I know we run a Christian website. People may frown on drinking may not fee like it fits with our brand but even the LORD dealt with Wine. If you were to look up stories from the BIBLE. Being sick all day yesterday and with children going back to school this week a drink doesn’t sound so bad at the moment.
Which is the perfect way to celebrate August 16th National Rum Day #NationalRumDay if David gets home early this evening we have any Rum I was thinking about having a drink with David to toast a new week. I have plenty of Coke if you wouldn’t want plain Run I could fix you a Rum & Coke I believe this is what I will have as well.
August 16th is National Rum Day and our friends at Goslings Rum want to take the opportunity to celebrate one of our favorite libations and share interesting facts about the history and culture surrounding this historic spirit.
Rum has been a staple of the economy of the Americas from nearly its founding and remains one of the most versatile liquors available today. Traditionally found in light or dark varieties, Rum has found its way into many alluring and inventive Cocktails, Punches, and mixed drinks, most notably the Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy® a new drink for my family to try out. Would you like to join me?
The Gosling family of Rum makers have been supplying the world with Rum since 1806, aging and blending every drop on their home Island of Bermuda. Their Black Seal Rum which they’ve been producing since the 1850s.
This is the gold standard for dark Rums having been awarded the Gold Award three straight years at the International Rum Festival. Goslings proudly sponsors National Rum Day to spread the word about the rich history and taste of Rum.
Rum’s early history runs parallel with that of the Americas and some would say few liquors have had a bigger impact on the new world than Rum does.. While some form of Rum has been distilled since the third century BCE, it wasn’t until 17th Century colonizers began growing Sugarcane in the Caribbean that Rum’s popularity exploded. Molasses is a byproduct of Sugar production and rather than let this excess go to waste they distilled it into Booze.
Initially called “kill devil” for its high alcohol content and less than savory taste, the process of fermenting and distilling Molasses became steadily more sophisticated and the spirit significantly more enjoyable. The etymology of the word “Rum” is still open for debate but among the most agreed upon theories is that Rum is derived from the terms rumbuillion or rumbustion both meaning an upheaval eventually shortened to Rum.
Rum production quickly spread throughout the Caribbean and beyond, to Islands including Bermuda, Nevis, and Jamaica, becoming one of the most popular spirits and even being used as currency. Rum became so popular in Colonial America that it eventually contributed to 80% of the exports from New England and a tax on Sugar in the 1760s led directly to the American Revolution.
However, not all of Rum’s history is so rosy. Like many of the labor-intensive industries of the early American economies, the Sugarcane and thus the Rum trade was based on slave labor and the spirit’s popularity contributed to the slave trade that existed in America until the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.
National Rum Day Activities
- Whether the Rum is iced in a glass, neat in a tumbler, or frozen with little umbrellas in it, Rum is the spirit of Summer in every possible way. Branch out and try a new concoction of Rum and keep Summer in your heart.
- Rum is known as the drink of choice for Sailors, particularly those frequenting Island ports like Jamaica, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. But Rum is also a part of pirate lore. Make a nod to your favorite privateer through a period accurate Cocktail,
- If you have the opportunity take the Rum out of the glass and into the pan for an interesting and fiery cooking and baking experience. Classic desserts include Rum Raisin Pie, Spiced Rum Cake, or Bananas Foster all put the sweet taste of Rum front and center.
Why People Love National Rum Day
- Over the centuries, Rum has proven itself to be a versatile and useful spirit that can be mixed into Punches or Cocktails in a myriad of ways, enjoyed neat, or even on the Rocks.
- Whiskey often gets the nod for the most over-analyzed liquor by gourmands, but aged Rum, with its smoky, earthy, aroma and notes of Vanilla and Caramel, offers some serious fodder for foodies to gush about.
- The history of Rum runs parallel to the history of the Americas. It’s impact can be felt from the Sugarcane trade, slavery, the American revolution, and the growth of nearby Island economies, particularly Bermuda.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
