Rum Rules: Montanya Distillers’ Karen Hoskin

Today we’re discussing the rules of rum with Karen Hoskin, founder of Montanya Distillers, which produces some of the best rum in the country — right here in Crested Butte, Colorado. If you’re someone who hasn’t been all that into rum, this conversation will shed light on why you might have felt that way; explain why Karen doesn’t make Montanya’s rum the way that a lot of mainstream rum is produced; and is a pretty amazing crash course in the history of rum, rum culture, the longstanding tradition of “mountain rum”, and more. As you’ll hear, Karen not only has a lot of conviction about her own rules for rum making, but she has a number of deeply held principles that extend well beyond the craft of exceptional rum-making. TOPICS & TIMES: Turning Point: Dec 23, 1988 (3:25) Rum in the 2000's (8:55) Ways of Making Rum (13:28) ​​Rum & Louisiana Sugar Cane (20:47) Laws for US Sugar Cane (29:42) Why Distill in Colorado? (32:32) Advertising Rum & Environmental Concerns (36:46) Challenges of Making Great Rum (40:31) Montanya’s One-of-a-Kind Stil (44:04) Aging & Barreling (50:46) Montanya’s Staple Rums (58:31) RELATED LINKS Montanya Distillers: Where to Buy Blister Craft Collective Become a BLISTER+ Member SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Bikes & Big Ideas Off The Couch GEAR:30 Blister Podcast Happy Hour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.