German rum revolution on the Baltic Sea

The Beethoven of stills

Forsyths? That's right, we're talking about the holy grail of stills, which makes the hearts of connoisseurs and experts of all spirits beat faster. Highest quality, booked up years in advance, only available through special contacts and sinfully expensive – known for these attributes, the copper stills from the 135-year-old Scottish manufacturer Forsyth are among the best you can get in the field of distillation. Quasi the Beethoven or Porsche among stills.

And now here's the thing: the North German distillery Mænnerhobby has ordered one. Not just any still – the largest in Europe! Only a few rum distilleries, currently only Foursquare (Barbados) and Worthy Park (Jamaica), distill their world-famous, heavy rums with these special apparatuses. Apart from Scottish whiskey distilleries, only the German whiskey distillers St. Kilian have a genuine Forsyths on the European mainland!

Endless possibilities for distillation

Now imagine combining a classic copper pot still AND a Forsyths column still, and suddenly you can distill any style of rum you want! Heavy, light, smooth, or rough—the design possibilities of this distillation system are dizzying. Incidentally, the copper in a still reacts with the rising steam to absorb unwanted chemicals and produce a purer distillate. Modular distillation allows the processes to be flexibly adapted, enabling different raw materials to be distilled, including fermented sugar cane juice, as in Rhum Agricole from the French Antilles.

This combination is an absolute innovation and does not yet exist in either the whiskey or rum world.

Think big and be crazy

This is exactly what Martin Neumann, the likeable founder of the Mænnerhobby distillery and KRUM rum brand, set out to do when he decided to build Europe's largest rum distillery in the tranquil town of Mönchagen in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Als Rohmaterial soll Bio-Melasse aus Paraguay fermentiert und im traditionellen Pot Still Verfahren direkt an der Ostseeküste Deutschlands gebrannt werden. Echter Küstenrum sozusagen!

Hört man Martin zu wie er leidenschaftlich vom Baufortschritt erzählt, weiß man zunächst nicht ob er genial oder wahnsinnig ist. Man fühlt sofort seine brennende Leidenschaft und hat größten Respekt vor seinem Mut angesichts dieser verrückten Dimensionen!

Courage meets experience

Don't worry, Martin knows what he's doing. From his first caraway schnapps for family and friends, distilled on a tiny fruit still, the small Mænnerhobby grew in 2019 to include a 600-liter closed distillation system on which the passionate team also distilled gins and molasses rums. The “Mænnerhobby” became a real distillery. The associated brewery added to the wealth of experience gained over many years, including a keen sense of intuition when it comes to raw material fermentation.

147 national and international awards later, despite all their modesty, it is clear that the down-to-earth team knows a thing or two about distillation at Mænnerhobby!

It's all or nothing – reward-based crowdfunding for the final step

All signs point to a rum revolution for this project on the rugged Baltic Sea coast. Honestly, why should pot still rum only come from the Caribbean? To answer this question, the small family business has really put all its eggs in one basket and taken a huge risk. During the construction phase, Covid threw some major obstacles in their path, which ultimately led to a halt in construction in 2022. However, the team was able to overcome all adversities through hard work and determination.

Martin's motto is: Never give up and keep pursuing your dream!

To kick off the final construction phase, Mænnerhobby now needs your personal support and invites you to become part of this ambitious passion project! RumX is the most active rum community in Europe. What could be better for us rum enthusiasts than such an exciting rum project and the opportunity to be there from the start and virtually “help build” the distillery?

Costs have risen significantly since construction was halted in 2022. Mænnerhobby is raising a total of €250,000 for the final construction and installation of the distillation plant.

• Current status: The hall and infrastructure are in place.
• In progress: The stills are already on the ship from Scotland.
• Next steps: The plant is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, with the first distillation planned for February/March 2026.

Why support now?

• You will be helping the passionate team at Maennerhobby with the final construction phase of the distillery. These are truly the last few meters, after which real coastal rum will flow from the still!
• You will be part of the founding story and accompany a new rum distillery from the very first barrel!
• You can support us with as little as €25!
• No risk: If the crowdfunding goal is not reached, all funds raised will be refunded in full.

What rewards can you buy in the crowdfunding campaign?

Even a small contribution can make a big difference. When you purchase a reward, Mænnerhobby has prepared exciting, very personal specials for your participation:

• Investors Special Edition: You will receive a strictly limited edition bottle, exclusively for supporters. A real collector's item – and a sip of history.
• Your name in the distillery: Supporters like you will be immortalized in stone: On a plaque that will hang permanently in the distillery.
• Your own barrels for maturation: Whether 30, 95, or 190 liters – you can choose your own barrel and personally accompany the maturation process.
• A bottle from the very first distillation: The distillery's launch, bottled in a bottle that will remind you of this moment forever.
• Private party at the distillery: With 20 or even 100 guests – celebrate in a unique atmosphere surrounded by copper stills and storage barrels.
• A day as a master distiller: Experience first-hand how rum is made: with your own distillation, lots of background knowledge, and a comprehensive culinary program.
• Grand opening party: Food, drinks, and a great atmosphere—be there when the doors open for the first time.

Hardly any other project has excited us at RumX as much; for me, Robert, who has been dreaming of having my own distillery for years and fantasizing about it again and again, it means a lot. Do you feel the same way?