Blog - Moonshine University

8 Food & Drink Pairings For Rum

September 22nd, 2021

Written by Jephonie Villegas, Content Manager at Advanced Mixology

Rum is a type of alcohol distilled from sugar cane. It has been consumed for centuries because it’s an alcoholic drink that can be obtained cheaply and in bulk, making it historically appealing to produce on small islands with few resources.

While it’s true that a rum’s source material must derive from sugar cane, other limitations do not necessarily apply: standards are only set by the product’s country of origin. Because the category lacks the same restrictions as a Bourbon or whiskey, it’s no surprise that rum has evolved to be one of the most versatile spirits in the world.

This liquor typically contains about 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof), but strengths vary at different stages as they are refined until the final product reaches its desired state (such as dark rum containing over 50% ABV).

Let’s discuss how to have the best experience when drinking rum, including what types of food and drink pair well with it.

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New Standardized Global Bottle Size: 700ml Now Permitted In The US

September 8th, 2021

Submitted by ByQuest. Story originally published at byquest.com.

In case you missed it, the TTB recently announced several changes for the permitted bottle sizes allowed in the US. Most notably was the inclusion of the 700ml bottle, the global bottle size. And no, for everyone reading this in the US, that isn’t a typo. In addition to the current US standard 750ml bottle, the 700ml format is now also an acceptable retail size.

While 750ml bottles are the standard for wine bottles across the world, outside of the US the majority of distilled spirits are sold in the 700ml format. This change aligns the US with all other major distilling countries and will impact a producer’s go-to-market strategy and long-term planning. There are a few key changes that ByQuest sees coming from this addition, both for US and international distillers.

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How to Showcase Your Spirits Through Cocktails

August 11th, 2021

Written by Dan Callaway, Vice President – Hospitality & Product Development, Bardstown Bourbon Company

There’s no shame in using your favorite Bourbon to make a Manhattan, in dissolving the implied separation between top shelf and cocktail pours. In fact, some of my favorite drinks celebrate their base spirit; they enliven core flavors and build structure around an existing profile, ultimately creating something original.

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No, Hard Seltzer Isn’t Dead—Here’s Why

August 4th, 2021

Written by Scott Rosenbaum, Ah So Insights. Originally published here.

Recent reports of the death of hard seltzer are greatly exaggerated. Here are three articles that show the media’s prioritization of eye-catching, “punny” headlines over accuracy: “Hard seltzer boom goes flat,” “Hard seltzer slump hits hard,” and “In focus: Is the hard seltzer boom starting to fizzle out?”

A casual perusal of these and other headlines would leave one with the seemingly innocuous takeaway—“hard seltzer: it was an interesting fad while it lasted.” However, this is an inaccurate picture of what’s actually going on as “the hard seltzer sector continues to grow apace in absolute terms.” So, let’s break down how this happened and how the concept of overfitting explains why we mistake headlines for news…

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5 Tips for Building Better Wine & Spirits Brands

July 28th, 2021

Written by Scott Rosenbaum, Ah So Insights. Originally published here.

Humans are creatures of habit. The heuristics (or mental shortcuts) we use to guide our decisions are so consistent across large populations that, given certain circumstances, human behavior is relatively predictable.¹

There are numerous models of heuristics, but what is implicitly baked into every one is the notion that people prefer to use as little mental energy as possible when making a choice. Thinking is work. Decisions fatigue us.² This is especially true when it comes to shopping—when offered too many choices, people freak out.

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Lock, Stock & Barrel; Going All In With Your Cooper

July 14th, 2021

Written by Shelley Sackier, Director of Distillery Education, Reservoir Distillery

I could write countless articles on the topic of flavor. I could say that as we understand the term today, an easy formula to define it would be scent + taste = flavor.

Or I could argue that biologically speaking, flavor isn’t determined only within the oral and nasal cavities; rather it includes parts of the brain, as well as a person’s sensory memories, personalized palate, and other internalizations. Really, I like to think of the equation for flavor as a list of five ingredients: we’ll keep scent and taste, but we’ll also add a dash of touch, past experiences, and expectations. Now that’s flavor.

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The Seven P’s Of Selling Wine & Spirits

June 30th, 2021

Written by Scott Rosenbaum, Ah So Insights. Originally published here.

What can wine and spirits brands learn from literature? Well, here’s a hint—this one’s brought to you by the letter, P.

There exists a certain thread of literary analysis that strives to summarize storytelling. From Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces to Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, a number of critics, academics, and philosophers have recognized that the narratives we share is built around similar basic structures. Despite their details, stories usually fit into broad archetypes: the epic quest, the rags-to-riches tale, the yarn about overcoming a monster, and so on.

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A Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Cuban Cigars

June 16th, 2021

Written by David Smith, Creative Content Manager, True Fronto

From Winston Churchill to Groucho Marx, Cuban cigars have played an important role in global society and have even been portrayed as the height of luxury—sound like something else you know? It should, because the world has found whiskey equally alluring. The two have been paired together for centuries with great results.

When combined correctly, the aromatic flavors of each blend beautifully to create a luxurious sensorial experience. If you’re new to matching up your favorite Cubans with whiskey—or new to Cuban cigars in general—you’ve come to the right place. This brief guide will provide you with some insights into the art and history of cigar-making and how you can use this knowledge to create the ideal pairing for your palate and preferences.

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6 Questions For Proper Distillery Boiler Maintenance

June 2nd, 2021

Written by Cliff Jacobson, CEO, Spray Chem; Business & Engineering, Burnt Barn Distilling Co.

The steam your boiler creates is the driving force behind your entire operation. It’s what allows you to turn your raw materials into barrels of Bourbon.

Steam boilers only have one job—turning water into steam. This steam is then used to cook and add moisture to the mash while providing heat for your stills. Sounds simple: bring in the water, heat it up, turn it into steam, and replace the lost water with more water. But, if your boiler goes down, then you lose your ability to create your product and your business suffers.

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