From the Editor
Rum and Purity
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines purity as “unmixed with any other matter” and “containing nothing that does not properly belong.” Using these definitions, it is easy to understand notions such as “pure water” and “pure gold.” But, what about rum? What constitutes pure rum?
Luis ayala
Technically speaking, since rum is a distillate obtained from a fermented sugarcane co-product (juice, sugar, syrup/molasses), then pure rum would have to be clear and un-aged, at distillation strength, which could range from around 40% to as high as 96% ABV, depending on the distillation apparatus. This distillate would contain some distilled water along with the ethanol and other congeners. If we wanted to bring the ABV down to a lower bottling strength and we added un-distilled water, then we would be incorporating something that does not “properly belong”, thus resulting in impure rum.
What about countries where there is an aging requirement? In such countries, the untreated oak component (tannins, lactones, lignin, etc.) would “properly belong” in the final product but nothing else would, such as caramel, sugar, spices or residues from the barrels’ previous contents (Bourbon, Wine, Sherry, etc.). Treating the oak with heat, to either toast it or charr it, thus developing wood caramels, smoke and other flavors, would introduce “other matter” not present in the wood’s natural state.
As you can see, “pure” is by design a very limiting definition, much like Reinheitsgebot, the purity law for beer in Germany, which limits beer ingredients to only three: water, barley (or malt) and hops. Can you imagine a beer industry where all beers adhered to this purity law? Diversity in rum, just like in beer, is the key to attracting and maintaining a large customer base. Craft distillers who pay the utmost attention to their sugar sources, to their fermentation methods and who carefully distill and age their rums in ex-Bourbon or ex-Sherry casks (to name only two examples) have every right to call their rums “pure” even though these barrels may contribute flavors that do not “properly belong” in the strictest sense of the definition.
So is rum purity a bad idea? Commercial viability may dictate if it is or not, and this viability may change depending on the economy and or on the marketing push behind such products. History has shown us, however, that diversity is the spice of life, so maybe it is in our nature to always look for something different.
Cheers,
Luis Ayala, Editor and Publisher
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant