Repair Your Barrels... and Your Health

by ,

From the Editors

As we reach the end of Q4 (“OND” for those in the trade), most rum craft distillers  around the world are faced with the challenge of refilling the barrels that were emptied during the rush to get products out the door.  Q4 is, after all, when most distillers earn the income they need to get out of the proverbial “red” so they can hopefully end the year with a profit.

While it may be tempting to start re-filling barrels right away, this is the perfect time to check them for damage and to repair/tighten them as needed.

It is also the perfect time to look at your own health and to perform similar maintenance: is your blood pressure high?  What about your cholesterol level?  Do your teeth need to be checked? 

Industry people know that regular maintenance and attention to detail are essential to operate a distillery or cellar, but often neglect to apply the same principle to their own health or the health of those around them.

As you reach for your hoop driver, splices and wedges, be mindful of what tools and implements your body may need to function better.  Most craft spirits people I know could benefit from weekly chiropractic adjustments and daily vitamin supplements (you can’t survive on Red Bull alone!).

After the sugarcane harvest is complete, the soil is cleaned; it is also amended with nutrients and prepared for the following growing season.  Metaphors like this abound around us, so I invite you to come up with your own seasonal restoration and rejuvenation practice.

So get your distillery and your health in order and sit back and enjoy the well-deserved fruits of your labor.  Be proud that your products are helping consumers celebrate the joys of the season.

Happy holidays to all our readers, from the entire “Got Rum?” team and from the countless people who make rum possible around the world!

Cheers,

Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant