Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week

ADRIENNE STONER

On Premise Specialist-Chicago
MAISON FERRAND

1) Who is Adrienne Stoner?

Growing up in Milwaukee, Adrienne discovered a passion for service industry when she started working in restaurants at the ripe young age of 12 years old. She helped out at her mother’s job with dishes working her way up to server, eventually moving to Chicago for college. While in school for performance she continued her work in service/hospitality industry growing within the community. Ultimately, her truest passiondeveloped with experience in spirits knowledge and craft cocktails under the tutelage of Paul McGee. After years of bartending throughout the city she found a home in tiki which was a serendipitous combination of all her talents and desires: craft, performance, costume, history, and of course good ‘ol fashioned hospitality. She recently made the switch to supporting a different position not behind the bar itself but the bottles in the well. Maison Ferrand brought Adrienne into their team where she now represents the entire portfolio as the On Premise Specialist for the Chicago area.

2) Biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplish for the rum industry.

I consider the small victories. As a bartender I took great pride in introducing guests to the versatile world of rum. I love encouraging people to try every drop because no two rums are the same. I always say it’s not that you don’t like rum, it’s that you don’t like BAD rum…and neither do I! It’s really exciting to work with people on their own tastes to assist them into exploring the rum category until they have that “aha!” moment where it clicks and they find the one. I’m on a mission every day preaching the gospel of this spirit that I truly love and respect. My greatest achievement lies in those small victories of “aha!” that turns non-rum drinkers in rum nerds like me.

3) What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

When I first started drinking I found rum challenging. The first drink anyone ever makes with rum is mixed with a bunch of canned juices, sodas, and artificial flavors. I discovered tiki bars through my time traveling in rockabilly bands and noticed that rum in that world is taken with much more consideration. It wasn’t until Paul hired me that I had the opportunity to really gain an understanding of the spirit. When that curiosity peaked, my thirst for knowledge took over and here we are. I’m a cane champion.

4) What is that thing that makes you want to continue in the rum industry?

This industry is changing so fast, that I could never get bored! It’s very exciting to work alongside my brothers and sisters in rum. We are quite the feisty crew. I’m fueled by the devotion and dedication of the producers, the culture, and the application of the spirit. It’s not hard to get swept away with my work because I take great joy in what I do.

5) Favourite Drink + Recipe

That’s a pretty hard call. I love a Pineapple Negroni. 2 Stiggin’s, 3/4, 1/2. My favorite tiki drink is a Jet Pilot but it’s from Paul’s recipe and top secret. I’m more a sipper myself. I want to taste the spirits straight.

6) Where do you see the rum industry today and in the next 5 years?

Right now rum is really growing everywhere. I think it’s great that more producers can get distribution in smaller markets that were ignored in the past. We’re all working really hard to spreadour reach so everyone can enjoy the experience. In the future I’m looking forward to the application of rum evolving into new creative cocktail styles outside the box of tropical.

7) Share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have help you.

Paul McGee, for obvious reasons, absolutely exposed a path for me professionally and continually inspires me to keep learning while staying humble. He cares very much about what he does and that passion and commitment is infectious. He absolutely leads by example without any compromise. A true gem in this industry.

Kiowa Bryan, my lovely rhum sister, is a queen. She shared her rhum skills with me and helped me understand the supplier side of life. She’s a beast for the category and a truly selfless soul who all would be lucky to befriend.

8) What 3-5 things do you have in your bucket list for the next 12 month?

I’d love to plan a big trip somewhere, maybe Brazil. I’m always looking for new opportunities in music, maybe brush up on accordion and write a couple songs. I’m working on a book idea. It’s a dream of mine to go to Jamaica. I’d like to not totally suck at French? I’m open to everything right now. No hard plans. Everything is possible.

9) Any last words?

The greatest thing I learned from my idol John Waters is that life is nothing without obsession. Love what you do because it’ll take over your life and you won’t be sorry.

10) How can people learn more about you? Website? Social Media Page?

I’m always around town in Chicago so there’s a pretty safe bet you can catch me at a bar talking about rum.
https://www.facebook.com/adrienne.d.stoner
instagram @adriennedesire

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