The 16th of August may be a birthday for some people, an anniversary for others but for the pub and bar calendar it represents National Rum Day. The drink is liquor made by fermenting followed by distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. Rum is produced in nearly all sugar-growing regions of the world. Much like whiskey, rum is aged in oak barrels. Ageing lasts at least one year and is typically performed in bourbon casks. Unlike whiskey or brandy which are also aged in barrels, due to the tropical climate which is indicative of rum-producing regions, rum matures at a much faster rate.
The origins of rum are disputed but are generally believed to be as early as the 1300s with one of the first recorded incidents of rum being 1364 when Peter I of Cyprus gifted it to royal dignitaries at the Congress of Krakow. It is understood this drink was made from fermented sugar but due to technology and modern understanding of brewing it may have tasted differently when compared with rum of today.
Historians believe Brazilians were first to distil rum more akin to the modern-day iteration in the 1520s. This was due to their understanding of sugarcane cultivation with recorded instances of the drink being produced from the by-product molasses during this period. Rum became a global commodity during the 17th century when it was produced on a global industrial scale in the Caribbean and became synonymous with the pirates of the golden age.
Types of Rum
Different variations of rum are referred to as grades and are dependent on the location where the rum is produced and its age:
Dark Rums – Expressing the raw molasses used to create rum, dark rum is one of the older grades and is iconic within the rum industry and features deep flavoursome tones.
Gold Rums – There is no definitive criteria for what makes a ‘golden’ rum outside the general colour. As a rule, golden rums acquire their colour during the oak barrel ageing process.
Light Rums – aged for no longer than a year, light rums are typically aged in stainless steel tanks. The resulting rum is light in body making it a popular choice for cocktails.
Brown Rums – These differ from the rest of the rum family in so much that they are made from cane sugar. Once the rum is ready for ageing in order to achieve brown rum it is placed in heavily charred wooden barrels giving them a much stronger and heavier flavour which is more akin to that of whiskey. Brown rum is a typically Middle Eastern variant of rum and has hints of brown sugar, vanilla and sometimes caramel.
Spiced Rums – Through the addition of spices and sometimes caramel, spiced rums are often darker in colour ranging from gold to black. Spiced rums have a notable taste and depth which is achieved due to the addition of spices. Some cheaper brands use white rum and darken with caramel, but this typically produces a sweeter spiced rum.
Flavoured Rums – Infused with the flavours of various fruits, flavoured rums are often less than 40% ABV and serve as mixers for themed tropical cocktails to help achieve a specific taste. The flavoured is often infused after the fermentation and distillation processes.
Overproof Rums – An overproof rum is generally far higher in proof than standard rums which are typically 40% ABV with overproof being typically between 75 – 80%. They are usually used in cocktails and mixed drinks.
Luxe / Premium Rums – These rums are produced by smaller boutique brands which sell carefully aged rums. Due to a longer ageing period they have a full body and flavour than their mixing counterparts. As such, they are normally consumed straight much like cognac or Scottish whiskey.
Rum Cocktails
So, how should you go about celebrating National Rum Day? By offering rum cocktails of course and using them as a way to raise awareness of your venue and your menu. Advertising new cocktails for a celebration of rum can be great for social media engagement and ultimately result in more punters walking in through the front door.
But what cocktails should you consider?
Firstly, the classics
So, if you are new to offering cocktails, or your knowledge is limited then we’d suggest starting with the classics and our first one is the Pina Colada. The pina colada is simple to assemble making it a perfect starting place for your rum cocktail selection. It is 50ml white rum, 30ml coconut cream and 50ml fresh pineapple juice and that’s it. Simply pour all into a blender with crushed ice and blend until smooth (you can use a shaker in the absence of a blender). You’d usually serve in a Hurricane glass with a pineapple wedge for garnish and a straw for sipping. To make the experience even better pour your cocktail into a pre-chilled glass.
Next, we come to another quintessential rum cocktail, the Daiquiri. The Daiquiri allows you to begin experimenting a little with flavours as it is more of a family of cocktails which can be expressed with a variety of tastes. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) specify a daiquiri’s ingredients as being 60ml white rum, 20ml lime juice and 2 bar spoons of superfine sugar. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake before straining into a cocktail glass. For additional flavours you can add pureed whole strawberries for a Strawberry Daquiri or to create a Mulata Daiquiri add either coffee or chocolate liqueur to the recipe.
The Dark ‘n’ Stormy is possibly the simplest on this list but is a brilliant offering as for people who may not feel adventurous enough to try something more exotic, this can be a safe bet. The boozy beverage is simply 60ml dark rum and 100ml ginger beer. Serve with ice and a lime wedge to complete.
