MurMur Rum: What Happens When You Make Rum from Coconut Water?

Behind the Pour

Shama, co-founder of MurMur Rum, is in studio with Crystal and Roger for a conversation that starts with a simple question: why is the rum pink? The answer is not what most people expect. The pink color comes from coconut water — specifically, from the phenol reaction that turns coconut meat pink when it oxidizes, the same way apples turn brown. MurMur carries that reaction through into the bottle, and the result is a visually distinctive spirit with a flavor story that coconut water makes genuinely unusual.

What You'll Discover

• A three-rum blend from three islands: MurMur blends rums from Guyana, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic. Three different rum traditions, three different fermentation and distillation approaches, combined into a single expression.
• Coconut water as the flavor bridge: The coconut water addition is not a flavoring — it is part of the hydration and fermentation conversation. Shama originally added it for its electrolyte profile. The pink color was an unexpected result that the team decided to preserve.
• White Flint decanter bottle from France: The packaging reflects the music industry background that both founders brought to the project. The thick glass decanter is manufactured in France; the rum is produced commercially in Amsterdam through a partnership with a Dutch distillery.
• A serendipitous brand origin: MurMur launched in 2017, initially self-funded. Co-founder Scott Kenchin's fashion background shaped the packaging-first approach. The brand was built with the consumer experience in mind from the beginning.
• Growing from Colorado toward national: At time of recording, MurMur was expanding distribution in Colorado toward a national rollout. The Labowski's Tap Room connection (where they first appeared as a cocktail ingredient) gave them their initial proving ground.

A Moment of Pourspective

The most interesting spirits often start as accidents — a color that appeared unexpectedly and was too right to explain away. When a happy accident also makes sense, it stays.

Explore the Conversation

The MurMur episode has a distinctive studio energy: a founder in the room, a product with an unusual origin story, and cocktails already in progress before the episode begins. Crystal and Roger are not just reviewing the rum — they are trying it in multiple applications. Shama's description of the coconut water reaction is the episode's most memorable moment. Most people who drink coconut water have never seen it in an uncovered container long enough to watch it go pink. The science is straightforward (phenol oxidation), but the metaphor is better: a rum that turns pink because of its ingredients, not because of artificial color, is a rum that wears its production story visually. The self-funded origin gives MurMur the kind of scrappy sincerity that investors-first brands rarely have. Scott Kenchin's fashion sensibility shows up in the bottle design — and the bottle design shows up in the conversations people have when it is on the bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the pink color natural? The pink color comes from the coconut water oxidizing during production, the same phenol reaction that turns coconut meat pink. The brand does add a small amount of certified color to keep the shade consistent across batches — but the pink origin is real.
• Where are the rums from? MurMur blends rum from three distinct rum-producing origins: Guyana (known for rich, pot-still style rums), Barbados (light to medium column-still rums), and the Dominican Republic (lighter, sweeter profile). Distilled commercially in Amsterdam.
• Is this a flavored rum? No. The coconut water is part of the production process, not an added flavor. MurMur is categorized as rum — the coconut water contributes to the fermentation character but does not make it a coconut-flavored spirit in the conventional sense.
• Where can I find MurMur? At time of recording, distributed in Colorado and expanding nationally. Check their website for current availability.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirit reviewed: MurMur Rum
• Guest: Shama (co-founder of MurMur Rum)
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Category: Rum
• Notable: Three-island blend, coconut water fermentation, pink from phenol oxidation