Our Blue Jacket Rum is an easy-drinking, gluten free, light rum distilled from Louisiana molasses, Colorado sugar beets, and good ol' Rocky Mountain water. The potent molasses creates a rich rum flavor. We "sweet-back" finish the spirit with a light candy sugar and specialized tannins to give the Blue Jacket Rum's distinct, rich rum flavor, unlike anything in Colorado.
Since before the 16th century, the delicious spirits of the Caribbean relied on the natural abundance of sugar cane.
In the 17th century when sugar plantations and refineries were in an abundance, there was a lot of molasses that the folks didn’t know what to do with. They gave it to livestock and slaves. A mortar was made with lime and horsehair and some was used (ineffectively) as a treatment for syphilis. It was mostly thrown into the ocean... that is until it began to be the base for a distilled spirit known as “kill-devil” and later referred to as “rum”. It was disagreeable and terrible, but sailors loved it. Rum kept better on ships than beer and it often was rationed daily to maintain good morale.
Rum was the spirit of choice for early Americans. It has been proposed that Paul Revere stopped at the house of Isaac Hall in Medford, Massachusetts prior to his notorious midnight ride to consume a shot or two before delivering his message. It was the advent of bourbon whiskey that diminished the popularity of rum during and after our nation’s birth, but it remained a naval mainstay for many years later.
It is the sugar cane ingredient that is required (at least 51%) for a spirit to be considered a "rum". Although many rum distilleries do not use molasses or use limiting amounts in their spirits, our Blue Jacket Rum uses molasses as our primary cane sugar source.
Our Blue Jacket Rum represents the men and women of the United States Navy with its dark, navy blue color, midshipmen silhouette, and name.
In 1902 the U.S. Navy began issuing the Bluejacket Manual to every sailor. As the Navy’s bible, it encapsulates the professional maritime spirit of the dedicated sailors or “Bluejackets” that bravely man the United States fleet.
This October 13th marks the 244th birthday of the United States Navy.
It was originally called the Continental Navy. The 1775 Continental Congress authorized two armed vessels to search for ships supplying the British army with weapons and ammunition during the American Revolutionary War.
When the war ended, the Continental Navy was dismantled, but pirate threats to American merchant shipping led President George Washington to establish the Naval Act of 1794, creating a permanent standing US Navy.
The United States Navy has more than 300,000 personnel on active duty and around 100,000 personnel in the Navy Reserve.
If you know a Navy vet, tell them "Happy Birthday" this coming Sunday, October 13th. Celebrating with a bottle of Blue Jacket Rum is also acceptable. We are adding Blue Jacket Rum cocktails to our menu this weekend for the Navy's birthday. Raise a glass and let's thank our navy, "Here's to the Blue Jackets!" and "Here's to Blue Jacket Rum!"
Cocktails Served at Taste Room: The Gitmo, The Knee-Knocker, Shellback Daq, Keel Hauler Mojito, The Admiral Old Fashioned
Who is 1350 Distilling?
We are the military and civilians, family, and friends—interweaving threads of American Spirit that embody the 13 Stripes & 50 Stars of America. We are 1350 Distilling. We buy Colorado and “Made in USA” products first and foremost, and each of our products represents and pays tribute to a different branch of the U.S. military.
“Taste the difference, make a difference”—we pledge ten percent of profits to veteran and local charities while “Celebrating the American Spirit of our military and their loved ones, one drink at a time.”