From pirates to rock stars, there is one alcohol libation that has never ceased to be popular the world over - rum. It's a drink with a rich history, having left its mark on revolutions (violent ones and musical ones), human rights and, of course, the American palate.
What we know as rum today was first produced in the Caribbean sometime in the 17th century. But as young as the alcohol is, its story is one of conquest, exploration and experimentation dating as far back as 10,000 years ago in ancient New Guinea. It was there that historians estimate that sugar cane, the plant from which rum rises, was first cultivated. Over the centuries cultivation of this tall reed grass spread to Indonesia, the Philippines and India where it was finally encountered by the armies of Alexander the Great. General Nearchus of the central Asian army described it as an Indian reed that produces "honey without the need of bees, from which an intoxicating drink is made."
That drink was arak, a simple alcohol produced by fermenting the juice from a crushed sugar cane plant. When Alexander and his army brought the miracle grass back to the Mediterranean it became enormously popular. By the 1490s, the plant had become such a mainstay of agriculture that Christopher Columbus brought it with him to the island of Hispaniola on his second trip to the New World. There the crop found its most profitable home yet. The climate of the Caribbean suited sugar cane so well that, by 1511, it was being grown in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Barbados, Maritius, St. Kitts, and mainland South America followed soon after.
It was in Brazil that the Portuguese infamously introduced slavery to the production of sugar cane in the New World. When the distillation process was finally applied to arak in the 17th century and rum let loose upon the world, it proved so enormously profitable that the slave trade exploded. It was from this economic boon that the infamous "Triangle Trade" originated, in which a regular trade route was established by New England merchants who would sail to Africa and load their ships with slaves, bring the slaves to the Caribbean and then load up their ships with casks of rum for the Northern colonies. At about the same time, the rum trade was increasingly made more dangerous and, to modern rum enthusiasts, more glamorous by the involvement of pirates and privateers in the production, shipment and, lest we forget, consumption of rum (Captain Morgan rum is named after the famous privateer, Captain Henry Morgan, his majesty's governor in Jamaica).
In the 400 or so years since then, rum has made its mark on America in more than one way. The rum trade eventually became so profitable in America that some historians suggest that it was taxes on rum and not tea that triggered the American Revolution. During the revolution, consumption of rum dropped off in favor of other domestically produced spirits like whiskey. But there must be a certain something about rum that is just inseparable from the quest for freedom. In the 1960s, rum received a renewed burst of popularity during the British Invasion as the key ingredient of the "official" drink of the Beatles, the rum-and-coke.
Whether you're a Beatles fan, a history buff or like to pretend you're a pirate, here are a few easy drink recipes starring rum that are guaranteed to delight your taste buds and release your inhibitions:
Cuba Libre
-2 shots white rum
-1 Lime
-Coca-Cola
Also known as a rum-and-coke in the U.S. and Canada (though the lime is usually dropped under this name), this drink can really be made with any kind of rum (white, gold or dark) and is rather idiot-proof. Squeeze the lime juice into a Collins glass, add a few ice cubes, pour in the rum and fill the rest up with Coke. Stir.
Dark and Stormy
-2 shots dark rum
-3 shots ginger beer
-1/2 shot of lime juice
This drink offers a smooth and mild taste that one imagines would be great to sit on the beach and enjoy. Gosling's Black Seal is recommended for this drink (and it's well worth the few extra dollars over Bacardi). Ginger Beer can be hard to find but the best kind, Barritt's from Bermuda, is available at Villa Spirits Shoppe. Combine rum, ginger beer and lime juice in a Collins glass with ice. Stir well.
Brown Derby
-2 shots dark rum
-1/2 shot lime juice
-1 spoonful of maple syrup
This is an old American cocktail that was popular just before prohibition and again in the 1940s. Of all the drinks listed here, this one offers the most balanced flavor. It starts with an even sweetness from the syrup and tartness of the lime which is followed closely by the bite of the rum and ends with the rich full flavor of maple lingering on the back of your palate. Shake the rum, lime juice and maple syrup with ice, and then strain directly into a chilled cocktail glass.
Air Mail
-2 shots golden rum
-1/2 shot lime juice
-1 spoonful of honey
-Brut Champagne
This is by far my favorite of these rummy cocktails. With the most complex and fun taste, let this drink linger in your mouth and your taste buds will take an epic gustatory trip. The drink slides in with the smooth and classy taste of champagne, but hold it there and it will quickly give way to an interesting medley of lime and rum before it finishes with the pleasant, warm taste of honey. Thoroughly mix the rum, lime juice and honey in a cocktail shaker, then pour unstrained into a Collins glass. Top it off with champagne. If done just so, the drink will display a nice color spectrum - dark yellow at the bottom that fades up to the light color of champagne at the top. If you can get it to do that, give me a call. All of mine turned out a nice light yellow color. For an interesting alternative, the flavor of this cocktail becomes even more complex when made with Gosling's Black Seal, but you won't be getting that yellow color from this variation.
Stone Wall
-2 shots dark rum
-Hard cider
Perhaps a fitting use of rum in New England, this drink combines the fruity flavors of apples with the sweet bite of rum. Legend has it that "The Green Mountain Boys," revolutionary volunteer soldiers from Vermont, drank this concoction before taking down an entire garrison of well-entrenched British soldiers with 100 cannons. Pour the rum into a glass with some ice and fill the rest with hard cider. Given the numerous varieties of hard cider out there, you may need to try several brands before you find one you like in this cocktail.
Contact Timothy Bleasdale at
Timothy.Bleasdale@UConn.edu.
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