Striped Lion Distilling: The Rum Brand Disrupting Craft Spirits | The Liquor Connoisseur

Behind the Pour

Aaron and Kevin started Striped Lion Distilling because Kevin said 'I think I can make rum' at a rum festival, and the results when he tried were too good to ignore. Together they have collected nearly 400 types of rum over almost 20 years — a number Aaron is reluctant to acknowledge because of what it reveals about how long they have been doing this. The distillery operated in Woodbury, New Jersey (Gloucester County, just outside Philadelphia) for four and a half years before an unexpected landlord change triggered a search for a new location. The episode catches them mid-move, still committed to the craft, staying nearby in South Jersey.

What You'll Discover

• A 400-bottle rum collection as a distillery's foundation: Aaron and Kevin's personal collection is not just enthusiast-level — it is the proof of concept that Kevin used to convince himself and Aaron that making rum was the right next step. When you have tasted that much rum from that many origins, you know what you are trying to create.
• Kevin's chemistry background as the production engine: Kevin's instinct at the rum festival was grounded in chemistry knowledge. He understood the fermentation and distillation science well enough to be confident. The first batches confirmed the instinct.
• Woodbury, NJ — South Jersey craft spirits: The distillery's location near Philadelphia put it in a regional market that benefits from both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey spirits consumer base. The South Jersey craft scene is smaller but dedicated.
• The cocktail creativity that runs alongside the spirits: Aaron describes building a Harry Potter birthday cocktail flight — a house flight of four color-differentiated cocktails using natural colorants (turmeric for gold, goji berry for red, green spirulina/matcha for green, blue spirulina for blue). This kind of seasonal creativity signals a bar program that takes the presentation as seriously as the production.
• In transition, still making rum: The move means Striped Lion's location is in flux — but the commitment to the brand and the South Jersey area is not.

A Moment of Pourspective

Two rum enthusiasts with a 400-bottle collection and a husband who says 'I think I can make this' at a festival, and then actually can — that is what craft distilling looks like when it starts with knowledge instead of marketing. Trust the collection.

Explore the Conversation

The Striped Lion episode is an on-location conversation that Roger shoots while Crystal conducts. Aaron's comfort with the camera is evident immediately — she tells the rum collection story with the mild embarrassment of someone who knows how it sounds but can't quite bring herself to minimize it, because the number is real and the knowledge behind it is genuine. The Harry Potter cocktail flight is a detour that tells you everything about how Aaron thinks about the bar program. She started with two themed drinks one year, then added to it the next, then added a house flight with four colors. Each color needed a natural colorant that actually worked — turmeric for gold, goji berry for red, green spirulina and matcha for green (pure spirulina tastes like fish food, she notes), blue spirulina for blue. That level of specificity in a seasonal specialty cocktail is not standard practice. The mid-move status adds a documentary quality to the episode. Striped Lion is a real company with a real product at a transitional moment, and TLC is there for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I find Striped Lion rum? At time of recording, Striped Lion was in South Jersey/greater Philadelphia area and in transition to a new location. Follow them on social media for current distribution and location updates.
• What style of rum does Striped Lion make? The episode focuses on their craft small-batch rum production — the specific style and aging information is best confirmed through their current materials.
• How do you get blue color in a cocktail without artificial dyes? Blue spirulina is a natural blue-green algae extract that provides vivid color without added artificial colorants. It is relatively neutral in flavor in small amounts. Aaron notes that green spirulina in large amounts can taste like fish food — blue spirulina is more flavor-stable.
• What is DSP certification for distilleries? DSP (Distilled Spirits Plant) is the TTB federal registration that distilleries receive to legally produce spirits. Each registered distillery has a DSP number.

Episode at a Glance

• Guest: Aaron (co-founder, Striped Lion Distilling)
• Hosts: Crystal (Roger behind camera)
• Category: Rum
• Location: Woodbury, New Jersey (Striped Lion Distillery)