Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Arasin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2018, I quit my day job as an editor and started backpacking through Central and South America. I lived on the road for 2 years, supporting myself through freelance editing and teaching positions while volunteering for local companies that piqued my interest.
While working on an animal rescue farm in Costa Rica, I tasted my first fresh sugarcane stick when a delivery truck dropped a few in the road as he drove by. Later, working as an apprentice at a nanobrewery in Argentina, I brewed my first batch of beer and learned the value of crafting something with my own two hands.
After returning to the States, I pursued a formal education in the alcohol industry through programs with the American Brewer’s Guild and the University of Vermont. Combining my academic knowledge of the industry with fond memories on the road, I’ve released a line of rum products distilled from 100% sugarcane molasses for those who find their own way through unfamiliar waters.
Though carrying everything you own from one place to the next is fun for a while, at the end of the day, I want to belong somewhere. Stern Mama is my path to belonging in Oregon.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I moved to Oregon in 2022, and I didn’t know a single person here. So, I signed of for the Willamette Chapter of the Pink Boots Society, which is a non-profit organization that supports women and non-binary people working in the the alcohol industry. Through that group, I made my first friends and professional connections.
One of the members at the time was Dani Raiche, head brewer at Calapooia Brewing, who introduced me to Caitlin Prueitt, the owner of Calapooia Brewing/Vivacity Spirits. Caitlin offered to allow Stern Mama to contract distill under Vivacity’s license, using their space and equipment, which gave us a path to begin production without the 6-figure start up costs usually associated with beginning your own company.
It’s certainly been a struggle to find peers and mentors. Eugene alone has had 3 distilleries close in the last couple years (Swallowtail, Thinking Tree, and Heritage). So I am very grateful to have Caitlin’s support and encouragement as I get started in a challenging industry.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Though I have industry knowledge, I don’t have a professional background in distilling, so I focus on getting our story out to the local market. In 2022, that story started with the birth of our brand. Since Eugene is such a student-focused town, I knew I wanted to work with a student artist. I found art by Ellie Reis on the University of Oregon’s website and something about their maximalist style really spoke to me. We connected on Instagram and worked closely together to develop our logo and label art. I also worked closely with Cassandra Judd, another Pink Boots Society connection, who helped us get our labels print-ready. The fact that our labels feature art by a former local student really resonates with our customers.
Now that we have three products on the market, I meet regularly with other small business owners seeking collaboration opportunities. These range from bars and breweries to farmers markets, coffee shops, and everything in between. Spreading the word about our brand without a brick and mortar of our own requires a lot of creativity. I’m not shy about picking up the phone or stopping by someone’s shop in person to see if there’s interest in letting us market ourselves to their customers.
A big part of that comes from the confidence I have in our rum. I am so proud of the products we are putting out. Our distiller (and my boyfriend), Chris Alborn, has been in the alcohol industry for over a decade, and he is using quality ingredients and time-tested methodologies, which makes such a difference in flavor and overall quality.
We’ve already been picked up by 16 liquor stores within our first year of production, and that is 100% due to the combination of legwork we are putting in with marketing and the quality of the rum products we are offering. There are not many Oregon-based rums on the market, which also sets us apart. Several local bars have started carrying our products, and we so appreciate their support.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how excited people in Eugene and the surrounding area are to hear about us. There is a real need for more distilleries in Lane County, and when they hear it is also a woman-owned company, they root for us even more.
It can be a challenge that we don’t have our own space, because people are so interested in supporting local. Sometimes, there is a disconnect when they hear we are not making the product in Eugene yet, which I definitely understand. Sometimes, people ask if we’re making the rum in our bathtub! That always gives me a laugh, but it also makes us seem a bit less legitimate than we really are as a production company.
But so many other small businesses are showing up for us. They know what we’re going through, and they want to support us however they can. We recently started popping up regularly at Gratitude Brewing to share samples of our rum products, and we’ve also popped up at several bars around town. The community loves to hear our story and our methods, and we can’t wait to continue on this journey with them.
Pricing:
- Silver Rum – 750 ML – 80 proof/40%abv – $39.55
- Tropical Fruit Rum – 750 ML – 80 proof/40%abv – $44.00
- Spiced Flavored Rum – 750 ML – 80 proof/40%abv – $42.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sternmama.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sternmamadistilling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SternMamaDistilling/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/sternmama?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=9fb235cf-317c-4d9e-a65f-f2420ba6597f
