By Discount Liquor

Why is the Rum Gone?

Nov 16, 2022 | 9:04 AM

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Pattison Media and this site.

Why is the rum gone? – Captain Jack Sparrow

Anyone that has watched a movie involving pirates, and sailing ships in general, knows that there is a lot of rum drank on the high seas…well, at least in the movies. Whether it be pirates, smugglers, or rum runners, if it is a historical movie in the Caribbean there will likely be rum featured somewhere.

Rum as an alcohol beverage originated, for the most part at least, from the Caribbean region. The reason for this is due to the main ingredient used in distillation. Where whiskey and vodka are usually made from grains, rum is crafted from fermented and distilled sugarcane or sweet molasses, depending on whether it is a light or dark rum. Grog, which was commonly served to the common sailors, was essentially rum that was watered down with water or beer. Pirates of the era were a little more sophisticated, and created a beverage called bumbo, which was a beverage of rum, water, sugar, and nutmeg.

Because the Caribbean is one of the worlds largest sugar producing regions, almost every country in the region produces some variety of rum. Here at Discount Liquor, we have rums produced in 13 countries, including 10 from the Caribbean. One of the outliers to this pattern is Tanduay Rum, which is one of the world’s top rum producers and is located not in the West Indies, but rather in the sugar rich areas near Manilla in the Philippines. However, as of the writing of this article, it does not appear that Tanduay is available in Canada.

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In Canada, the three big rum brands that everyone knows are Bacardi, Captain Morgan, and Lambs. The first two were both originally established on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, though now both are primarily produced in the United States. Some of their premium offerings, such as Captain Morgan Private Stock and Bacardi Gran Reserva, are still produced Lamb’s Navy rum was created from a blend of 18 different rums from a half a dozen countries in the area, but is now exclusively produced in Canada and England.

Most other popular brands of rum are still produced in various countries in the Caribbean sea. Appleton, one of our best sellers here, is still produced in Jamaica. Flor de Cana, which was brought in to the store due to multiple requests, is made in the Central American country of Nicaragua. Havana Club, another of our great sellers, is made in, well, Havana, Cuba. We also carry rums from Trinidad, Barbados, Venezuela, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, and the British Virgin Islands.

So, if you find that you are asking why the rum is gone, the answer to that question is because you haven’t been to Discount Liquor!

Looking for a few recipe ideas?

Don’t worry…we have you covered!

Caribbean Rum Punch

1 cup Orange Juice 1 cup Pineapple Juice

¼ cup Lime Juice ¼ cup Light Rum

¼ cup Dark Rum ½ cup grenadine syrup

Making this recipe is as simple as mixing all of your ingredients in a pitcher, stirring, and serving over ice. So it makes a great summer inspired drink for winter get togethers. Its also a recipe that can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on the size of your pitcher or punch bowl!

Rum Rickey

½ oz Lime Juice 1 ½ oz Light Rum

2 oz Club Soda Ice

This one is as simple as a cocktail comes! Mix your rum and lime juice in a glass, then add your club soda and ice, stir and enjoy! The mix for this recipe is a little strong, so you can add more club soda to taste. Want to impress your guests? Up your presentation with a lime wedge and/or a maraschino cherry or two.

Hurricane

2 oz Light Rum 2 oz Dark Rum

2 oz Passion Fruit Juice 1 oz Orange Juice

½ oz Grenadine ½ Lime, juiced

½ oz Simple Syrup

This Bourbon Street classic is great for anyone that wants to make something a little more complicated, though making it is relatively simple…just add all ingredients together, shake, and pour over ice. You may want to cut the rum in half though…the recipe is basically half rum which may be a little much for most people. You can also up your presentation with an orange wedge or cherry for garnish.

What is simple syrup? Though you can buy it, it’s easy to make. 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, bring to a boil, then simmer until the sugar is dissolved and you are left with a clear, thick liquid – about 5 minutes. Homemade simple sugar will last about 3-4 weeks in the fridge.