Another obvious choice is the Mojito. Between its versatility and refreshing taste it’s a go to for a lot of cocktail drinkers, especially pre-meal. To make this you’ll need 45ml white rum, 20ml fresh lime juice, 6 sprigs of mint, 2 teaspoons of white cane sugar (or 20ml of sugar syrup) and 150ml soda water. To make add the cocktail add the mint sprigs, sugar and lime juice to your shaker and muddle with a muddler. Add a splash of soda water and fill with crushed ice and pour into a glass. Add the white rum and the rest of the soda water and give it all a light stir. Finally garnish with extra mint leaves and lime slice.
For the last of the classics, we come to the Hurricane. For this sweet alcoholic drink, you’ll need 50ml dark rum, 50ml white rum, 25ml half, 1 passion fruit, 1 orange (juiced), 1 lemon (juiced), 50ml of sugar syrup and 2 tsp of grenadine. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the rums. Scoop out the flesh and seeds of the passion fruit and add to the shaker whilst also adding the orange and lemon juices along with the sugar syrup and grenadine. Shake until the cocktail shaker begins to feel icy cold in your hands. Fill a hurricane glass with ice and strain the drink into the glass. An orange slice can be used to garnish along with a couple of cocktail cherries on a cocktail umbrella. For a really boozy option you can include 25ml of overproof rum too.
Other classic rum cocktails you can include are Mai Tai’s and Long Island Iced Teas, both are staples on almost any drinks menu across the nation.
Something extra
Now we have established some classic’s, let’s explore some options for the more discerning and seasoned cocktail drinker.
Our first one requires a trip across the Atlantic and was created by tiki legend Donn Beach following the end of World War Two. He called the drink “Three Dots and a Dash” which was representative of it’s meaning in Morse Code: Victory. The ingredients for this are 30ml light rum, 30ml dark rum, 15ml orange curacao, 15ml falernum liqueur, 5ml allspice dram, 30ml lime juice, 15ml honey syrup and 3 dashes of aromatic bitters. To make the drink simply add all ingredients to a blender and add crushed ice. Flash blend the contents before pouring into a pilsner glass and then garnish with typically three cocktail cherries. For extra effect serve the drink in a tiki glass to jump on the rising tiki trend current sweeping the cocktail scene.
Secondly, we have Corn ‘n’ Oil which thankfully contains neither corn nor oil. The drink requires 60ml black rum, 15ml of falernum, 15ml of lime juice (preferably freshly squeezed), 3 dashes of angostura bitters. To make fill a rocks glass with ice and add all ingredients except for the rum. Stir the contents of the glass before adding the rum. When pouring the rum slowly pour it over the back of a bar spoon as this gives the visual effect that the rum is floating on top of the drink much like oil on water. Garnish with a lime wedge to finish and allow your customers to enjoy the aesthetic you’ve created.
For something a little bougier we would recommend the Cable Car cocktail. The drink requires a coupe glass for serving and requires a hint of preparation before filling with your cocktail concoction. So, for this cocktail you’ll need 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 cup of sugar, 1 lemon wedge, 45ml spiced rum, 20ml orange curacao, 30ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 15ml simple syrup and an orange spiral for garnish. First, we stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a coupe plate or saucer (the plate / dish must be wider than the rim of your coupe glass). Use a lemon wedge to rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass and then dip the rim in the cinnamon-sugar mix. Mix the rum, curacao, lime juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Double strain the drink into the coupe glass and garnish with an orange to serve.
Finally, we turn our attention to the Zombie. The zombie is a tiki cocktail being comprised of fruit juices, liqueurs and rums and like the Three Dots and a Dash was created by Donn Beach. It was so named because it was colloquially fabled that Donn made it for a customer who needed help to get over a hang over prior to a business meeting. Several days later the same customer returned to complain to Donn that the drink had turned him into a zombie for the next few days. The drinks ingredients are 45ml dark rum, 45ml gold rum, 30ml demerara (brown) rum, 20ml fresh lime juice, 15ml falernum, 15ml Donn’s mix (10ml fresh yellow grapefruit juice and 5ml cinnamon syrup), 1 tsp grenadine syrup, a dash of angostura bitters and 6 drops of pernod.
The preparation is simple, mix all ingredients in a shaker with crushed ice and shake until the shaker is chilled. Once shaken pour into a tumbler and serve. One final note and to create a bit of a showstopping spectacle, due to the high proof nature of rum, the cocktail can be lit on fire.
Get on the rum trend
Adding rum cocktails to your menu doesn’t need to only be a one-day affair. Much like how gin has become one of the nations favourite drinks, rum is starting to build its own momentum in the popularity arena where the UK market is concerned. The UK is the third highest rum-market in the world which has an estimated worth as of 2021 of £1.17bn1. This shows just how much we as a nation enjoy the pirates drinks so why not ensure you have what the nation wants in stock?
At Alliance Online we pride ourselves in being a company who offers our customers value, service and expertise along with a vast understanding of the industry sectors we supply. With a wide range of bar and cocktail products we have everything you could possibly need to embrace national rum day on August 16th this year and every year going forward.
References
- The Spirit Business: Spiced to boost UK rum market in 2022 – https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2022/04/spiced-to-boost-uk-rum-market-in-2022/
