What is Rum?

Rum is a spirit made from either sugarcane juice, or a by product of sugar cane such as molasses.

Rum has been around for several hundred years and has a fascinating past.

Most rum comes from Latin American countries. It is also produced in the West Indies, the UK, Australia, Mexico and India, among other countries.

Unlike other spirits, rum has no defined production methods. Different regions have different ways of fermenting and distilling rum, and there are several different kinds of rum too. Rum can either be drunk neat, in cocktails, with ice or with mixers.

The History of Rum

Rum has had quite an interesting history, compared to many drinks.

The first types of true rum were produced on Barbados sugar plantations by slaves, in around the 17th century. Precursors to this drink were sugar wine produced in Malaysia, India and China, so it’s impossible to decide where exactly the idea came from.

Rum’s association with the slave trade did not just end with its invention. The trade in rum underpinned the slave trade in some instances, and became a resource for bartering. Rum, slaves and sugar were stolen or bartered between Africa, Europe and North America.

From the Caribbean, rum spread to North America. It was used in some states as a form of currency. It also became important in early US elections, as candidates provided rum to the electorate as an inducement to vote for them, and as an opportunity to socialise with them and solicit votes. Rum also contributed to the American Revolution.

Rum became associated with the British Navy after the British takeover of Jamaica in 1655. Navy sailors were issued with a daily tot of rum between 1655 and 1970, when the practise was ended. Even today, sailors in the Royal Navy are issued with rum on special occasions.

Anyway, back in 1655, rum was often mixed with beer and water to produce ‘grog’. Although pirates are famously associated with grog, they actually preferred to drink ‘bumbo’, which was a mixture of rum, water, sugar and sometimes citrus juice. This tasted considerably better than grog.

Rum was also important to the history of Australia. The run-up to the Rum Rebellion began when William Bligh, better known as the former captain of the Bounty, was appointed Governor of New South Wales. Unfortunately, Bligh’s leadership skills had not improved since his crew mutinied, and he quickly alienated many of the people he governed because of injustices he meted out, as well as generally poor diplomatic skills.

New South Wales had a reputation for laxity and drunkenness, partly because of the lack of comfort and security experienced by settlers. Bligh clamped down on the use of rum in bartering and its dispensation to men in the New South Wales Corps. This resulted in a coup, and Bligh was overthrown.

Types of Rum

There are several different kinds of rum – their flavour and colour is usually determined by their origin.

Light rum – also called silver rum or white rum, light rum tastes of very little. It’s a popular base for cocktails, particularly fruit cocktails. This type of rum is common in Spanish-speaking territories and the US, and much of it comes from Puerto Rico.

Gold rum – this rum has been aged, usually in bourbon barrels, but is not as heavy as other types of rum. It is halfway between light rum and dark rum, and can be drunk straight or as a mixer.

Dark rum – this is the heaviest type of rum, and often has caramel notes. It is usually drunk on its own or with water. This type of rum usually comes from English-speaking islands like Jamaica, or central American countries – and dark rum was traditionally the choice of the Royal Navy, too.

Spiced rum – these types of rum are usually, although not always, based on gold rum. To the rum, spices and sometimes caramel are added to give a distinctive flavour. Common ingredients are cinnamon, aniseed and rosemary.

Flavoured rums – These are generally light rums to which a tropical fruit flavour has been added, including citrus fruit, coconut, mango or banana. They can either be drunk straight or used as a specialist cocktail ingredient.

Rum production methods

There are many variations in rum production, but these are the main steps:

Fermentation

Yeast is added to the sugar and water mixture to begin the process of turning the sugar to alcohol. In many places, molasses provide the sugar content, but French-speaking areas tend to use sugar cane and water.

Distillation

Rum is then distilled, to make it more alcoholic. Some producers use pot stills, similar to those used in whiskies. But most rum is distilled in column stills. The shape of the still is believed to have an effect on the flavour.

Aging

Some rum is drunk straight away – in fact, the lowest grade rums are effectively cane spirits with flavourings added, and can give the drinker a horrendous hangover. However, in most countries, rum has to be aged for at least a year before it is called rum.

The length of aging and the type of barrel the rum is stored in has an effect on the flavour as well as the rum. Like all spirits, some of the rum evaporates during the aging process – what’s lost is called the ‘angel’s share’. The amount of rum at the end of several years’ worth of aging is therefore much less than if the producers had bottled it as soon as they were able, which drives up the price of older rum.

Blending

Finally, rum is blended. Light rums may have colour removed during this process, while dark rums may be altered to appear darker and heavier. This process is particularly important for large-scale producers, as it ensures that all their rum tastes and appears the same.

Drinking Rum

You can drink your rum straight, mix it with ice or have it with coke or any other soda drink mixer. However, rum is also a very popular component of cocktails.

If you’re having a party, then try some of the following ideas to kick things off. Remember rum-based cocktails can be pretty potent, so don’t drink too much:

To drink rum like a sailor, make bumbo or grog. Grog was traditionally made with rum, beer and water, and sounds absolutely disgusting! Modern grog varieties are generally made from one or more kinds of rum and fruit juice, which should be much more palatable than the drink that men in the Royal Navy were issued with.

Bumbo is made with rum, lemon juice, pieces of lime and ice, and a little ground cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s a very refreshing cocktail, and not too alcoholic (well, depending on how much rum you put in it!). Remember to talk like a pirate when you drink it. Arrrrr!

Long Island Ice Tea is a classic cocktail. For one, you need half a shot each of rum, gin, tequila and vodka. Pour the spirits over ice and top up with cola. Long Islands are the perfect way to kick start your night, but don’t drink too many as they are extremely alcoholic.

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