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The RumBro brings you a gathering of the curious, excited & enlightened in the Rum Industry and Rum Spirits Category. The Craft Rum Industry now represents a new era in the Craft Spirits Market with exceptional growth over the last 4 years.

The talented innovation, daring and mastery of these individuals are the driving force behind a movement which has made Craft Rum at large the most dynamic opportunity in Southern Africa. With the growing offerings being encouraged, conceived and produced from these manufacturers it becomes essential for a showcase and a meeting point to be arranged – a gathering of the curious and the enlightened to taste and test the fruits of their endeavours.

The SA RUM JURY Industry Enrichment Conference is a one-day Industry focused event.  The most respected and knowledgeable connoisseurs coming together across the day to learn, share and celebrate this Category.

You are invited to partake in a diverse array of Rums from around Southern Africa and are encouraged to savour the spirits and cocktails with Industry Experts

08:30-9:30Coffee and Accreditations

09:30-09:40Introduction South African RUM JURY and Industry Enrichment Conference – Andrew Kiloh – The RumBro

09:40 – 10:00 Rum Classifcations – Towards a new and more descriptive system – The RumBro

10:00-10:45 “South African Rum Market: Laws, Facts, Numbers – Sibonelo Njoko DAFF

10:45-11:00Tea 15 mins

11:00– 11.45 The Largest Rum Company in the world that you don’t know about – Hein E&A Scheer

11:45– 12:30 “Threats and Opportunities to Craft Distillers.” – Hendre Barnard SACDI and Real Craft Certification

12:30-13:15 “Yeast Diversity and Congener Production ” and/or “Nutritional management in the fermentation process to optimize the organoleptic profile of distillates” Jonathan Miles – Lallemand

13:15-14:00 Lunch 45 mins

14:00-14:45“Growing Cane, Fermentation and Distillation of Single Estate Single Sugarcane Rum – (Cane to Colon) Sugar Baron

14:45 15:30 “Evolution of Rum – What is Rum Agricole and AOC” Jacques Botha

15:30-16:15 “Deconstructing the Solera Method” – Carrie Adams

16:15-16:30Tea 15 mins

16:30-17:15 “Cocktails and Rum” Julian Short

17:15-18:00 “Training the next crop of Mixologists/Liquid Chefs/Bar peeps” Stephanie Millward

18:00South African RUM JURY Awards Presentation. Closing comments – Industry Enrichment Seminars – Andrew Kiloh – The RumBro

SA Rum Jury Networking Opportunity

Flairing/Cocktail Competition Stephanie, Mia, Peter, Keegan, Lionel et al

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COMPETITION OBJECTIVES
• Promote and increase the awareness of Sugarcane based Rum products in Southern Africa.
• Increase awareness of the Rum production process amongst Trade and Consumers.
• Assist Consumers and Trade in how to distinguish and enjoy the best Rums from around the World.
• Showcase and highlight “Best in Class” Companies and Brands in the Rum industry.

CATEGORIES
The Event Organiser will be recognising Winners and presenting Awards in the Categories outlined below. It is the responsibility of each Company to indicate the correct Category for each Entry. The Category indicated in the on-line process needs to be consistent with the information contained on the labels and/or promotional information for each Rum. The basic Categories for the Competition are as follows:

PURE SINGLE RUM – Molasses + 100% Batch (POT) Still Distillation
This is a Molasses-based Rum from a Single Distillery/Estate, and distilled only from a Pot Still. (“batch” distillation)

PURE SINGLE SUGARCANE RUM – Sugarcane Juice + 100% Batch (POT) Still Distillation
This is a Sugarcane Juice Rum from a Single Distillery/Estate using their own Sugarcane, and distilled only from a Pot Still. (“batch” distillation)

SINGLE BLENDED – Blend of Traditional Column and Pot Still

TRADITIONAL RUM – Traditional Column Still Distillation

MODERN RUM – Modern / Industrial Multi-Column Distillation

A.O.C. MARTINIQUE RHUM AGRICOLE – Martinique Rum has its own classification.

Legend
Pure = 100% Pot Still Rum   Single = Single Distillery   A.O.C. = Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

Cachaca
Cachaca Un-aged / Cachaca Aged

Spiced Rum Spirit Aperitif with variants based on Alcohol strength
Fruit Flavored Rum Spirit Aperitif with variants based on Alcohol strength

Overproof Rum (Alcohol Strength; = 65% ABV or 130 Proof)

RTD ((Ready To Drink)

Rum Cream (Lactose base)

AWARDS AND SCORING

AWARDS
Members of the Judging Panel will taste all the Rum Products blindly, arranged by fleets based on Classification and Category. The scores will be collected and tabulated by a Registered Independent Auditor who will certify the scores and the Judging process.
Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals and or Certificates will be Awarded to the Rums that score the requisite points in each Category. The Rum with the highest score in each Category will also receive a “Best in Category” Award and the overall highest score across Categories will receive a “Best on Show” award.

SCORING
96-100; Superlative (Double Gold Medal)
90-95; Exceptional;(Gold Medal)
85-89; Highly Recommended   (Silver Medal)
80-84; Recommended   (Bronze Medal)
less than 80 Not Recommended   (No Medal)

All Double Gold and Gold Medal winners will be allocated shelf space at all Norman Goodfellows stores countrywide for 6 months from 1 March 2020 to 31 August 2020

A FEW WORDS
SELECTION OF JUDGING PANEL
The Rum Competition Convenor, Mr. Andrew Kiloh – The RumBro – will select the Judging Panel. The mission of the Convenor is to ensure the integrity of the Competition, whilst guaranteeing that the Products submitted are held anonymously. The Convenor approves the opening of the second Product Bottle if necessary. The Convenor approves the opening of the next Product Bottle for entrance into the “Best on Show” Category.
The Convenor secretly documents the scoring and feedback from Judges. These results will be held under lock and key until the Industry Enrichment Conference to be held on the 28th January 2020. Winners will then have the opportunity of using the 2020 award labels for the entire year.

CONDITIONS
The labelling of all Rum Product entries must comply with the Rum Tasting Competition – General Rules and Regulations.
The labelling of all Rum Product entries must comply with current Country of origin Manufacturing Laws.
The labelling of all Rum Products must comply with South African Import Regulations.

REGISTRATION
Confirm Registration by completing the on-line Registration Form.
The Registration process must be completed for each individual Product/Entry.
All entries must present 2 (two) Product Bottles for the Judges to evaluate.
Entries will be accepted and included in the Competition if Registration is completed and the Products are physically received before 23rd  November 2019

COMPETITION RULES
PARTICIPATION
Once an Entry has been submitted and paid, it is understood that the participant has read, understood and accepted the South African Rum Jury – Rum Tasting Competition Guidelines. Once Registered the Event Organiser will not reimburse the Registration Fee and/or expenses incurred in sending Products or presenting paperwork.

COMPETITION RULES
The Rum Tasting Competition is open to all Rum Brands from all Countries around the World. There is no limit to how many Rum Products can be entered into the Rum Tasting Competition by the same Company, but each Rum Product must be Registered separately. Each Registration Form must be completed on-line by an authorised Representative of the Brand, guaranteeing that the Rum was produced only from fermented Sugarcane Juice or its derivatives. 

Products made from Beet Molasses, Sorghum or Corn Syrup will not be allowed in this Competition.

The same Rum Product will not be allowed in two or more different Categories.

Rum Products must be commercially available – not necessarily only in South Africa.

Rum Products submitted with labels lacking a Commercial Barcode and/or Distributor or Importer information will not be allowed.
The Event Organiser reserves the right to test the Rum Products submitted against those available through Liquor Stores.

REGISTRATION AND SHIPMENT OF PRODUCT BOTTLES
All Brands/Variants interested in participating in the South African Rum Jury 2019 – Rum Tasting Competition must register on www.rumjury.co.za
Once the on-line registration is completed and approved, all participants must comply with all the Rules, Regulations and Guidelines of the Rum Tasting Competition in order to be included in the Judging and Awarding process.

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Rum connoisseur interview of the week:

ANDY KILOH, aka The RumBro

 A ‘Bon-Vivant’, lover of rum and the ‘Rum Ambassador for South Africa’.

1) Who is Andy Kiloh, aka The RumBro?

I am a bon vivant, lover of life, who has always enjoyed family and friends and how alcohol can bring people and friends together. As with most South African men, I started with Beer.  As I grew up it developed into Wine and yes I did follow the usual pathway that many, if not most of us have done, namely sweetish white Wines gradually moving into drier white Wines, before being able to really enjoy a good red Wine.

Gout moved me out of the Wine environment and into the Whisky one, which became a passion for many years, culminating in spending time at Bruichladdich Distillery, on the island of Islay Scotland and learning to make whisky – very particularly Single Malt Whiskies.  It was a revelation being able to spend quality and very particularly face to face time with an icon of the Whisky industry, Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich.  His incredible knowledge, enthusiasm, and love of Whisky are inspiring and I must thank him for teaching us how to properly TASTE Whisky as opposed to DRINKING Whisky.

