The first five people will get a free hat (see photo). 510-886-7418 call me.

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Travel Information and Rum Conference Schedule:

Arrive on Wednesday, March 28th, depart on Sunday, March 31st.

Take the Louisville airport shuttle to the Holiday Inn, located in Clarksville, IN.,
(Not the Louisville Holiday Inn). Clarksville is just across the river from Louisville, KY.
--------------------------
There will be conference registration all afternoon in the hotel lobby. From 7:00 – 9:00 pm, there will be an early bird rum tasting in the lobby. This is a very informal gathering, a chance to get to know everyone and an opportunity to share spirits with each other, so bring some.
------------------------------------
NOTE:
Transportation to all conference events (listed below) will be provided by the American Distilling Institute.
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March 29th
Kentucky Distillery Tour
7:30, 7:45 & 8:00 Buses leaves Holiday Inn for Vendome Copper.
8:00 – 9:00 Tour Vendome
9:15 Bus ride to Kelvin Cooperage (near Louisville airport)
9:30 – 11:00 Tour Kelvin Cooperage
11:00 Bus to Woodford Reserve (Versailles, KY)
12:00 – 2:00 Lunch and tour of Woodford Reserve / Labrot & Graham
2:15 Buses leave for Buffalo Trace (Frankfurt)
3:00 – 4:00 Tour Buffalo Trace
4:15 Buses leave for Bardstown to visit Kentucky Bourbon Distillery
5:00 – 6:00 Tour Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries 6:15 Visit gift shop at Heaven Hill (Bardstown)
8:00 Tasting at the Holiday Inn

Friday, March 30th
Distilling Demonstrations at Huber Starlight Distillery
7:30, 7:45 & 8:00 Buses to Huber Starlight Distillery (Borden, IN)
9:00 Michale Delevante discussion of rum distilling in the Caribbean
10:00 – 12:00 Rum distillation demonstration
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch at Huber Starlight Distillery
1:00 Joan Carpenter of TTB discusses
licensing your distillery 2:00 Second rum distilling demonstration
3:00 – 5:00 Vendor booths open
5:00 Rum Tasting and Banquet Dinner at Huber Starlight Distillery
8:00 Buses leave for Holiday Inn

Saturday, March 30th
Conference at Huber Starlight Distillery
7:30, 7:74, & 8:00 pm Buses leave Holliday Inn for Huber Starlight Distillery
8:15-9:15 Vendor booths open / Coffee
9:15 Pennfield Jensen, Vice President of the American Distilling Institute welcomes you to the 2007 Rum Distilling Conference
9:30 Phil Prichard, of Prichards’ Distillery, pours and discusses distilling of light and dark rums.
10:30 Speaker Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum.
11:15 Rum Panel: Kevin Settles of Bardenay Distillery, Nahor Gustavo Lanza Luz de Faria (Brazil) , Paul Case of Kolani Distillers, (Hawaii)and Jay Harman of Triple Eight Distillery (Nantucket)
12:00 pm Lunch / Vendor Booths.
1:30—2:30 pm Theo Lioutas discusses, What’s Happening in the Barrel?
3:30—4:30 pm Wade Shanower Big Red Liquores on “Marketing you spirits.”
4:00--4:30 pm Rum awards./ Vendor Booths 5:00 Rum tasting and banquet dinner
8:00 Return to Holliday / Free evening
--------------------------------------------------

Give Away Free Spirits

To all US Microdistilleries
I love what Riannon does but unlike the Scotch guys we need to tell her we will not PAY to GIVE AWAY FREE SPIRITS
and we should not PAY to SPEAK
which is her current practice at the Whisky events

Thanks Brendan Moylan

ps. I would love to hear other peoples opinions on this please forward to other microdistillers (or) contact me at
moylans1@verizon.net
=====================
Catch On to Cachaca

By Annika Mengisen
TheStreet.com Staff Reporter

A Sip of Brazil

We all felt like trendy jet-setters ordering up mojitos at bars from Miami to London last year, but now it's 2007 and that mint-green trend is so last year -- as taboo as drinking a cosmo at a salsa club.
I had never heard of a caipirinha when offered it by Brazilian friend last year. If you expressed such ignorance today, you would get the same incredulous stares my friend gave me a year ago.
This is the era of the caipirinha -- Brazil's national concoction, for those of you not already in the know. Its main ingredient -- cachaca -- has been dubbed the new girl from Ipanema, sashaying onto the U.S. scene and captivating connoisseurs as she goes.
Your ever-savvy TheStreet.com reporter was sipping one just the other day and lamenting that the U.S. took so long to catch up with the rest of the world, where cachaca, a rum-like drink, is the third most popularly consumed spirit, just after vodka and soju (a Korean liquor).
Increasingly, fans the world over are saying obrigado ("thank you") to a small but growing number of companies that are bringing cachaca, once associated with a rustic spirit and hangover nightmares, to top-shelf cocktails.

Colonial Ties

Cachaca, the national spirit of Brazil, has taken many roles, perhaps contributing to its mass appeal.
Cachaca first took off in Brazil in the 1500s, when plantation owners noticed the increased vigor of their workers after consuming a fermented sugar juice; they began serving it to workers, allegedly to increase morale.
It enjoyed a golden age among the upper-crust Portuguese when finely distilled cachacas were served at dinner tables in colonial Brazil.
But soon after, in the late 1800s, heavy taxing forced the drink underground once more, and it lost favor with Brazil's elite.

The Birth of Beleza Pura

In the past decade, however, high-quality cachacas have seen a resurgence in Brazil.
Adventurers like Olie Berlic, CEO of Excalibur Enterprise, are reviving this symbol of Brazilian identity by bringing the best to the U.S.
Berlic's journey began in 2001, when he left the U.S. to brave the wilds of Brazil. A sommelier in top U.S. restaurants, he was searching for a portfolio of Brazilian wine but didn't find anything exceptional.
"That's when I started to seriously consider the spirit of Brazil," says Berlic. He devoted himself to a rigorous three-year testing process, tasting about 800 cachacas, analyzing their clarity, color and especially that telltale burn on the palate.
"Lower-quality spirits will actually burn the center of your tongue," explains Berlic, who says the sweetness coating the burn is the sugar added to mask the imperfections of low-quality spirits -- typical of price-driven products, which often speed the fermentation of the cane juice with chemicals.
"When we launched our portfolio, it was all about quality," Berlic notes, who explained that prior to Excalibur, cachaca in the U.S. was produced by very large Brazilian producers whose main concern was price.
Cachaca's story is very similar to tequila's: "25 years ago, people in the U.S. started learning about quality tequilas," Berlic points out. "Prior to that, everyone [just] remembered those ... hangovers and tequila's bad reputation."
Berlic used the tequila model when he created his flagship product, Beleza Pura, which means "pure beauty," in 2004.
Like rum, cachaca comes from the sugar cane plant, but while rum is made from molasses, cachaca is reduced from fresh sugar cane juice. According to Brazilian law, it has to be made in Brazil to be called as such. For Beleza Pura, Berlic uses the best hand-cut sugar cane and a column distillation process that doesn't strip the product. "We wanted a pure product, but not vodka," says Berlic.
Cachaca is a spirit that has been virtually untouched in the U.S., but as the popularity of the caipirinha grows, cachaca awareness is making domestic sales finally rival the rest of the world's -- Europe alone imports almost half a million cases a year, says Berlic.

Not Created Equal

Perhaps the most important lesson Berlic has learned is that not all cachacas are created equal. To please even the most discerning liquor connoisseurs, Berlic had to find the best.
In what Berlic described as a labor of love, he created Beleza Pura, which is known for its long, clean finish and "clear morning after."
In addition, he carefully selected three producers of aged handcrafted artisan cachacas to add to his sales line, each from a different area of Brazil, which utilized different production methods and flavor profiles.
"These are just amazing spirits," says Berlic.
Cachaca Rochinha from Rio de Janeiro, GRM Cachaca from Minas Gerias and Armazem Viera Cachaca from Santa Catarina Island round out Berlic's unrivaled portfolio.
These award-winning handmade cachacas are aged from four to 16 years in single to triple barrels, and their piquant profiles range from raspberry to scotch to vanilla-caramel. Prices range from $70 for the GRM to about $80 for a 12-year aged bottle of Rochinha. Check online for retailers, or try a high-end restaurant near you.

Tale of Two Countries

Leblon's natural cane cachacas also come from Brazil but have a touch of France.
This producer takes a winemaker's approach to cachaca -- it is single-distilled in Brazil and sent to France to rest in vintage cognac casks for one to six months, says Steve Luttmann, Leblon's president and founder.
"We are definitely breaking the paradigm of what cachaca is," says Luttmann. "Purists might be afraid of change and see cachaca for its peasant past, but others see the potential of cachaca to be as good as any scotch.
"There's no question this is the year of the caipirinha," he says. Contact Leblon to purchase ($30 a bottle).

The Caipirnha Craze

Cosmos, eat your heart out! As the cachaca trend continues to gather steam, Manhattan's hippest go for pepper-basil caipirinhas at the downtown Devin Tavern.
Owner John Mautone uses only Excalibur's Beleza Pura (un-aged, for optimal mixing) for his pepper-basil caipirinhas, which include fresh basil, mint and peppercorns in addition to the limes, sugar cane and cachaca of a classic caipirinha.
"It's about fresh, clean flavors," says Mautone.
When I tried the drink, I could smell the tantalizing basil and mint even before I raised the glass to my lips. "Women who would never try a cocktail have one of these and enjoy it," says Mautone. "It's a sexy cocktail."
Even his most discerning customers -- Brazilians -- approve of the Beleza Pura caipirinha as a representative of the Brazilian spirit.
Our own Jim Cramer frequents Devin Tavern, Mautone reveals. Although he wouldn't disclose Cramer's libation of choice, I have no doubt the caipirinha could be among his top picks.

Saude (cheers)!

=================

Nation’s Largest Independent Family-Owned Distilled Spirits Producer Plans to Expand Historic Bernheim Distillery
FRANKFORT, KY—Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the Bardstown, Kentucky-based holder of the world’s second-largest inventory of aging Bourbon whiskey, received approval today from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority for economic incentives to fund a planned expansion of its historic Bernheim Distillery located at 1701 Breckenridge Street in Louisville.
With markedly increased demands both domestically and internationally for Bourbon and other American Whiskeys, and its Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Old Fitzgerald, Heaven Hill, Rittenhouse Rye and Bernheim Wheat brands in particular, Heaven Hill has plans to significantly enhance its production capacity while still maintaining the seven-generation traditional process overseen by father and son Master Distillers Parker and Craig Beam. The planned expansion, which will involve the addition of a new grain handling system, a new mash cooker, and new fermenters, will create 15 new jobs in addition to the 34 currently employed at what is generally considered the most technologically advanced major American distillery. The plans would also increase both the square footage and the output of the distillery by approximately 40%, positioning the company well for the expected worldwide growth projected over the next five years in the American Whiskey category.
“We are both proud and excited to be planning this major expansion to our Bernheim Distillery facility in Louisville,” commented Heaven Hill president Max L. Shapira. “This investment in the future of our company is true evidence of our confidence in the economic vitality of the community, and of our confidence in our industry, our brands and our business.”
Founded in 1934, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heaven-hill.com) is the nation's largest independent, family-owned marketer and producer of distilled spirits products. Aging in its facilities is the second largest holding of Kentucky whiskey in the world. Heaven Hill's diversified portfolio includes: The Christian Brothers Brandies; Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Whaler's Rum; Burnett's Gin and Vodka; Dubonnet Aperitif; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Scotch Whiskies; Canadian Whiskies; vodka; gins; rums; tequilas; cognacs; liqueurs; cordials; and dessert wines. Heaven Hill is based in Bardstown, Ky.

CONTACT:

Larry Kass
Director of Corporate Communications
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.
(502) 413-0220
lkass@heaven-hill.com
==================

Hello Friends,

On behalf of our ten-year anniversary approaching, I wanted to say thanks for signing up to be on our charter mailing list and for all your help and support.
Things have changed a lot since I sold my first case of vodka in 1997 and as a result we have some serious construction going on to keep up with increasing demand.
Despite our growth, I am still operating the vodka business daily with eight employees.
I still go in to the distillery every day and the company continues to be privately owned by yours truly.
We love to hear from our loyal drinkers, and invite you to submit the clever and public website worthy photos of Tito's moments you have captured at marketing@titosvodka.com
A lot of people ask me how to get Tito's Handmade Vodka at their favorite liquor store when they don't see it there. All you have to do is visit the Titos Vodka website to view an updated list of each of our 49 state's distributors so that you can tell the store which distributor to order it from.
Last month, Mike Hedegus from CNBC News came to visit us in Austin and put together this update on the distillery so I thought I would give you a sneak peak of the show before I have it streaming on our website.
http://video.msn.com/v/us/money.htm?g=820889a9-befc-48f7-960c-3fc999dd4e94&f=&fg=email
Thanks again for spreading the word about my handmade vodka. I still rely heavily on word of mouth and appreciate the help, so pass this video on to 20 of your closest friends.

Cheers,

Tito Beveridge
====================

Spirited Glass: Milwaukee distiller crafts vodka By Michael Muckian

Special to The Capital Times

Tasting vodka with a distiller who makes the spirit is like discussing a concerto with the violinist who composed it. You expect exceptional product and process knowledge, coupled with a clear viewpoint about the art of the composition and considerable pride for the finished product.

Guy Rehorst, founder of Great Lakes Distillery, embodies all those traits, disguised with an affable manner and pleasant smile.
"A good vodka has a slight complexity, minimal burn and slow fade when being tasted, as opposed to a medicinal taste, harshness and a hard burn," said Rehorst, a Milwaukee area resident and Wisconsin's only distiller. Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka, produced in the city's Riverwest neighborhood and Rehorst's first spirit, was introduced to Madison audiences in late November.
"A good vodka will carry some aroma characteristics of the source grain, despite the definition of vodka as odorless and flavorless," Rehorst told several of us during a private tasting at the Capitol Chop House recently. "A good vodka is capable of standing on its own."
Rehorst has labored nearly two years, installing a German-made distillery in an old Sealtest dairy plant and awaiting the appropriate state and federal licensing before distilling his first 800-bottle batch last year. In addition to vodka's quick turnaround due to the lack of aging involved, Rehorst also noted that vodka is one of the world's most popular spirits, making up 18 percent of all spirits consumed worldwide. Only shochu, a Japanese spirit distilled from sweet potatoes that has a large Asian following, is more widely consumed.
Rehorst himself is the local vanguard of a craft distilling movement that has made significant strides elsewhere in the country, especially California.
In Wisconsin, the industry is hamstrung by state laws that forbid distilling operations and retail distribution to occupy the same premises. The tasting room that visitors enjoy at Wisconsin's breweries and wineries can't exist under current state regulations. Legislation designed to repeal that law, making it legal for distillers to serve on premise, is once again under consideration by state lawmakers.
Until then, Rehorst travels to licensed premises to taste his wares. Vodka should not be chilled when tasted, he said, in order to let all the flavor elements come to the fore. Small amounts in appropriately sized glasses are the best way to taste vodka.
Rehorst Premium Vodka is composed largely of neutral grain spirits and about 20 percent Wisconsin-grown wheat that's been fermented with EDB493, a yeast strain available only in Europe. Most of the world's vodka is distilled from grain, although other source materials with natural sugars can be used. Several decades ago, there was a Wisconsin distiller who made the spirit by distilling whey solids. Despite legend to the contrary, vodka made from potatoes comprises only 5 percent of the world's production, said Rehorst.
"Most of the distillable sugars are found in the core of the potato," said Rehorst, who studied distilling at universities in Michigan and Missouri. "It's less efficient than grain as a way to make vodka."

A tasting of vodkas

Rehorst's blend of wheat works well for his vodka, as clear and colorless as any other variety on the back bar.

Rehorst Premium Vodka, distilled to 80 proof, has a more distinct character thanks to its wheat, with an almond-like essence present on the palate and the anticipated minimal burn. It's a pleasant spirit with a clean finish that stands up well to many of the other more popular varieties.

Here are some other brands we tried:

• Skyy 90 (U.S.), distilled in Illinois, then redistilled in the San Francisco Bay area, uses amber winter wheat and Sierra mountain water to produce a clean tasting vodka with a slight sweetness on the palate.

• Level from Absolut (Sweden) is a big, in-your-palate vodka with a large nose and fiery alcohol. This is a case where more is indeed less.

• Three Olives (England) is the favorite brand of Smoky's "Martini Bob" Perry. It's smooth and subtle, and its character smolders on the back of the palate.

• Ketel One (Holland) brings "fruity" clearly into the vodka lexicon. The alcohol attacks the roof of the mouth with far too much aggression.

• Grey Goose (France) was one of our favorites. The well-balanced wheat distillate had licorice on the nose and palate, setting it apart from much of the competition.

• Hanger One (U.S.) is made on Alameda Island in San Francisco from a blend of neutral grain spirits and roughly 10 percent grape distillate. Although slightly bitter on the mid-palate, Hanger One has a berry nose and a unique character.

• Vox (Holland) was perhaps our least favorite. A prominent alcohol flare gives way to very little flavor, offering the least of both worlds.

• Reyka (Iceland) may have been the most interesting. The vodka, originally distilled in Scotland, is redistilled using the island's geothermal heat and filtered through volcanic rock. The result is a very clean, smooth and well-balanced spirit.

At Death's Door

Rehorst Premium Vodka, while the only spirit distilled in the state, isn't the only vodka with local connections.
Death's Door Vodka, named for the strait that separates the tip of Door County from neighboring Washington Island, is made from Capital Brewery's Island Wheat, a beer brewed from wheat grown on Washington Island.
The beer, produced at the Middleton brewery, is then distilled in Iowa to produce the vodka, which made its appearance in Madison earlier this month.
==================

Brewpubs Seek to Make Distilled Spirits

By NATE JENKINS
The Associated Press
Friday, February 9, 2007; 4:27 AM

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Zach Triemert wants to bring what he learned in Scotland to Nebraska, and it isn't how to play bagpipes. "We hope to use Nebraska grains and fruits to make world-class spirits," Triemert, who earned a master's degree in brewing and distilling while in Scotland, told a legislative committee recently. "It will bring another source of recognition and pride to our state."
Upstream Brewing Company in Omaha, where Triemert is head brewer, is one of an increasing number of brewpubs nationwide that wants to add distilled spirits such as rum and whiskey to its list of alcohol offerings that are made onsite then sold to customers and wholesalers.
Zach Triemert poses in front of beer fermentation tanks at the Upstream Brewing Company, in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007. Triemert wants to bring what he learned in Scotland to Nebraska, and it isn't how to play bagpipes. "We hope to use Nebraska grains and fruits to make world-class spirits," Triemert, who earned a master's degree in brewing and distilling while in Scotland, told a legislative committee recently. "It will bring another source of recognition and pride to our state."
A bill before the Legislature mimics what was done for Nebraska beer makers almost 20 years ago, when restaurants where allowed to craft their own brew. Now there are about a dozen brewpubs in the state.
When Nebraska passed the brewing law, there were about half a dozen similarly run microdistilleries in the country. Today, there are 88, said Bill Owens, president of the American Distilling Institute, who says the sharp increase is part of a general rise in demand for a range of specialty products, from beer to bread.
Big distillers are also cashing in on the demand for high-end booze. While revenues from sales of the cheapest, or "value," spirits decreased from 2005 to 2006, revenues from the most expensive spirits, called "super premiums," jumped nearly 19 percent during the same period, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, a trade group that represents mostly large, mainstream distillers.
Revenues from sales of super-premium vodka jumped the most more than 43 percent a figure sure to catch the attention of distillers because vodka, based on sales, is the most popular spirit in the country.
The heightened demand is partially due to more exposure to high-end spirits at tastings and other venues, and a national resurgence of "cocktail culture" where booze "mixologists" generate the same sort of excitement as top-level chefs, said Shawn Kelley, spokeswoman for the council.
"People aren't drinking more," she said. "They're drinking better."
Winemaking states such as California and Oregon lead the microdistilleries pack, but increasingly the endeavor is moving to the country's midsection. Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Colorado all have what Owens calls "craft distillers."
When Seth Fox started a distillery in Kansas 1 1/2 years ago _ the first distillery in the state since the 1880s _ he figured he might be able to sell up to 1,500 cases of his Most Wanted Vodka. He sold double that, and has since branched out to produce other spirits. He uses Kansas grain to make the vodka.
"Kansas? Vodka? People don't believe me," Fox said.
Microdistilleries like his have popped up despite a mishmash of state and local laws that in some cases haven't been reformed since Prohibition and can take more than a year to navigate before operators get a permit, Owens said.
The government arm that regulates alcohol in Nebraska does not view the potential for microdistilleries as a threat. Hobert Rupe, director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, said the interest in niche liquors is simply the third step in an alcohol evolution marked by more consumer interest in high-end, locally made products.
First it was beer, then wine and now spirits, Rupe said.
"You're seeing people go higher end, the idea of going local is appealing," he said.
====================
___

To obtain a distilled spirits permit go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/index.shtml
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--To obtain TTB list of DSPs go to: http://www.ttb.gov/foia/distillerpermits.xls..
=====================

--To obtain TTB statistics on distilling go to:
www.ttb.gov then scroll down to "spirits" and then the "year".
=====================

--To obtain Distilled Spirits Laws and Regulations go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/spirits_regs.shtml
=====================

--To obtain label regulations go to: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam.shtml distilled spirits manual circular.

=======================

The Virtual Absinthe Museum
An extensive reference collection of original artifacts documenting every aspect of the history of La Fee Verte, from its use as a medicinal elixir in ancient times, to its heyday as a fashionable aperitif in the 19th century and its prohibition at the beginning of the 20th.

CVI Brands
1025 Tanklage Road, Unit F
San Carlos, CA 94070
65-595-1768
CVI Is interested in new products from microdistillers.
Contact: Paul Joseph
civibrands@sbcglobal.net
=================== ========

Back Issues of 2005 Newsletters

The book: Making Pure Corn Whiskey is available at:

http://www.home-distilling.com/ search.asp
======================