Rum originated in the 17th century when slaves in the Caribbean discovered they could ferment and distill molasses, a byproduct of sugar production, into alcohol. Rum went on to play a major role in Atlantic trade for centuries. There are several types of rum defined by production methods and aging, including light/silver rum, gold rum, dark rum, spiced rum, and flavored rum. Rum is generally produced by fermenting and distilling sugarcane molasses but varies in flavor depending on aging and blending processes.

2. SHORT HISTORY OF RUM
 The history of rum is the history of
the Caribbean and North America.
 From its invention in the 17th
century in Barbados (or some
claim Brazil), rum has had an
international trade influence that
no other spirit can rival.
 It was an integral part of trade
across the Atlantic Ocean from
the 17th century to the 19th
century, and eventually played a
key cultural role in the 20th
century.

3. PLANTATION INVENTION
 Rum was made first by plantation
African-born slaves.
 These slaves harvested sugarcane
that was turned into sugar and
shipped off to Europe.
 One of the by-products was
molasses, and the slaves
discovered that molasses could
be fermented into a crude
alcohol.
 Then they went the extra step
and distilled the fermented
molasses into rum.

4.  Rum is produced from either sugar cane juice or from the
sweet, sticky residue left over when sugarcane is crushed and
the juices heated.
 The heating causes the juices to solidify into sugar leaving this
residue called the molasses.
 The molasses are then mixed with water and re-boiled to
produce a sweet liquid called the mash which is then mixed
yeast and left to ferment.
 The molasses will contain around 30-40% sugar; molasses with
higher amounts of sugar will produce more rum.

5.  The fermentation time depends on the style of the rum; light
rums are fermented for around 24 hours whereas dark rums can
be fermented for up to 3 weeks.
 The way the yeast acts with the molasses and the length of time
the fermentation lasts will greatly influence the style of the
rum.
 The shorter the fermentation the lighter the rum and the longer
the fermentation the more full bodied the rum. This is due to
the build up of impurities in the fermentation process.
 Some rum makers will use a system of continuous
fermentation, as this is a more efficient and less expensive
method of rum production.
 The fermented liquid is called the wash.

6.  Light rums are highly rectified in continuous stills and are often
filtered through activated (hot) charcoal to remove the
impurities.
 These are known as single distillates and will usually be blended
with other rums.
 Gold (añejo) and dark rums are usually distilled in pot stills.
 Distilling in a pot still is generally done twice as this increases
the alcoholic strength and also removes more unwanted
impurities.
 Pot distilled rums are fuller bodied with a rich flavour that
continuous distilled rums.
 As with light rums, pot distilled rums will usually be blended.

7.  White Agricultural Rum : 3 months before bottling, the rum is
stored in huge wooden tuns to be "rounded out". It is then
brought to desired degrees for commercialization (40° to 62°)
with spring water.
 Golden agricultural rum or amber agricultural rum : the rum is
stored for at least 12 months in wooden containers.
 Old or aged agricultural rum or also dark agricultural rum : Must
be placed in an oak barrel a minimum of 3 years for the VO label
(rhum vieux), 4 years for the VSOP label (rhum très vieux) and
up to 6 years for an aged vintage XO label rum (rhum hors
d'âge). It is the tannin in the wood which bestows the warm
hues while the taste is transformed as the years go by.

8.  Blending is the way rum producers develop their own unique
brands and it also allows them to produce each brand
consistently.
 Most producers will blend a mixture of rums from continuous
still and rums from pot stills to create their brands; the rum
from the continuous will be light in flavour but will contain
vanilla and oak flavours and the rum from the pot still will
provide the body, the esters and other flavour components.
 The blender will also use rums from the continuous still that will
have differing levels of rectification (purification); these will be
aged in barrels and used in the blend.

9.  Light Rum - also known as silver or white rum, these types of
rums have little flavor, apart from a general sweetness that the
drink has.
 As a result, they are often used in cocktails. Light rums are
filtered sometimes to remove any color after aging.
 Most of the light rums come from Puerto Rico.
 Their milder taste makes them ideal for using in drinks instead
of drinking them straight.

10.  Gold Rums – these are also known as amber rums. They are
aged for a longer time than lighter rums.
 Due to the types of casks used to age them they have a darker
hue.
 They have a woodsy flavor given the wood casks used to age
them.
 They have a stronger taste than the lighter types of rum and
can be categorized as being between the lighter rums and the
other darker categories.

11.  Dark Rum - Known for their particular hue such as brown, red
rums or black, this type of rum are a grade darker than the gold
rum.
 They are aged in strong barrels, for longer time this gives them
a stronger flavor than the gold or light rums.
 There are small hints of spices together with a strong molasses
or caramel tinge.
 Dark rum is commonly used in cooking and are often produced
in Haiti and Jamaica

12.  Spiced Rum – These are types of rums that are made from
mixing different types of spices.
 They pick their tastes from the various spices used to make
them.
 Most of these rums are darker in color and are founded on gold
rums.
 Some of the spiced rums are dark in color, but one can find
cheaper variations of the drink made from cheap brands of
white rum that are later darkened with caramel to give them
the dark color.
 Spices used on these types of rums include rosemary, pepper,
and cinnamon among other types of spices.

13.  Flavored Rums – Are rums that are infused with different fruit
flavors.
 Fruits commonly used are bananas, orange, coconut, mango,
citrus, lime or strafruit.
 Flavored rums are used to give flavor to other drinks that have
been similarly themed.
 They are either drank alone or mixed with white ice.
 They have less than 40 percent alcohol

14.  Premium Rum – These are the luxury type of rum available in
the market.
 They cost higher than the regular types of rums because of the
way they are produced.
 They are carefully aged and produced to meet high standards
making them cost higher than the regular types of rums.
 They are often drank straight without having to mix with other
drinks like the other types.
 They come with more flavor and character, given the way they
are made.