By Bernice Torregrossa
Contributor

Published July 16, 2008

SAN LEON — With Galveston County home to such a large concentration of boats and boating enthusiasts, it’s not surprising that the only distillery in the county produces rum, a liquor historically associated with sailors and the open seas.

“We’re sailors, and rum is our passion,” Kelly Railean said.

She and her husband, Matt, are the owners of Railean Distillers in San Leon, producers of Railean Handmade Texas Rum.

The Raileans recently released their second product, a dark rum that joins their original light rum on the shelves of restaurants, bars and liquor stores throughout the state.

“We’re in 200 liquor stores in Texas now, including major retailers such as Spec’s,” Railean said, “and more restaurants around here are getting on board.”

Both light and dark rum get their characteristic flavor from molasses. While the light rum is distilled to be less sweet, or “dry,” dark rum’s aging process develops more complex flavors that hold up in cooked desserts as well as in drinks.

“Dark rum gets its color from the barrels,” Railean explained. “Our barrels are new oak that has been charred. A lot of mass-produced rum is aged in old whiskey barrels. That’s good for color, but we want our rum to taste like rum, not whiskey. Nothing but rum has been in our barrels.”

Aging the rum requires frequent monitoring.

“That’s the fun part,” she laughed. “We smell and taste, and check the colors. Even though the barrels are all the same wood, they age differently, and there are subtle differences in the rum from barrel to barrel.”

The differences are smoothed out in the blending process.

“We blend it in large tanks to get a consistent premium product, and then bottle it,” Railean said.

Railean cooks with rum often.

“A lot of people are afraid to cook with rum because of the alcohol, but most of the alcohol burns off. Dark rum has a caramelized flavor, so it goes well in desserts and tropical fruit,” she said.

A career in food and wine, most recently as a wine sommelier and then as a distributor, added to the Raileans’ repertoire of rum-flavored dishes.

“I like to cook, and I’m always on the lookout for recipes. I use epicurious.com as well as cookbooks, and over time I’ve tweaked the recipes for our tastes.”

While the recipes the Raileans developed to showcase their rum have concentrated on classic rum drinks with a local twist (with names like the Kemah Libre, Texas Rum Punch and Clear Lake Shores Sunset), at home, Kelly Railean often serves rum-laced desserts. “Caramel bread pudding with rum sauce is one of my favorites, and I make rum balls and tropical crepes with rum sauce.”

In addition to cooking at home, the Raileans enjoy eating out at the local restaurants that now feature their rum, in its distinctive bottles adorned with one of San Leon’s most colorful residents, the Monk Parakeet.

“Our rum is served at Bailey’s Tommy’s, the Green Parrot, the Terrace, Noah’s Ark, Clifton by the Sea and others in the area. I think there’s always something a little special about a local product.”

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Coconut Rum Balls

1 (12-ounce) package vanilla wafers, crushed 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup rum 1/8 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup coconut (for coating)

In a large bowl, combine crumbs, coconut and nuts. Add sweetened condensed milk and rum; mix well. Chill four hours.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in coconut. Store in covered container in refrigerator 24 hours before serving.

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Peach-rum Sauce

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced thinly 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons dark rum

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and vanilla. Sauté until peaches are tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in rum. Return skillet to heat and cook until sauce thickens, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over ice cream or pound cake.

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Galveston Island Iced Tea

One part Railean Reserve XO Dark Rum One part Vodka One part Tequila One part Gin Juice of ½ lemon Splash of Cola

Serve over cracked ice and garnish with slice of lemon.

— Recipe courtesy of Railean Rum

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Gooey Chocolate Butterscotch/Caramel Bread Pudding With Railean Rum Sauce

Two loaves egg bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 cup purchased butterscotch or caramel sauce plus more for serving 4 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 3 tablespoons sugar Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread in large bowl. Drizzle with 5 tablespoons melted butter; toss. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bread begins to color, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool. Brush 11-by-7-by-2-inch glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Stir whipping cream and 1 cup butterscotch or caramel sauce in medium saucepan over medium heat until blended and bubbling. Remove from heat. Whisk eggs and yolks in large bowl. Add Railean Reserve XO dark rum, vanilla, and salt; gradually whisk in warm sauce mixture. Stir in bread cubes. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mix chocolate chips into custard mixture. Pour into prepared dish. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Bake pudding until puffed and set in center, about 35 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm, passing more butterscotch or caramel sauce topping alongside.

