Today’s spotlight is on Rum.

Rum is a liquor that is distilled from sugarcane or sugarcane byproducts such as molasses or sugarcane juice. The sugarcane is fermented and then distilled, producing a clear liquid that is often aged in oak barrels. This aging process gives the final product its characteristic color and flavor.

Rum has a typical alcohol concentration of 40% ABV. Some rum is “overproof,” meaning that it has an alcohol concentration of at least 57.5% ABV. Most overproof rum exceeds this minimum, usually reaching 75.5% ABV, which is equivalent to 151 proof.

Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Philippines, where Tanduay is the largest producer of rum globally.

 

History

According to most historians, rum was invented in the 17th century by slaves on sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean. The slaves discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol and then distilled. The first rum was made on the island of Barbados using molasses.

The first rum distillation took place in the Caribbean in the 1620s. Rum was the first alcohol to be manufactured and distilled, and the first spirit that was drank for pleasure and not used for medical purposes.

The creation and production of rum moved to New England, where the fermented molasses was turned into rum on a large scale.

Rum may be a shortened version of the slang words “rumbullion” or “rumbustion,” which may represent a great tumult or a type of uproar. Rum may also come from the word “roemer,” a Dutch word for a large glass. Pusser’s Rum

The oldest brand of rum in the world is Mount Gay Rum, with the oldest deed of property dating from February 1703.

Here are some details about the history of rum:

• The first recorded rum was in the West Indies around 1650. It was known as “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” in Barbados records, and the name “rum” became regular in 1667.
• The traditional history of modern rum says it was invented in the Caribbean in the 17th century by slaves on sugarcane plantations.
• The first rum distillation took place in the Caribbean in the 1620s
• Rum was the first alcohol to be manufactured and distilled, and the first spirit that was drunk for pleasure.
• Rum drinking offered a momentary escape from harsh labor regimens and the general anxieties of life on sugar estates.
• After the Revolutionary War, whiskey replaced rum as the dominant drink in America, in part because the sugar supply from the West Indies had been disrupted by the war.
• There are different types of rum, including light rum, gold rum, dark rum, spiced rum, and flavored rum.

 

Here are some rum drink recipes for you to try:

Rum punch

1 1/4 oz light rum, 1 1/4 oz dark rum, 2 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz orange juice, 1/4 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz grenadine, garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Easy rum punch

3 oz pineapple juice, 2 oz orange juice, 1 oz dark rum, 1 oz coconut rum, splash of grenadine, garnished with a lime slice.

Classic rum drink

2 oz Pusser’s Rum, 4 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz cream of coconut, garnished with freshly grated nutmeg.

Drunken Monkey

6 oz orange-pineapple juice blend, 3 oz coconut rum, 1 oz spiced rum, 4-5 dashes bitters, fresh ground nutmeg, maraschino cherries, lime slices, fresh pineapple wedges.

Other rum drinks include the Mojito, Dark ‘n Stormy, Piña Colada, Mai Tai, Strawberry Daiquiri, Hurricane, and The Jungle Bird.

 

Here are some fun facts about rum: Borracha

• Rum is the oldest spirit in the world Borracha Mexican Cantina
• Rum may also come from the word “roemer,” a Dutch word for a large glass
• In 2021, Italy was the largest rum and distilled fermented sugar-cane exporter in the world
• India is the biggest consumer of rum in the world
• Some of the strongest rums in the world include Neisson L’Esprit Blanc, Martinique (70%), Jack Iron Grenada Overproof, Grenada (70%), and SMWS R3.5 “Marmite XO”, Barbados/Scotland (74.8%)

National Rum Day is August 16th. This holiday celebrates the distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products, such as molasses. Rum is a sweet drink that’s enjoyed by many and is the third most popular drink in the United States.

Some say that rum is steeped in romanticism because of its association with pirates in the Caribbean. The rum industry is growing in the South, particularly in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas, which produce the sugar cane that’s at the heart of rum.

You can celebrate National Rum Day by pouring yourself a glass of rum or trying a rum cocktail. Let us know in the comments what your favorite rum drink is.