Sugar Cane Spirits - Cachaca and Other Rums

Question 1

Which country is the world’s largest producer of sugar cane?

What is the second largest, and how is the comparison in volume?

Answer 1

• Brazil is the largest
• India is the second-largest, by half of Brazil

Question 2

Where does cachaça come from, and what must it be made from?

Answer 2

• Brazil
• Sugar cane juice from cane grown in Brazil

Question 3

Why is it important for cachaça to be made exclusively from cane juice?

Answer 3

Because using other grains or additives would disqualify it as being a type of rum in some export markets, including the US.

Question 4

What type of still and distillation strength does the law require for cachaça?

Answer 4

There are no requirements for either.

All it requires is that the aromas of the main components be preserved.

Question 5

True / False:

All types of stills are used to make cachaça?

Answer 5

True

Due to the lack of any requirement, all types of stills are employed in the production of cachaça.

Question 6

What can be added to unaged and matured expressions of cachaça?

Answer 6

Only water, sugar (to 30g/L), and caramel (for color correction only) may be added.

Question 7

What are Amendoim-bravo and Araruva?

Answer 7

Two types of hardwood commonly used to age cachaça.

Question 8

What barrel requirements are there for cachaça?

Answer 8

Very little, other than the barrels cannot be larger than 700L in volume, and the name of the wood must appear on the label.

Question 9

What is the bottling strength requirement of cachaça?

Answer 9

Must be bottled between 38% abv and 48% abv.

Question 10

What is Adoçada?

Answer 10

A cachaça sweetened to between 6 g/L and 30 g/L.

Question 11

Terms that can appear on any cachaça as long as it does not have any color:

Answer 11

• Prata (silver)
• Clássica (classic)
• Tradicional (traditional)

Question 12

A term that can appear on a bottle of cachaça that has a substantial color change due to wood maturation:

Answer 12

Ouro (gold)

Question 13

What is Envelhecida?

Answer 13

A cachaça where at least 50% of the volume has been stored in a wood vessel of 700 L or less for at least 1 year.

It May not include an age statement.

Question 14

Cachaça: Premium

Answer 14

A cachaça where all of the spirit has been aged in a wooden vessel less than 700 L for at least 1 year.

May include an age statement.

Question 15

Cachaça: Extra Premium

Answer 15

A cachaça where all of the spirit has been aged in wood vessel less than 700 L for a minimum of 3 years.

May include an age statement.

Question 16

How are most cachaça made in style?

Answer 16

Most are unaged, and most (but not all) are sweetened.

Question 17

Why are most Indian spirits not sold in the EU or US markets?

Answer 17

Because they often are colored and sweetened and do not meet the production requirements of the types of spirits they are supposed to be, many often being made from a molasses base.

Question 18

What is Indian Made Foreign Liquor?

Answer 18

Indian-made molasses-based spirit, used as a base for many products, not just rum.

Question 19

What Philippine-based rum is as large as Bacardi in production?

Answer 19

Tanduay

Question 20

Where in Australia is there a significant amount of sugar cane grown?

Answer 20

Queensland, a north-eastern state.

Question 21

Which local rum is a staple of the Australian bar scene?

Answer 21

Bundaberg (Diageo)