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.
June’s Weather
The daily fluctuations during the month of June were more consistent and less drastic than those from all the previous months. The humidity inside the cellar hit a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 80%, with an average of 56% for the month.
Humidity in June
The temperature inside the cellar ranged from 74F to 99F, with an average of 85F for the month.
Temperature in June
The Rum
After 6 months, the transformation of the rum in the barrel is quite impressive and enjoyable.
Color: The color has definitely become deeper, more iridescent and inviting. It is hard to believe that this is the same rum that went into the barrel half a year ago and that the only difference between the two samples is the brief aging time.
Samples in June for Rum Aging Science
Aroma: The aroma’s dimensions are better defined, giving it depth and complexity. The volatile acids are contributing to floral and fruit-like notes that make it inviting. As explained in earlier installments, the acidity is tied to evaporation and interaction with ambient oxygen, so this aspect of the aging study is behaving as expected.
Flavor: As stated in last month’s article, the rum already has many of the traits found in many “aged” or “añejo” rums currently sold throughout the world, except most of those rums have added caramel, to make them appear darker or older. Tasting the rum by itself, however, does not paint the full picture: when the rum is tasted against the younger samples from previous months, the master blender is able to appreciate which flavors are peaking, which ones have been oxidized (reduced), which ones are being masked (covered) and how/when this particular rum (or “mark”) could be used in a multi-rum blend.
pH: The original rum that went into the barrel had a pH of 7.04. The current reading is now at 4.96. Please refer to the March issue for an explanation of why pH values are not linear.
ABV: The ABV is staying steady at 63.40%, just like last month.
Join us again next month, to continue our exploration of this fascinating topic!