Old New Orleans Rum
The Sweet Spirit of New Orleans
By John BreerwoodI think it’s safe to say that sugar makes anything better – not much wouldn’t be. What makes sugar even sweeter is that quite possibly this city wouldn’t be much of anything without it. Before oil bled and tourism spread, sugarcane was a main commodity. And over the last 13 years, one local company is doing something new with this old economic staple: rum.
Granted, making rum isn’t a new thing, but for this city it is. In fact, at only 13 years old, the Old New Orleans Rum Distillery is the oldest operating rum distillery in America. In 1995, New Orleans-based artist John Michalopoulos founded Celebration Distillation along with the rum in the Lower Ninth. The following year, operations moved to an old cotton warehouse near the I-10/Elysian Fields Overpass. The red brick walls, stacked barrels, and an old sugar kettle for good measure all give the distillery a certain character… not to mention that heavenly aroma.
What makes Old New Orleans Rum unique is the way it’s made. Unlike most rum makers, they use actual molasses from Gramercy (not even a two hour drive from New Orleans). Shipping molasses is a hefty cost for other distillers to bear. “A lot of the islands use cane juice, but the most flavorful rums are made from molasses,” says distiller “Elvis” Karnowski (who ran a home-brew shop before ol’ K-bitch came along). “Molasses is a byproduct in processing sugar, and was once regarded as industrial waste.” One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, for lack of a better cliché.
The distillation is no simple process. Once the two magic ingredients of all alcohol (yeast and water) are added, a “wash,” or a molasses beer (which just screams hangover), ferments in large tanks for three days. Then it goes to the pot still, or the “stripper still” (which seems like a good name for a backwoods gentlemen’s club). The pot still heats the wash and extracts the alcoholic vapor before cooling it down to a separated, more stable liquid after another three days. Then the column still separates the different types of alcohols (ethanol, wood, methanol, etc.) It also separates the “heads” (product at the beginning of distillation) from the “hearts” (middle) and the “tails” (at end of the process). The heads reeked like nail polish remover (or Distiller’s Pride Vodka); the hearts were generally odorless; and the tails had an interesting, bourbony aroma. Karnowski says, “Small amounts of the tails give it character.” The alcohol is extracted from both the heads and tails. Eventually, they have what they call “white dog” rum, which is 187 proof at that point.
The rum then ages for several years in charred, white oak barrels purchased mainly from bourbon distilleries. Kentucky state law forbids the reuse of aging barrels for some odd reason. I’m sure the Kentucky coopers aren’t complaining, but neither is Old New Orleans Rum, since they sell for cheap. Aging in charred oak not only adds to the color and character of the rum, but also acts as a charcoal filter.
The light rum, however, does not age in charred oak. It is carbon filtered through a tube for 24 hours. Filtered air is then pumped through the rum for two days to remove harsh alcoholic odor, resulting in a softer, aromatic spirit. This is the Crystal, a very mild and smooth light rum great for cocktails.
The Amber rum is a blend of the light rum and the three-year aged rum. It is flavorful, leaves a soft feel on the palate and is great for sipping (either on the rocks or neat).
The Cajun Spice is an authentic spiced rum infused with cinnamon, fresh ginger, nutmeg, hickory, and cayenne. The distillery even makes its own caramel. Judging from the sweet flavor and zesty finish, I’d say coffee, eggnog, or perhaps Kahlua and milk for a “Cajun Russian” as the website suggests. Wait… a Cajun Russian? That’s gold for a rival sitcom for K-ville. That’s it, y’all… I’m off to be a Hollywood scab writer.
The 10-year-old rum is blended with everything aged 10 years or over, and has a very unique peaty taste and scotch quality about it. It is only available at the distillery.
Elvis’ own concoction, the Gingeroo, is an up-and-coming rum soda made with fresh ginger. It’s 10% alcohol and, if he hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known. It was absolutely delicious. But if you’re not careful, you can have that Hurricane experience and drink too many too quick. At least ginger is a natural remedy for upset stomach.
Fortunately, no heavy loss was dealt by the K-bitch we’ve all grown to love. The aging barrels were stored up high in the second floor of the warehouse, and were unaffected by the 8 feet of water. Their equipment was stainless steel, easily cleanable, and not coveted by the copper looters (as was the case of the Dixie Brewery). They only were out of business for one year.
They hold tastings at Martin’s Wine Cellar on Fridays from 12-2. Private parties are available. They also occasionally host a movie night with food and drinks. I was fortunate enough to go one evening while they showed the classic zombie flick Dead Alive, and what better time to have zombies (a mixed drink with rum and juices) and grilled ribs? Check the website www.neworleansrum.com, for other promotions. They are featured in the Tales of the Cocktail, and it’s the official rum of PyrateCon 2008, an annual April festival where hundreds of people dress like pirates and invade the Quarter, drink rum, and swordfight. How have I not heard of this? No pillage and plunder though. City Hall’s got that coined.
As of now, they distribute in South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and New York. They’ve won 7 medals so far in various competitions. When asked about future expansion, Elvis replied, “The purpose of this distillery is not to make lots of money. We’re more concerned with quality. If we expand for profit, we could lose that sense of craft.”
They’ve gone through many different label designs over the years, but owner Michalopoulos’ artwork is featured in the inside of the back label, giving it a nice bottle effect.
Take yourself for a tour and tasting. It’s real easy. Get off I-610 at Elysian Fields and turn right before the overpass on Abundance St. Then just follow the red rum signs. Now I understand that both those words together can have a frightening connotation; it sent chills up my arms just writing them. But I assure you the spirits you will encounter will have spice, smoothness, and much character. Simply: the spirit of New Orleans.