Lemon Hart question

Questions for the rum experts - I recently stumbled upon a store selling Lemon Hart 151 in the old packaging. I held off picking up a bottle because I had a few questions.

Does anyone know if - the old packaging indicates that this is the older formula for LH 151?
Or did they sell bottles with the newer formula but with the older packaging?
Or did they recently go back to the older packaging?
Or is it possible, this is an imported batch with new formula - old packaging?

I ask because if it is the older formula, I'd love to try it out.

Lemon Hart has not reverted to the old label to my knowledge,so it's old stock. I can't tell the diff between the old and new bottlings, imho. Generally, I'd recommend picking up ANY LH151 you come across, before the Man takes it away!

That's old stock unless you are in Canada.

Buy it all and keep it for special occasions.

I agree it may or may not be as good as or worse than the new stuff, but now you have the original to test that. I'd buy any old stock bottle you wanted to sell for sure. I keep one old bootle and pour my new stuff in it for the bar.

On 2014-04-07 05:38, Destro100 wrote:
I recently stumbled upon a store selling Lemon Hart 151 in the old packaging.

Does it look like this?

Little red triangle on the corner of the label to signify the 151?

Get it!

Get as many as you can afford/as many as they have!

Even if you don't use it in your drinks, you can use the 'extra' bottles as gifts to other rummies for any of the usual gift-giving occasions.

I agree. Go back and buy them all, quickly!

Yes.....You should be in that store right now and buy all of it. I have 9 1/2 bottles of the old stuff that I figure might last my lifetime. Of course as long as I don't waste it on cocktail infidels.

For the record Ed Hamilton, AKA The Ministry Of Rum and the American importer for LH says that there has been no change to the formula for LH. None. Aside from being one of the leading authorities on rum, I've known Ed for years and he's a straight shooter. In short I believe the guy.

On 2014-04-07 19:26, CincyTikiCraig wrote:
For the record Ed Hamilton, AKA The Ministry Of Rum and the American importer for LH says that there has been no change to the formula for LH. None. Aside from being one of the leading authorities on rum, I've known Ed for years and he's a straight shooter. In short I believe the guy.

Posted somewhere here before but worth repeating, here's a head to head review of the "old" LH 151 vs. the "new" LH 151 with Martin Cate and Ed Hamilton. It sounds like the difference between the two may be chalked up to typical variances between batches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdeqyOXaE6c

On 2014-04-07 19:26, CincyTikiCraig wrote:
there has been no change to the formula for LH. None.

True.

But the new packaging just isn't interesting. It looks like every other rum bottle or label out there.

When you can find the old packaging you should stock up.

Did I mention they make great gifts?

CinciTikiCraig-

Quote:For the record Ed Hamilton, AKA The Ministry Of Rum and the American importer for LH

Any idea of where in the USA they import to???
I have sent about 10 emails directly to LH from their website!!!
Not 1 reply......
:(

Jon

I do not know where to find this information, but I do know that Lemon Hart is available in New York and California. And as long as you live in a state that DrinkupNY

http://www.drinkupny.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=lemon+hart&Submit.x=-760&Submit.y=-91

or Hi-Time Wine Cellars

http://www.hitimewine.net/search.php?mode=search&page=1

can ship to, you can get some (new stock) from there.

Looking forward to seeing some of this in the US...

http://lemonhartrum.com/rums/lemon-hart-original

Jack,

Have you been able to find Lemon Hart in the city? I've looked in a couple of places when I've been in the city for other things but no hits yet. DrinkUp NY's shipping is expensive in my opinion, especially since I'm NJ.

Jon,

Here's a map of thev states where Ed has distribution of his portfolio:

http://www.caribbean-spirits.com/

Ed's contact info should be there, plus he's on Facebook and Twiiter and is very responsive to questions. He should be able to direct you to a distributor who can tell you where LH is being sold.

Craig

Thanks
Time for a road trip or a Fed Ex deliv
:)

Jon

Yeah, getting a response back from small places can be a pain, they don't always have a rep so you may be directly contacting the CEO. What makes things worse is sometimes emails to their domain from your domain (or to your domain)do not make it through because the host is not handling them for some reason. AOL used to be a bitch to get email responses to.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this just went up on the Lemon Hart 151 Facebook page about 5 hours ago:

"I"m sorry too report that Mosaiq, the Lemon Hart brand owner, has decided not to bottle any more Lemon Hart 151 until at least the middle of 2015. I wish I had the opportunity to buy more and offered to buy 5,000 cases but was turned down. Planning is everything. I'm working on obtaining another overproof rum that will work in many of the cocktails you love."

https://www.facebook.com/LH151

UGH!!! Let the LH151 rationing begin. So will the Mai-Kai survive until 2015???

NOOOOOOO

The question was asked why that decision was made:

"Supply problem with raw materials? Distillery being upgraded? Having labor problems? Desire to drive the price up? To allow them to start aging it longer -- and this was the best way to get that process started?"

We'll have to wait and see if any kind of response gets posted. I am very curious.

Already bought 2. Hoarded!

That is horrible! I am going to go grab some now...

Sorry guys, San Diego is out. I grabbed the last bottle at Trader Morts and asked if they had more. They checked the back and this was the only bottle. So I have 2 1/4 bottles, hope I can find more. I will post if Morts gets more.

I would hope there's enough in the pipeline that it won't dry up immediately, but stocking up now is probably a wise move.

Beyond my own selfish interests, I too am worried about all the bars out there that have gotten used to having it widely available for the past several years. The timing couldn't be worse for Beachbum Berry. I'm sure this will be a hot topic of conversation at The Hukilau in a couple weeks.

The Mai-Kai will be able to adapt, as they have for 58 years. They can always revert back to the previous recipes, but that would not be ideal. I'm hoping great minds like Martin Cate are able to come up with some good alternatives.

The mention of another overproof rum "that will work in many of the cocktails you love" is somewhat encouraging. I'm also wondering if this affects the product worldwide, or just in the U.S.

So what's the substitution for Lemon Hart 151? I know El Dorado 151 isn't the same, but its not Bacardi 151 either...

So begins the 3rd Lemon Hart Hunger Games!

May the Lemon Hart always flow in your favor...

I'll join in the craziness....

This is driving me nuts. TICK TOCK!

Sorry... :(

This just kills me after what I went through to get just ONE liquor store within 35 miles of me to carry it!

Does anybody know why they're doing this?

Plantation Dark 151 is a great alternative. It's definitely not Lemon Hart, but it works. Goslings 151'is also usable, but harder to find. The Mai Kai was using that during the last drought.

Some interesting discussion on the Global Rum Club Facebook group. Someone suggested mixing the Plantation 151 with a smoky dark rum. I'm thinking one of the aged El Dorado rums. But anything added to the 151 is going to bring the proof down.

And Tiare suggested a mix of Lost Spirits Navy Style and El Dorado 15. This might come very close taste-wise. I just sampled Lost Spirits at the Miami Rum Festival, and it's great. But at 136 proof, it's not going to have the same firepower when mixed with ED 15.

There was also mention of Tiki Lover's Dark Rum, but I think that's just 114 proof.

While we are on the topic of overproof rum and substitution have anyone tested this one in drinks (Tilambic 151)?

http://rumdiariesblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/tilambic-151/

A friend of mine went to Hi Times in Costa Mesa yesterday and they're out of Lemon Hart. Stay thirsty, my friends.

Once again, presented with a challenge, we are called to innovate.

On 2014-05-28 19:40, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
Plantation Dark 151 is a great alternative. It's definitely not Lemon Hart, but it works.

I'll give it a look, thanks!

On 2014-05-29 07:57, arriano wrote:
A friend of mine went to Hi Times in Costa Mesa yesterday and they're out of Lemon Hart. Stay thirsty, my friends.

Holy poop, hopefully my order a few days ago went through okay. They're my only source for the stuff.

I was having this discussion with a few friends yesterday.

Plantation Dark overproof is a good rum but not a substitute for Lemon Hart 151.

This would be a great time for El Dorado to kick in and produce a dark Demerara 151 strength rum. They used to make a dark called "Cuba Libre". . . I liked it. Kick up that formula to 151 strength and they may be able to give Lemon Hart a run for their money. I'm growing weary of the 'Lemon Hart Chronicles"... it's time for a new contender.

Okay, I went to two different liquor stores and bought what I could find.

okay, but where the F is "base of the volcano?"

What the porpoise said

:)

On 2014-05-29 16:36, GentleHangman wrote:
I'm growing weary of the 'Lemon Hart Chronicles"... it's time for a new contender.

Agreed, it would be a brilliant marketing scam if that was LH's intention as they're sort of a monopoly in that essence. So they're stopping 151 and not the usual LH?

MaukaHale, I have a particular skill set that makes me a nightmare for people like you
I will find you, I when I do, I will drink your Lemon Hart! there will be song & dance also.

Apparently I tipped off The Mai-Kai in time for them to buy out the entire stock from their distributor. So no worries for The Hukilau and a while afterwards. But they're looking at possible replacements.

I also heard from the Bum, who says he's got plenty of LH 151 coming from his local distributor for his bar's opening. I'm wondering if there's enough product stashed in the warehouses of various distributors to carry us through the shortage. I was still able to get a store to order the "old" Lemon Hart from their distributor years after production ended.

I'll definitely try to gather more info at The Hukilau.

I don't think there is a distributor to SC, but since I have never purchased the stuff I'm not certain.

I just want to jump on the bandwagon and buy some. HAHA

• Dale

Lemon Hart 151 may become the Bitcoin of Tiki.

Let's hope not! Bitcoin is around $600 right now. Knowing the tiki community, Lemon Hart will be pushing $1,000 a bottle before you know it. And what's worse, people will pay it!

Hmmm. I see an investment opportunity.

Stocked up today. Still some bittles on the shelf at the one and only place near me that stocks it.

As for ED producing a 151, there is a light 151 that just became available here. As far as I know the distillate that becomes LH151 is coming off the very same wooden Coffey still that all of the El Dorado products are made with. I think regardless of the name brand all pot still Demerara rum is distilled at Demerara Distillers.

Not to pick on littlegiles but to reference their post:

On 2014-05-30 12:33, littlegiles wrote:
I just want to jump on the bandwagon and buy some. HAHA

No doubt LH151 is a distinctive rum & people can spend their money how they want BUT without LH151 'on the team' you'll still be able to whip up a good drink right? It's not the be all & end all.

I've enjoyed obtaining LH151 when I had not been able previously & found a few of drinks I really liked that 'needed' LH141 but have probably made 20 or so. Quite a few just weren't to my taste, (that's normal for when you try a bunch of tiki drinks, regardless of the spirits involved)

I tried out Gosling 151 as an alternative in the drinks that I really liked ~ the drinks lacked something but they were still good, arguably my I should have tried it in the drinks I didn't like with LH151 to see if it improved them.

A potential 'out of stock' means I should just hurry up & order another bottle, not all they've got... Just my 2 cents :wink:

On 2014-05-30 15:10, AdOrAdam wrote:
A potential 'out of stock' means I should just hurry up & order another bottle, not all they've got... Just my 2 cents :wink:

Or, you can go into full-bore hoarder panic mode, and buy every bottle you find! Last 10 bottles, at that store. (I still have 2 cases of original Lemon Hart 80, from my last LH panic.:o)