The Evolution of German Rum
Germany is a land of diverse landscapes from the plains in the north to winelands on the River Rhine, and Bavarian Alps in the south. A rich distilling tradition, it’s not typically associated with making rum. However, this could be changing. This guide explores the evolution of German rum, from its historical roots in imported Caribbean rum to the emergence of passionate local rum producers.
Unsurprisingly, Germany doesn’t grow sugarcane; the climate is more suited to wheat, barley, and fruits making them staples and distilled for centuries. Germany, famous for beer is the second largest hop-growing country worldwide, mostly grown in the Hallertau region north of Munich. Brewing and distilling experts, but restricted by climate and geography to make agricultural rum.
Historically, Germany imported Caribbean rum and still does, but today some distillers choose to make molasses rum. Famous for imported rum in the north, the quiet change is happening further south. Merchants brought rum to Germany in the 1600s on the back of the triangular trade. As a major European hub, Germany became a key player. The northern port city of Flensburg was already a hub for brandy production and became Germany’s Rum Capital in the 1700s. Hamburg was a key maritime port, but Flensburg ships were given the royal charter allowing them to trade imported Caribbean rum.
Rum Verschnitt
During this time imported rum was expensive and taxed by volume. So, enterprising Flensburg distillers created Rum Verschnitt. This was mixing highly aromatic Jamaican overproof rum, about 5% of this concentrated rum was blended with a much cheaper local grain spirit and water called Primasprit. This reduced the price and became known as the Flensburg Rum Blend or German Rum. The 1900s saw a decline in Flensburg’s rum dominance. However, a few remaining Rumhäuser (rum houses) like Johannsen, still produce Verschnitt blends.
Today, there are over 28,000 distilleries in Germany, they are experts at making fruit brandies and grain spirits. German drinks specialist Kristina Wolf points out the challenges for modern distillers adapting from distilling traditional fruit brandy to rum; understanding molasses is new for many, the fermentation, the different yeast types, using different stills and fruit brandies use different woods in maturation. Changing the raw ingredient in distilling adds layers of complexity and requires a commitment to create a quality product.
So, it is quite special to come across these rum producers, many are craft distillers of multiple spirits and distilling rum from imported molasses. By adding local water, and yeasts, and using local barrels, German distillers can present rum that has a unique and authentic character.
Germany is the world’s 9th most visited country, a popular destination. Your next visit should include a distillery (Brennerei in German). Traveling north to south, here’s 12 distilleries making rum.
Feingeisterei
In 2013, the Rohrwasser family made a range of schnapps and wanted to distill a rum in the region where Verschnitt rum was known. Now rum is distilled, aged, and bottled at Gut Basthorst, 30km east of Hamburg. In 2017, they changed the brand name to Don R*** rum, named after the owner of Gut Basthorst, Enno Freiherr von Ruffin.
Distiller Fabian Rohrwasser with his wine background, ferments molasses imported from Paraguay and distills on a wood-fired copper still. Only the highest quality distillate from the middle run is aged in American and French oak and then finished in a Sherry barrel. Small barrels ensure a quick and intensive maturation process. The amber-colored Triple Wood Rum is 100% organic-certified Don R*** rum.
As well as a guided tour, shop, and tasting of the spirits, you can book their restaurant at the horse stables to try the local regional food.
Find out more on Feingeisterei Don R*** Rum
Revolte Crafted Rum
Founded in 2019 by Felix Georg Kaltenthaler, who started distilling at a young age and is passionate about German-made rum. He introduced Revolte Crafted Rum to stand out and make rum distilled in Germany. Produced at Destille Kaltenthaler in Westhofen, this 3rd generation family business makes a range of spirits south of Frankfurt am Main. Revolte Blanco Rum is made from untreated sugarcane from Papua New Guinea, with
specially cultivated yeast, it’s then distilled and aged for 6 months before being reduced with natural spring water. Schwarzbrenner Series is their single cask line.
The distillery is not open to visitors but you can visit and try the rum at the nearby family organic winery surrounded by vineyards at Hause Kaltenthaler in Worms, one the oldest cities in Germany. As well as tasting the rum, you can try some of the best vinegar producers in Germany.
