Rum Item in Red Sunrise | World Anvil

Rum

And why it is always gone.

Rum is a strong alcoholic beverage made out of sugarcane juice. Favoured by pirate and sailor alike for as long as it existed.

Production

First the sugar cane is harvested, chopped into pieces and the juice is pressed out.
This sugar cane juice is mixed with water and yeast. Then the concoction is let to sit to ferment. This rotting process turns a part of the sugar into alcohol.
The product is of a low alcohol content, to crank up this number the mixture is purified and then distilled. The mixture is boiled and the condensate is caught, as the alcohol evaporates earlier then the water. The condensate is of a stronger alcohol content.

This destilate is stored in wooden barrels, to age. The type of wood which is used has a big influance on the final product.

Other impacts that make the flavour, is the type of sugar cane, the type of soil, the species of yeast, the temperature it has been allowed to ferment and what time it is allowed to ferment and sit in the barrels. This are all choices the brewers can make. And this is what defines their brand.

Smuggling

The pirate crew of the Narwhal still upholds the age old tradition of smuggling rum, it is a solid baseline operation for them, ensuring them of a basic pay. People love their liquor.


Grog

Grog was envissioned as a medicine against scurvy, to help keep the sailors healthy in the age-of-sail. The Royal Navy, mixed rum, with water and lemon and/or lemon juice, and gave every crew member a half pint a day. And they spread this medicine around the world. Spreading the idea that sailors drink rum with it.

Item type
Consumable, Food / Drink
Related Condition
Worth mentioning places to drink rum
Pirate Refuge, has a huge collection from all across the globe.
The Last Drop ale house, has many local Caribbean rums from small brewers that don't sell internationally.

Pirates and Rum

Privateers where actually the first people to be assosiated with rum. Not at first because of excessive drinking, but because they used their smal swift ships in the trade, in between the legalissed piracy they had gotten a permit for by one (or more) state.

When privateers turned in to pirates, trading of rum turned in to smuggling of rum. And drinking.


Why is the rum gone?
It is not gone, you just emptied your glass, go ask the bartender for another glass.





Cover image: by Johannes Plenio

Comments

Author's Notes

This article is in response to the 18th Advent(ure) prompt of 2022; Describe a classic comfort food in your world. — #WorldEmberNoms


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