Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week:

OMAR HOYER

Ron de Venezuela DOC Ambassador

 

1.- Who is Omar Hoyer?

I consider myself a “Rumologist”, or rum drinking expert. That is what I do, I drink rum and know things and I teach people about it. I am a 68 years old Venezuelan. I was born in the city of Punto Fijo, where my father worked for a large Shell Oil Company refinery.

Professionally, I am a Food and Beverage Management Consultant and a University Professor where I teach Food and Beverage Management Programs. I am Ambassador for the Controlled Denomination of Origen Ron de Venezuela for all the Venezuelan Rums that have that certification. I was designated Ambassador for all the DOC Venezuelan rums by the Fondo de Promoción del Ron de Venezuela, FONPRONVEN since August 2.012. I do rum lectures and tastings in Venezuela and also have done it abroad in Mexico and some Europeans countries. I was awarded with the Honorary Membership of the International Bartenders Association in the IBA Trainer in Margarita island in 2.015.

 

2.- Biggest achivement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry:

Without any doubts, it is the work I have been able to do as Rum Ambassador of the Venezuela DOC rums. My goal has been to educate our people with my knowledge and experience about the extraordinary characteristics of our rum, which still nowadays is more appreciated in other countries than in our own. Venezuela, due to the oil boom since the fifties became a scotch drinking country and people related the spirit to money and power in that time. Those days the rum was considered a drink for the lower economic sectors of the population and also there were few offerings in the local market of rum brands and styles. However, the situation has changed drastically because of the low presence of whisky in the Venezuelan market and also because of its high price. So, at the present time many scotch drinkers are turning to our rum as their favorite drink. But more important, there are new generations of Venezuelans better educated and who have travelled more and who have discovered the excellent quality of our national beverage.

I can proudly state the thanks to my lectures and tastings I have been able to accomplish my goals and many people have expressed to me that they are enjoying our rum thanks to my teachings. Also I have received many good reviews from my readings about the different posts I have written about the Venezuelan rum. Also I receive frequent invitations to participate in different gastronomic festivals around my country as DOC Rum Ambassador with good experiences and support from the public. Also I consider an important achievement to be selected for the Rum European Tour 2.015 to be the speaker of the Ron de Venezuela DOC Conference which included festivals in Rome, Milano, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Spa, Brussels, Budapest, Varsovia and London.

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

It was definitely the first time when I tried a Cuba Libre. We felt in love immediately! When did it happen? I was just getting out of high school before going to college and I had tasted previously some scotch which I had “borrowed” from my father’s bar and somehow I particularly did not enjoyed the taste of the whisky. However, later when I was served a Cuba Libre for the first time and after I taste it, only one thought came to my mind: “This is it!”. Just looking at the highball glass, decorated with the slice of lemon and a cherry was a stimulating sight. Then came the aromas, they blended so nicely that I thought that coke and the rum were made for each other, and when I finally tasted it, I said to myself it won’t be possible for me to drink another cocktail like this ever! Well, that statement became reality since the Cuba Libre is still my favorite cocktail and what I mostly drink at home.

Rum was originated in the Caribbean and Venezuela has over 1.700 Kilometers (1.056 Miles) of coast line in the Caribbean and also many islands, being Margarita and Coche the largest. So although we are located in continental South America, we are a Caribbean country, and therefore rum is part of our culture. When I smell and taste a good rum I visualize a tropical island with white sands and crystal clear waters with blue and green hues. Rum relates to romance, beautiful women and the adventures of the pirates who navigated these waters. Also I can feel the music of the islands and the spice and great flavor of the Caribbean food. That’s why I love rum!

 

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

The answer is simple: “As long as I am around this world, rum will be with me”. Rum is a fascinating product and its manufacturing process is very complex and requires long term planning, which is not an easy task. I admire the people directly involved in the rum industry, since they have to know and control the whole process, from the sugar cane fields, all the way to the moment when a cocktail is served to a client in a bar. That is not an easy job, but we have as Venezuelans a tradition of centuries making good rums. Having a bottle of premium rum from our country in my hands, makes me think about all the knowledge and expertise, required to produce such an exquisite drink. Our Maestros Roneros, I believe, they are more artists than technicians when I think about the blending process. Although each product has its own formulation, it is the blenders ability to identify and control the many different alcohols involved in a single product, using mainly their senses, is just amazing.

Thanks to the web, I read a lot about rum and I am also searching for and watching videos related to this superb sugar cane spirit. I am also lucky that I have friends in the rum business whom I can contact when I need information and they are always willing to help me. So this is a continuous and permanent learning process of a product that slowly but persistently, is evolving to be improved to the highest limits, thanks mainly to the special group people who work hard and with mystic to create, produce and assure its quality. This is the reason that makes me want to continue in the rum industry.

 

5.- Favorite Drink and Recipe:

Cuba Libre

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ Oz  Ron Añejo

1 Dash  Lemon juice or equivalent of 1/8 of a good size lemon

1 – 2 Drops Angostura Bitters

Coca Cola Classic to refill the glass

High Ball glass

Enoug ice cubes to fill the glass just to the half of it

Slice of lemon for decoration

1 Cherry for decoration

1 Cocktail stirrer

1 Jigger

 

METHOD:

Fill the glass to the half with the ice cubes.

Squeeze in the glass 1/8 of a regular size lemon

Fill in the Coca Cola up to 2 inches to the rim of the glass

Add one or two drops of Angostura Bitters

Decorate with the slice of lemon and the cherry

Stir slowly and enjoy your Cuba Libre!

 

6.- Where do you see the Rum Industry today and in the next five years:

Today I see an industry that is paying more close attention to the consumer trends and its production is moving towards to follow them. The different and most important rum competitions show new winners in the different styles of rums and we can see not only new brands, but new premium and añejo participants with top quality samples.

As per the future 5 years, I believe education of consumers is of most importance. This includes the training and support of bartenders, since the cocktail products are a very important business that should be growing in the next few years. There will be more competition in the premium sector, which is the smallest group of potential clients, so efforts should be made to increase sales in this restrictive market. Companies that have stablished a niche in this market in the previous years have an advantage over the competition. Younger rums will continue their struggle with vodka and gin. I am sure the industry specialists in marketing will design the right set of strategies to plan to keep up with the steady growth of revenue in the recent past.

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

In Venezuela we have seen successful experiences in this area of premium rums. It had required not only top quality of rums, but an intense desire to show the consumer what premium rum is. This cannot be reach successfully, just through high budgeted advertising campaigns, or participating in important rum Congresses. This approach requires a careful selection of the location of the markets, determine its size and build a logistic to guarantee a secure supply of product sales. Education is the keyword, and it includes every potential distributor and final consumer, as well as bartenders. A well designed plan of tasting and on site conferences will help to reach the goals that were set. Also priority should be given to the packaging of the rums which should reflect the status and high quality of the rum.

 

8.- Which Rum would you recommend a person that:

• Sipping a premium rum for the 1st time: Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva
• Likes Scotch Whisky: Pampero Aniversario
• Likes Bourbon: Carúpano Oro 12 años
• Likes Gin or Vodka: Veroes Añejo
• Likes Cognac: Diplomático Ambassador

 

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

My first mentor who introduced me to the wonderful world of rum was Dr. José Chico, a chemical engineer with a PhD in chemistry and who was an expert in the rum manufacturing process. I met him when I worked for Licorerías Unidas LUSA, where rum Cacique was made, more than 40 years ago. We made a very good friendship and he wanted me to learn all about the rum making process. Also he insisted that I should learn about rum tasting and he gave me several tips to help me identify aromas and flavors of the rum. He built and gave to me a “rum tasting kit” which consisted in a set of small glass bottles which contained alcohol and different ingredients like oak wood, molasses, caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, toffee, different spices and others. I had to practice according to a chronogram that he prepared and also he supervised me in weekly sessions. Almost everything that I know about rum I learned it from him. Dr. Chico sadly died of a heart attack in Panama still being a fairly young man.

Another of my mentors is Luis Figueroa, a chemical engineer who is the Maestro Ronero of Pampero and Cacique, two of the Venezuelan rum brands more successful in the European and other international markets. He has an extensive curriculum in the rum manufacturing industry and has travelled to many countries giving speeches about his rums. I have known Luis for many years and I always get surprised about how much knowledge he has about rum and the way he can explain it to others. I have always considered Luis a very fine person and a good friend and he has given me plenty of support whenever I needed. By the way, Luis is the person who recommended me to be named as Ambassador for the DOC Venezuelan Rums.

There is another good friend: Tito Cordero. Tito, who is also a chemical engineer, has created and produced several of the most successful premiums rums in the world. In many different occasions he has helped me with information that I had doubt with and that I will always appreciate. Tito is a good friend and our families have shared god moments together. I have enjoyed some quality times with the Master and he has been to me a good teacher and a good friend!

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

1. Finish the Food & Beverage OnLine Courses that I have been working on the last two years.
2. Continue to practice my Italian language
3. Make new posts in my Blog about all the different DOC Venezuelan rums to contribute to inform my readers about the quality of our rums

11. Any last words?

I would like to thank www.therumlab.com for this opportunity to let people in other countries to know about what we are doing in the Venezuelan rum industry. Our DOC rums continue to be produced and distributed in the Venezuelan and the international markets, maintaining its superb quality and this could not be possible without the hard work and conviction of the men and women who produce our rums. I would like to finish with a answer that I gave a journalist : “I don’t believe the Venezuelan rum is one of the best rums, I am absolutely sure that it is the best rum in the world…”

 

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

Website: https://gerencia-ayb.com/

WordPress: https://omarjhoyer.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoyero?lang=es

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoyero1/?hl=es-la

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Published by: TheRumLab.com
Author: Jose Hoffmann
Phone: +1 513-426-8813
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