Find out more on Destille Kaltenthaler -Revolte Rum
Piekfeine Brände Craft Distillery
Founded in 2011 in Bremen, this modern glass BREKO building hosts a distillery, shop, tastings, events & workshops. The distillery produces a range of spirits of gin, whisky, fruit brandies, and rum. Founder and distiller Birgitta Schulze van Loon (pictured below) explains Hanseatic (Die Hanse or The Hansa) people have always drunk rum, but never made it themselves. So, she took up the challenge and produced Alma Norte, the first Hanseatic rum, at their distillery. In doing so, they are redefining what German rum is.
The rum is produced from sugarcane molasses from Central America. Production traditionally occurs in the distillery: First, the molasses is fermented in a specific fermentation process. Then it is distilled on a pot still. The Alma Norte (Spanish: the soul of the North) Rum range includes white rum Alma Norte Blanco and Alma Norte Oro, which has been barrel-aged for at least 4 years. There’s Alma Norte Spiced Spirit based on rum, and coffee cream liqueur made from the rum as well. This is one of the premier craft distillers in northern Germany to visit.
Find out more on Piekfeine Brände Craft Distillery
Birkenhof Brennerei
Birkenhof Brennerei is an 8-generation family distiller since 1848 making fruit brandies and whisky in the Westerwald east of Bonn. Curiously the farm and the distillery building were once the local mayor’s office. In 1999, the distillery started distilling fruit and is known for its schnapps. In 2013, they started making gin, and
Master Edition Birkenhof JON Handcrafted Rum is made from sugarcane molasses from Guatemala, with a cold, and a particularly long fermentation. It is distilled using the classic pot still method and then matures in first-filled American oak barrels and ex-bourbon barrels for 21 months before bottling.
The distillery is one of the top attractions in northern Rhineland-Palatinate and receives many visitors. You can book a guided tour of the distillery, and taste all the specialty spirits. There are several local restaurants nearby to continue the experience.
Find out more on Birkenhof Brennerei
Brennerei Höhler
Brennerei Höhler has origins going back to 1895 in Aarbergen, an hour’s drive northwest of Frankfurt in the lower Taunus mountains. Until 2001, it mainly produced classic fruit and grain spirits, then in 2004 corn whiskey, and the idea of producing rum only came about in 2013. With imported organic molasses from Paraguay, they ferment and distill in a stainless-steel tank.
Kettenbacher Rum is a 6-year-old rum aged in barrique barrels, and Kettenbacher Dark & Strong Rum is nearly 8 years old and aged in small oak barrels.
Find out more on Brennerei Höhler
Simon´s Feinbrennerei
In the northwest upland region of Bavaria in the Kahlgrund, half an hour east of Frankfurt Airport is Simon´s Feinbrennerei. It’s been in the family since 1879, started by current owner great-great-grandfather Johann Simon as a German farm distillery that makes whisky, gin, and fruit brandies. Rum was first distilled in October 2012, so their oldest bottled rum is 11 years old to date.
Inspired by a trip to Cuba in his early 20s, current family owner Severin Simon decided that he would later make his own rum. With a strong sense of purpose on regionality, and sustainability, and knowing that Germany doesn’t grow sugarcane he knew it could take time. One day he came across Tres Hombres with their magnificent sailing ship. Once a year they transport sugarcane molasses directly from the Caribbean across the Atlantic only using wind power. Finally, Severin’s sustainability needs being met by CO2-neutral transport of the molasses was a catalyst. The Caribbean molasses is diluted with local spring water, fermented, then distilled on a Bavarian still, and aged in wooden barrels made from local Spessart oak.
At the German Rum Festival in Berlin 2024, Simon´s Feinbrennerei will present 2 single cask rums. One of over 7 years in a Triple Sec barrel and another bottled by the festival organiser. The core range includes Simon’s Kalypso Rum and Bavarian Marine Rum. You can visit their farm shop from Mon-Fri and have bookable tours and warehouse tastings where you’ll be shown the rum making.
