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NorthFork Distillers

The Journal

Rum education, distillery stories, Long Island culture, and recipes worth making. Written by the people who make the rum.

Featured Story

Rum Education 9 min read

Rum, Rebels & Rum Row: The Forgotten History of Long Island Spirits

Before Prohibition silenced the stills, Long Island was one of the most active rum-producing regions in colonial America. Here is the story most people never learned.

May 15, 2024Read Story

Rum Education

From Sugarcane to Spirit: How Rum Is Actually Made

Fermentation, distillation, aging — the process that turns molasses into rum is older than the United States and more nuanced than most people realize.

April 28, 2024 7 min read

Rum Education

White Rum vs. Dark Rum: What Is the Actual Difference?

Color is the most obvious distinction, but it tells only part of the story. The real differences come down to production method, aging, and what the distiller is trying to achieve.

April 10, 2024 5 min read

Rum Education

What Makes a Sailors Rum - Spiced? The Ingredients, the Process, and the Difference Quality Makes

Not all spiced rums are created equal. The gap between a great spiced rum and a mediocre one comes down to one thing: are the spices real?

March 22, 2024 6 min read

Rum Education

A Drinker's Guide to the Rum Regions of the World

Jamaica, Barbados, Cuba, Martinique, and now Long Island. Every region produces rum with a distinct character shaped by climate, sugarcane variety, and tradition.

March 5, 2024 8 min read

Rum Education

Proof, ABV, and Why 82 Proof Is the Sweet Spot for Cocktail Rum

The numbers on a bottle label tell you more than you think. Here is what proof and ABV actually mean, and why we chose 41% for every expression in our lineup.

February 18, 2024 4 min read

Rum Education

Molasses: The Ingredient That Defines Every Bottle of Rum

Rum starts with molasses — the thick, dark byproduct of sugar refining that most people have never thought about. The quality of the molasses shapes everything that follows.

February 2, 2024 5 min read

Behind the Scenes

The First Batch: What It Took to Make Our Sailors Rum - Silver

The first batch of Sailors Rum - Silver took three months of recipe development, two failed test runs, and one very long night at the still. Here is what we learned.

May 1, 2024 6 min read

Behind the Scenes

Building the Distillery: From Empty Warehouse to Working Still

Turning a warehouse in Holtsville into a functioning craft distillery took 14 months, three contractors, and more permits than we care to count. Here is the story.

April 15, 2024 7 min read

Behind the Scenes

How We Developed the Sailors Rum - Apple Pie: Six Months of Tasting Notes

The Sailors Rum - Apple Pie went through 22 iterations before we got it right. The challenge was capturing the warmth of a baked pie without tipping into artificial sweetness.

March 28, 2024 5 min read

Behind the Scenes

Why We Source Locally: Our Relationships with North Fork Farms

The berries in our Sailors Rum - Wild Berry come from a farm 12 miles from the distillery. The apples in our Sailors Rum - Apple Pie are grown on the North Fork. Here is why that matters.

March 12, 2024 5 min read

Behind the Scenes

A Day in the Life at NorthFork Distillers

What does a typical Tuesday look like at a small craft distillery? Spoiler: it involves a lot of cleaning, some very careful tasting, and occasional moments of genuine excitement.

February 25, 2024 4 min read

Behind the Scenes

Bottling Day: The Most Satisfying — and Most Exhausting — Day of the Month

Every bottle of NorthFork rum is filled, labeled, and sealed by hand. Bottling day is when months of work becomes something you can hold. It never gets old.

February 8, 2024 4 min read

Behind the Scenes

Why We Started: The Conversation That Became a Distillery

NorthFork Distillers started with a question: why doesn't Long Island have a great rum? Three years later, we have an answer. Here is how we got here.

January 20, 2024 6 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

Rum and the North Fork Table: Pairing Spirits with Local Cuisine

The North Fork is one of the best food regions in the country. Fresh seafood, farm vegetables, artisan cheese — here is how our rums pair with the best of what the island produces.

May 8, 2024 6 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

The Cocktail That Built America: A Brief History of Rum Drinks

The mojito, the daiquiri, the Dark and Stormy — rum has been at the center of cocktail culture for three centuries. Here is the history behind the drinks you already love.

April 22, 2024 7 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

Cooking with Rum: Five Techniques Every Home Cook Should Know

Rum is not just for drinking. It is one of the most versatile cooking spirits — for glazes, marinades, desserts, and sauces. Here are five ways to use it in the kitchen.

April 5, 2024 5 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

Rum in Wine Country: How NorthFork Fits Into the North Fork Beverage Scene

The North Fork is known for its wineries. We are something different — and we think that is exactly what the region needed. Here is how we see ourselves fitting in.

March 18, 2024 5 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

The Five Rum Drinks You Should Be Making This Summer

Summer on Long Island calls for cold drinks, good company, and rum. Here are five cocktails — one for each of our expressions — that belong on every backyard table.

March 1, 2024 4 min read

Culture, Food & Pairings

Baking with Sailors Rum - Apple Pie: Recipes for Fall on the North Fork

Sailors Rum - Apple Pie was made for autumn. Here are three baking recipes — apple cake, rum caramel sauce, and spiced rum cookies — that make the most of its warm, orchard character.

February 14, 2024 6 min read

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