OnTap Magazine

26 | Summer 2020 | ontapmag.co.za THE CHEMISTRY OF RUM RAW MATERIALS Molasses, sugarcane juice, or cane syrup FERMENTATION Usually at 30 - 33°C and pH 5.5 - 5.8 for 1 - 3 days DISTILLATION Using either continuous or pot- still distillation AGEING Often carried out in charred oak barrels MIXING Different distilates blended for consistency Distilled rum originates from sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean. It was a useful way of disposing of molasses, a by-product of refining sugarcane. there is not a single standard for rum, with different countries having different regulations for the spirit, but it can be loosely split into dark, gold, light, and spiced rums. FEATURE attached to the distillery where other craft distilleries’ products can also be purchased. Tastings can be arranged directly at Seafield Farm and accommodation is also available if you don’t fancy driving back to Pietermaritzburg following a sipping session. Currently only the Sugar Baron White Rum has been released onto the market, but there are special barrel tastings available for those who visit the distillery. Sugar Baron’s aged rum was, like so many things this year, delayed by the Covid pandemic, but if all goes to plan, the barrel-aged version should be ready by 2023, just six years after Brad and Marisa picked up the magazine that would change the course of their lives. Born in Barbados but blended in Cape Town, Suncamino is the world’s first floral-infused rum. “In my mind, rum is the most exciting spirit of them all,” says Suncamino’s co-founder Stewy van der Berg. When he decided to enter the market two years ago he was wondering how to evolve the category. The answer came in floral form. “We definitely got inspiration from what was happening in gin,” says Stewy, referring to the popularity of gins infused with unique South African botanicals. After some experimentation, Stewy and his business partners settled on a blend of hibiscus, honeybush and orange blossom. Following a year-long hunt for a production partner, the team chose to work with a family-run distillery in Barbados, where the spirit is produced and aged for eight years in ex-bourbon barrels. On arrival in the Cape, the golden rum is blended and the botanical extracts added. The result is a smooth and approachable rum with dominant flavours of caramel and vanilla. The floral notes are subtle, but once you toss in a block of ice, a citrus character also begins to show itself. “Rum is largely considered to be a drink for pirates and cocktail lovers,” says Stewy, adding that one of his goals is to change that and introduce rum to a wider market. This quest will doubtless be helped by the brand’s recent win at the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, where it picked up a silver medal. Suncamino is available in select bars and liquor stores in Cape Town. The brand owners have also recently signed deals with Takealot and Pick ‘n’ Pay to help with nationwide distribution. Brad O'Neill demonstrates the crushing process and runs a sugarcane juice tasting A MARRIAGE OF THE CAPE AND THE CARIBBEAN Lucy Corne