— Recipe courtesy of Kelly Railean

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Molten Chocolate Spiced Cakes With Ginger-Railean Rum Ice Cream

Ice Cream

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger 11/2 tablespoon Railean Reserve XO dark rum

Cakes

14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 6 large eggs 6 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups powdered sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour

For Ice Cream

Place softened ice cream in medium bowl. Using plastic spatula, fold ginger and Railean Reserve XO dark rum into ice cream. Transfer to airtight container. Freeze ice cream mixture until firm, about four hours. (Can be made one day ahead. Keep frozen.)

For Cakes

Butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Stir chocolate, butter, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk in 3 cups powdered sugar, then chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared dishes, filling to top and dividing equally. (Can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake cakes until batter has risen above dish, top edges are dark brown, and centers are still soft and runny, about 15 minutes, or about 18 minutes for refrigerated batter. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Allow cakes to rest in dishes 5 minutes. Using hot pad and holding dish very firmly, place plate gently atop 1 cake and invert onto plate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve cakes with rum-ginger ice cream.

— Recipe courtesy of Kelly Railean

New Holland Brewing Co. to distribute, sell in-house spirits thanks to bill

by John Liberty | Kalamazoo Gazette

Tuesday July 15, 2008, 7:26 PM

Here is one of the approved labels for New Holland Brewing Co.’s line of spirits, which should hit shelves and the brewery sometime next month.

HOLLAND – Following several years of planning, lobbying and distilling, New Holland Brewing Co. founder and president Brett VanderKamp has good reason to “dance a jig.”

Last month the state House passed a bill allowing in-house sales of grain-based spirits, meaning the rum, gin and whiskey sitting in the basement of the brewery’s downtown Holland brewpub could be sold to customers on location and in stores. The existing laws only allowed for fruit-based spirits to be sold in-house, which New Holland has done with its line of brandy. VanderKamp and Co. were planning to begin distributing their spirits soon, but this bill, No. 5925, which still requires a signature from Gov. Jennifer Granholm, gives New Holland a better shot “to hand-sell the product.”

“We kind of had an idea that it was coming down the proverbial pipe in Lansing,” VanderKamp said during a conference call Monday. ” … I danced a jig when it finally moved through the Senate.”

VanderKamp said they expect to have the spirits available next month, both in-house and for distribution, although they are still discussing details on where their alcohol will be sold. VanderKamp said NHBC, which started distilling in March, 2005, has reached a deal with D&W Fresh Market, which has locations at 525 Romence Road in Portage and 2103 Parkview Ave. in Kalamazoo. He hopes companies that support their line of brews will jump on board, too.

New Holland partner and marketing director Fred Bueltmann, aka The Beervangelist, said the bill is a proactive move by Michigan that helps make it a “premiere distilling state.” Bueltmann and VanderKamp pointed to the length of time it took Michigan to allow microbreweries to serve beer on-site as an example of how big this bill is for NHBC and other distillers.

On the West Coast, microbreweries could serve brew on-site more than 20 years before Michigan allowed it (1993).

“Instead of being 20 years behind the trend, by passing this bill, Michigan, and its distillers, will be on the edge of the revolution,” VanderKamp said.

VanderKamp expects to sell about 300 cases of spirits in the first year. There are a dozen bottles per case. Although final pricing has not been decided, he estimated a bottle of NHBC whiskey will be between $40-$60 a bottle, the varieties of rum will range between $25-$45 per bottle and gin will go for around $30 per bottle.

NHBC is also looking to install a 600-gallon in the near future to deal with growing demand for the product.

When KalamaBrew visited New Holland in March, Bueltmann and distiller Ben Fris showed us their hard work. They let us sample some of the whiskey, gin and rum. Simply put, we were floored by the smoothness of all three. For beer drinkers or cocktail drinkers, NHBC will make Michiganders proud.

“This is three years in the making. … To be able to roll it out on a larger scale is really exciting to me,” Fris said.

Anything that’s sure to offend zealots on both sides can’t be bad.. but “fighting equality” since 1872… for equality, against equality… more than a little ambiguous..

Rumpundit

Castro’s Unpopularity Attributed to Expulsion of Rum - “Follow Da Rum”

From what I can gather out of these spots, the only reason people swim out of Cuba is to pursue Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 Year Old Rum, which Fidel Castro expelled in 1959.

But the high seas can be treacherous. A shark comes and eats the rum, then eats the people, and Fidel is pleased. Meanwhile, the people inside the shark party with their liquor of choice.

“They can’t hear you laughing, Fidel.” Quirky, like a dream dreamed while hammered. See spots:

o Exodus
o Follow Da Rum
o The Cuba Shark

Tagline: “Fighting equality since 1872. Expelled from Cuba in 1959.”

Rating:

Staff offered rum training

15 July, 2008

Bar staff are being offered training and education about rum at a new London venue that has opened this week.

