Rum, the all-American drink

July 6, 4:35 PMChicago Drinks ExaminerCharles Cowdery

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Historic rum jugs.

With Independence Day behind us and most of Rum Month still ahead, let’s take a quick look at rum’s important role in American history.

Two-hundred years ago, Americans would have eschewed rum as their patriotic duty. Why? Because rum is made from molasses and, in colonial times, molasses came from the British West Indies. Colonials seeking to break all ties with Mother England advocated the production and consumption of domestic spirit, which fast-tracked the American whiskey and applejack (i.e., apple brandy) industries.

The first rum distilleries in New England were established in the 1660s and rum production quickly became a major industry there. A century later, English taxes on sugar and molasses helped provoke the American Revolution. After the Revolution, the English built distilleries where the molasses was and the Americans found other things to distill. Although greatly diminished, New England continued to have a rum industry right up to Prohibition.

Early rums were produced crudely and retained a lot of their molasses character. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that rum came to resemble the product we know today. The term “dark rum” is sometimes used to describe those early efforts, but should not be confused with modern “dark rum,” which gets its color and flavor mostly from aging in oak barrels.

Like vodka — but unlike bourbon, scotch or tequila — rum is produced in many different countries so there is no single set of standards. In general, rums from Spanish-speaking islands such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic tend to be light and clean — almost vodka-like — while rums from English-speaking islands such as Jamaica and Bermuda are more flavorful. The French-speaking islands have their own style and there are many other rum-like sugar cane-based beverages produced in Brazil, Mexico, Guyana, and many other places. Virtually every Caribbean island and many places in Central and South America make rum, or something similar, from sugar cane.

Since Puerto Rico is far and away the world’s largest rum producer, rum is all-American again. Bacardi dominates the industry there and is credited with developing the light style of rum that is most popular today.

Check back for more Rum Month columns.