Redistilling the Past With a Local Rum Company

Hidden in an industrial estate in Riviera Beach, South Florida, there have been whispers of something most extraordinary and exciting. Not to miss out on anything marvelous, the Florida Coast Magazine Team went to investigate!

Following an old railway track to the back of a what appeared to be an abandoned building, suddenly there emerged what resembled the front of a trendy bar. On further investigation, it was in fact a distillery, the Steel Tie Spirits Co. to be precise. When entering the 100-year-old structure, there is exposed brick with a saloon style long mirror, which had been replaced with a window so that visitors may see the workings of the distillery. The long glossy lacquered wooden bar inspires the thought of sliding a glass down to the person at the other end, while shouting “play it again Sam.”

An old piano is tucked in the corner, accompanied by a rocking chair once owned by Henry Flagler, entrepreneur and founder of the East Coast Florida Railway. A feeling of times past lingers in the air, with a speakeasy vibe, only this distillery has a license to produce spirits in a historical building with a modern-day twist.

Founded by father Clint and son Ben Etheridge, the short version of this tale involves Ben’s fascination with distilling alcohol, mostly interested in the science behind what makes a fantastic rum. Clint would sample Ben’s concoctions from a Mason jar, and he would send Ben back to work on perfecting the ingredients until one day, ”Eureka!” Clint tasted what he knew to be an amazing rum.

The Etheridge’s rum was so good they had to share it, and they decided to launch the Steel Tie Spirits Co. The “Steel Tie” part of the name comes from the father and son’s family history. A relative was a manager at the local railroads over one hundred years ago, and one of their employees had a fondness for the odd drink. He was happy to share the juice with his fellow co-workers, thus making him very popular. The only trouble being he forgot his most important job: to place a crucial steel peg into the railroad. His boss decided to put the peg around his neck like a steel tie, so he would remember to do his job. There is a picture of this character on one of the brick walls next to the bar. The tie is a prominent feature, while the face is missing because there isn’t any record of what he looked like.

As history suggests, rum started off as a crude and random discovery from molasses during the 17th century.  Caribbean sugar farmers didn’t have a clue what to do with the sticky product resulting from boiling sugar cane.  The sugar byproduct sat in pots where eventually the liquid deteriorated into a “what do we do with this goo,” kind of a mess.

First seen as a sticky inconvenience, farmers eventually found the use of feeding it to their live stock or even their slaves. Then one day an exploratory sugar farmer discovered distillation, by mixing the liquid floating on top of the boiled sugar cane with fermented molasses. This resulted is one of man’s greatest discoveries: RUM!

Forget the pirate’s swig of choice, the cheap harsh stuff downed during college, or even the overly sweetened coconut infused bubblegum version of the drink, we are talking about proper rum here. Branded as “Black Coral”, the selection of rums includes: white, spiced and black.

Presently, their spiced rum has been introduced to liquor stores and local restaurants with tremendous success, with the white and black versions to follow. All of their products are 100% natural, with no added sugar, sweeteners, or additives. The spiced rum has an infusion process used to give zing to what is a molasses based rum. Tahitian vanilla beans are accompanied by toasted coco pods, cinnamon, allspice, a touch of clove and a secret ingredient not to be divulged. This rum has smoothness, a distinct but not overpowering pallet and a fullness that is hard to beat.

Aged in new white American char #4 oak for 6 months, each of the rum’s ingredients complements the next, making it easy to want more than one glass. This rum is best enjoyed solo on the rocks, or it can accompany a dash of cola to enhance its vanilla smoothness. The sense of family, history, and purity is definitely apparent when drinking this understated beverage.

The ingredients of these products and the family roots all stem from Florida. The company therefore has a strict policy and passion to source local ingredients, most notably the sugar and molasses, which adds to the products’ superiority. Not satisfied producing rum alone, Steel Tie Spirits Co. have also released a fantastic vodka, and they are working on a gin infused with local botanicals and of course, a few secrets.

Ben finished off the interview and fascinating tour stating, “The sheer joy I got from creating this company with my dad, and building it up with him, has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. We always wanted this to be a family company, and the people we’ve been able to bring onboard to take it to the next level, are just new members of this growing household. We’re all just glad my dad got to see it up and running before we lost him, and everyone here is committed to bringing his vision to reality.”

If a good quality beverage, family and heritage are appreciated, then all this and more is sealed into each bottle. To find out more about the Steel Tie Spirits Co, why not attend their grand opening on Saturday June 15th 4-11pm. There will be samples, food trucks and live music to be enjoyed at 1615 Clare Avenue, West Palm Beach.

This article is dedicated to Ben’s father Clint, who sadly passed away suddenly this past May, 2019. He was a father who believed in his son’s vision and product, and he was much loved by the Steel Tie Spirits Co. team. He will be greatly missed, so please raise a glass in his memory!