A Sarasota Cocktail

The American Cocktail and its producers are having a resurgence. One of the most important base spirits used in many cocktails is rum. It’s very important to use a premium one, and we are fortunate in Sarasota to have a distiller intent on making the best rum possible: Troy Roberts of Siesta Key Rum.
 

Troy Roberts explaining the distilling process.

Troy Roberts is a local guy who graduated from Riverview High School, but he didn’t intentionally set out to become a rum maker. He always had the entrepreneurial spirit (pun intended), from starting his own frozen yogurt shop at age 19 to creating a very successful Internet car enthusiast website that was bought out by the “big boys.” In between he traveled the corporate world as an IT guy, but found that he would rather be his own boss and set his own hours. After successfully selling his website business, he looked around for a new venture and settled on rum because not only was it something he enjoyed, but he saw a niche for high-quality rum, much like the niche of the microbrewery industry.
 

The chemistry of rum.

Troy does not need Siesta Key Rum to be the biggest brand, only the best. Since 2007, he has patiently reworked his recipe. Although not certified organic, he uses Florida organic molasses and sugar as his base. He’s committed to using local ingredients as much as possible, and has searched for the best equipment from a filtering system for neutralizing our wonderful sulfur-rich Sarasota water to uniquely designed copper distillery containers. The containers are items of beauty. He designed one that has nine portals, so that the alcohol vapors have a multitude of opportunities to make contact with the copper, which removes the harsh elements and helps to give his rum its smooth finish.
 

Jim Roberts: Why retire when one can make rum?

Although Troy started out producing non-aged white rum, he has recently purchased American oak casks in various sizes where he can age it. He says that due to the Florida heat, rum ages much faster here, and that he will soon be able to release a rum that, for smooth finish, color and quality, easily competes with the long-aged spirits produced in colder climates. He’s also experimenting with creating spiced rum.

The Drum Circle Distillery, which produces Siesta Key Rum, is truly a family affair. Troy says he couldn’t have created it without his father, who installed much of the equipment. Jim Roberts, a retired pilot, perched on a ladder 18 feet above the ground working on a malfunctioning valve saying, “Who wants to play golf or go fishing in retirement, when one can have this!” Troy’s father puts in a tremendous number of hours, but so does the rest of the family, including Troy’s four boys, most of whom are home schooled. Troy’s youngest son Cooper’s first word was rum.
 

A taste of aged rum.

Italians imbibe as well as bake with a variety of spirits. Perhaps the most famous Italian cocktail is the Bellini, classically made with fresh white peach puree and prosecco. A Hazan favorite cake is the Diplomatico, which depends on the liberal use of very good rum. Troy Roberts’ philosophy is actually very Italian in that he likes to keep his drinks simple and clean. However, mojitos are fashionable, so I chose to use his rum to make a wild berry one from The Modern Mixologist by Tony Abou Ganim. It’s a refreshing and beautiful berry treat to counter the summer heat, and the delicate Siesta Key Rum is the perfect base for the mojito flavors.

On July 14, Troy Roberts, along with Iron Chef mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, will be my guests on Focus on Fabulous Food, 10-11 a.m. on WSLR, 96.5FM (streaming live at wslr.org). We will talk about the American cocktail and would love your questions and comments. Please tune in.
 

Wild Berry Mojito

WILD BERRY MOJITO
From The Modern Mixologist by Tony Abou-Ganim

1 ½ oz. (45 ml) rum (I, of course, used Siesta Key White Rum)
3-4 each of fresh blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
12-14 fresh mint leaves
1 oz. (30 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 oz. (30ml) simple syrup
Chilled soda water

In a Collins glass, muddle mint, simple syrup, berries and lime juice. Fill glass with crushed ice and slowly add rum. Stir well until the ice is reduced by one-third. Top with more crushed ice, then stir until the glass frosts. Spritz with chilled soda water and stir one last time to incorporate. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint that has been dusted with powdered sugar and a swizzle stick; this drink benefits from being stirred.