I’ve spent many weekends and weeks across numerous years, doing Wine Shows, Wine, and Whisky Tastings and have passionately engaged with people in developing their tastes for the “good things in life”.  One of my ambitions has always been to develop a brand specific to our market.  Kiloh’s Single Malt Whisky is a reality with a 12-year-old Single Barrel Single Malt about to be launched.  South Africa has lived through the Premiumisation of Whisky, Vodka, and Gin and we are about to bring the Premiumisation of Rum to Africa.

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival opened my eyes and brought home the fact that we are deprived in South Africa of really good Rum and a “sipping” culture when it comes to really great Rums and of access to really good Rum in general.

2) What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen? 

I have always been a lover of fine Whiskies and am a Single Malt Ambassador from the Bruichladdich Academy on Islay.  Just over a year ago, we joined my daughter at a New Year’s party with some of her friends.  As is my want – I took a bottle of Single Malt Whisky along for the Hogmanay Toast at midnight.  This is the usual thing that happens at a summer party in South Africa, we had a few too many Beers and eventually, our host decided that we were going to taste from some of the collection of Rums that he had bought over the last few years.  My memories of Rum were – just like many of us – about plenty of cheap spirits, some coke and ice and get as drunk as you could, before waking the next day with a hangover of note. In for a penny – in for a pound – let’s do it.  Out came a few glasses, Rum poured in, ice added and topped up with coke – again!  After the 3rd one, I was informed that the host had actually paid over a hundred pounds (GBP) for that particular bottle! Wow! There must be something to this stuff, so I took out the Single Malt Whisky and proceeded to teach the guys how to taste Whisky. They were suitably impressed and then decided that we should apply the same tasting technique to the Rums. That was it!!!  We suddenly realized the value of the Rum we were tasting and what fine spirits they were.

About a month later, Frank and I were talking about Rum, Rum opportunities and what a new company might look like.  During the researching of the industry, we came across the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.  We decided that I was going to go to the show, meet the industry and see if anyone was interested in sending their product into the African Market.  We decided that the worst that could happen, was that I was going to have a great holiday in Miami and the best that could happen, was that Rum producers would be interested and that we would be able to develop a great Rum Distributor.

3) The biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry.  

Building The RumBro into his own persona. Through this, I have become the self-appointed Rum Ambassador for South Africa, for our Craft distillers and our Cocktail Bar staff who help to make everyone’s life just a little better every day.

4) What is that thing that makes you want to continue in the rum industry?

Everything that is mentioned in this little story, brings new exciting ventures.

5) Favorite Drink + Recipe

Most great Rum cocktails that are properly prepared.  My own Dark ‘n Stormy is probably the one drink that I go to more than others, but then we have a rather warm climate – and I love Ginger Beer.

6) Where do you see the rum industry today and in the next 5 years? 

The South African Rum category is minuscule and has been kept alive by the Captain, Red Heart and a bit of Bacardi. We have a few craft distillers starting out in manufacturing Rum and the industry is on the cusp of a resurgence. We are after all a great sugar producing country with vast tracts of land covered in sugar cane and a tropical climate. That makes for good Rum. Our market has become jaded with Wine Tastings, Brandy Tastings, and Whisky Tastings. Craft Gin is going through a good growth curve and Rum has a blank canvas to work with.

7) Share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have helped you.

The passion of the Burr’s at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival was probably the first to help me get excited. Richard Seale, Luca Gargano, and Bailey Pryor are phenomenal lights in the industry and of course the indomitable Ian Burrell.  Just about everyone that I have met in this industry has been fantastic and incredibly passionate about Rum!

8) What 3-5 things do you have on your bucket list for the next 12 month?

1. A Rum Fair for South Africa and a commitment from the manufacturers to grow the Rum category.
2. Show the world what South African Rum is about.
3. Assist our Rum manufacturers in exporting their products to the world at large.

9) Any final thoughts?

We have a sophisticated market as well as a naive market in South Africa.  This dichotomy is part of the excitement that will keep us growing and keep Rum growing for many years to come.

10) How can people learn more about you? Website? Social Media Page?

We have a web page which is a little static at the moment but is undergoing a revamp and should soon be wowing everyone who visits us at www.therumbro.co.za

We do also have a Facebook page The RumBro, that shows off a lot of the building of a persona for this Rum industry.

I also have my own Facebook page Andy Kiloh and a Linkedin presence andykiloh.