Located within Vinopolis, an alcohol-themed attraction on the South Bank, the Authentic Caribbean Rum Experience has opened its doors to the public and trade.

The centre, an initiative of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is aiming to raise awareness of authentic Caribbean rum.

WIRSPA head of marketing Neil Morris said: “We plan to demonstrate that authentic Caribbean rum offers a substantial addition to the spirits category.

What better way of communicating to a wide variety of people quickly and effectively than by opening our very own Rum Experience at Vinopolis?”

In May, WIRSPA launched an Authentic Caribbean Rum Marque as an accreditation that brands can use to signal their quality and provenance.

Take your taste buds to the tropics

From pomegranate juice to mango sorbet, it is easier than ever to find exotic tropical fruits and flavors in your grocery aisles. From decadent desserts to creative summer cocktails, these exotic flavors are making a big splash in mainstream food and beverage products.

Add one more exciting taste to the list - guava. Just in time for summer, Cruzan, the world’s most award-winning rum, is introducing the first guava-flavored rum to the U.S. With a distinct character of fresh guava, tropical fruits and fresh berries, Cruzan Guava is a rich, smooth and fruity spirit.

Guava originally gained popularity in Latin America where the fruit is found in abundance, and has quickly gained popularity in the U.S., where it is poised to be the next mainstream tropical flavor.

If you can’t escape to the islands this year, bring the island experience to you with a guava-inspired menu. Enjoy a spicy guava-lime shrimp salad or add a tropical twist to the classic mojito by adding a splash of Cruzan Guava.

Whether you’re looking for a way to spice up a summer party or simply want to escape with a taste of the islands, guava is a delicious way to go.

Guava Mojito

1 ounce Cruzan Guava
1 ounce Cruzan Light
¾ ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup
6 mint Leaves
Soda

Combine fresh lime juice and simple syrup to taste into a highball. Add fresh mint and muddle. Add one part Cruzan Guava. Fill glass with ice, stir and top with soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge.

Spicy Guava-Lime Salad With Shrimp

Makes 4 servings

1 cup Cruzan Guava Rum
cooking spray
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared chili sauce
juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 5-ounce package arugula sautéed shrimp (recipe below)

Pour rum into small sauce pan. Turn burner heat on high. Bring rum just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Remove pan from heat. Separately, spray a heat-safe bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Pour reduced rum into bowl and place in freezer for about 5 minutes or until cool.

In medium bowl, whisk cool rum reduction, vinegar, chili sauce, lime juice, garlic and jerk seasoning. In a slow, constant stream, whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with arugula and sautéed shrimp.

Sautéed Shrimp

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 1-pound package frozen raw, deveined shrimp (peeled and thawed)
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes, until pink. Remove from heat and add lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

New Bacardi campaign based around Mojito

14 July, 2008

Bacardi is putting its faith in the Mojito to drive the rum category, launching a summer-long consumer marketing campaign and bar staff training based around the drink.

The £15m investment package capitalises on Bacardi’s reputation as the rum that went into the first ever Mojitos created in Cuba.

The above-the-line package will include TV, internet, outdoor, tube and print advertising. It will run nationally with up-weighted outdoor media presence in London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These locations have been chosen in order for the brand to gain maximum exposure with its core audience of 18 to 29 year olds.

More than 3,000 pubs and bars will get point of sale material, including glassware and cocktail kits, that will encourage consumers to drink Bacardi Mojitos throughout July and August. Bacardi is also running in-bar sampling campaigns.

Free-trade and managed outlets are being offered training on how to make the perfect Mojito. This involves ice, fresh mint leaves, caster sugar, soda, fresh lime juice and rum – although it can be adapted to more basic cocktail-making techniques.

The Mojito has become an immensely popular long-drink in the UK, with pub chains including JD Wetherspoon running major initiatives around the rum long drink recently.

Bacardi director of marketing Liam Newton said a “tipping point” has been reached that makes now the right time to invest above the line advertising around the Mojito.

“I feel we are at a point where it’s right to open it out to a wider audience,” he said. “The training is about making sure pubs have great tasting Mojitos that match the advertising.”

Cuca Fresca Continues Its Support of Humanitarian Efforts at

Star-Studded Fundraiser for Unik Earnest’s Edeyo Foundation

(East Hampton- July 12, 2008) Cuca Fresca’s Pineapple Caipirinha with a Sweet Lime Espuma was the signature cocktail at an exclusive celebrity-studded silent auction and fundraiser for the the Edeyo Foundation, held at a private East Hampton estate. The Edeyo Foundation was started by the “King of NYC Nightlife” and owner of Lily Pond, Unik Earnest, one year ago and several of his celebrity friends including Russel Simmons, Nigel Barker, Jamie Kennedy, and the recording artist Maxwell came out to support the organization that aims to bring education and nutritional programs to the children of Earnest’s native Haiti.

