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| SPIRITS |
| Rum |
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| Rum began in the 15th century, when sugar cane from East Asia |
made its way to the West Indies (about the same time as our favorite imperialist, Cristóforo Colombo hit the scene). What followed over the next 400 years - the sugar trade and the discovery of rum - led to the enslavement of millions of people.
But rum has made great strides in the cocktail world, despite its dark past. Distilled from molasses, rum is made in every tropical region that grows sugar cane.
Because of climatic and geographical differences, rums produced on different islands or countries have completely different qualities once they have been aged and bottled. Therefore, rum is classed by the country where it originated.
Sugar cane consists of 90 percent pulp, only about 20 percent of which is made into refined sugar. The byproduct of refinement is molasses, which has a great deal of usable sugars. Before fermentation can occur, the molasses must be thinned with water and mixed with the skimmings of the pulp and the dregs of a previous rum distillation.
Because no yeast is present in cane sap, distillers must add it. Many rum makers consider the yeast their secret ingredient. Other flavorings, such as raisins or vanilla, may be added at this stage to give additional aroma and flavor to the rum. |
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