Love Enjoying Rum? Know A Bit About Its Origin Too

Rum has a fascinating tale of its origin and history. But through the years, it has been made in many ways, with the same roots, i.e., molasses and sugarcane. Numerous types of rums are available in the market, with many exclusive brands like Croc Piss. New drinkers may have a variety of questions about who invented rum, its origin and history, where does flavoured rum come from, etc., so if you are interested in knowing this, you have reached the right place.

Origin of rum

Rum is something that has captivated enthusiasts, mixologists, and bartenders, especially those from quality brands like Croc Piss. But did you know where this drink started? Well, it goes back to 1650 in the West Indies. Then, the lighter rums started to get churned out only in the late 19th century, mainly in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Before rum, there was a drink called ”wine sugar, which originated in the 1300s. Wine Sugar is said to be the first official rum, although it was very different from back rum and overproof rums. They were rudimentary but most likely the origin of rum.

The first recorded rum was in around 1650 in the West Indies, but there were records from Barbados, where it was called ”kill-devil” or ”rum bullion”. The beginning of rum is also tied to a dark part of history. i.e., the slave market, since the enslaved people were traded in the West Indies for molasses, which was then made into rum. Thankfully, rum is produced and ethically distributed today.

Who invented it?

Although no specific name can be given to who invented rum, its origin can be traced to the 1600s, which means that the credit goes to the enslaved people in the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean, who realised that molasses could be fermented into alcohol. The process of distillation was later added to refine the alcohol into its first product, which is rum.

Where was it first made?

The production of rum began on sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean, and then it moved to New England, where the fermented molasses was turned into rum on a large scale. The production began to spread quickly after that. The production was generally linked to Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Demerara, and the Virgin Islands. But now, its production has spread further and there are many places that now produce their own rum.

Difference between dark and white rum

In today’s times, we see many more varieties of rum, and the types are typically split between two groups, white and dark rum. The difference between them lies in their creation, flavour variations, and the types of drinks the various types of rum suit themselves towards.

White rum, also called light or silver rum, covers a large spectrum. White rums have light flavours, lower alcohol content and a good tendency to mix with other flavours. The difference between the manufacturing process of white and dark rum is the lack of aging time. Conversely, dark rum is a richer, stronger type of rum as it is aged for quite some time. The length of aging depends on the type of dark rum. It has a stronger alcohol content and is often rich and sweet.

Summing up

The history of rum covers a lot of worlds and U.S. history, which may sometimes be disappointing. But the drink has moved forward, and to this day, we can proudly serve it as one of the best things to enjoy.

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