Last but not Yeast
Offering bottled rum for sale to consumers requires the collaboration of many different groups of people. All of them may say that they are committed to the success of the brand, but in many cases they are simply involved.
Luis Ayala, Editor of "Got Rum?" magazine, Rum Consultant and Founder of The Rum University
Luis Ayala, Editor and Rum Consultant
Commitment and involvement are concepts that represent different levels of importance, dedication and consequences for the participants. One of the best analogies used to explain the juxtaposition is both humorous and pragmatic:
“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.”
Brand owners are financially committed, more so than any other group of people along the supply chain.
Sugarcane farmers, mill operators, distillery personnel, bottle and label suppliers and most others are usually just involved, but there is a whole community of individuals that, like the pig in the saying above, are committed to their death: yeast! Yeast colonies literally sacrifice their lives in the process of giving us the sought-after alcohol needed to quench our thirst and soothe our spirits.
Yeast is the cornerstone of all alcoholic beverages: it is responsible for the transformation of sugar into alcohol, yet many of its evolutionary transformations remain a mystery. This issue of “Got Rum?” marks the beginning of a new series devoted to the exploration of the mysterious and magical world of yeast.
As you reach for your next glass of rum, I hope you will pause for a moment to appreciate the evolutionary path that led to the modern yeast and to all the wonders we are able to enjoy thanks to its commitment to alcohol production.
Cheers,
Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher