Rum is a complex spirit that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. However, many rums contain hidden sugars that can affect the taste and quality of the drink. The addition of sugar to rum is a controversial topic, with some arguing that it enhances the flavor and aroma, while others believe it masks the true essence of the spirit. To address this issue, the rum community has developed a method of testing for hidden sugars using hydrometer tests.
The purpose of this thread is to collect published hydrometer tests and present them in an organized way.
I don’t buy sugared rum but drink it from time to time when visiting friends who mainly drink sugared rum.
I don’t have that big of a problem when a company sweetens their rum as the market is obviously there for it. But they should write the sugar content on their label so that everyone knows what they are buying. Not every bottling is listed in the sources you mentioned and only people like us visit these websites possibly letting the beginner and average consumer believe that this quite significant difference in rum doesn’t exist.
I think transparency is key. The problem I have with Matt’s article is, if old lists/measured sugar values in these are doing the producers injustice because they reduced their sugar content, this is really on them because they should have been transparent about this in the first place. It’s not the job of Rum afficionados to measure sugar content and keep the information up to date.
That said, no shame enjoying or offering dosed rum (for example I occasionally like to drink Companero as a guilty pleasure as well), but you should know what you drink / be transparent about what you offer.
i agree I try and stay away from rums that are sweet and full off sugar …if a rum has suger it has to be a little bit for me so it’s hardly noticeable when you are drinking it
only time I am not fussed is if I am mixing rums
but has a sipping guy .I don’t want a suger bomb