After retiring, Erik and Karin Vonk combined their love of farming and spirits to create Richland Rum. Nearly 25 years later, their Georgia-made rum is earning high praise from critics across the globe.

Richland

Eric and Karen Vonk, after retiring from corporate life, established Richland Rum on their 70-acre estate in Richland, Georgia. Inspired by Eric's grandfather, they chose to grow sugarcane and produce rum directly from its juice, a method used by less than 5 percent of rum makers worldwide. 

Their distillery, which began as a hobby, has become a significant business, drawing thousands of visitors annually and contributing to the resurgence of craft spirits in Georgia. The Vonks' process involves aging rum in American white oak barrels for up to a decade, and their operation has even attracted the attention of notable locals, including former President Jimmy Carter.

How retirement led Georgia couple to build a rum empire

We are in the first real growth month. You can say Eric and Karen Vonk's nearly 70 acres on the couple's sprawling estate is rich in spirits. They grow sugarcane, inspired by Eric's grandfather. He taught me as an impressionable kid and teenager the difference between rums made from molasses, which is a byproduct of sugar making, and rums made directly from fresh sugarcane. After retiring, the Dutch duo traded the hustle and bustle of corporate life for one on the farm in southwest Georgia. That's when it kind of all came together. Like, oh, here's an opportunity to buy some land. And maybe we can grow sugarcane and fulfill an old dream. That dream turned into Richland Rum, named for their home in the rural railroad city two hours south of Atlanta, which is drawing thousands from around the world to their distillery each year. What we started out doing was a hobby. It was never intended to be a business. And it's big business. The U.S. rum industry is experiencing a rum renaissance as more craft spirits are being embraced in the marketplace, especially in Georgia. Rum production in the state was essentially non-existent until the turn of the century due to complicated liquor laws. Finally, in 2017, the Georgia legislator allowed us to sell our own product in our own buildings. Less than 5 percent of rum makers worldwide use sugarcane juice. Most use molasses. It's where the Vanks say theirs is in a class of its own. More than 1,000 American white oak barrels filled with rum are stacked to the ceiling in Richland's distillery, some that have been aging for more than a decade. There's a 2011. And if that doesn't sound that long, well, it isn't. Finding that sweet success for the Vanks wasn't easy. When did y'all know y'all got this right in terms of flavor? A lot of blisters and a lot of trial and error. We always say the barrel decides when the rum is ready. It can be anywhere between six and 10 years. Distiller T.J. Harris ensures the taste is perfected. So this right here is a combination of like 90 gallons of syrup, 500 gallons of water and about six ounces of yeast. The fermentation process from there takes between seven to 10 days. Then what will be rum is moved into the distillery. It's poured from these copper pots at 120 proof into the barrels. Does one of those tell me when to stop? There you go. All right, all right, yeah. Oh, man. Not bad. Then off to the barrel house until it's eventually bottled. The process even caught the eye of one famous Georgian who grew up right down the road in Plains. President Carter and Ms. Roslyn, they had so much interest in the process that then and there we decided that we were distilling a presidential barrel. The Vanks' farm to bottle experience has existed just as long as their marriage, 25 years strong. Starting a distillery is an enormous challenge. The fact that we've been able to do that and still are enjoying that every day. Happily married. And still happily married. A good spirited partnership rooted in a passion for rum.

Typhoon Co-May has left a trail of destruction across the Philippines, making landfall in the country's northwestern region. Torrential rains and strong winds have battered towns and cities, damaging homes, roads, and farmland. At least 25 people have been reported dead.

Pangasinan

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Jerusalem

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Bangkok

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Ukraine Invasion

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London

Global Tariffs

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Kyiv

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California

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Breakdown