Dept. of Recognition: Rum Fest Houston registers...

[Capn Jimbo]

You know you have arrived...


...when a "Rum Fest" attempts to register at your website. Now Big Burr, The Preacher, The Rum Queen and the Badassitor of Rum know better, but this was a new one, ie Rum Fest Houston. Naturally I was intritigued, and wandered over to their website, and noted their listed sponsors included Captain Morgan and Zacapa. Now you know what was next, don't you now. Yup, one of my patent pending emails setting things right, or left as you will...

To whom it may concern:

With all due respect, it's fair to say that you must not be familiar with The Rum Project, perhaps the largest and most active completely independent and non-commercial rum website on the net. We are home to about a quarter million lovers of fine rum each month. The Rum Project is completely dedicated to pure and unadulterated rums. We stand against the widespread alteration of the many rums that contain all manner of unlabeled additives such as sugar, glycerol, artificial flavorings and the like. Few if any rums are bonded, thus age statements mean little.

The Big Three - Bacardi, Diageo and Fortune are recipients of hundreds of millions of dollars of US taxpayer subsidies annually, to the extent that many Caribbean rums are being crushed by these entities, and the control they exert over distributors and the like. Sadly, rum "fests" have been a significant part of the problem, as they tend to promote the
garbage being promoted as rum, with rums like Captain Morgan being Exhibit A.

Accordingly, I consider your registration and interest self-serving. Surely you have no real interest in The Project, beyond offering an avenue to promote your own commercial event, which we consider destructive to our goal, namely to Save Caribbean Rum, against the likes of the Big Three and events such as yours.

Had your interest been sincere, you would have registered and participated at The Project long, long ago.

Still, it is entirely possible I may be wrong, easily proven: if you demonstrate a sincere interest in Caribbean rums (see link below), and promise to promote our petition to "Save Caribbean Rum" insofar as your event, we will accept your registration and support your fest - and vice versa. It may interest you to know that the petition has been signed by Dave Broom, Carl Kanto, Beachbum Berry, and others. It is linked by Foursquare (Seales) and many others. Your move...

Cordially,
Capn Jimbo
The Rum Project and Forum
http://rumproject.com/rumforum/

The gauntlet was now thrown and quite frankly I expected either no reply, or a short nasty one. Now not only did I get a response, but one which I never, ever would have expected. Stay tuned...

[da'rum]

Tease

[Capn Jimbo]

OK, OK...


Enough tease. In short succession I received the following:

"Hi Capn Jimbo,

I am more for the saving of Caribbean Rum Spirits than you know. This is the purpose of the event: to expose the community and abroad of the amazing history, culture and beauty of Caribbean rum. That's why it's called the CARIBBEAN RumFest and not just the RumFest. We want people to know that the Caribbean has EVERYTHING to do with Rum than people really know.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of funding, availability, and support of the Caribbean rums in the US, we must open our doors to all to help reach our financial goal required for this event. I hope this will not always be the case.

I would like to join your forum to not only let people know about my event and seek additional support from TRUE CARIBBEAN RUM LOVERS but to also stay enlightened on what's going on in the Rum community.

I appreciate your passion for Caribbean Rum and the insane disparity that exists. It's refreshing to meet someone with the same mindset.

Please take a look at the event, my website http://www.kingstonsrumbar.com, and the YouTube station that includes a visual poem about the Caribbean RumFest. Cheers!"

Cris Stennett
Caribbean RumFest, Foundress and Director
http://www.youtube.com/rumfesthouston"

I checked these links and learned that this is really quite a new and young fest that is rum by a Jamaican couple who also owns a reggae and rum bar. I was softening. Soon thereafter I received this email:

"Hi Cap'n Jimbo,

Would you and your colleagues be interested in have an informational booth at the Caribbean RumFest to help spread your message and increase signage of your petition? I think it would be a great addition and well needed component of the event. Please let me know if you are interested and I will send you more information. Cheers!"

I of course responded, noted that The Project is a free and independent labor of love and although we could not afford (or man) a table, we would be willing to provide flyers or handouts, a proposition to which Cris was agreeable. And no surprise, I also learned that the Big Three dominate distribution in Texas, making it difficult for the bar and fest to find Caribbean sponsors and rums.

What you have here is a relatively new event run by a Jamaican couple that hopes to promote the Caribbean lifestyle, reggae and Caribbean rum. And who like us, lacks the support of the Big Three.

Accordingly, their registration was approved.

[da'rum]

Good stuff. I wish them all the success in the world.

[Dai]

Sounds very good so far!