42: Diving into Boston Apothecary, the Internet's Deepest Rum Rabbit Hole (w/ Stephen Shellenberger)

In this episode, Stephen Shellenberger takes us on a deep dive into Boston Apothecary, his rum and spirits-focused blog that has become one of the largest digital repositories of historic research on rum production. We discuss:The origin story of Boston Apothecary The historical significance of Rafael Arroyo, and why Stephen is so fascinated with his workWhat’s the deal with “rum oil,” the aromatic body that Arroyo prized above all othersStephen’s presentation on grand arome rums at Lallemand and WIRSPA’s Alcohol School conference in JamaicaFission yeast in rumAnd a whole lot more!Relevant Links:Check out Boston Apothecary hereHere’s the “Top Ten Blog Moments in Rum” article mentioned in the show (a great starting place for exploring the blog)All of Arroyo’s available works online in one placeArroyo’s “The Aroma of Rum,” an excerpt from which is read during the showStephen’s presentation on grand arome rum (with annotated commentary) from Alcohol SchoolFurther reflections on the Alcohol School presentationAnother view on fission yeast from Richard Seale that is worth checking outStephen’s article on the single use glass issue in spirits mentioned at the end of the show