A-rum The World

 

They say curiosity and necessity make restless men go out and explore the seven oceans. Well, we don’t know about that, but it’s definitely Rum that fueled those countless seafarers once they were on their way.
 

Like a boozy Siren of the sea, Rum has an irresistible allure. And you best believe it’s caused plenty of shipwrecks in its time. 
 

At ports of call all around the world, you’ll find this sweet nectar vying for your attention. For a taste, all you need is your trusty tumbler... and a sense of adventure. 

But first…

 

To really understand how we got from stalks of sugarcane to the ABV-wonder filling your glass, you gotta turn back the dial on your trusty time-traveling machine to the 17th century and hightail it to the Caribbean. You there? Nice. Now, see all those sprawling sugar plantations? They’ve got a serious problem. As a result of high-yield sugar production, they’ve created an oversupply of industrial waste in the form of molasses. But hell if the plantation owners knew what to do with it. Fortunately for everyone, the slaves did. Through a bit of ingenious tinkering and fermentation, they happened upon the spirit that makes a Mojito tick—Rum.
 

Today, you can find Rum just about anywhere sugarcane grows. While the Caribbean remains ground zero for the stuff, you can find it in far-flung locales like India and Brazil, with each country imparting a sense of terroir on their juice. You know what they say—variety is the spice of Rum.

 

Keep that passport handy—it’s going to be a helluva trip. Salut!

 

Smartass Corner
 

1) If you’re bored, you’re definitely doing Rum wrong. There are a ton of styles and varieties out there that depend on source material (sugarcane or its by-products), aging and terroir. For example, ever heard of a little thing called Rhum Agricole? It’s distilled from pure sugar cane juice instead of molasses, and you’ll find a touch of it mixed into Turquoise Bay Amber Rum.
 

2) The difference between a dark and a light Rum all lies in how it’s aged. Dark Rums get their brown hue from the barrels and casks they’re fermented in. Steel drums are usually used to produce light Rums, hence the absence of color. 
 

3) The pot still (pure single Rum) is the oldest, and arguably most authentic method of distillation, but the column still has been around since the early 1800s, which gives it just enough clout to be called a traditional distilling method.
 

4) August 16 is National Rum Day. You’ve already put in your PTO day at work, right? Just checking.
 

5) Rum is a spirit for all seasons. Throw it in with some simple syrup and lime and you’ve got a classic Daiquiri that’s perfect for summer sipping. But heat up some butter and sugar with your Rum of choice for a hot buttered Rum that can stand up to any polar vortex.
 

6) You’ll typically find Rum in the tropics, where sugarcane grows most readily. But all across the U.S. and Europe, an increasing amount of small, craft distillers are having molasses shipped to them for the purpose of producing some pretty damn good Rum.
 

7) Proof, overproof… where does it all mean? In order to make sure their gunpowder would still ignite in the case of Rum spillage, the British Royal Navy would mix a small amount of Rum and gunpowder and see if it would ignite and burn with a flame. If it did, then this was deemed ‘proof’ of alcohol. Going off with a bang meant it was ‘overproof.’ Hey, the more you know.