The Cocktail Scientist
The Autumn Spiced Rum Cocktail
INTRODUCTION
The Autumn Spiced Rum Cocktail is a delicious drink which is the perfect concoction to celebrate the changing of seasons, the arrival of crisp cool air, and breaking out relaxing and cozy sweatshirts and sweaters. The use of a Spiced Rum is a thoughtful addition to the drink because it adds additional desired notes making it even more appetizing. Whether celebrating a fall holiday get-together or simply relaxing at home, the Autumn Spiced Rum Cocktail is always sure to satisfy and is metaphorically as much fun as the first fireplace fire of the season or apples baking with cinnamon in the oven.
The Autumn Spiced Rum Cocktail
MATERIALS & METHODS
Test tubes of Cocktail Scientist 2
Ingredients:
- Spiced Rum – 2.0 oz (60 mL)
- Fresh Apple Cider (non- alcohol containing) – 4.0 oz (120 mL)
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice – 0.25 oz (7.5 mL)
- Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice – 0.25 oz (7.5 mL)
- 1 Pinch of Fresh Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Pinches of Fresh Ground Nutmeg
- Garnish: Cinnamon Stick
- Garnish: Orange Wheel
Directions:
- Add spiced rum, apple cider, lime juice, orange juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10 – 15 seconds.
- Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Add cinnamon stick and orange wheel to garnish.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg on top of the cocktail. Enjoy!
DISCUSSION
Historical Origin
Cider was enjoyed for thousands of years on its own before spirits were added to it. The Greeks and Romans mastered the art of making cider when they fermented apples from native crabapples. Thus, cider on its own accord can be unfermented (fresh cider) or fermented (hard cider). Generally, today hard cider has an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) range from 3 to 8.5%. Cider commonly is simply raw apple juice that has not been filtered to remove pulp or sediment, but other fruits such as pears may be used as well in the production of cider (1). Prior to the twentieth century, where apple orchards were prevalent and cider was quite popular, many residents did not have much of an alternative to cider as the water in their area could not be trusted as a beverage. Water borne illnesses at the time were prevalent and carried parasitic disease such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and E. coli. Drinking hard cider, which was inhospitable to these microorganisms due to the alcohol present in the beverage was deemed safe to drink, even by children (2).
Evidence of adding spirits to beverages dates back thousands of years. Adding spirits to cider is no exception. When rum evolved during the colonial era fresh apple cider became a quick foundation for the spirit to be enjoyed in. Apple cider, and not apple juice, became the popular base because manufacturing apple juice requires additional filtration and pasteurization steps that had not quite evolved to the degree required.
Flavor Profile
Rum
Rum originated from the manufacturing process that gave the world sugar. Adding spices to rum has likely been around as long as the spirit itself, and spiced rums are sometimes called flavored rums. Depending on the type and volume of spice added to the rum, the final flavor profile can be quite complex.
It is important to note what a spice is. A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spiced rums can be quite flavorful and often incorporate ingredients such nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and other exotic ingredients. Most flavored spiced rums are either dark in color, and have a base of gold rum, or are made with inexpensive light rums and darkened with caramel color.
Additional Ingredients
Apple Cider
Historically, the level of sweetness in apple cider is directly related to the extent of the fermentation. If fermentation can go to completion, all the sugars contained in the apples are fermentable, and the resulting class of cider remaining is called a “dry cider.” (3) The type of apple used to make apple cider can also play a major role in the flavor profile of the final cocktail. Some apples are bittersweet, and some are sweet. Bittersweet apples are traditionally low in acidity, but high in tannins, and the opposite is true of sweet apples. The presence of tannins, which are polyphenols, contributes to the overall bitterness depending on the number of them present. The more tannins present, the more bitter the cider.
Lime Juice
Lime juice is a natural acidulant and is a popular cocktail ingredient. The pH of lime juice is between 2 and 3. First used in drinks in the eighteenth century to help prevent scurvy in sailors, mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts quickly learned that this flavorful additive possesses tart properties which can easily balance cocktails that are overly sweet.
Orange Juice
Orange juice is a very popular mixer in cocktails because it contains acids, sugars, and phenolic compounds. The pH of orange juice traditionally falls between 3 and 4, as it contains citric, malic, and ascorbic acids. Orange juice typically tastes sweet and delectable because of the natural sugars found in oranges which balances with the acids that are present.
NUTRITION
While the overall calories present in the Autumn Spiced Rum cocktail do not come close to levels found in high calorie rum cocktails like the Piña Colada and Painkiller, the cocktail still packs a punch when it comes to sugar content due to the sweetening properties of the unfermented apple cider. On the other hand, the cocktail is an enjoyable low ABV cocktail when compared to high ABV cocktails like the Zombie, lending itself to be enjoyed more than once in a single evening.
NUTRITION FACTS
(Amount Per 1 Fl oz in a 6.5 Fl oz Cocktail)
Calories: 29.9
Total Fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 2.1 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 15.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
Sugar: 2.2 g
ABV: 10.8 % + (rum proof dependent)
CONCLUSION
Who does not love a cocktail infused with the flavor of what Autumn brings? The Autumn Spiced Rum cocktail is sweet and savory and easily captures the Fall season in a beverage form. Perfect for a dinner party, cozying up next to a warm fire, or curling up under a light to read a good book. The Autumn Spiced Rum cocktail will never disappoint.
REFERENCES
- WSU. (2021). History of Cider. Retrieved from: https://cider.wsu.edu/history-of-cider/
- Stewart, A. (2013). History of Cider Making. Retrieved from: https://www.utne.com/arts/history-of-cider-making-ze0z1306zpit/
- Compound Interest. (2015). The Chemistry of Cider. Retrieved from: https://www.compoundchem.com/2015/06/30/cider/