Cuca Fresca, the premium cachaça from Brazil, is dedicated to humanitarian and environmental causes and has become a mainstay on the national philanthropic scene through their support of organizations such as Global Green, charity: water, and Robert Kennedy, Jr.’s Riverkeeper Foundation. Cuca Fresca also donates a portion of the proceeds from each bottle to the Rainforest Foundation-US to support rainforest preservation and the fight for indigenous people’s rights in Brazil.

“We were thrilled to hook up Unik and support his amazing work in Haiti through our contribution to this event,” said Cuca Fresca owner Phoenix Kelly-Rappa. “We share Unik’s passion for helping people in need around the world and plan on working with him after this event to bring continued attention and supplies to the school he has built in Port-Au-Prince.”

Cuca Fresca is a hand-crafted premium cachaça made with organic sugar cane using single-batch artisanal production methods overseen by the fourth generation of a Brazilian family that has been producing cachaça for local consumption for decades. Cuca Fresca made its debut in the American market last year and has already established itself at the top of the category, winning a Double Gold Medal at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and being named the best unaged and aged cachacas by the Beverage Testing Institute.

Cuca Fresca’s signature Pineapple Caipirinha with Sweet Lime Espuma was created by Master Mixologist John Hogan of Bar Magic, Las Vegas, and Washington DC’s Hudson Restaurant. John is an award-winning leader in his field and has been featured on the Travel Channel and Plum TV, in the Washington Post, Style Magazine, and Modern Luxury, as well as being named one of Tanqueray’s “Ten Most Wanted Bartenders.” He discovered Cuca Fresca through his love of premium, organic ingredients and has created several innovative cocktails, which he has showcased nationally, with the spirit.

CUCA FRESCA PINEAPPLE CAIPIRINHA

with SWEET LIME ESPUMA

2 oz. Cuca Fresca Pura Gold Cachaça

4 cubes fresh lime (1/2 lime)

4 cubes fresh pineapple (1/2 inch sq.)

4 sugar cubes

In a 10oz. glass, combine all ingredients and muddle until they reach an even consistency. Fill the glass with ice and add cachaça. Roll everything between the glass and a small shaker to thoroughly mix. Top with the sweet lime espuma (recipe follows) and garnish with a fresh pineapple leaf.

Sweet Lime Espuma

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz Agave Nectar

1 egg white

Combine all ingredients in a small shaker and shake well for 30 seconds, until espuma reaches a frothy thickness.

Media Contact:

Phoenix Kelly-Rappa

phoenix@cucafrescaexports.com

(c) 914-646-0749

LAS VEGAS – A federal court has ordered a Nevada businessman to stop using the “Cohiba” name on cigars and rum, and awarded the brand owner, General Cigar Co., almost $770,000 in damages plus legal costs.

The business owner, Philip Restifo, said Friday that he was complying with U.S. District Judge Brian Sandoval’s June 30 order, which banned importing, marketing, distributing and selling “Cohiba Caribbean’s Finest” cigars and rum.

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“As of the 30th, we stopped the sales of the rum and pulled down our Web sites,” Restifo said. He said he stopped selling the cigars after Cohiba brand owner General Cigar filed a trademark infringement and counterfeiting lawsuit in May 2006.

Restifo, owner of COHIBA Caribbean’s Finest and Data Commodities Inc. of Las Vegas, did not say how he would pay legal costs and damages.

Restifo said he sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection four days before the ruling, in which the judge awarded triple damages based on estimated and actual receipts for “Cohiba Caribbean’s Finest” cigars and rum from 2000-2006.

Restifo also filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection two months before General Cigar filed its lawsuit.

Others named in the General Cigar Co.’s suit included a Restifo employee in Las Vegas, a client in South Carolina and R&E Cigars of Spring Hill, Tenn. They were later dismissed from the lawsuit based on agreements with the company.

Gerry Roerty, General Cigar vice president and general counsel, had called Restifo’s businesses the most aggressive among several Cohiba counterfeiters in the nation. Cohibas are among several brands of Cuban heritage premium cigars imported from Latin America because of the U.S. ban on trade with Cuba.

While General Cigar displays the word Cohiba on cigar bands and boxes in bold black uppercase letters, the lawsuit alleged Restifo used the same name followed by smaller italicized words “Caribbean’s Finest.”

In a statement issued Thursday, Roerty said the ruling showed his company, based in New York and Richmond, Va., was the only legitimate owner of the Cohiba trademark in the U.S.