History

Rum, one of the earliest known spirits due to its simple production process, derives from sugarcane. Sugarcane was first known to be fermented as early as 350 BC in India. At this time, medical practitioners used the fermented spirit for medicinal purposes. The production of sugarcane increased as explorers discovered islands with the perfect growing climate. The first mention of rum in 1650 from Barbados labeled it as “kill-devil” or "rumbullion". By 1763, distillers produced many variations on the original recipe. Modern rum came to fruition when plantation slaves discovered that the by-product of the sugarcane refining process could be fermented into alcohol. While most producers distill rum in tropical locations such as Jamaica and Puerto Rico, it remains a popular spirit around the world thanks to its unique flavor and storied history.

How Rum is Made

The most important step when making rum comes from properly harvesting the sugar with a cane cut close to ground level. While this process retains high levels of purity and sweetness, it must be milled quickly before boiling the sugar until it dissolves. Then, distillers pour it in cold water while agitating it regularly. Once it cools to the desired level, you put in the yeast and let that sit for 3-7 days if you used a juice or syrup, but if it’s made from molasses, this process takes around 12-14 days. After fermenting the sugar and yeast, distillers strain out the solid material left over. Once filtered properly, the distillation process begins to remove unwanted contaminants and dangerous alcohols not fit for consumption. Using a clean and properly set up still, rum producers then distill the solution twice. They heat the alcohol to produce distillate until it is 20% alcohol by volume the first time, dilute that with water, and run it again. They isolate dangerous alcohols produced during the distillation, and isolate the good stuff, which they then age in barrels.

Types of

• White or Clear Rum - Cocktail mixers most commonly use white and clear rums for mixing cocktails. White and clear rums taste lighter than their golden or dark counterparts, which are usually sold at 80 proof (or 40% ABV). Most white rums also go through aging in stainless steel barrels, but can be found with wood added to them during the production process; this brings out more flavors. Classic drinks made from these include mojitos, daiquiris, Cuba libras, and piña coladas.
• Gold or Pale Rum - Aged for several years in wood barrels, gold rum’s color ranges from gold to amber, depending on how long it has been aging. Gold rums often do not need any additional mixers or flavors because they have such rich flavors themselves, making them perfect candidates as drinks served “on the rocks”.’
• Dark Rum - Made from dark brown sugar, molasses or black strap coffee beans mixed with water and fermented, distillers typically age dark rum in oak barrels for several years before releasing it to the public. Dark rums taste stronger than lighter colored rums, but still vary dramatically depending on where they were crafted as well how long the distillation process took and the temperatures utilized during the process.
• Black Rum - The darkest flavored rum available may look intimidating, but has a light to medium body. Made from molasses, it embodies rich flavors due in part to the added burnt caramel colorant that darkens it. Black rums mix excellently into cocktails like an old fashioned and equally well into regular mixed drinks.
• Premium Aged Rum - The finest aged rums mature for a long time, usually 3+ years. They take on the color and flavors of their surroundings, which includes tastes all the way from wood to leather! Premium liquors should be enjoyed neat or with ice cubes, much like fine whiskeys and Scotches.
• Flavored and Spiced Rum - Frequently made from gold rums, the addition of flavor and spices often sets it apart from other alcoholic beverages. The most common addictions come from seeds, fruit or roots like cinnamon or allspice.