Knowing and Understanding Rum

The spirit that we now know as rum is one of those advances that came about as different cultures shared knowledge and technology during the age of the great explorers. The perennial sweet-grass which came to be known as sugarcane is probably a plant native to the island of New Guinea. The important factor though is the discovery in India, more than 5,000 years ago, of the art of sugar making. From India, the cultivation of cane and the making of sugar spread to other cultures. It was the Arabs, who also brought the secret of distilling, who introduced sugarcane cultivation to Spain and southern France in the 8th century. Columbus, in turn, on his second voyage to the New World, brought it to the islands of the Caribbean.

Although other European colonies in the Caribbean, notably the French and Dutch, also soon became avid producers and consumers of rum, it was the British Navy which spread it around the world. In the 18th century it was decreed that each seaman would be given a daily generous ration of rum to help keep their spirits high. Lemon and lime juices were often added to the rum to help ward off scurvy. The practice of the British sailor's daily ration of grog continued until 1970.

Born in the Caribbean

There is some debate where the first rum was produced, with different producers claiming their island as the birthplace. Some sources cite Hispaniola, others Puerto Rico or Barbados. Regardless of where the first rum was produced, by the latter half of the 17th century, molasses from the West Indies was being shipped to New England, where it was distilled into rum. In fact, the first distillery in what is now the United States was built on Staten Island and was already producing rum when the English seized the Dutch colony in 1664. Another rum distillery was operating in Boston as early as 1667.

Rum was America's favorite spirit long before there was such a thing as bourbon whiskey. In 1775, more than 12 million gallons of rum were consumed annually in the 13 Colonies, a fairly significant amount for a population that was still under three million at the time.

The early popularity of rum in this country lessened as a result of the Embargo Act of 1807, which made the importing of anything from England, France or their territories illegal. By the time the restriction on West Indian molasses was lifted, bourbon and rye whiskeys had supplanted rum as the settlers' favorites. But use of the term rum to mean all distilled spirits was well established, and for years anti-alcohol organizations railed against "demon rum."

Much like the spirit itself, there is some confusion as to the origin of the word rum. The British seem to have the greatest claim with some sources citing the word rumbullion, an old English word meaning a great tumult or the British slang expression, "rum booze," which was used as far back as the mid-1500s to describe good, strong wines or spirits. Others say "rum" comes from the repetitive syllables in the Latin name for sugar cane, saccharum officinarum.

How Rum Is Made

All distilled spirits are made from water, yeast and sugar in some form. With whiskey, the sugar is obtained by converting grain starches to grain sugar. With rum, the sugar is ready-made as the natural content of the sugar cane or its by product, molasses.

Rum, by federal law, must be distilled from the fermented juice of sugarcane, sugarcane syrup, sugarcane molasses or other sugarcane by-products at less than 190 proof. It can be made anywhere, although more than 80% of it is produced in Puerto Rico.

The two main types of rum are light-bodied (generally produced to be dry with a subtle flavor) and full-bodied (a more aromatic variety, and the style of much, but not all, Jamaican rum.

Once the sugarcane is crushed and the juice extracted, it is boiled, resulting in a sweet, thick syrup. The syrup is pumped into high-speed centrifugal machines, which separate the sugar from other solids. The remaining molasses is then fermented and distilled into rum. At this point the process differs for light-and full-bodied rums.

Light Rum, Dark Rum

Light-bodied rums are generally produced in column stills and distilled at 160 proof or higher. By law, the spirit then spends at least one year in oak barrels. At this point, the rum is clear and normally designated as "white" rum. Another type of light-bodied rum, aged in wood at least three years and, with caramel added for color, is termed "gold" or "amber". The gold rum is slightly mellower and more aromatic than the white. A third type of light-bodied rum is anejo, the mellowest and most flavorful of the Puerto Rican and other light-bodied rums. Anejos are aged in wood from four to six years, and sometimes longer.

In contrast, full-bodied rums are made using a different process. Skimmings from previous distillations - called "dunder" - are added to the molasses in the fermentation vats. This is followed by a natural fermentation of five to 20 days. The fermented liquid is then distilled in pot stills, and then re-distilled. Again, only the middle rum from the distillation is taken, at between 140 and 160 proof. This process results in a very flavorful, aromatic spirit that, in the case of Jamaican rum, is almost always blended. Before bottling, this full-bodied rum normally requires at least five to seven years of barrel aging.

The Flavors of Rum

Recently, rums which have been flavored with spices or citrus have been gaining popularity with American consumers. More than anything, this probably reflects consumers' changing taste preferences, which are also shown in the many drink and food recipes that call for both light- and full-bodied rums.

Edited from:
Knowing and Understanding Distilled Spirits
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