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Rum technology and typicality factors in the French West Indies |
Cahiers Agricultures. Volume 5, Number 2, 83-8, Mars-Avril 1996, Synthèse
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 Résumé
 Summary
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Author(s) : Louis Fahrasmane, Berthe Ganou-Parfait, Francius Bazile, Paul Bourgeois, Inra, Station de technologie des produits végétaux, BP 515, 97165 Pointe-à-Pitre cedex, France, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Laboratoire de chimie des substances naturelles, Campus de Fouillole, BP 592, 97159 Pointe-à-Pitre cedex, France.. |
Summary : Rum has been produced in the French West Indies since the 17th century. The changes in production since then have been influenced by technical, economic and qualitative factors. Rum must not only have its typical organoleptic qualifies but also be competitive on the international market, and this requires technological progress. Through yeast-strain selection, we have contributed towards improving alcoholic fermentation in cane-sugar-based media. Rum production in the French West Indies is typified by the raw materials (molasses, cane syrup or juice), the microbiology of the fermentation media allowing bacterial activity, and the distillation equipment with its so-called « Creole columns » producing a range of aromatic strengths. Until the end of the 19th century, slops and froth were used in making the musts. Following Pasteur’s work, a new understanding of hygiene led to these substances being replaced by water, with the result that Saccharomyces yeasts replaced the Schizo-saccharomyces as alcoholic fermentation agents. Distillation equipment has also progressed. That used today depends on the type of rum produced (figure 1). |
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