Wset Diploma Rum

Front 1

Is rum terroir driven?

Back 1

To a small extent. There is some impact on sugar levels and flavor.

Front 2

How is sugar cane harvested?

Back 2

Either mechanically or hand-cut. Key issue is getting stalks to the mill asap because sugar levels start to drop after harvest.

Front 3

How is molasses obtained?

Back 3

Sugar cane is crushed, juice extracted and syrup procured. It is boiled until sugar crystals form. They are removed and molasses is thick black residue that is left.

Front 4

Is molasses the only material rum is made from?

Back 4

No. Some producers use the original sugar cane syrup or the stalks themselves.

Front 5

Why does molasses have to be diluted before it can ferment?

Back 5

It is so highly concentrated in sugars no yeast could live in it unless diluted.

Front 6

How does molasses dilution affect final rum?

Back 6

The more diluted, the lower the sugar content and the lighter the rum.

Front 7

How does the length of fermentation affect rum?

Back 7

Shorter the fermentation generally the lighter the rum. Varying this and dilution levels can result in many different styles.

Front 8

Explain distillation of light rums (related to body not color).

Back 8

All are distilled in column stills and normally from wash that has been fermented for ~24hours.

Front 9

What kind of still is used to distill light rum?

Back 9

Several kinds of column stills - single column, Coffey or most commonly multiple linked columns

Front 10

Why would rum be made in a pot still instead of a column still?

Back 10

Traditionally it was the only way. Now they produce heavier rums for a market stimulated by whiskies and bourbons and to give weight to rum blends.

Front 11

Are white rums aged in wood?

Back 11

No. Bacardi does age in wood then filters the color out, however.

Front 12

What is tropical aging?

Back 12

A condition caused by high humid temperatures in the Caribbean. Accelerates aging. 1 yr of tropical aging = 3 yrs maturation in Scotland. The rum is also pulled farther into the oak so it has higher levels of oak extraction and at an earlier age.

Front 13

What kind of barrels are a majority of rum aged in?

Back 13

Vast majority are aged in American oak barrels sourced from the bourbon industry. Rhum agricole prefers cognac barrels.

Front 14

Write a short paragraph about Bacardi.

Back 14

World's best selling rum. Benchmark for the light rum style. Molasses. Linked columns. Aged 1-2 yrs oak then color filtered out. Blended after aging.

Front 15

What is the general style of Trinidad rum?

Back 15

Lighter. Its industry dominated by Angostura - for bitters and rum. Molasses.

Front 16

What is the general style of Barbados rum?

Back 16

Historically the first major rum producer. Wide range. Mt Gay mixes pot and column. West Indies Rum Distillery mass produces for Malibu. Foursquare ultra modern hi tech.

Front 17

What is the general style of Guyana rum?

Back 17

Long been base for UK Navy blends. El Dorado is growing. Demerara Distillers Ltd DDL produces widest range of marks in world. Wooden framed Coffey still. Demerara is heaviest and most powerful rum in world.

Front 18

Write a paragraph on Demerara rum.

Back 18

Named after river. Pot stills made of greenheart wood with copper necks. Have single and double pots in sequence then a retort. Results in a deep powerful rum with aromas of banana and overripe fruit.

Front 19

What is the general style of Jamaican rum?

Back 19

Rivals Guyana for breadth of style. Appleton Estate is benchmark.

Front 20

What differentiates Jamaican rum from Demerera?

Back 20

Pot still rums are graded by concentration of esters and have different names. The higher the esters the longer the ferment. Dunder is added to fermenter for higher ester rums.

Front 21

What is dunder?

Back 21

It starts as acidic residue left in bottom of still. It is then put into outside pits and allowed to fester to further boost acids. Then added to fermenting higher ester rums.

Front 22

Are Jamaican rums processed only in stills?

Back 22

No. Wash is run through pot/retort system to create complex flavors.

Front 23

What is Rhum Agricole?

Back 23

Style from French West Indies made from cane juice. Made when French started using beet sugar instead of FWI sugar cane. Since they had no molasses, started working directly with juice.

Front 24

What is bagasse?

Back 24

Dry fibers of Rhum Agricole cane after juice is extracted.

Front 25

What is vesou?

Back 25

Wash that is end result of fermentation of Rhum Agricole. 4.5-9% abv. Essentially a sugar cane juice wine.

Front 26

What kind of still is used to produce Rhum Agricole?

Back 26

Single column still similar to Armagnac. Produces lower strength. By law 65-75% abv.

Front 27

What is ambre or paille?

Back 27

Rhum Agricole aged a min of 18 months in cask

Front 28

What is vieux?

Back 28

Rhum Agricole aged a min of 3 years in cask

Front 29

What are labeling standards related to age of rhum agricole?

Back 29

Blanc (unaged), ambre or paille (min 18 mos in cask), vieux (min 3 yrs in cask), or vintage.

Front 30

What is Rhum Industrielle?

Back 30

French West Indies rum made with molasses.

Front 31

What is second largest rum brand in world?

Back 31

Tanduay from the Philippines.

Front 32

What is cachaca?

Back 32

Brazilian 'rum' made with sugar cane juice.

Front 33

What styles of cachaca are there?

Back 33

Traditional - pot and single column still at lower strength and more vegetal. Modern - multiple column still, higher strength, filtered to be more neutral like vodka

Front 34

Can they add sugar to Cachaca?

Back 34

Yes, up to 6g/l to calm down the edgy spirit.