Find out more on Simon´s Feinbrennerei
Brennerei Liebl
Liebl Distillery was founded in 2006 in Bad Kötzting in Bavaria. The third generation of the Liebl family with roots going back to 1935 first as a grocery store, then a specialty distillery in the 1970s. In addition to whisky, gin, fruit brandies, and liqueurs, Liebl Bavarian Rum is made exclusively from high-quality organic sugarcane molasses from Paraguay. The temperature-controlled fermentation with a special yeast creates a flavourful mash after a fermentation period of 12 days. After fermentation, it is distilled twice in a traditional copper pot still. The rum is then aged in different types of barrels; cognac and port wine barrels. The main expression is the Liebl Bavarian Rum 6-year-old.
Find out more on Brennerei Liebl
Brennerei Feller
Founded in 1820, Brennerei Feller is a 5th-generation family company with rich distilling traditions in Baden-Wurttemberg between Stuttgart and Munich. In 2020, they celebrated their 200th anniversary making whisky, gin, and now rum. Rum Reich uses molasses from Nicaragua for its Fellers White Rum and has an unusually long fermentation time and a specific distillation process.
The first attempt to create a German rum was the Rum Reich Cognac Cask 8 years ago, distilled six times and aged for 8 years in a cognac barrel. The PX Sherry Cask 8 years uses molasses from Guatemala and is distilled 4 times. Matured for 2 years in a bourbon cask, and then in a top-class sherry cask. Rum Ruby Port Cask 8 years is a similar process, but 6 years in a bourbon barrel and then 2 years in a ruby port barrel for the finish.
You can book a tour of the Brennerei Feller which includes the barrel warehouse, tasting, and shop. Lunch or coffee and cake can be reserved, and they host events like show distilling and dining, and even a wedding reception.
Brennerei Feller offers a tour that takes you behind the scenes of their rum-making process and explores the barrel warehouse. The tour ends with a tasting session, but you can also book a lunch or coffee and cake. They host special events like “show distilling” demonstrations, tastings, and the occasional wedding reception.
Find out more on Feller Distillery
SinGold Destillerie
Founded in 2018 Singold Distillery is a whisky, gin, and rum distillery and an event venue in Wehringen. The main focus is on whisky production, but they distill rum from molasses in a slow distillation process. The rum is aged in Bourbon barrels with distant Alpine mountains in the background.
SinGold distillery is a destination distillery with bookable tours, rum tastings, cocktail evenings, and on the route to Neuschwanstein Castle just south of Augsburg.
Find out more on SinGold Destillerie
Yserrain Distillery
Founded in 2015, and opened in 2017 by Adolf Sieber in the north of Munich near the Isar river. It’s the first whisky and rum distillery in Munich. The young distiller specialises in whisky, gin, and rum.
The name originates as “County on the Yserrain” from 1319 to 1803. An area from the Bishopric of Freising east of the river Isar to Munich. The word Isar itself comes from Indo-European and means “flowing water”.
Molasses is slowly fermented over many weeks and then gently distilled to extract as many aromas as possible. Yserrain Distillery produces a white rum that rests in stainless steel containers for several months and a dark rum that matures in a new, medium-toasted American white oak barrel and a new and unused Bourbon barrel.
Find out more on Yserrain Distillery
Moordestillerie
Founded in 2016 by Ben Boysen in Kolbermoor 50km southeast of Munich. They make gin, and whisky and launched Moor Rum in 2018. The sugarcane molasses comes from Martinique in the Caribbean. It is gently distilled twice in a copper still. The distillate is aged for 3 years to develop its characteristic profile in old barrique barrels. The rum is then filled by hand into recycled glass retro apothecary bottles and closed and encapsulated by hand with a real natural pointed cork.
The Moor Rum label is also made of recycled paper and labelled by hand. The batch number is written on each label using a quill pen and presented in a gift box. You can book a tour of the distillery, and join a tasting. It’s an hour from Munich or Salzburg, just west of Rosenheim, and next to the spa town of Bad Aibling.
