Just Rum's new Sandy tasting room posted on 03/31/2023
John Hasbrouck got started in the distillation industry
after inheriting some whiskey distillation equipment from his great-uncle.
Despite having little interest in whiskey production, Hasbrouck began
experimenting with the apparatus.
After hundreds of hours of refining and honing his skills
and methodologies, Hasbrouck is now ready to share the fruits of his labors,
traditional sipping rum produced by his company, Just Rum, with the world.
One of the significant milestones for Just Rum was the
opening of their tasting room earlier this year. Conveniently located in
downtown Sandy, the tasting room is home to Just Rum and Boring Cider Company.
It offers light bar fare, such as pizza and paninis, is open to minors and
serves non-alcoholic beverages.
Hasbrouck sees the tasting room as a learning opportunity.
“I’ve never owned a bar or restaurant before,” he said. “The
purpose of this tasting room is so that I can figure out how to do this.”
Despite his lack of experience in the restaurant and bar
industry, Hasbrouck has big ambitions.
“When we outgrow this building, I want to build a campus,”
he said. “A full-service restaurant, catering, a bar, a lounge and a speakeasy.
I want to make rum and ciders, build a cooperage, and make barrels. I really
want to contribute to Sandy. I love the community and the small-town feel.”
The tasting room is one of those key steps from their
beginnings producing rum solely for retail distribution.
The early days of the company saw Hasbrouck and his close
friend James Roberts selecting pure, unrefined ingredients to create their
recipe. The pair perfected the recipe and founded Just Rum with their friend,
Greg Masden, in 2018.
Their first and simplest product is dubbed The Simple White.
Originating directly from the still, this is rum as pure as it comes. Though
this pure product has its purposes, Hasbrouck wanted to infuse flavor and
character into the product.
Taking inspiration from traditional whiskey flavors, another
rum, Toasted Oak, was born. Wood-rested in a toasted oak barrel as the name
suggests, this rum is revered for its whiskey-like flavor profile and
characteristics.
As Just Rum continued to gain popularity and commercial
viability, a third flavor was born. The Maple Rested offers a gentle sweetness
from the toasted maple wood it resides in.
In 2019, Just Rum took home two gold medals from the Rum
Renaissance Festival in Miami for Simple White and Rested Maple, cementing
their popularity from their humble beginnings in Sandy.
Throughout the journey, Just Rum has strived to remain a
distiller of high-quality spirits using pure ingredients. Now producing more
than seven varieties of rum, merchandise, flights and tastings, Hasbrouck and
his team are expanding sales into southern Washington and soon Idaho.
Though Hasbrouck’s dreams of a sprawling rum-fueled campus
are distant, these early years are just as crucial.
“We’re getting better at it,” he said. “We’re figuring it
out. We’re not pretentious.”
Just Rum is located at 17020 Ruben Lane in Sandy. The
tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on Fridays through
Sundays when the doors stay open until 9 p.m. More information can be found
online at www.justrum.com or by phone at 503-498-8710.
By Ty Tilden/MT
| 
