's first President, George Washington, was known to be fond of a drink or two, and sometimes more. He indulged in thirteen toasts — one for each state — during a victory celebration at New York’s Fraunces Tavern, and it’s said that after he partook of Fish House punch at Philadelphia’s State in Schuylkill, he couldn’t bring himself to make an entry in his diary for the following three days.

     The State in Schuylkill Fish House Punch is traditionally made in a large bowl that did double duty as a baptismal font for the citizens' infant sons; “its an ample space . . . . . would indeed admit of total immersion”, as one citizen noted. I doubt that there was Punch in it at the time — it was far too precious for such usage, and far too potent.

     The Fish House was an August Gentleman's Society devoted to escaping domestic tribulation, but also to cigars, whiskey, and the occasional fishing foray upon the Chesapeake or the Restigouche River in Nova Scotia. Another version states that it was created in 1848 by Shippen Willing of Philadelphia, to celebrate the momentous occasion of women being allowed into the premises of the "Fish House" for the first time in order to enliven the annual Christmas Party.   It was supposed to be just "something to please the ladies' palate but get them livelier than is their usual wont".

   Read More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_House_Punch

 

Fish House Punch by the Bowl

·         1 cup sugar

·         3½ cups water

·         1½ cups fresh lemon juice (6 to 8 lemons), strained

·         1 (750-ml) bottle Jamaican amber rum

·         12 oz Cognac (1½ cups)

·         2 oz peach brandy (¼ cup)

·         Float  lemon slices on the punch

Stir together sugar and 3½ cups water in a large bowl or pot until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon juice, rum, Cognac, and brandy and chill, covered, at least 3 hours. Put half-gallon ice block in a punch bowl and pour punch over it. 

Fish House Punch by the glass

·         1 ½ tsp.  Superfine Sugar

·         2 oz. Spring Water

·         1 oz.  Lemon Juice

·         2 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum

·         1 oz. Cognac

·         1/8 oz. Peach Brandy

In a shaker, dissolve the sugar in hot water,  add the lemon juice and stir.  Fill with ice, then add the spirits.  Shake until chilled and pour into a pint glass and add ice to top up the glass.  Traditionally there is no garnish used with Fish House Punch, but you can float a lemon slice if you like.

 

     Either way this is a very flavorful punch perfect for the summer time patio get together.