Find out more on Moordestillerie
Rumult Bavarian Rum
Lantenhammer distillery in Schliersee Bavaria was founded in 1928 in the former mining town of Hausham. Run by Tobias Maier, third-generation family distillers who mainly produced fruit brandies and liqueurs. They launched Rumult Rum in 2017, distilled with sugarcane from Mauritius. It’s then aged for several years in hand-picked bourbon, cognac, Madeira, and sherry barrels.
The main expressions are Bavarian rum Rumult Blanco, and Rumult Bavarian Rum Signature Cask Selection.
The distillery which produces fruit spirits, schnapps, and liqueurs has large glazed stoneware storage jars. Enjoy an educational guided tour at this modern distillery with a tasting room, shop, and event space. It’s another destination distillery situated in the idyllic summer lakes region south of Munich with popular Tegernsee nearby at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. Take a seat among the rum casks and enjoy this beautiful location.
Find out more on Rumult Bavarian Rum
German Rum Brands
With a long tradition of sourcing rum from the Caribbean there are many rum brands from Germany. Pott was founded in 1848 by Hans Heinrich Pott in Flensburg and is one of Germany’s best-known brands and one of the most sold brands. Known as Der Gute Pott and has Pott Rum 54. The Flensburg Rum Company brand was launched in 2019 by Oldman Spirits. Johannsen Rum bottles Johannsen 1878 Rum, Wind Force 13 and Rum Regatta Rum 2024.
BLN Biobrennerei Rum, Ron Elba, Spreewood Distillers, Schwaebisher Rum, Warlich Rum, Graf Luckner Rum, Hillbilly Friesen-Rum. Bonpland Rum imports rum and barrel ages in German wine casks before bottling. Rumclub bottles single cask rums from the Rum Depot in Berlin hosts tastings and organise the German Rum Festival in August every year. To learn more about these brands, visit our Germany Rum Map
Final Thoughts
Flensburg was known as the German rum trading capital and is well worth visiting for its history. The Braasch Rum Manufaktur Museum has a rum tasting room, gift shop & artifacts about rum making. Flensburg Maritime Museum is the starting point of the Rum & Sugar Mile, also known as the Sweet Mile.
But times change, and in 2024, could Bavaria in the south be regarded as today’s rum capital of Germany? it certainly has more rum distillers. That’s nearly 1000km from the old rum capital.
It’s a hot take, with a caveat that producers are spread out, and we know how much the north/south Germans love each other. That should add some spice to your next German rum-sipping experience. While German distillers currently focus more on whisky, passionate rum producers are waiting to be discovered. Rum remains a niche compared to other spirits, but with enough support from adventurous rum lovers, that could change.
The truth is, Germany’s a distilling powerhouse, and a significant rum market. Yet, its homegrown rum scene remains overlooked. This guide is here to change that. We’re putting German rum on the map to make it more accessible to rum enthusiasts worldwide.
If you are visiting Germany for the 2024 Euros or just looking for a place to enjoy a rum on your vacation try these spots, and ask the bartender for a local rum:
In Hamburg: Tortuga Bar, The Boilerman Bar, or Le Lion Bar. Rum Bumper’s in Bremen.
In Berlin: Rum Trader, Yolanda Berlin, Monkey Bar, Die Legende von Paula und Ben, Tiki Heart Café, or TiER Bar.
Western Region: Mojitos or The Grid Bar in Cologne. MAITAI Cocktailbar, Petit Punch or Cubanitos Bar in Dusseldorf. Hunky Dory Bar, Embury Bar, Cigarbar – Mercedes Reyes in Frankfurt.
In Stuttgart: Barbados bar, Havana Cafe & Cocktail, Le Petit Coq or TinTin bar
In Munich: Pusser’s Bar, Cohibar City, Havana Club, Zephyr Bar Havana Club, Mr. Mumbles – New Orleans Bar, Pusser’s, or Trader Vic’s bar in Hotel Bayerischer Hof.
Sausalitos is a restaurant chain that serves rum cocktails in most major cities if you’re looking for accessible options.
Embrace the new era where German-made rum is emerging – it’s time for your next rum adventure!
For more general advice on German Tourism
For travel planning use our Germany Rum Map
Special thanks to the brands for contributing to this article, and permission to use their images. Other image credits to Canva Pro, and user contributions.
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