Parrots, Pirates and Rum
We googled “things to do in San Leon” before we set off for our day. The Railean Distillers tour made the list. We also wanted to do a little shopping while we were there, but our Internet search didn’t list a single …nautical-themed boutique, or even an antique store.
Knowing that small businesses don’t always have a web presence, we weren’t discouraged by the lack of search results. How could we not find treasures in a town that was once home to pirate, John Lafitte? We decided to find a shop the old fashion way — by driving around. After lunch at Gilhooly’s, we drove up and down streets, reading signs as we went.
If shopping for bait is what you’re after, San Leon’s the place. And there’s a very good reason the town’s newspaper describes it as “a small drinking village with a fishing problem”. Tucked away on those narrow streets are more colorful bars named after parrots and pirates than any other spot on earth. There’s a lot of propane for sale too.
We found one promising shopping center, but after closer inspection, we didn’t go inside.
We headed to the distillery instead.
It’s only right, that on this peninsula that was once a pirate stronghold, the first FTC certified “Made in USA” rum is being produced by Railean Distillers. If you’ve read Treasure Island, you know that nothing goes together better than pirates and rum. Even our early New England colonists were fond of the spirit. Colonial Americans consumed close to 4 gallons of rum per year – that would be per person. Rhode Island’s rum was so sought-after, it was accepted as currency in Europe. No wonder a valuable cargo of rum could spell danger on the high seas.
Kelly Railean, who professes a passion for sailing, tropical islands, parrots and pirates, (Is she in the right place or what?) is a pioneer of the resurgence of rum making in the United States. Her distillery produces handcrafted, high quality rums: a spiced one, a light one and a dark one too. She recently added an agave spirit to her line. Her small distillery is housed in a metal building near the end of a dead-end street where GPS cannot take you.
A tour costs $3 per person and includes a close-up look at her big copper still, as well as a detailed explanation of the rum and agave making processes. Rum ages in small wooden barrels stacked on shelves at the back of the building. It’s all very compact and very hands-on. Once you take the tour, you understand why her small batch, artisan rums offer tastes impossible to duplicate in mass production.
State laws will not allow alcohol sales at the distillery, but you will see her bottle there, with its trademark green parrot. She is happy to give you a tasting of her various rums and agave spirits, a perfect dessert substitute on a cold, sunny day. She also has logo gift items — from key chains to t-shirts to shot glasses. So, in a sense, we found our shopping experience.
Click here to learn more about Railean Distillers.
Remember, to ask for directions when you schedule your tour and don’t forget to look skyward if you hear loud squawking. The green parrots of San Leon (wild Monk parakeets, actually) are noisy creatures. When they’re in the vicinity, you’ll know it.
We enjoyed our daytrip to San Leon. We hope you enjoy your day too!