Beverage Supervisor Chase Lanier isn’t only a rum fanatic; he’s a “rummelier,” a title that displays his deep experience on the earth of rum.
Images by Sorry Charlie’s
Very like a sommelier guides visitors by means of wine, Lanier provides insights into rum’s various regional types, manufacturing strategies, and taste profiles. At The Bamboo Room in Savannah, Georgia, Lanier is redefining how we expertise this often-overlooked spirit.
Lanier’s journey into rum was born out of alternative. “Truthfully, it was all about circumstances. Sorry Charlie’s opened lots of doorways,” he shares. His time at The Bamboo Room Tiki Bar, the place his basic supervisor noticed his potential, allowed him the liberty to discover rum’s complexities. “That have gave me the area to dive deeper into rum,” Lanier explains.
With over 200 rums behind the bar, Lanier’s method to curating the gathering balances tried-and-true favorites with adventurous new choices. Whereas he’s a fan of established manufacturers like Foursquare and Ten to One, he additionally welcomes uncommon and funky bottles.
“Having that variety is a part of the enjoyable when visitors are available in – if they are saying they don’t like rum, then I can flip it round and present them a rum they could like as a result of we have now so many various taste profiles in home,” Lanier says.
To assist visitors discover their good rum, Lanier has developed a collection of questions based mostly on their preferences. For those who’re a bourbon drinker, he suggests Barbados rums like The Actual McCoy 12, identified for his or her complexity and spice notes. Tequila lovers will take pleasure in Blanc rums from Martinique, whereas these with a candy tooth can attempt Ron Zacapa Centenario. Lanier additionally highlights the “funky” Jamaican Hampden Property rum for adventurous visitors.
One false impression Lanier typically encounters is that rum is overly candy or solely appropriate for frozen seaside drinks. “Rum is far completely different than another spirit – the range and big selection of style and flavors that you just get out of rum units it aside,” he says.
“Particularly alongside tequilas or bourbon, if a visitor blind assessments rum, they could simply mistake it for an additional sort of spirit.”
Although tiki is a central theme at The Bamboo Room, Lanier’s cocktails transcend typical tiki fare. One standout creation was a rum-based Previous Original, made with mezcal, Japanese chili, lime bitters, and cherry wooden smoke, a deceptively easy drink with a fancy taste profile.
Lanier’s ardour for rum additionally extends to its historical past. He’s a self-proclaimed historical past nerd, and he gravitates towards merchandise with compelling backstories. However above all, he values the visitor expertise. “It’s about serving to somebody discover one thing they like and perhaps introducing them to a brand new favourite,” he explains.
Trying forward, Lanier is optimistic about rum’s future. He predicts that, very similar to tequila’s latest rise, rum will expertise the same surge in recognition.
“I feel the way forward for rum is large open,” Lanier says. “Rums that we’ve been carrying since day one are popping up in bars, and I count on to see them extra on cocktail menus in nice eating and chain eating places.”
Together with his deep information of the spirit and a laid-back, guest-first method, Lanier helps to shift perceptions round rum, one cocktail at a time. At The Bamboo Room, each pour tells a narrative, and because of Lanier’s ardour and palate, extra individuals are discovering that rum isn’t simply price sipping, however price celebrating.
