From the Editor
Luis Ayala
I recently returned from teaching a rum course at Moonshine University in Kentucky, and am very pleased to have seen, once again, many of the bright minds behind the emerging craft distilleries that will shape the future of the industry.
At the beginning of my classes, it is always clear that many of the participants only see rum as a small part of their portfolios but, by the time the course is over, I usually manage to convert a large portion of them into “rum believers,” based on all the advantages I present to them, accompanied by abundant supporting data.
And this craft distilling trend is not unique to the USA: it is a common occurrence in a large proportion of the countries with an active craft spirits movement.
I particularly enjoy discussing with students all aspects of the sugarcane industry, from cultivation to harvest to processing. When they learn about the number of sugar mills that close each year around the world, the initial despair quickly turns into out-of-the-box thinking, and the ideas for the future survival of the industry start to pour in. Seeing this spirit of resiliency always reminds me of the poem “You Will Never See Me Fall” by Joyce Alcantara:
You may see me struggle,
but you won’t see me fall.
Regardless if I’m weak or not,
I’m going to stand tall.
Everyone says life is easy,
but truly living it is not.
Times get hard,
people struggle
and constantly get put on the spot.
I’m going to wear the biggest smile,
even though I want to cry. I’m going to fight to live,
even though I’m destined to die.
And even though it’s hard
and I may struggle through it all,
you may see me struggle...
but you will NEVER see me fall.
Cheers!
Luis Ayala,
Editor and Publisher
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant