Rum, history and species – part 1

Does rum make you feel like a pirate? If yes, then I'm with you! It's amazing how a regular drink can evoke such feelings and emotions. But this is not only with rum, for example, many argue that whiskey makes you feel elegant, and brandy makes people the most relaxed. But, what you can’t argue with is its popularity – only vodka is more famous than rum, and that is still worth clarifying.

If you are not afraid of pirates and you are not alien to an adventure with a bottle of strong, then set sail, we will sail away! I promise it will be interesting! =)

Rum is usually made from sugar cane

What is the secret of its unique taste? Where does this incomparable feeling of lightness and freedom come from after the first sip? Probably, it's all about its preparation. Rum undergoes a special fermentation and distillation process and is made primarily from sugar cane or by-products such as molasses. Initially transparent, over time it acquires its rich colors thanks to aging in oak barrels. Despite the fact that rum is produced in different countries around the world, the vast majority of the 'good quality drink' comes from the Caribbean and Latin America.

Rum is one of the top 5 most popular drinks and is more in demand than scotch, brandy and even bourbon whiskey!

Rum history

Everyone knows rum as a drink of the Royal Navy and pirates, but few people know about its origin, and the history of this drink goes back deep into antiquity. It is rumored that its initial distillation began in ancient India and China, but this is a misconception, in fact it all started in Malaysia. While some believe that the Malay word 'brama' is the origin of the word 'rum', others argue that the real name of the drink has a different background. There are many theories as to where the name came from, but no one dares to say for sure, since the first mentions of the drink are not officially documented, but there are still a couple of options.

There is an option that the name comes from the Latin word 'saccharum' (sugar), or rather, from its last syllable 'rum'. At the same time, many believe that 'rum' comes from the Romanian word 'romani' (Romans), which also means 'strong' or 'powerful'. Other theories claim that the drink is named after the Dutch word 'roemer' (goblet) for drinking. Regardless of its etymology, the term 'rum' has existed for centuries and is used all over the world, sometimes with a common spelling, but usually with the same pronunciation.

The first rum distillation was in the tropical Caribbean

The first distillation of rum began in the 17th century. In the Caribbean, there were many plantations on which thousands of slaves worked. Once, once again exposing molasses to processing, the slaves realized that this product of sugar production can ferment and eventually turn into alcohol. This is where it all started! Most historians believe that rum was originally discovered on the island of Barbados, but records from the 1620s also claim that the drink was produced in Brazil. But that's not all: the Swedish warship 'Vasa', which tragically sank in 1628, had tin bottles on board, guess what?

Between 1630 and 1660, rum found its way into colonial America. In 1664, the British colonies created the very first distillery on Staten Island, and 3 years later in Boston, Massachusetts. Before long, rum distillation became colonial New England's most lucrative industry. Initially, rum was like whiskey and for a while, even had the role of currency. The drink quickly became popular with men, women and even children. To support the growing demand, a trade agreement was concluded between the colonies of the Caribbean and Africa, known as the 'Trade Triangle'. In a nutshell, the agreement facilitated the trade in rum, molasses and slaves, which provided labor, ingredients, and ultimately the rum itself.

George Washington with his family

Over time, rum begins to be used in the political game and candidates begin to bribe voters with a drink in an attempt to influence the election results. And during his inauguration, George Washington generously treated guests with his Barbados rum, thus gaining future supporters and loyal friends. If now this approach seems implausible for us, earlier it was common practice to treat voters with rum and communicate with them. If not for the growing popularity of whiskey and restrictions on the part of the British Isles, then rum production would have remained steadily growing for many years to come.

About pirate life

Many people, myself included, have long been interested in pirates and rum. In almost any movie or story involving pirates, there is a lot of treasure, and of course rum. Surprisingly, many believe that rum has nothing to do with the golden age of pirates and that all the described 'adventures of a bottle of rum' are nothing more than a myth and a fantasy of Hollywood. For those who think so, I will have to bitter you and say that you are wrong – pirates and rum have actually always gone hand in hand.

In 1655, the Royal Navy captured Jamaica and the rum industry became the property of the British Navy. After some time, the British abandoned brandy and included rum in the daily diet of all sailors, giving the drink a new name 'grog', while changing its composition. The fact is that rum turned out to be too strong a drink and had a bad effect on sailors, interfering with work. Then, Admiral Edward Vernon ordered that the drink be diluted with something non-alcoholic. The name 'grog' is named after Admiral Vernon's 'grogram' cloak, which he always wore during inclement weather.

Rum has long been an exchange currency for buying slaves

Since the main job of the Royal Navy was to capture pirates, when a pirate ship was captured, rum became the desired prey and was always divided equally among the crew. However, unlike Admiral Vernon, most captains, especially pirate ships, did not require their crew to dilute rum with water, and over time the vast majority of pirates became violently addicted to rum. This could not but affect economic relations and the drink quickly began to be used as a currency, and was valued as one of the most valuable goods. In addition, the pirates used rum as currency in the port, selling it in exchange for slaves. While many believe that pirates simply took what they wanted – and there is some truth in this, however – they developed business skills and knew how to conduct trade relations. Many pirate warlords used rum as a way to buy a new one or fix a real warship. As the Royal Navy and other military organizations increased the consumption of rum, pirates made the drink more famous and kept the industry afloat in every possible way.

What is rum made of

Unlike scotch or bourbon, there are no global requirements for rum production. Most regions have their own customs and traditions, which is one of the reasons that the most popular species are still produced in the Caribbean and Latin America.

There are no strict requirements in the production of rum

Most rum today is still made from molasses and the rest from natural sugarcane juices, but this is only in the French Caribbean islands. In particular, the island of Martinique produces sugarcane juice for rum, which is referred to as 'RHUM Agricole' (agricultural rum). In order to prepare this type of rum, the following criteria must be met:

1. Fresh sugarcane juice should be used.
2. Minimum sugar content (Brix> 14 ° Bx) and minimum pH (pH> 4.7) to prevent the development of undesirable aftertastes.
3. Juice must be prepared according to the rules, for example, it must be cold.
4. The fermentation process should be discontinuous and carried out in open containers with a maximum of 13.208 US gallons or 500 hectoliters.

The fermentation process is fairly simple, using the usual combination of yeast and water. There is a wide variety of wild and hybrid yeasts, but the standard rule is that lighter rum tends to contain faster yeast, while strong rums use slow type yeast, resulting in the most complex esters giving the drink has a sharp aroma and deep saturation.