Here’s just a small section of Michael Dietsch’s awesome write up on rum. Must read for anyone enjoy’s rum, but doesn’t really know much about it.

Rum Styles

White/Light/Silver:

Light bodied, crisp, and subtle in flavor, these rums are highly mixable. They marry very well with fruit flavors, so theyre excellent for daiquiris and piña coladas. A common misconception about white rum is that its unaged. White rum is aged in oak barrels for a short period of time to smooth out the flavors; its then charcoal filtered to remove color. Bacardi is the best known example of a white rum; other brands include Don Q, Flor de Caña, and Banks Five Island.

Gold/Oro/Ambre:

Medium bodied and a little stronger in flavor than light rums, gold rums are aged in oak barrels. Like light rums, they mix well into fruity cocktails. Bacardi, Don Q, and Ron Rico are commonly available brands.

Dark/Black:

Full-bodied, with rich caramel flavors, these rums are usually pot-stilled and aged for long periods. Used in tiki preparations such as the Mai Tai, the best of these rums are also sippable on their own, neat or on ice. Mount Gay, Appleton, Goslings, and Ron Zacapa are common brands.

Rhum agricole:

Full-bodied rums, made from sugarcane juice instead of molasses. As with molasses-based rum, agricoles range the color spectrum, from white to gold to dark. Agricoles are often funky and have floral and vegetal aromas and flavors. Brands include Rhum Clement, Rhum J.M., Neisson, and La Favorite.

Other Terms

You may encounter other terms when shopping for rum. Heres a grab-bag glossary of rum words:

Naval rum:

A dark, full-bodied rum in the style of that formerly given to members of the British Navy. Normally proofed at 50% abv or higher.

Single barrel:

Most rums on the market are blended products. To achieve consistency in taste from release to release, manufacturers blend rums from different barrels to get the balance of flavors right. A single-barrel rum comes from just one barrel, and the rum may taste different from barrel to barrel.

Overproof:

Refers to rums with an ABV over a standard value, usually 120 proof, or 60% ABV.

You absolutely should read the whole thing at The Serious Eats Guide to Rum | Serious Eats: Drinks.

Good article with some really solid advice.

When considering your drink order, you need to think about the bar’s vibe; evaluate the available ingredients on the back bar; assess how common your drink order is as well as how difficult the drink is to actually make (for example, do not order a Ramos Gin Fizz just anywhere).

Read the whole article at Sloshed: How to Order a Proper Drink in Any Bar, Anywhere — Grub Street New York.

P.S. Great quotes from Todd Maul (Clio) and Jackson Cannon (The Hawthorne), too.

Interesting article on the pros and cons of beer cocktails. I fall in line with Kevin Burke, head bartender at Denver’s Colt and Gray.

“Theres a danger of arrogantly trying to make beer better by adding shit to it, but I think it can also be possible to take a great beer and push it around to explore the depth of its flavors, shine a light on some of its more subtle graces…”

Thoughts?

via Hanna Laney: Beer Cocktails: Bastardization Or Exaltation?.

Read on for our six cocktail trend predictions for the New Year and let us know what other drinks you see gaining popularity in the near future.

via 2012 Cocktail Trend Predictions.

Definitely interested in the Liquors on Tap idea!

The classics remain the kings: variants on the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Sazerac and even the Negroni will still be big, but bartenders will continue to mine the past for the great cocktails of yesteryear. You can already see it as mixologists across the nation go hunting for obscure Americana – digging through musty out of print bartender’s guides for diamonds in the rough.

Cocktail Trends For 2012 | Fox News.

Classics are classics for a reason. Relatively easy to make and delightful to drink. Also a great shout out for Shrubs.