drinks, including the martini, gimlet, and gin
and tonic.
Rums Rum got its start in the early 17th
century as a by-product of sugar making in the
West Indies. Yeasts and other microbes
readily grew in the leftover molasses and
wash waters, the yeasts producing alcohol and
the bacteria all kinds of aromatic substances,
many of them not pleasant. From this mixed
material, primitive distillation equipment and
methods produced a strong, harsh liquid that
was given mainly to slaves and sailors, and
traded to Africa for more slaves. Controlled
fermentations and improvements in distilling
technology brought more drinkable rums in
the 18th and 19th centuries.
There are now two distinct styles of rum.
The modern light style is made by fermenting
a molasses solution with a pure yeast culture
for 12–20 hours, then distilling it to about
95% alcohol in a continuous still, aging it for