Understanding Rum
As more and more people visit our tasting room, they are surprised to learn that 30A Distilling Co offers multiple types of rum. We love rum because it is so versatile in cocktails and has so many different flavor profiles. In this blog post, we are going to shed some light on the different styles of rum.
What is Rum?
Rum is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane byproducts, such as molasses or sugarcane juice. It is typically produced in countries with a tropical climate, including the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Rum is typically aged in oak barrels, which can give it a smooth, mellow flavor. The aging process also causes the rum to darken in color, with longer-aged rums being darker in color than younger rums.
Where do you get your sugarcane?
Our sister distillery, Sugarfield Spirits in Gonzales, Louisiana, is only minutes away from sugarcane fields. Sugarfield has a relationship with the Lula-Westfield sugar mill in Assumption parish, and they indirectly supply us with cane juice, cane sugar, and blackstrap molasses.
What are the types of Rums and how are they different?
There are several different types of rum, including white rum, aged rum, spiced rum, and flavored rum. White rum, also known as silver or light rum, is a clear, light-colored spirit that is aged for a shorter period of time and is often used in cocktails and mixed drinks. Aged rum is a type of rum that has been aged for a longer period of time, typically several years, and has a more complex flavor than white rum. Spiced rum is a type of rum that has been flavored with spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Flavored rum is a type of rum that has been infused with flavors such as coconut, pineapple, or mango.
What types of Rum do you offer?
Seacrest Community White Rum: White rum, also known as silver or light rum, is a clear, light-colored spirit that is aged for a shorter period of time, typically less than a year. It is often used in cocktails and mixed drinks. We make our white rum with cane sugar and black strap molasses and rest it in glass for at least two months.
Seacrest Community Aged Cane Juice Rum: Aged rum is a type of rum that has been aged for a longer period of time, typically several years. It is usually amber or dark in color and has a more complex flavor than white rum. It is often sipped neat or on the rocks. For our aged cane juice rum, we started with fresh pressed Florida cane juice, fermented it dry, double distilled it, and placed it in a used bourbon barrel for over two years.
Seacrest Community Agricole Style Rum: Agricole rum is a type of rum that is made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses. It is typically produced in the French Caribbean islands and has a distinctive, earthy flavor. It is often aged for a shorter period of time than other types of rum. The Lula Westfield sugar mill put in a tap specifically for Sugarfield Spirits so that we can get fresh pressed cane juice right after it’s mechanically pressed; we are typically fermenting our cane juice hours after it’s pressed.
Limited Availability - Orange Flavored Rum: Flavored rum is a type of rum that has been infused with additional flavors, such as coconut, pineapple, mango, or other fruit flavors. These flavors are often added to the rum through the use of natural or artificial flavorings. Flavored rum is typically sweeter and more aromatic than regular rum and is often used in cocktails or mixed drinks. Our flavored rum is cold macerated with local Florida Honeybell Oranges; we chose this unique variety of orange because of its floral aromas. We have a limited supply of last year’s orange-flavored rum available for tasting at the distillery and hope to have availability for bottle sales come spring 2023.
Coming Soon – Seacrest Community Black Strap Molasses Rum: Molasses rum is made from molasses, a byproduct of the sugar refining process. It is typically aged for a longer period of time than white rum and has a rich, sweet flavor. We are actively fermenting black strap molasses and distilling it in-house; look for this new product in the coming years.
Coming Soon - Seacrest Community Spiced Rum: Spiced rum is a type of rum that has been flavored with spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It is often darker in color than other types of rum and has a more complex flavor. This winter, 2022, we took some of our black strap molasses rum and infused it with spices; look for this product to be released in the spring of 2023.
In Summary:
We hope you will enjoy our rum for a variety of reasons: Some people enjoy the taste of rum, which can be sweet and smooth with a variety of flavors depending on how it is aged and what type of rum it is. Others enjoy the social aspect of drinking rum, such as sharing a bottle with friends or using it as a mixer in cocktails. Finally, some people also appreciate the history and cultural significance of rum, as it has a long tradition in many parts of the world and is often associated with tropical and Caribbean cultures.
To learn more about the main differences between these types of rum, including their ingredients, the production process, and aging time; stop by our tasting room and experience them for yourself today.