Rum Flashcards
What are the distillation requirements for rum in the US?
Must be distilled at less than 190 proof.
What are the distillation requirements for rum in the EU?
Must be distilled at less than 192 proof.
What are the bottling requirements for rum in the US?
Bottled at no less than 40% ABV
What are the bottling requirements for rum in the EU?
Bottled at no less than 37.5% ABV
Are sweeteners allowed to be added to rum?
In the US no, in the EU up to 20 g/liter.
What is Rhum agricole?
A subcategory of rum in the EU, for rum produced from raw sugarcane juice and limited certain production areas primarily in French Overseas departments.
What are the requirements for a rum to be labeled tradicional or traditionelle in the EU?
Produced exclusively from raw materials grown in the region.
Distilled at less than 90%ABV
Contains a prescribed level of volatile substances (225 g/hl or more)
Is unsweetened.
What is the grass family that sugarcane is a part of?
Gramineae
What species of sugar cane is most used in the production of rum?
Saccharum officinarum
What is the weight percentage of the sugar in harvested sugarcane?
10-13%
How is sugarcane made into sugarcane juice?
The cane is washed and chopped into fine pieces. It is then milled and crushed with added water to extract the sugar from the cane. The juice is then filtered to remove any pieces of cane.
What percentage of rum worldwide is made from raw sugarcane juice?
About 10%
What is Rhum Agricole?
Rum made from raw sugarcane juice.
After the initial preparation of sugarcane, what is the sugar concentration?
Around 16%
What is Rhum Industriel?
A rum made from molasses.
How is sugarcane juice turned into molasses for use in rum?
Through evaporation, until the sugar concentration reaches 60%. It is then boiled and concentrated until sugar crystals are formed.
How are the sugar crystals separated from the molasses in rum production?
A centrifuge.
What are the grades of molasses in rum production?
Grade A - Highest percentage of remaining fermentable sugar.
Grades B-D - Decreasing percentages
Blackstrap molasses - lowest in quality and sugar content.
How is a mash created for fermentation in rum production?
The sugarcane juice or molasses is diluted with water to get to a level that will allow the yeast to ferment the sugary liquid.
What is natural fermentation in rum production?
The use of wild, naturally occurring yeast for fermentation. Due to high sugar content often necessary to use cultured yeast to finish.
What results from slower fermentation of rum?
The creation of more esters, resulting in rums with more aromatic character and fuller flavor.
What is a retort in rum production?
A unique style of pot still distillation using a series of copper vessels placed between pot still and condenser, concentrates the vapors.
Where are retorts most used?
Jamaican rum production.
Is there an aging requirement for rum?
No
What percentage of rum aged in wood barrels may evaporate yearly?
Up to 10%
Where is Rhum Agricole produced?
Primarily in the West Indies, mainly Guadeloupe and Martinique. Small amount on La Reunion Island and Madeira.
Where is rum made from cane juice (other than Rhum Agricole) produced?
Haiti, Grenada, Brazil, and the Virgin Islands.
What are the main categories of Jamaican rum?
Common Cleans
Plummers
Wedderburns
Continental Flavoreds
What are Common Clean Rums?
Jamaican rums with the lowest level of esters. Light and floral.
What are Plummers?
Jamaican rums with a medium ester level. Has tropical fruit aromas and more structure than Common Cleans.
What are Wedderburns?
Medium high ester Jamaican rums. More flavorful and structured than Plummers.
What are Continental Flavoreds?
The most aromatic and flavorful Jamaican rums, often with medicinal or tropical fruit aromas. Originally exported for use in blending, often consumed as is in Jamaica. Long, slow fermentation.
What is dunder?
Highly acidic, yeast rich foam leftovers that remain in the stills after rum distillation is complete.
What is a muck pit?
A wooden tank, tub or pit where Dunder is stored.
What is muck in Jamaican rum production?
The result of the concentration of dunder, a bacteria and ester rich concentrate.
What are Skimmings?
The sugar and mineral rich froth residue created during the boiling and concentration of sugarcane juice.
When was the Jamaican Rum GI established?
2016
What are the geographic limitations for the fermentation and distillation of Jamaica Run GI?
It is limited to the parts of the island in the limestone aquifer water basins (about half the island).
What is required of a rum to bear the label term “Certified Geographical Indication” and “Jamaica Rum”?
It must be tested and approved by the technical committee of the Jamaica Rum and Spirits Traders Association.
What is the only AOC for rum?
Rhum de la Martinique AOC
What are the requirements for the ingredients in Rhum de la Martinique?
Two main species and hybrids of these approved for use - Saccharum Officinarum and Spontaneum. There are limits on sugarcane yield and strict standards for harvesting and processing.
What is required for the fermentation of Rhum de la Martinique?
Must take place in open tanks, beneath the temperature of 101ºF, and completed within 120 hours.
What are the requirements for distilling Rhum de la Martinique?
Must occur in a specific style of continuous still with three elements - a heating chamber, stripping column and a condensation column.
Is rectification allowed in the production of Rhum de la Martinique?
No
What is the ABV of a new-make spirit of Rhum de la Martinique?
Between 65% and 75%.
What are the three main styles of Rhum Martinique?
Rhum Martinique Blanc
Rhum Martinique Élevé Sous Bois (Cask-aged)
Rhum Martinique Vieux (Extra aged)
What is Rhum Martinique Blanc?
A colorless rum aged for a minimum of 6 weeks in vats or tanks, no oak aging required.
What is Rhum Martinique Élevé Sous Bois?
A cask-aged rum that has been oak-aged for at least twelve months.
What is Rhum Martinique Vieux?
A rum that has been oak aged for at least three years in oak with a capacity of the than 650 liters.
What are the aging designations for Rhum Martinique?
VO - 3 years in oak
VSOP - 4 years in oak
XO - 6 years in oak.
What are the requirement for a Rhum Martinique to have vieux on the label?
It must have been aged in oak for at least three years in a barrel with a capacity of less than 650 liters.
What is Rhum de Sucrerie de la Bale du Galion GI?
A rum produced in Martinique by a single distillery in the Galion Bay area. Approved for 3 styles of rum molasses or cane syrup based.
What are the three types of rum produced in Rhum de Sucrerie de la Baie du Galion GI?
Blance (white)
Brun (6 months in oak barrels)
Grand Arôme (unaged, high ester rum)
What is Grand Arôme?
An unaged, highly aromatic rarely seen high-ester rum produced with Vinasse (residuals left over form earlier distillations, like dunder in Jamaica)
What is Vinasse?
Term used in Martinique (Rhum de la Baic du Galion) meaning residuals left over from previous distillation, similar to dunder in Jamaica.
What type of rum does Guadeloupe produce?
Rhum Agricole
Molasses based rum