List of Puerto Rican rums facts for kids
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Rum is a popular drink made from sugar cane. In Puerto Rico, rum production has been a big part of the economy for a very long time, since the 1500s! Even though most sugar cane is no longer grown on the island, many distilleries still make a lot of rum every year.
A famous rum brand in Puerto Rico is Don Q. It's the most popular one there. Did you know that over 70% of the rum enjoyed in the United States comes from Puerto Rico? That's a lot of rum!
Contents
Where Rum is Made in Puerto Rico
Rum is made in different cities across Puerto Rico. Each place has its own history and special rums.
Arecibo Rum Stories
In Arecibo, a main rum company was Barceló, Marqués Y Co.. They made a rum called Ron Palo Viejo. Now, another company called Serrallés owns Ron Palo Viejo. Serrallés also makes the famous Don Q rum.
People have been making rum in Arecibo since the late 1800s. For example, Roses, García y Co. was selling their Ron de la Casa de Roses as early as 1868. Another rum, Ron Llave, started in 1891.
In the early 1900s, many rum makers in Arecibo joined together to form the Puerto Rico Distilling Co.. This company became a major supplier of rum. During a time called Prohibition (when alcohol was not allowed), the company made other products like special alcohol for medicines. When rum production was allowed again in 1934, they started making Ron Candado.
Some rums made in Arecibo or nearby areas include:
- Ron Pizá
- Ron Llave
- Ron Candado
- Ron Palo Viejo (made near Arecibo)
Bayamón's Special Rum
- Ron del Barrilito - Made by Edmundo B. Fernandez Inc.
This company was started by Edmundo Fernandez a long time ago. They make their rum inside an old windmill tower. This tower was once part of a sugar cane farm. They make a special amount of rum each year. The company is also known for a rum liqueur made with honey.
Cataño and Bacardi
- Bacardi is made in Cataño, which is close to San Juan. The Bacardi family, who are originally from Cuba, own this company.
Cidra's New Distillery
In 2014, a company announced they would build a new rum distillery called Club Caribe Distillers in Cidra, Puerto Rico. This new distillery also has a place for visitors and events, which helps local tourism. The distillery started making rum in 2018.
Jayuya's PitoRico
- PitoRico - Destilería Cruz Ron Artesanal Puertorriqueño
The word pitorro is very special to Puerto Ricans. For many years, this homemade rum was not officially allowed because it didn't pay taxes. Destilería Cruz is a company that now makes PitoRico in Jayuya. The founder, José Luis Cruz, remembers his family making pitorro for Christmas. This drink comes in many fruit flavors like passion fruit, coconut, and tamarind.
Juncos Rum
- Ron Caray
Mayagüez Rum History
The city of Mayagüez had many rum companies. One of the most successful was José González Clemente y Co. (JGC). They made many different brands of rum.
Some rums made in Mayagüez were:
- Christopher Columbus Rum
- Myers's Rum (a dark rum)
- Ron Oro Nativo
- Ron Superior Puerto Rico (a very well-known brand that lasted many years)
- Ron Caneca (known for its flask-shaped bottle)
A new rum distillery opened in Mayagüez in 2009 called Destilería Coquí. They make a special rum called Pitorro, which is a traditional homemade style of rum in Puerto Rico.
Ponce's Famous Rums
- Don Q (Serrallés) - This is Puerto Rico's top-selling rum!
- Blackbeard Spiced Rum (Serrallés)
- Caliche Rum (Serrallés)
The main rum company in Ponce is Destilería Serrallés, Inc.. They have been making rum since 1865. Their most famous rum, Ron Don Q, started in 1932. It was named after Don Quijote, a favorite book character of one of the Serrallés family members.
San Juan's Craft Rum
- Scryer Rum - This is a small-batch, special rum aged in Old San Juan.
Homemade Rum: Pitorro
Besides the rums made by companies, people in Puerto Rico have a tradition of making their own homemade rum, often called cañita or pitorro. This is especially popular around the Christmas season. The word pitorro comes from an old Spanish word for a wine or rum that wasn't very strong in color.
Even though sugar cane farming has become less common, authorities still find some homemade rum productions each year. A town known for its pitorro is Añasco, because it's close to Mayagüez (which has a history of rum making) and used to grow a lot of sugar cane.
Pitorro is also a term for homemade flavored rum. People add different fruits, spices, or flavors to it and let it sit for a while. A popular kind is made with quenepas (a type of fruit) and is called Bilí. It's made in Vieques.
Other Rums
- Marin
- Ron Pascual
- Three Captains
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