American Rum Report #26 — April 3, 2020
~ In This Report ~
#1: A crash course in American cane juice rum production 🌱
#2: Which rums won medals at the American Craft Spirits Association's annual awards? 🏅
#3: A new rum podcast you need to check out (it's not mine!) 👂
#4: If you read one article about craft distilleries switching to hand sanitizer production, make it this one 🏥
#1: New Livestream + Q&A: A deep dive into making cane juice rum (and what its future looks like in the U.S.) with Jonny Ver Planck 🌱
Really excited about this!
Next Friday (April 10), I'm hosting Jonny Ver Planck (who's on the short list of most knowledgable American cane juice rum distillers) for a live online seminar + Q&A all about exactly that — making cane juice rum.
It's free to attend (and you can ask questions!), so go here to register and save your spot now.
Jonny has decades of experience that include time as a distillery owner, head distiller, and now consultant to producers all over the world. You also may recognize him from Vagrant Distiller, his new rum brand featuring a series of limited releases that Jonny produces as a visiting distiller at different distilleries across the globe.
As the category of cane juice rum and rhum agricole grows in the U.S., more and more producers are getting interested in making it. We're not only going to discuss the process of producing cane juice rum, but also discuss how feasible it will be for American producers to enter the category and do it well.
I'd love for you to come hang out and ask Jonny questions. It's gonna be a good time.
Here's the link to register one more time.
#2: A rundown (rumdown?) of the rums that won medals in the American Craft Spirits Association's 2020 awards 🏅
Earlier this week, the American Craft Spirits Association announced the results of its annual craft spirits awards. In lieu of revealing the results at ASCA's annual trade show (which was postponed amid the pandemic), they did it online via livestream (you can watch the recording here).
When it comes to spirits awards, I've always cautioned consumers to consider the context. For example, what is the competition's criteria? How many entrants were there? Who are the judges? How many medals were awarded at each level?
Having this info will help you decide for yourself how much weight to give an award. With that in mind, I was pleased to see the ACSA thoroughly answer all of these questions at the beginning of the livestream. For example, they even showed what the judging sheet for a spirit looks like:
A quick overview of how the judging works before we get to the rums awarded medals:
There is a panel of 30 judges (a mix of bar professionals, spirits professionals, journalists, etc.)
Spirits are served blind, and flighted in ways that make sense palate-wise
There were over 500 entries from producers in 42 states
Both craft distilled and craft produced products are eligible (craft produced meaning when a distillery sources a spirit in partnership with someone else, i.e. Doctor Bird Rum from Two James)
Distilleries pay to enter their spirits for judging
Entrants receive feedback from the judges regardless if their spirits medal or not
Distilleries that support the competition in some capacity are not eligible for entry. For example, Privateer Rum is not eligible since Privateer President and Head Distiller Maggie Campbell is vice president of the ACSA, and heavily involved in the competition (you'll hear her give the overview of the awards in the livestream)
If you don't see your favorite American rum producer, remember—they may not have entered
Alright, let's check out the results! I've included the ACSA's criteria for each medal, in the association's own words. I've also included each distillery's location, so you can check 'em out if they're nearby.
Gold Medalists 🥇 (1)
ASCA Criteria for Gold Medalists: Exceptional - An achievement to be celebrated. A top example of an exciting, well crafted, and well made spirit. (90-100 Points)
Proof and Wood Ventures (Bardstown, KY) — The Funk
Note: This is an example of a "craft produced" product. Proof and Wood source the rum from a Jamaican distillery.
