Rum

Generality

Rum is a brandy produced by the distillation of fermented juice or sugar cane molasses ( Saccharum officinalis ).

Also known as rhum in French-speaking countries, and as ron in Hispanic ones, rum is a real brandy made from cane; it is mostly derived from the distillation of fermented residues deriving from the manufacture of cane sugar, and the related molasses and syrups; however, nothing (except the clearly higher production cost) prohibits the distillate from being extracted directly from cane juice, without therefore passing through the production of sugar. In the latter case we obtain a product with superior organoletic characteristics, the so-called agricultural rum .

Whatever its origin, it is not uncommon for the rum to be flavored with herbs or other aromatic substances.

Due to its very high alcohol content, rum is ranked among the super-spirits, which is why the methods of consumption and the related precautions are the same as for grappa, gin etc.

WARNING! The rum itself necessarily requires a period of aging in cask; if this passage was not adopted, we talk about fancy rum or artificial rum (which we will discuss later). Aged rum (also called ron añejo or rhum vieux ) is clearly more valuable.

Commodity

From the commercial point of view, the rum is divided into many distinct varieties, based on the criterion of origin; the most important are: Jamaica Rum, Cuba Rum, Demerara Rum, St. Croix Rum, Martinique Rum, Guadeloupe Rum and Rum Meeting; a further distinction criterion is the farm (company) of origin. In addition, the various types of rum are differentiated according to the production method, namely: factory rum (fermentation of molasses and foams - it is the least prized), industrial rum (fermentation of syrups and molasses - it is strongly aromatic and it is used for the production of fancy rums - see below) and rum from the country or Rhum d'Habitat or Rhum agricole (obtained from the distillation of cane or vesou sauce in agricultural distilleries - it is the most prized).

The young distilled rum is colorless, transparent, while with aging in barrels it tends to pigment in yellow. Sometimes, to simulate ripening, young rum is painted with burnt / caramelized sugar (a reddish-yellow or reddish connotation).

In Europe, the most renowned qualities of rum are Jamaican; these drinks are colorless or slightly pigmented, while the others are highly colored (especially the Demerara, a little less Cuba and Surinam). On the other hand, in the old continent the production of artificial rums or fancy rums (also known as Facon rum ) is quite well established, derived from the addition of typical rum substances to the diluted and colored spirit.

Cuba Libre

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See other Cocktails made with Dark Rum or White Rum

Video Babà rum recipe

Chemical composition

The rum contains 70 to 77% of the volume in alcohol; some are lighter, like those of French origin (50-65%), others are heavier, like Demerara (around 81%). The rums of Cuba and Jamaica are around 74 °, while those of Martinique (called Tafia ) only 54 ° (on consumption, the latter degree is sometimes moderate).

With evaporation, rum remains a small residue, about 1%, composed of extractive substances and some sugars; there is no lack of traces of impurities (acids, aldehydes, ethers, higher alcohols) and the relative coefficient (expressed in mg / 100ml of anhydrous alcohol) varies according to the origin.

Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)

Edible part				100%
water				63.3g
Protein				0.0g
	Prevailing amino acids			-
	Limiting amino acid			-
Lipids TOT				0.0g
		Saturated fatty acids		0.0g
		Monounsaturated fatty acids		0.0g
		Polyunsaturated fatty acids		0.0g
		Cholesterol		0.0mg
TOT Carbohydrates				0.0g
		Starch		0.0g
		Soluble sugars		0.0g
Ethyl alcohol				31.0g
Dietary fiber				0.0g
			Soluble fiber	0.0g
			Insoluble fiber	0.0g
Power				217.0kcal
Sodium				1.0mg
Potassium				2.0mg
Iron				0.1mg
Football				0.0mg
Phosphorus				5.0mg
Thiamine				0.01mg
Riboflavin				0.00mg
Niacin				0.00mg
Vitamin A				0.00μg
C vitamin				0.00mg
Vitamin E				0.00mg

It is not uncommon for rum to be cut with common ethyl alcohol to increase overall profitability (up to four times), even to the detriment of quality. If the pigment is excessively damaged by this addition, (as anticipated) caramel is added.

In Europe, where good quantities of fancy or artificial rum are produced, the coloring also includes the use of catechus, oak extract and others. The essences and extracts of rum are (analogous to cognac) made from mixtures of ethers such as butyric, acetic and formic acid. The formulas for the preparation of these poor rums are numerous and below we will mention one as a generic indication:

"Acetic ether 20 parts, essence of vanilla 20 parts, essence of violets 20 parts, butyric ether 150 parts, spirit 900 parts".

Nutritional Features

Rum is a distillate that is part of the spirits group. Its nutritional composition does not show any sugar, protein or fat content; it is therefore deducible that ALL the energy supply derives from the ethyl alcohol content.

Like limoncello, maraschino, grappa, gin, Marsala, nocino, Porto etc., even rum does NOT lend itself to frequent and / or systematic consumption.

Being a spirits, the medium portion (however occasional) should be SIGNIFICANTLY inferior to that of wine or beer; about 30-60ml.

The immoderate consumption of rum is potentially harmful to the body, especially in the presence of overweight, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic suffering.

Then, the abuse of spirits is closely related to the degeneration of the esophageal, gastric and duodenal mucosa, with an increase in acidity, reflux, the possibility of gastritis and, in the worst case, an ulcer.

NB . The nutritional table shown above involves a commercial rum, among the least alcoholic and valuable.

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