MAKING FLOR DE CAÑA RUM

Step 1: Acquire the molasses

To start the rum-making process, we need 400kg of molasses, which we make from estate-grown sugar cane.
Step 2: Straining the molasses
We start off by slowly heating the molasses to 52°C and running it through a filter. Keep in mind that we don't want
to cook the molasses, we just keep it in a more liquid state. Because the molasses is raw, it still has a lot of chunks
of sugar cane in it. If the cane pieces ferment, we end up with wood alcohol. That is not the kind of alcohol we
want.
Step 3: Mix the molasses with water
The yeast will not survive in the pure molasses because of the sugar concentration, so we add cold water. You want
the sugar concentration to be high enough to allow the yeast to grow rapidly, but not too high that the sugar kills it.
Step 4: Add the yeast.
We then add in about 2500g of yeast nutrient. Once the temperature gets down to about 28°C, we fill a container
with some of the molasses-water mix. Next, we add in the yeast and mix it in, then leave it for half an hour. We stir
the mix periodically to make sure it is well blended. Once the mixture has foamed up, we pour it back in to the main
mixture and stir it in.
Step 5: Fermenting (and waiting)
Fermentation is not an overnight process. We let our batches ferment for about a week. We make sure we have an
airlock on the lid of the fermenter, and we put the lid on making sure it is clipped down air tight. We then put a
label on it so we know when we started it. We should keep this mixture between 23°C and 28°C for the whole time
it is fermenting, so we keep it somewhere that’s not too cold. We now need to wait until the air lock stops
bubbling, which is about 8 days or maybe a day or 2 more. Once it has stopped, we turn off the heater and remove
it to a cool place. We allow to drop to 10°C to 14°C so that the yeast settles on the bottom. We then leave it for 2
days to settle.
Step 6: Destilling
We then put the mix that has now fermented into a still, and heat it up. We do this step in a well-ventilated area,
and we ask that no one smoke around it. Alcohol is flammable, and so is alcohol vapor.
Step 7: Destilling again
Flor de Cañ a destills everything five times. At this point, the rum is drinkable, but Flor de Cañ a takes another step.
WE MAKE SURE TO NOT USE THE FIRST LITTLE BIT OF RUM THAT WE DISTILL!! We don’t use the first 1000ml
that comes out of the still. Fermentation produces both ethanol and methanol.
ETHANOL = FUN!! METHANOL = DEATH
Methanol boils at a lower temperature and is one of the first things out of the still. WE MUST REMOVE AND
DISCARD THE METHANOL OR ELSE WE RISK DEATH!!!
We collect the distillate in 100 - 200 ml batches from here on out. It should be coming out at about 75% ABV (150
Proof). You will notice the first few lots are very strong in flavor. What comes out after that is the hearts---the
middle of the run. This is what we want. We keep an eye on the ABV using a hydrometer. For rum, it should
remain between 75% to 60%. Once it starts to hit about 50% we start keeping it separately.
At this point, we end up with around 350 liters of about 75% distillate white rum.
Step 8: Aging (4-18 years)
Then we put this white rum into American white oak casks to age them for between 4 and 18 years. Aging is not a
necessary stage, but it gives the flavor that so many of our customers enjoy in our products:
 Limó n (4 years white rum)  Grand Reserve (7 years)
 Extra Lite (4 years white rum)  Centenario (12 years)
 Extra Dry (4 years white rum)  Centenario 21 Commemorative
 Gold (4 years) Edition (15 years, comes in porcelain
 Zeta (4 years) bottle with 24k gold writing, cloth
 Black Label (5 years) bag)
 Centenario Gold (18 years)
 MAKING FLOR DE CAÑA RUM

A. Listening----Putting the steps in order

Listen to the following reading about the process of making Flor de Caña rum. Put the sentences in order by writing the
number of the sentence according to what you hear.

_____ We let our batches ferment for about a week and keep this mixture between 23°C and 28°C for the whole
time it is fermenting, so we keep it somewhere that’s not too cold. We wait until the air lock stops bubbling,
and then leave it for 2 days to settle.

