A certain kind of alchemy occurs when everything aligns in the production of rum—ingredients, expressive fermentation, maturation—but the story and the “why” behind great rum is another element that can’t be forgotten. Maggie Campbell and Chaz Vest of American Cane are deeply focused on those components that make for interesting rum, driven to tell the broader history of rum production in America—even as they build production capacity and write up their own small piece of that ongoing history.

In this episode, Campbell, Vest, and host Molly Troupe discuss:

building a background in spirits—from Leopold Bros and Stranahan’s to Germain Robin and Mount Gay—before launching American Cane
the historical context of American rum, and the heritage that includes black, brown, and indigenous people in its production
the impact of fermentables such as fresh sugar-cane juice and molasses on the development of flavor
expressions of terroir in rum via fermentation and ingredients
building a sugar mill
taking a staged approach to growing the brand, from sourcing through production

And more.

G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

35: American Cane Tells Expressive Stories in Regionally Relevant Rum

Spirits & Distilling Podcast