In this episode, we sat down with Jason Zeno of Porchjam Distillery / Cheramie Rum to take us inside one of the most interesting up-and-coming American rum distilleries out there right now. Located in New Orleans, they're making a significant volume of fresh cane juice rum that's beginning to trickle its way into several markets across the U.S., and have some exciting aged releases coming up as well. We talked to Zeno about:
How he went from making whiskey for Beam-Suntory to making cane juice rum in Louisiana
Their long journey to finding a source of fresh cane juice
The perils of trucking fresh cane juice in from two hours away
The upcoming harvest season
Their multi-faceted approach to aging
Why they make 3 different types of cane juice rum
The broader landscape of Louisiana rum
The status of a regional designation for Louisiana rum
Winning over more drinkers for cane juice rum
Pearl Jam, somehow
And much more!
If you want to learn more about Cheramie, you can check out the interview Will did with Zeno back in 2021 for deeper details into their production process.
P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.