August 16th is National Rum Day, a holiday that celebrates and commemorates the distilled alcoholic beverage that is made from sugarcane by-products. It’s a spirit that’s steeped in romanticism, thanks to its association with pirates in the Caribbean (as opposed to the Pirates Of The Caribbean ride at Disneyland and subsequent movies, but it associates with them, too). While it is considered to be the third most popular alcoholic beverage, after whiskey and vodka, on this day it is number one. So be sure to try out one of the many drinks that can be made with rum (if you’re of legal drinking age, of course).
Know Your Rum History
No one is currently sure when rum was invented. In fact, it probably dates back before recorded history. Scholars do believe however, that is was probably developed from an early drink known as brum that was made by the Malay people thousands of years ago. When Marco Polo was in Iran, he noted that he was given a tasty wine of sugar that may have been an ancestor of what is now known as rum.
The first known distillation of rum took place during the 17th century on various sugarcane plantations located in the Caribbean. It is believed that the slaves on the plantations were the first ones to discover that the byproduct of the sugar refining process could be fermented and processed in a spirit. Over time, these spirits were distilled and refined until the alcohol was raised to a sufficient level to become rum. According to many of the oral traditions of the Caribbean, it is stated that the first rums were created in Barbados. However, new evidence is beginning to emerge that suggests that Brazil and Sweden each had their own versions of rum.
Popular Rum Drinks
- Hurricane
- Cuba Libre
- Pina Colada
- Mojito
- Zombie
- Dacquari
Rum Fun Facts
- Rum with lime was given to Royal Navy sailors
- 12 million gallons of rum were consumed annual by colonists in the Caribbean
- A popular name for rum was Grog
- Other names for rum include Navy neaters, Kill Devil and Nelson’s blood
How to Celebrate National Rum Day
Probably the best way to celebrate National Rum Day is to make yourself one of the many rum mixed drinks. Maybe even pull up “Pirates of the Caribbean” on Netflix. Just be sure to drink responsibly and never drink and drive.
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