Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week:

BRIAN MAXWELL

Bartender in NYC

 

1. Who is Brian Maxwell?

Bartender, historian, and shaker of spirits.  I suppose you could say I’m a bit of an obsessive nerd, because I have such a strong passion for what I do. Although I’ve always worked in the restaurant industry in some capacity, my focus has shifted through the years. Before becoming a full time rum slinger, I was an MMA fighter and boxer; people are typically surprised by my past life. I’ve since hung up my gloves and turned my focus into running bar programs, consulting on projects, while focusing on spirits and cocktail education. I”m currently based in New York, but I’ve working on projects all over the country during the past decade.  Currently, we are doing a Miracle popup bar in Brooklyn for the holiday season, but I have many greats things planned for the New Year.  Photography has also become my hobby since it often goes hand-in-hand with the spirits world.

 

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

Every time I spend time with producers, I feel it’s an accomplishment. I love sharing my knowledge I’ve gained from producers with others. Perhaps my biggest accomplishment happened last year, 2017, when I taught a seminar on colonial rum history with Wayne Curtis at Tales of the Cocktail.  It was a huge thrill to share my passions with an international audience.

 

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

Even though I have focused on cocktails and spirits for well over a decade, my love of rum developed only about five years ago during my first trip to Jamaica. Until then, I had been working in cocktails bars and fine-dining establishments that really sucked to fun out of bar culture for me. Then, there I was in Jamaica barefoot on the beach, making cocktails for a group of people. That’s when I realized that we don’t need the pretension anymore! From then on, I wanted to live every day of my life as if I was on vacation. Rum provides that escapism from the hustle of everyday life. People think of tropical environments and relaxing on the beach. It is a great starting pointing. We, as bartenders, can take them anywhere from that point.

 

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

There is a growing enthusiasm on the part of the consumer. People aren’t just buying mass produced rums which provide more burn than flavor. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions in the rum world that still need stomped out. As a spirit and cocktail educator, I’m here to put those misconceptions to rest.

 

5. Favourite Drink + Recipe.

I’ve always thought that the best representation of rum in a cocktail is an Old Fashioned, it is simple, balanced and shows the true flavor of the rum being used. That being said, anyone who knows me knows that my favorite cocktail is a Mai Tai with a nice blend of Jamaican rums, but my favorite test for a new bartender is always the daiquiri.

 

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

Today we have the best selection of rums we’ve seen in over a hundred years. While this is great, I’m really excited to see where all these producers go in the next five years. You can already see this happening at spirits events across the globe. Rum is finally getting taking back its rightful place and gaining the respect it deserves.

 

7. What do you think needs to happen to grow the premium category of rum?

I always feel this battle is won behind the bar. Every time I introduce a guest or an employee to a new rum, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. Social Media has made it fun to track those former rum initiates now spreading the good word themselves! It’s an ongoing cycle, and I’m for it!

 

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that:

– Sipping a premium rum for the 1st time: my go-to rum to bring people over to the premium rum category without spending too much is usually Appleton Reserve Blend. It’s my favorite rum at that price point, and it makes a fantastic spirit forward cocktail.

– Likes Scotch Whisky: I liked a funky Jamaican Wedderburn style rum to the single malt Scotch whisky from Islay. Big flavors all around, especially those from Hampden Estate and Worthey Park.

– Likes Bourbon: · Everyone always seems to want to compare rum and bourbon lately. I don’t really want a rum that tastes like bourbon. I want a rum that tastes like rum! That being said though, I’ve had great success with aged Barbados rums from the Foursquare distillery, probably some of the nicest expressions out there for sipping. My go to when someone asks for a rum when they normally drink bourbon is The Real McCoy 12year, also made by Foursquare.

– Likes Gin or Vodka: · Every spirit has it’s place on our shelves, but rum has so much more character than neutral spirits, though I have found a great deal of success working unaged agricole rhums or Haitian clairin into classic gin cocktails.

Likes Cognac: The beauty of rum is it’s huge diversity. One of the things I find interesting is when blenders of other spirits turn their attention and techniques to rum. That being said, I would have to give a nod to the Cognac guys at Ferrand for their Plantation rum blends.

 

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

Chris Hannah in New Orleans was the first friend who got me seriously interested in cocktails as a career. I walked into his bar about 11 years ago, and it was straight down the rabbit hole for me.

Julio Cabrera of Miami is a bartender I admired for years for his professionalism, warm personality, and passion. I’m lucky to call him a close friend today, and I’ve tried to carry myself with that same sense of duty.

Wayne Curtis is another friend who I admire because we both seemed to find our way to the spirits world the same way, and that’s through the study of history with a little rum sprinkled around.

 

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

I want to make it a point to make time and visit more producers this year. A little time in the Caribbean never hurt anyone.

I also want to help promote rum and history education both within the industry and to consumers.

 

11. Any last words?

Thank you to The Rum Lab for thinking of me. It’s always an honor to talk about the things I love.

 

12. How can people learn more about you? Website? Social Media Page?

I have a website dedicated to cocktail and spirits education: www.shakerofspirits.com

You can also find me on Instagram @shakerofspirits