Rum

Welcome to the world of rum!

What do Rum, Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, Tequila, and Brandy all have in common? Their life begins when someone feeds sugar to yeast. With rum, instead of eating sugar from grain, fruits, or agave, the yeast is feasting upon sugar released from a grass.

So begins the fermentation process. To put it in the simplest terms, yeast eats the sugar, and poops out CO2 and ethyl alchohol. A beer or wine is born.

In order to achieve a higher percentage of alcohol, this beer/wine is then heated, turned into vapor, and the resulting condensation is collected. No actual sugar can survive this process, and thus, true rum does not contain any more sugar then any other type of spirit. A trivial amount of sugar can be found in aged spirits as a result of minute amounts of sugars in the wood the spirit is resting in.

There is however, a bit of confusion when it comes to rum as a category. Part of this comes from the fact that there are so many producing countries, each with their own varying laws (and levels of enforcement).

In the US, Federal Regulations are rarely enforced, and it seems the Tax and Trade Bureau approves or denies labels arbitrarily.

According to Title 27, Chapter I, Sub-chapter A, Part 5, Sub-part C, Section 5.22 of The Code of Federal Regulations

RE: Standards of Identity:

“Rum” is an alcoholic distillate from the fermented juice of sugar cane, sugar cane syrup, sugar cane molasses, or other sugar cane by-products, produced at less than 190° proof in such manner that the distillate possesses the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to rum, and bottled at not less than 80° proof; and also includes mixtures solely of such distillates.

Imitation Rum:

According to the US Standards of Identity (Code of Federal Regulations) there's a lot of rum out there that should be labeled as "imitation rum".

(j)Class 10; imitations. Imitations shall bear, as a part of the designation thereof, the word “imitation” and shall include the following:

(1) Any class or type of distilled spirits to which has been added coloring or flavoring material of such nature as to cause the resultant product to simulate any other class or type of distilled spirits

(2) Any class or type of distilled spirits (other than distilled spirits required under § 5.35 to bear a distinctive or fanciful name and a truthful and adequate statement of composition) to which has been added flavors considered to be artificial or imitation. In determining whether a flavor is artificial or imitation, recognition will be given to what is considered to be “good commercial practice” in the flavor manufacturing industry;

(3) Any class of type of distilled spirits (except cordials, liqueurs and specialties marketed under labels which do not indicate or imply, that a particular class or type of distilled spirits was used in the manufacture thereof) to which has been added any whisky essense, brandy essence, rum essence, or similar essence or extract which simulates or enhances, or is used by the trade or in the particular product to simulate or enhance, the characteristics of any class or type of distilled spirits;

(4) Any type of whisky to which beading oil has been added;

(5) Any rum to which neutral spirits or distilled spirits other than rum have been added

Many brands make "Class 1; neutral spirits or alcohol", and add coloring or flavoring material of such nature as to cause the resultant product to simulate "Class 6; rum",

Sure they started with molasses in the fermentation process, but when you're running an industrial style continuous still and purifying to 96-99% ethyl alcohol, that's a neutral spirit you're starting with. To make matters worse, many brands use flavoring extracts, natural or otherwise, and sweeten their product with wine, fruit, or different types of sugars. Even further down the rabbit hole, a significant number of brands use mouth-feel enhancers like glycol to simulate awesome.

Unfortunately, many of the top selling "rum" brands in The US are guilty of producing "imitation rum".

This can make the category frustrating and difficult to navigate for the novice. For now I'll point you towards my links page which is by no means exhaustive.

At the bar the other day, I had a guest who loves Scotch, and he was telling all of his friends that he can't drink rum because it's "disgusting".

I asked him to imagine for a moment that I once tried "Fireball" cinnamon whiskey. Imagine I told all my friends that whisky is disgusting and that I can't drink it because it's too sweet and gives me a headache? I'd never get to try a good whisky, and I'd also be running around misinforming everyone.

By the end of the day he was well versed in Bajan and St. Lucian rum, and is now an evangelist. While rum may not be for everyone, there is a rum for everyone and if you haven't found one you like, you haven't yet tried the right one yet.

We have certain expectations when we see a label that says "Bourbon Whiskey" or "Blended Scotch". As you'll learn, the same could be said of "Barbados Rum", or "Rhum Agricole (AOC)" for examples.

By all means, if you figure out what you like, enjoy it, but don't stop exploring just then. You're tastes may eventually evolve, or you may discover an altogether different style of rum that suits your fancy even further!

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