_____ The yeast will not survive in the pure molasses because of the sugar concentration, so we add cold water.

_____ We then put the mix that has now fermented into a still, and heat it up.

__1__ To start the rum-making process, we need 400kg of molasses, which we make from estate-grown sugar
cane.

_____ Next, we add in the yeast and mix it in, then leave it for half an hour. We stir the mix periodically to make
sure it is well blended.

_____ We start off by slowly heating the molasses to 52°C to keep it in a more liquid state, and then run it through
a filter.

_____ Then we put this white rum into American white oak casks to age them for between 4 and 18 years.

_____ Flor de Cañ a destills everything five times. We don’t use the first 1000ml that comes out of the still. Using a
hydrometer, we check that the ABV remains between 75% to 60%.

B. Passive Voice Practice

Using the following excerpts from the text, write the passive voice.

1. Flor de Cañ a rum ___________________ (make) from molasses from estate-grown sugar cane.
2. The molasses ______________________ (filter) to remove chunks of sugar cane, otherwise wood alcohol
__________________(produce).
3. Cold water ___________________ (add) to the molasses so that the yeast can grow.
4. Once the mixture has foamed up, it __________________ (pour) back into the main mixture and __________________
(stir) in.
5. The molasses mixture ___________________ (keep) between 23°C and 28°C for the whole time it is fermenting.
Once it has stopped, it _____________________ (remove) to a cool place. Then, it ____________________ (leave) for 2
days to settle.
6. After it has_____________________ (leave) to settle, the mix _________________ (put) into a still, and____________________
(heat) up.
7. Flor de Cañ a rum ______________________ (destill) everything five times. The methanol must _____________________
(remove) first or else the drinker risks death!
8. After fermentation, the rum __________________ (put) into American white oak casks and __________________ (age)
for between 4 and 18 years.
A. Listening----Putting the steps in order
5 . We let our batches ferment for about a week and keep this mixture between 23°C and 28°C for the whole
time it is fermenting, so we keep it somewhere that’s not too cold. We wait until the air lock stops bubbling,
and then leave it for 2 days to settle.
3 . The yeast will not survive in the pure molasses because of the sugar concentration, so we add cold water.
6 . We then put the mix that has now fermented into a still, and heat it up.

1 . To start the rum-making process, we need 400kg of molasses, which is made from estate-grown sugar cane.
4 . Next, we add in the yeast and mix it in, then leave it for half an hour. We stir the mix periodically to make
sure it is well blended.
2 . We start off by slowly heating the molasses to 52°C to keep it in a more liquid state, and then run it through
a filter.
8 . Then we put this white rum into American white oak casks to age them for between 4 and 18 years.

7 . Flor de Cañ a destills everything five times. We don’t use the first 1000ml that comes out of the still. Using a
hydrometer, we check that the ABV remains between 75% to 60%.

B. Passive Voice Practice

Using the following excerpts from the text, write the passive voice.

1. Flor de Cañ a rum ___________________ (make) from molasses from estate-grown sugar cane.
2. The molasses ______________________ (filter) to remove chunks of sugar cane, otherwise wood alcohol
__________________(produce).
3. Cold water ___________________ (add) to the molasses so that the yeast can grow.
4. Once the mixture has foamed up, it __________________ (pour) back into the main mixture and __________________
(stir) in.
5. The molasses mixture ___________________ (keep) between 23°C and 28°C for the whole time it is fermenting.
Once it has stopped, it _____________________ (remove) to a cool place. Then, it ____________________ (leave) for 2
days to settle.
6. After it has_____________________ (leave) to settle, the mix _________________ (put) into a still, and____________________
(heat) up.
7. Flor de Cañ a rum ______________________ (destill) everything five times. The methanol must _____________________
(remove) first or else the drinker risks death!
8. After fermentation, the rum __________________ (put) into American white oak casks and __________________ (age)
for between 4 and 18 years.