Discovering Gluten-Free Rum Brands

I recently posted a recipe for Banana Pudding in which I used rum as one of the main ingredients. It occurred to me that there might be questions about gluten-free rum brands. As you may be aware, traces of gluten-containing grains are present in many alcoholic beverages, including malted beers, hard cider drinks with malt, and other similar beverages. 

Fortunately, there are gluten-free brands of rum available for those following a gluten-free diet. So, you may wonder which rum brands are gluten-free. Fortunately for you, most major rums that are gluten-free can be found in your local stores.

What Rum Brands are Gluten-Free? 

1. Appleton Estate Signature Rum 

Appleton Estate is known for making 12-year-old blended rums in the West Indies. The brand is known all over the world for its distilled alcohol beverages called the Signature Blend. The rums at Appleton Estate have a distinct aroma of banana, orange peel, other tropical fruits, and a smooth taste. It also has the smell of molasses and a hint of smokiness thanks to the aging process in American oak barrels. Cark Jackson defines the Appleton Estate Signature Rum as one of the best in the world. 

Available Gluten Free Rums 

•  Appleton Estate Signature
•  Appleton 8-year Old Rum Reserve 
•  Appleton 12-year Old Rum Rare Casks
•  Appleton 15-year Old Rum Black River Casks 
•  Appleton 22-year old Run Nassau Valley Casks

2. Bacardi 

Considering that it is a family-owned business, Bacardi is one of the largest rum-producing corporations in the world. Initially, it only had white rum to offer, but now it has more than 200 labels and brands accessible on the market, from plain rum to aged rum. Under the FDA’s definition of gluten-free, it implies that Bacardi and other significant liquors are gluten-free and suitable for persons who have celiac disease and those who do not have the disease. A word of caution, Bacardi Silver (which was discontinued) is not gluten-free but regular Bacardi rums listed below are gluten-free.

Available Gluten Free Barcadi Rum 

•  Bacardi Black 
•  Bacardi 151 
•  Bacardi Gold 
•  Bacardi Coconut 
•  Bacardi Spiced
•  Bacardi White 
•  Bacardi Dark Rum
•  Bacardi Anejo Quattro
•  Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez
•  Bacardi Superior 
•  Bacardi Reserva Ocho 

3. Bayou Rum 

Bayou Rum is another well-known gluten-free beverage brand that is available all around the world. The rum is prepared from freshly harvested and locally produced Louisiana sugarcane. The bayou rum is made entirely of sugarcane molasses, which is sourced from the world’s oldest operating sugar mill located in the United States. For the distillation process, batches are hand-distilled in copper pot stills and left to ferment before bottling.

Available Gluten Free Rums 

•  Bayou Reserve
•  Bayou White
•  Bayou Single Barrel 1 & 2
•  Bayou XO Mardi Gras 

4. Captain Morgan Rums

Captain Morgan produces a premium brand known for making delectable Caribbean rums with a distinctive taste. The brand was established in 1982 and has since transported more than a million cases throughout the world. In spite of the fact that a greater choice of tastes is now available, the brand remains in demand. Currently, it is well-known as an excellent rum brand that uses gluten-free ingredients and is known for its high quality.

Available Gluten Free Rums 

•  Captain Morgan’s Silver Spiced Rum
•  Captain Morgan’s White Rum
•  Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum
•  Captain Morgan’s Proof Spiced Rum

5. Brugal 

Brugal is indeed a new soul band. It has made considerable inroads to engage with American drinkers yearning for new and creative spirit tastes. Brugal is a dry rum manufactured from pure molasses due to cane sugar processing. Brugal extracts molasses (melza), combines water and their own yeast, and ferments it to make vino (molasses wine). This wine is produced in a huge column still that divides the liquor into flema and vinaza.

Available Gluten Free Rums 

•  Brugal Anejo Superior
•  Brugal Dominican Rum
•  Brugal 1888 Rum Gran Reserva Familiar 

What Makes Rum Gluten-Free? 

Rum becomes gluten-free basically from the way that it is distilled and processed. As you may know, rum is made from the species Saccharum officinarum, which is a large plant that is more often recognized as sugar cane. It requires about ten months to two years for the crop to mature to the point where it can be harvested and its sugarcane juice extracted. 

Several distinct types of sugar cane were grown in different regions around the world, and the character of the rum generated from them is greatly influenced by both the type and the place where it is grown. Sugar cane is composed primarily of water, with 10-16 percent sugar and 10-16 percent fiber. To remove the sugar and water juice from the harvested cane, it is cleaned and sliced into small strips before being processed (pressed). 

Rum can be prepared by distilling a beery-type fluid generated by fermenting fresh sugarcane, which is a byproduct of the fermentation process. There are several French islands in which this technique of rum manufacturing is widespread, especially Martinique. The term “Rhum Agricole” refers to this type of rum manufacturing. Rums manufactured straight from cane sugar are pretty difficult to come by in other parts of the world. 

Advantages of Gluten-Free Rum 

Gluten is technically a bulk of proteins that can be found in barley, wheat, rye, and triticale. It is highly resistant to enzymes that are digested in the gut, so it most often does not get dissolved easily. When this happens continually and piling up all gluten, the possibility of bloating, gastritis, diarrhea, skin issues, and even celiac disease occurs. Hence, naturally, gluten-free rums are able to prevent these issues: 

1. Celiac Disease 

In this autoimmune condition, gluten promotes inflammation in the small intestine. When celiacs eat gluten-containing meals, their small intestinal cells are harmed-nutritional deficiencies, constipation, and losing weight result. A screening test or a gastrointestinal biopsy can identify celiac disease. Today, the only method of treating celiac disease is with a gluten-free diet.

2. Wheat Allergy

Wheat allergy causes an abnormal immunological response to whey protein and meals. Mild discomfort to life-threatening anaphylactic – an infection that makes breathing difficult – are all possible allergic reactions. Gluten protein is among the proteins present in wheat. So, somebody allergic to wheat may accept gluten ingredients from those other cereals such as rye or barley malt, but not from wheat.

Conclusion:

If you have celiac disease or an intolerance to gluten, the short answer is you can still enjoy a wide range of distilled spirits and alcoholic beverages. Precautions should be taken with mixed beverages and liqueurs that may naturally contain gluten and natural flavors. Drinks like martini or cocktails made with veggie vodka are a safe choice. Use our list of gluten-free rum brands as a guide.