Silver Medalists 🥈 (4)
ASCA Criteria for Silver Medalists: Outstanding - A very well made spirit that deserves to be highlighted for skill, talent, and quality. (80-89 Points)
10,000 Drops Craft Distillers (Faribault, MN) — 10,000 Drops Spiced Rum
Eight Oaks Craft Distillers (New Tripoli, PA) — Barrel Aged Rum
Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries (Glenshaw, PA) — BLY Rum 105
Wicked Dolphin Distillery (Cape Coral, FL) — Wicked Dolphin 6 Year Bottled in Bond
Bronze Medalists 🥉 (27)
ASCA Criteria for Bronze Medalists: Very Good - A spirit showcasing strong quality standing out above the ordinary and everyday. (70-79 Points)
10,000 Drops Craft Distillers (Faribault, MN) — 10,000 Drops Silver Rum
Allegheny Distilling (Pittsburgh, PA) — Maggie’s Farm Queen’s Share Sher-Rye
Allegheny Distilling (Pittsburgh, PA) — Maggie’s Farm Single Barrel
Allegheny Distilling (Pittsburgh, PA) — Maggie’s Farm Queen’s Share Double Oak
Allegheny Distilling (Pittsburgh, PA) — Maggie’s Farm Queen’s Share Rum Apple Brandy Barrel
Allegheny Distilling (Pittsburgh, PA) — Maggie’s Farm Rum Sherry Cask Finish
Broad Branch Distillery (Winston-Salem, NC) — Sungrazer
CopperMuse Distillery (Fort Collins, CO) — CopperMuse Spiced Rum
Gate 11 Distillery (Chattanooga, TN) — Gate 11 Distillery Rum
Hilton Head Distillery (Hilton Head Island, SC) — Mountain Peak Espresso
Kingfly Spirits (Pittsburgh, PA) — Kingfly Bliss Spiced Rum
Lang Beverage Co. (Nanticoke, PA) — Single Barrel Rum
Long Road Distillers (Grand Rapids, MI) — Long Road Rum
MISCellaneous Distillery (Mt. Airy, MD) — Popi’s Finest Rum
Old Forge Distillery (Pigeon Forge, TN) — Rum
Old Tennessee Distilling Co. (Kodak, TN) — Cal F. Johnson Black Mountain Rum
Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries (Glenshaw, PA) — BLY Rum Silver
Pittsburgh Distilling Company (Pittsburgh, PA) — Wigle Landlocked
Rollins Distillery, Inc. (Gulf Breeze, FL) — Esprit de Krewe Golden Rum
Sourland Mountain Spirits (Hopewell, NJ) — Sourland Mountain Spirits Gold Rum
Tampa Bay Rum Company (Tampa Bay, FL) — Gasparilla Reserve
Tattersall Distilling (Minneapolis, MN) — Barreled Rum
Three Floyds Distilling Co. (Munster, IN) — Blanq Reavers Rum
Three of Strong Spirits (Portland, ME) — Brightwater Rum
Three of Strong Spirits (Portland, ME) — Stone Pier Rum
Three of Strong Spirits (Portland, ME) — Parchando 12
Whistling Andy Distillery (Bigfork, MT) — Whistling Andy Hibiscus Coconut Rum
#3: Privateer Rum started a podcast, and you should put it in your ears 👂
When a brand launches a podcast, the result is typically underwhelming.
They spit out a couple of episodes that aimlessly talk about themselves or their "brand story," then they run out of stuff to talk about and stop publishing.
So far, Privateer Rum's new podcast is the exception to the rule.
The first four episodes have been a great mix of in-depth rum education (see Episode 1: Fermentation 101), interviews with interesting industry folks (see Episode 2 with Christian Seale of Velier), and behind-the-scenes product info (see Episode 3: About Your Bottle: New England White Rum).
It helps, of course, that Privateer president and head distiller Maggie Campbell has the right mix of expertise and speaking talent that make for a great podcast host.
If rum is your thing (and it must be if you're getting this newsletter), I recommend you give it a listen!
#4: The article you should read about distilleries switching to hand sanitizer production 🏥
Initially, I planned to include a list of all the American rum producers who have started producing hand sanitizer in an effort to combat the shortage across the country.
Honestly, though, the list is so long at this point that if you're near a distillery, odds are it's making it, too.
Instead, I'll point you to this thoroughly reported article by Wayne Curtis, which does an excellent job detailing exactly what distillers have had to go through in order to switch up production and start getting sanitizer out their doors. It gave me an even greater appreciation for the role they're playing (and sacrifices they're making) in combating this crisis.
Check it out: