Rum & Innovation

Beyond the Still with our Rum & Innovation Team

RON CALL-MASTER DISTILLER

RON CALL

MASTER DISTILLER

Ron Call is a seventh-generation Master Distiller with over 45 years in the spirits business. Ron has extensive experience in making fine brown spirits with whiskey distilling going back within his family history to the 1780s! Understanding that the future of ultra-premium rum would follow the same quality and authenticity as whiskey, Ron uses his decades of experience running production & innovation for Cruzan Rum and dozens of other Florida Distiller’s brands to craft bold, well-traveled and deeply nuanced rum blends that Papa himself would have been proud of.

Steve Groth-Founder & CEO

Steve Groth

Founder & CEO

A true strategist & visionary at his core, Steve has successfully built thriving businesses in many different industries, across several continents with his most recent venture helping to co-found and launch Angel’s Envy Bourbon. As an embodiment of the #NeverASpectator lifestyle and a Hemingway fan himself, Steve serves as the fearless leader of Papa’s Pilar Rum, created in conjunction with Ernest Hemingway’s estate to honor the ultimate adventurer.

ANDY MCNAMARA-PAPA'S PILAR SOMMELIER & COOPERAGE CONSULTANT

ANDY MCNAMARA

PAPA'S PILAR SOMMELIER & COOPERAGE CONSULTANT

As one of 269 Master Sommeliers in the world (and one of 15 who passed his exam on the first try!), Andy lends his world-class expertise to the Papa’s Pilar Team as a Wine Sommelier & Cooperage Consultant and plays a large role in our rum aging & finishing process. Andy was named one of the "Best New Sommeliers of 2008" by Wine and Spirits.

SHAWN MARTIN-KEY WEST RUM MAKER & DISTILLERY FACILITIES MANAGER

SHAWN MARTIN

KEY WEST RUM MAKER & DISTILLERY FACILITIES MANAGER

A rum aficionado, self-proclaimed “rum nerd”, former rum judge and marine biologist, Shawn Martin balances his time between his two passions: rum and marine conservation. When he’s not blending rum in our Key West Distillery, Shawn serves as Founder & Chair of the Florida Keys chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

BAHAMA BOB-KEY WEST RUM MAKER & INNOVATION CONSULTANT

BAHAMA BOB

KEY WEST RUM MAKER & INNOVATION CONSULTANT

Legendary rum author, Key West local, and long-time traveler of the Caribbean, “Bahama Bob” is a true rum expert. Believe it or not, Bob started his career serving as a NASCAR racing chassis and suspension engineer. His life in the fast lane eventually led him into the world of rum and became an award-winning blogger, “Bahama Bob’s Rumstyles”. Today, Bahama Bob currently serves as Hemingway Rum Company’s local Key West Rum Consultant.

BAHAMA BOB-KEY WEST RUM MAKER & INNOVATION CONSULTANT

JUSTEN TIPPETT

LAKELAND RUM OPERATIONS MANAGER

As Ron Call’s righthand man and second in command, Justen manages all operations at our Lakeland facility. A natural outdoorsman and avid kayaker, Justen truly embraces the #NeverASpectator mantra.

SOURCES

DIVE IN

Rum Sources

Barados Dominican Republic Panama Venezuela Key West Lakeland

We source our rums like Hemingway sourced his adventures: with an appetite for greatness. Papa's restless spirit and sea-faring exploits inspired us to rediscover rums from his favorite ports of call around the Caribbean basin.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SOURCES

DISCOVER MORE

About Papa's Pilar Blonde Rum

About Papa's Pilar Dark Rum

About Papa's Pilar Sherry-Finished rum