Chapter 7: Rum Intro

Question 1

Required base ingredient(s) for rum, as per US regulations

Answer 1

Must be produced using products derived from sugarcane. These include fresh sugarcane juice, sugarcane syrup, sugarcane molasses, or other sugarcane by-products

Question 2

Minimum abv % of US rum

Answer 2

40%

Question 3

Minimum abv % of EU rum

Answer 3

37.5%

Question 4

Required distillation proof for US rum

Answer 4

Less than 190

Question 5

Required distillation proof for EU rum

Answer 5

Less than 192

Question 6

Style of rum produced using freshly-pressed sugarcane juice

Answer 6

Agricultural Rum (Rhum Agricole)

Question 7

EU standards for use of the term ‘Agricultural Rum’ (‘Rhum Agricole’)

Answer 7

May only be used by certain approved production areas primarily located in the French Overseas Departments

Question 8

(5) Standards for use of the term ‘traditionelle’ (‘tradicional’) on EU Rums

Answer 8

• Must be a PGI product * Use of locally-grown sugarcane * Distilled at less than 90% * Unsweetened * Minimum level of volatile substances

Question 9

Species of sugarcane used in rum production

Answer 9

‘Saccharum officinarium’

Question 10

Upon harvest, sugarcane contains (by weight) what percentage of sugar

Answer 10

10% to 13%

Question 11

Approximate sugar concentration (%) of freshly-pressed sugarcane juice

Answer 11

16%

Question 12

Term(s) used for rum produced from molasses

Answer 12

Industrial Rum (‘Rhum Industriel’)

Question 13

Term used for sugarcane juice that has been reduced to approx. 60% sugarcane concentration

Answer 13

Virgin sugarcane honey

Question 14

Grades of molasses

Answer 14

• Grade A (highest % of sugar) * Grade B * Grade C * Grade D * Blackstrap (lowest % of sugar)

Question 15

Variations in fermentation (natural vs proprietary yeasts)

Answer 15

Proprietary yeasts: faster fermentation (2-3 days), lower ester content
Natural yeasts: aka natural fermentation or ambient yeasts, can take several weeks, higher ester content

Question 16

Method(s) of distillation used for rum

Answer 16

There is no universal standard and few specific regulations, so a range of distillation techniques - including pot still, column still, hybrid still and combinations of the above - are employed