Ian Burrell – Global Rum Ambassador and Founder of Internationally Recognized RumFest – Returns to South Florida for the Second Annual Miami Rum Congress 2020

In collaboration with Federico Hernandez, founder of RumLab, the two-day event brings together connoisseurs, brand representatives, and lovers of the rum industry for a series of conferences, tastings, and educational seminars.

Miami Beach, FL (January 27, 2020) – Ian Burrell, internationally known global rum ambassador and founder of UK RumFest in collaboration with The Rum Lab founder Federico Hernandez present the second annual Miami Rum Congress 2020 at Miami Beach’s Shane Center on February 7 and 8, 2020. The Miami Rum Congress aims to educate about the spirit through educational seminars with renowned experts, direct access to brand representatives, and tastings of more than thirty brands of rum. The Ronald W. Shane Center is located at 6500 Indian Creek, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Tickets are available at MiamiRumCongress.com  

The Miami Rum Congress 2020 will host more than twenty experts of the rum industry in seminars designed to educate the public and rum connoisseurs about the latest topics in the fields of distillery, premiumization, and cocktail culture.  From the Caribbean to the U.S. and beyond, the rum industry has grown exponentially in the past two decades as a major spirit in the world. The two-day event gives an opportunity to industry and rum aficionados alike to meet and learn from world renowned leaders in the field. 

The growing lineup of industry guest speakers to present at the Miami Rum Congress includes: 

• • Ian Burrell, global rum ambassador and producer of the UK Rum Fest
  • Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, author, leading rum expert, and wwner of Latitude 29 
  • Raphaël Grisoni, general manager of Barbados Mount Gay Distillery
  • Karen Hoskin, owner and founder of craft distillery Montanya Distillers 
  • Ben Jones, Managing Director, SPIRIBAM 
  • Shannon Mustipher, Founder of Women Who Tiki and author of TIKI: Modern Tropical Cocktails
  • Matt Pietrek, Cocktail & Spirits Writer, CocktailWonk.com
  • Ben Schaffer, editor and publisher of the Rum Reader
  • Richard Seale, master distiller and blender at Foursquare Distiller & R. L. Seal in Barbados
  • Roberto Serrallés, VP of Business Development, Destilería Serrallés

The Miami Rum Congress 2020 will host more than thirty Rum Distilleries, who will participate as part of the industry’s Rum Congress on February 7th and the VIP Grand Tasting on February 8th. 

With over 25 years of combined expertise in the international rum industry, Miami Rum Congress founders Ian Burrell and Federico Hernandez have brought industry experts together for rum festivals and seminars in London, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and San Juan, P.R.

“This exciting annual spirit event continues to be a positive component in shaping the rum landscape as we know it today. After attending and hosting rum events for more than a decade, we decided to combine our experiences and expertise. We are pleased to bring consumers and tradespeople the finest rum event in the Americas the second year in a row,” said Burrell. 

The Miami Rum Congress will take place on February 7th and 8th 2020 at the Shane Center, Miami Beach. Ticket prices run from $35 to $130, to purchase visit www.miamirumcongress.com/buy-tickets.

For further information, interview opportunities, and photographs please contact Natascha Otero-Santiago at nataschaos@nos-communications.com 

ABOUT THE RUM LAB

Federico Hernandez founded The Rum Lab in 2006 in San Juan, Puerto Rico to teach the essence and history of rum, through a Rum Flight Experience. Today, the creative and production firm focuses on Rum Premiumization & Education. The Rum Lab produces Puerto Rico’s national Rum Fest – Taste of Rum Puerto Rico – as well as California Rum Festival, Chicago Rum Festival and New York Rum Festival.

ABOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM RUMFEST

The UK RumFest was founded by Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell in 2007, who was keen to promote rum as a drink. The UK RumFest has led to the influence of rum festivals and fairs all over the world including the Berlin RumFest, Paris Rhum fest and the first rum festival in Mauritius. Today, the festival is UK’s only trade and consumer drinks experience for the rum industry and world’s largest rum festival. Founder Ian Burrell had worked in the trade as a bartender since 1990. In 1998, he began working with the Jamaican rum distiller, blender and bottler J. Wray and Nephew Ltd. Burrell subsequently worked for other drinks brands on an ad hoc basis and with organizations such as the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association. Being an independent rum expert, Burrell was named International Brand Ambassador at the 2018 Tales of the Cocktail.