West Coast Is About to Get Three Epic Educational Rum Events

Published by
Emily Cruz Villegas

The Rum Lab is ready for the West Coast Tour 2022, in which we will present three Rum Festivals—Seattle Rum Fest, San Francisco Rum Festival, and Los Angeles Rum & Tiki Festival—with incredible seminars, rum tastings, and many other educational activities related to the industry.

More than 120 rum brands will be showcased, educating the audience about their best expressions. We expect hundreds of people from the industry, rum enthusiasts, tourists, and locals.

Each event will take place the following day and time: 

All the events have a similar schedule layout and will be divided into three sessions for the attendees to enjoy different experiences:

  • Spirit Industry Session. A 1.5-hour program offering industry professionals the opportunity to network with brand representatives, participate in training seminars, taste a wide variety of rums, and mingle with industry colleagues.
  • General Admission Grand Tasting Session. This 3-hour program will provide the attendees with premium rum tasting and brand seminars. They will access the Grand Tasting Room and Seminar Rooms that are open to the public, as well as receive a 3oz tasting cup as a souvenir.
  • VIP Grand Tasting Session. It consists of a 5.5-hour program that will offer the attendees 2.5 Hour early admission, an exclusive tasting cup, premium rum tasting, and seminars.

To spice things up, The RumLab together with The Ultimate Awards will host the Ultimate “People Choice Sipping Rum” competition in all cities. This will give the opportunity to the audience to vote for their favorite expression.

About the Seminars

  • Hawaiian Rum | History, Harvest & Production: Hawaiian rum producers talk about the origin of sugarcane and production processes.
    • Speaker: Steve Jefferson
    • Location: Seattle (September 2) | San Francisco (September 4) | Los Angeles (September 9)
  • Assessing Rum Following WSET Technique: You will learn specific methods for tasting, sipping, and smelling rum following the Wine & Spirit Education Trust technique.
    • Speakers: Rob McCaughey & Deniece Bourne
    • Location: Seattle (September 2) | San Francisco (September 4)
  • Building a Rum Brand
    • Speakers: Eric Seed & Zan Kong
    • Location: Seattle (September 2)
  • Creating a Level Playing Field for Rum: You will learn how dozens of Caribbean rum makers collaborate behind the scenes to ensure the future growth of premium rum.
    • Speaker: Matt Pietrek, Ed Tiege, & Otto Flores
    • Location: Seattle (September 2) | San Francisco (September 4)
  • Basics to Sipping Premium Rum: An interactive experience for you to taste premium rums and learn about what makes a rum “premium,” as well as tasting notes, sipping techniques, and some fun trivia.
    • Speakers: John W Atkins, III, Greg D. Hill, Daniel Mora, & Roberto Serrallés.
    • Location: Seattle (September 2) | San Francisco (September 4) | Los Angeles (September 9)
  • Leeteg, Babes, Bars, Beaches, and Black Velvet Art: You will learn about South Pacific art, Bora Bora and WWII, Mutiny on the Bounty written by Leeteg’s drinking pals Nordhoff and Hall, and the history of the famous rum drink, the Mai Tai.
    • Speaker: C.J. Cook
    • Location: San Francisco (September 4) | Los Angeles (September 9)
  • Cane Juice is the Future of Rum (VIP Invitation): You will learn how distilleries are moving toward more control over their source material, up to and including using cane juice rather than molasses.
    • Speakers: Ed Tiege, Otto Flores, & Kiowa Bryan
    • Location: Los Angeles (September 9)
  • Exploring the Dynamic Solera Process
    • Speakers: Lorena Vásquez & Lynnette Marrero
    • Location: Los Angeles (September 9)
  • Rums from Mexico: An introduction to Mexico’s sugar cane industry and its world importance, together with a look into the Rones de Mexico Distillery.
    • Speakers: Eduardo Pineda, Jorge Pérez Rafael, & Ph.D. Kim Brandi
    • Location: Los Angeles (September 9)

The RumLab once again is fortunate to work with Afiliacion Fraternal Americanos Nativos (AFAN), a non for profit organization that helps Native Latin Americans with scholarships. For more information about AFAN or the events please visit www.therumlab.com.

Emily Cruz Villegas

Content Director at The RumLab || She is a Journalist & Ghostwriter from Caracas-Venezuela, with more than six years of experience in Academic Research. She also has a postgraduate education in International Relations and a Master's Degree in Public Management. In the last few years, she has been working in sales and digital marketing.

Recent Posts

  • News

Former Diageo Executive Takes the Helm as Dropworks CEO

Dropworks, a British rum brand, has appointed Graham Appleyard (ex-Diageo Executive) as its new chief…

March 31, 2025
  • Noticias

Ron de celebridades: cinco marcas que amarás — parte dos

En la publicación anterior, hablamos de las primeras 5 marcas de ron propiedad de artistas.…

March 30, 2025
  • Interviews

Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Rum Industry — Gabriela Ayala

The role of women in the rum industry is multifaceted, ranging from working in the…

March 29, 2025
  • News

The Ultimate Guide to Puerto Rican Rum: Iconic Bars and Innovative Distilleries

Welcome to this travel guide to Puerto Rican Rum. When it comes to rum, Puerto…

March 28, 2025
  • News

Captain Morgan Unveils New Sweet and Spicy Rum Flavor

Captain Morgan has introduced its latest innovation, Sweet Chili Lime Rum, just in time for…

March 27, 2025
  • News

Next Century Spirits Expands Portfolio with Blue Chair Bay Rum Acquisition

Next Century Spirits (NCS), a North Carolina-based distilled spirits company, has taken a major step…

March 26, 2025