Rum history............Nivan will post u a thread about rum history which started how it get name and its contrast with egyptian empire. i will give u modern history History of Rum The development of the rum industry hosted from the exuberant growth of sugar cane plantations in the West Indies. Back in the 17th century, British settlers cultivated sugar cane plantations as the foundation of their economic growth. The need for laborers and load to run, these plantations opened a ?capital-intense? business. These expansions created a demand and influx of slaves. A skipper would leave with cargo of rum from the ports of New England headed towards West Africa. There he would trade his cargo of rum for many slaves and proceed back to the West Indies in the exchange of the slaves for molasses. The molasses were transported back to New England, Connecticut and New York to be distilled into rum. The skipper would repeat his trip making great profit. This became known as the triangle trade. Rum is basically divided into two categories, light and dark. Light rums are traditionally produced in southern Caribbean Islands such as Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Usually they require no longer than 6 months of aging in oak casks. Dark rum is the result of aging longer, anywhere from 3 to 12 years, plus the addition of caramel. Dark rum is more aromatic and has a richer flavour than light rum. It is produced in the tropic islands like Jamaica, Haiti, and Martinique. Sugarcane is the main ingredient in making rum. First, the sugarcane is boiled down and the remaining residue is spun until crystallized. Then it is separated from its congealed form, known as molasses. The molasses is reboiled, mixed with water and yeast, then set to distill in aged oak casks. To produce darker rum caramel is added and aged for a minimum of 3 years (usually 5 to 7 years). Lighter rums are aged from 1 to 4 years. Here is a guide to some other types of rums: Puerto Rican Rum is noted as golden rum, light bodies and aged for a minimum of 3 years. Virgin Islands Rum is usually dry, light bodied rum close to Puerto Rican rum. Demeraran Rum is from Guyana and is a dark rum, having medium body. This rum is very high in alcohol content (151 proof) and is used to make a cocktail called Zombie. Jamaican Rum is naturally fermented for about 3 weeks, meaning yeast from the air settles on the surface of the mash. The rum is then distilled twice in pot stills and aged in oak casks for a minimum of five years. Though Jamaican Rum is dark. It gets most of its color from added molasses not from the cask. Martinique and Haitian rum are rums distilled from the juice of the sugarcane rather than from the molasses. The juice is concentrated, distilled and aged leaving a medium bodies spirit. Batavia is unique aromatic rum made from Javanese red rice. Small rice cakes are made and put into molasses to ferment naturally. The distilled rum is then aged for 3 years in Java then shipped to Holland for further aging (up to 6 years). Aguardiente de Cana is the name given to the most rum from South America. The most popular of them in the U.S. is Cachaca, from Brazil. Cachaca is the main ingredient of a Caiprinha, a delicious sour Brazilian cocktail. Like a fine brandy, rum is most savored when served at room temperature. Heating from a flame can burn off alcohol and create an artificial intense aroma. Rum should be served in a decent measure in a snifter, stem held between two fingers and palms turned upward. This allows for natural body heat to warm the dessert cocktail. In recent years there have been a number of spicy, fruity rums introduced to enhance traditional rum drinks, and better serve as an after dinner cocktail.