Rum Production

After harvesting, which is often still done by hand or otherwise with sugar cane harvesting machines, the cut sugar cane is further processed in sugar cane mills.

The sugary juice is pressed out of the plant using a process known as press extraction. It is then boiled down to remove the sugar crystals and extract the cane sugar. What remains is a thick, dark-coloured syrup. This by-product is also known as molasses and is used in rum production
In total, 90 per cent of rums worldwide are produced from molasses.

Rum made from sugar cane juice is extracted directly from the freshly cut sugar cane. The cane is cut into pieces and the juice is extracted in two to three pressing processes.
Rum made from sugar cane juice, which comes from agricultural production, is called rhum agricole. Worldwide, rhum agricole only accounts for around 3% of total rum production.
Rhum Agricole has a unique certification in the French Antilles. The AOC guidelines 'Appellation d'Origine Controlée' precisely regulate the production of rum. You can find out more about rhum agricole from Martinique here.

The molasses is diluted with water and yeast is added. This starts the biological process of fermentation, in which the yeast breaks down the sugar and converts it into alcohol. This results in an alcohol content of 5-6%. The sugar cane juice is fermented either undiluted or diluted. As a general rule, the higher the sugar content, the higher the alcohol content.

Traditional rum is produced with wild yeasts. These are yeasts that are naturally present in the air and settle on the mash. However, this process is not as random as it sounds at first. To ensure that a desired yeast strain forms and colonises, distilleries have walled and poorly ventilated rooms in which the yeasts are cultivated and stored. This process, in which wild yeasts are used, is still practised in Jamaica in particular. Alternatively, and especially for very large batches, brewing ovens are used.

The fermentation time varies greatly between hours and weeks. A very long duration of the process promotes the formation of many esters, which give the rum a unique flavour. This is known as high ester rum. This type of rum is mainly found in Jamaica. Otherwise, the fermentation period is rather short.

The fermentation process takes place in huge barrels made of concrete, steel or wood.

The column still - also known as a distillation column - is particularly widespread in the Spanish style . It is built very high and the upper third is often made of copper, which has a positive effect on the flavour. In a continuous process, the sugar cane wine is fed into the column from the top to around two thirds of the height. While the liquid flows down through several trays, hot vapour rises to the top. The lighter alcohol vapours separate from the rest of the liquid.

The finished white rum is removed at the top of the column still, while the so-called pot ale - the residue after distillation - runs off continuously at the bottom. Some systems have valves that feed the finished rum back into the column for a second distillation. In special models with a foreshot, this is removed at the top, while the raw spirit is drawn off a little lower down. The foreshot is either disposed of or distilled again to remove unwanted flavours.

Pot still distillation is much rarer in the rum sector and works on the same principle as whisky production. Only a few distilleries worldwide distil all or part of their rum in this discontinuous still. The result is often bottled as a small batch - as is the case with Romero & Sons from Ecuador.

Jamaica is particularly well known for its high-quality pot still rums, with renowned producers such as Appleton Estate and Hampden Estate. The reasons why the continuous column still is used more frequently in rum production are mainly due to the greater effort and higher costs of pot still distillation.

Some blended rums combine both processes and thus unite the lightness of the column still with the strong flavour of the pot still. Examples of this are Botucal from Venezuela and Renegade from the island of Grenada.
Pure pot still rums are known for their full-bodied, intense character - a delight for lovers of strong flavours.

The alambic still is a rare but special distillation method in rum production. Originally known from the production of cognac and Armagnac, it is now only used by a few distilleries, such as Habitation Beauséjour in Martinique.

This method is characterised by the small, compact still, which is often fired directly with gas. The rising alcohol vapours pass through pipes into a rectifier (rectification column), whereby the aim is to achieve the most intensive contact possible with the copper. This helps to make the firing softer and more harmonious. A special feature of this design is that the condensate can circulate several times between the still and the rectifier in order to achieve a particularly pure and aromatically balanced distillate.

Rum does not have to be stored in order to be called rum. However, if it is stored, it is traditionally stored in oak barrels. These are either new or previously contained whisky or wine. The duration can vary from a few months to several years.