Rum Aging Science2
Introduction to Rum Aging Science
Series Overview
The January 2020 issue of “Got Rum?” covers in detail the goals of this series, as well as, descriptions of the different equipment being used to collect and measure the data.
August’s Weather
The average high temperature in August was 96F and the average low was 73F. This is 1 degree higher than July’s averages. Just two years ago we experienced a record 108F average high temperature in August, so we were happy for the “cooler” temperatures!
Temperature for August 2020
The humidity inside the cellar hit a minimum of 25% and a maximum of 70%, with an average of 47% for the month. This was a few percentage points drier than July.August is historically the hottest month of the year in our part of the world and the forecast confirms this, with high daily temperatures next week expected to be in the low 90s.
Humidity for August 2020
The Rum
Color: The month-to-month change in color continues to deepen, but the tannin extraction rate from the barrel has been the most intense during the hottest months (June, July and August).
August 2020 rum aging
Aroma and Taste: Just like with the previous month’s sample, the oak aroma is also richer and more complex, the tannins are softening, becoming more mellow and pleasant. There is a perceived increase in acidity detected in both the aroma (ethanoic acid) and taste.
pH: The rum that went into the barrel in January of this year had a pH of 7.04. The pH has been decreasing (showing an increase in acidity) since then, the current value is now 4.84.
Graph of Rum Aging
ABV: The ABV went up from 63.40% to 63.62%, meaning that last month we lost more water than alcohol to evaporation.Join us again next month, as we continue our exploration of this fascinating topic!