Even those who are not fond of alcohol know about rum. Not a single story about pirates is complete without this drink, the sea robbers drank it like water. I will briefly discuss what rum is, what it is made from, and why it is associated with pirates.
rum is a strong alcoholic drink produced by fermenting and then distilling molasses or cane syrup. The resulting distillate is aged for some time in wooden barrels, then diluted to a strength of 40-50 degrees and again insisted in barrels from 2 to 8 years. Only after aging for at least two years is the drink considered real rum, has a characteristic smell and taste. There are also white varieties that are bottled almost immediately after distillation, they are used for cocktails.
A Brief History of Roma
The origin of the word “rum” could not be established. According to one version, the name comes from the word “rumbullion”, meaning “din” or “big noise”. Other researchers put forward the version that the rum is named after the large glasses of “rummers” that Dutch sailors took on a voyage.
The birthplace of rum is the Caribbean. It was on the local cane plantations that the slaves first discovered that sweet molasses roams well.
Some historians believe that the island of Barbados is the birthplace of rum, but no documentary evidence has yet been found, so the entire Caribbean is considered the source of rum distribution.
Ancient navigators did not know how to store fresh water on ships. In the holds, she quickly rotted. The pirates solved this problem in a peculiar way – instead of water, they began to take rum on long voyages. It did not deteriorate and allowed the crew not to die of thirst. Captured pirated rum was also used as a substitute for water on warships in Spain and England.
The first official mention of rum dates back to May 1657, when the Massachusetts General Council imposed a ban on its sale. Nowadays, the name and spelling of the word “rum” varies depending on the area of its production:
- Ron – in Spanish-speaking countries;
- Rhum – in French speakers;
- Rum – in English speakers.
In the 50s and 60s of the last century, the Soviet Union produced its own rum. Production was established after the establishment of friendly relations with Cuba. The raw materials used were cane alcohol, produced in the republics of Central Asia, and prunes, imitating aging in barrels. It has been exported to more than twenty countries.
The culture of drinking rum
Aged rum (añejo) is drunk neat, and blended varieties are used as an alcoholic base for cocktails. It is also customary to mix rum with other non-alcoholic drinks, such as coffee and juices.
The most popular brands of rum are Bacardi (Bacardi), Jamaican brand Captain Morgan (bottled in the UK), Cuban – Havana Club and Ron Varadero. Also on sale you can find Dominican, Indian and Australian rum.
