Bartending 101: What is rum?

July 5, 3:21 AMBartender ExaminerKathleen Neves

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Bartender Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Whenever I think of rum, I immediately think of the trip I took with my family to Belize. In the warm tropical climate, there never seemed to be a shortage of rum and rum inspired cocktails. Everywhere we went on the island, it seemed like our “Jungle Juice” (rum mixed with a variety of fruit juices) was right there with us. Caribbean Islands are popularly associated with the origins of rum. The reason why rum comes from the Caribbean is because sugar cane thrives in the tropical and subtropical environments. Sugar cane is the main ingredient used in making rum.

It is said that Christopher Columbus first brought sugar cane to the Caribbean on his second voyage to Puerto Rico in 1493. The first Spanish governor of the island, Ponce de Leon, was the first person that was responsible for planting the first sugar cane fields in Puerto Rico. In 1897, the first Puerto Rican rum was available for export to the United States. The shipment is said to have included 18,000 gallons.

Rum is distilled from the fermented juice of sugar cane, which is then transformed into molasses. Molasses is sticky syrup that is the result of when sugar cane is boiled down. When molasses, water and yeast are fermented together, the result is distilled into rum. When rum is first distilled, the crude rum is between 130 and 180 proof. The rum is then aged anywhere from two to ten years in order to mellow it out.

There are different styles of rum: light (white), dark, spiced/flavored and anejo (aged). Light rum mainly comes from Puerto Rico. In fact, 77% of all the rum sold in the United States comes from Puerto Rico. Light (white) rum is produced in continuous stills and is filtered through charcoal. Light rum is aged in stainless steel tanks and therefore remains, for the most part, colorless. Bacardi is an example of light rum.

Dark rum is full-bodied rum with a rich, sweet and distinct molasses flavor. The deeper flavor and darker color is a result from the additional caramel coloring added to the rum and from being aged in charred oak casks. Myer’s Rum is a popular brand of Jamaican dark rum. Dark rum mainly comes from places such as Jamaica, Haiti and Martinique.

Spiced/flavored rum receives its flavors from the infusion of spices, caramel and fruit flavors that have been added to the rum. Generally, spiced rum will be gold or brownish in color. Captain Morgan is an example of spiced rum. Malibu is an example of (coconut) flavored rum.

With anejo or aged rum, the rum has been blended from different batches or vintages of rum. The age that is labeled on these types of rums will state the age of the youngest rum used in the blend.

There is also a Brazilian “cousin” of rum called cachaça (ka-shah-sa). Instead of being distilled from molasses like rum, cachaça is distilled directly from sugar cane.

July is Rum Month at Examiner.com. To check out all of the Examiner coverage on all things rum throughout the month of July, be sure to visit the Latest Rum Month News page.