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https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/09/whisky-exchange-rum-sales-grow-faster-than-gin/

Retailer The Whisky Exchange has seen Rum sales increase by 165% over the last three months, marking the first summer in five years the spirit has seen higher growth than Gin.

The Whisky Exchange sells more than 500 Rums, with more than 50 expressions added in the last year alone.

Earlier this year, the company released a new classification system for rum online to give consumers a better understanding of the category.

It divides different rum styles into categories based on flavour profiles and production methods, rather than colours such as white, gold and dark.

Dawn Davies MW, head buyer for The Whisky Exchange, said: “We’re very excited to see this dramatic increase as rum is one of the most dynamic spirits categories out there at the moment.

“We’re seeing more consumers searching for what we’d call ‘Sipping Rums’, meaning gone are the days when Rum was reserved for a Mojito.

“Artisan distilleries, independent bottlers and big brands playing with production methods and ageing has increased the desire to sip Rum instead of only mix it.”

Furthermore, the wholesale arm of The Whisky Exchange business, Speciality Drinks, has seen the on-trade demand for Rum, including bars and restaurants, rise by 62% during the same period.

Earlier this month, Elixir Distillers, created by The Whisky Exchange co-founders Sukhinder Singh and Rajbir Singh, launched a new Rum: Black Tot.

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Once again I have had many people asking about the Rum and the fact that “it has no rules so anything goes………”

These statements cannot be further from the truth ! Just over a year ago I posted an article stating the wording from the LIQUOR PRODUCTS ACT 60 OF 1989 as amended until 2015.

Part 1 deals with the PRODUCTION and COMPOSITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and quoted hereunder;

19. Requirements for rum [7 (1) (b); 27 (1) (a)]

(1) Rum shall –

(a) be produced by the distillation of –

(i) fermented sugar cane juice;

(ii) fermented, undiluted sugar cane molasses, or fermented sugar cane molasses, which has been diluted with water; or

(iii) fermented, undiluted sugar cane syrup, which has been produced in the manufacturing of cane sugar, or fermented, with water diluted, sugar cane syrup, which has been produced in the manufacturing of cane sugar,

at less than 96 per cent alcohol per volume, irrespective of whether sugar cane leaves or fruit have been added thereto;

[Para. (a) substituted by GN R555/2009] (b) have the distinctive taste and aroma which is characteristic of rum and which is clearly distinguishable from that of cane spirit or another class of spirit; and

[Para. (b) substituted by GN R77/2006]

(c) have an alcohol content of at least 43 percent.

(2) The volatile constituents in rum shall be at least 30 gram per hectolitre absolute alcohol.

[Subreg. (2) substituted by GN R77/2006]

(3) The volatile constituents other than water, of rum shall be derived solely from sugar cane.

[Reg. 19 substituted by GN R1695/95]

Concerning the use of sugar, the following will apply;

56. Control over the receipt, keeping and use of certain substances [27 (1) (b)]

(1) No person shall receive, keep or use any sugar, excluding a product of the vine, or a preparation or compound of such sugar, at premises where a liquor product is produced, except under the following circumstances and subject to the following conditions:

(a) A separate room or store shall be available at that premises for the keeping of such sugar, preparation or compound.

(b) Such sugar, preparation or compound shall immediately after the receipt thereof at that premises be placed in the room or store referred to in paragraph (a).

(c) Such room or store shall be locked or secured at all times in order that access thereto can only be obtained by or through –

(i) the person in charge of the production of liquor products at the premises concerned; or

(ii) a person placed in charge of that room or store by the person referred to in subparagraph (i).

(d) Such sugar, preparation or compound shall only be removed, from that room or store for the purposes of the addition thereof to a liquor product in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.

Table 6 of the Act stipulates what substances may be added to the Rum (Spirits) produced.

In short the definition for Rum is a spirit distilled at less than 96 percent and bottled at a minimum of 43%.

The only material that may be used is fermented sugar cane juice; fermented, undiluted sugar cane molasses, or fermented sugar cane molasses which has been diluted with water; or fermented, undiluted sugar cane syrup, which has been produced in the manufacturing of cane sugar, or fermented, with water diluted sugar cane syrup, which has been produced in the manufacturing of cane sugar. That’s it !

The only additives that may be used is sugar to sweeten the final product to a maximum of 1g/L, Caramel, Water and Wood.

There is no aging requirement in the Act at all.

The bottom line is that there are definite rules in South Africa for the manufacture of Rum. We may not all obey those rules but we do so at our own peril. The DAFF inspectorate is quite good at checking out the products manufactured – as are our Excise Inspectors.

Let the manufacturer beware……

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