Name the Rum

The Sydney Rum Club have an interesting little contest going at the moment. They have turned their hand to making Rum, and have produced a barrel of the stuff to help Sydney’s drinking public to understand the process of making and aging the sugar spirit. You can purchase a share of the barrel for $50, getting you access to tasting as the Rum ages and a personalized bottle at the end of 12 months when the Rum is deemed ready. If you want a shot at saving yourself $50, you can submit a name for the Rum, and win yourself a share. Send in your names to rharris@intermedia.com.au and get in the draw.

I’ve submitted an entry.

Governor’s Downfall.

Rum has been a part of the Sydney tradition for as long as european settlement. By the start of the 1800’s,  free settlement was creating pressure for the Australian penal colony to be treated as a partner in Britannia’s realm. The Governor, William Bligh, failed to convince her Majesty’s Treasury to provide appropriate currency to provide liquidity to the fledging economy. A barter economy quickly developed, teasing development outside the mandate and tax system, culminating in the Rum Rebellion and the early demise of Governor Bligh.

In 2009, New South Welshmen are once again faced by a crisis of liquidity, and while one barrel might not be enough to bring about open rebellion it should at very least soothe the tensions.