Beenleigh Rum is one of Australia's oldest brands of

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Phili ...

. It is produced at the heritage-listed

Beenleigh Rum Distillery Beenleigh Rum Distillery is a heritage-listed rum distillery at Distillery Road, Eagleby, Queensland, Eagleby (once part of Beenleigh, Queensland, Beenleigh), City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. The distillery produces Beenleigh Rum. It was b ...

at Eagleby (formerly part of

Beenleigh Beenleigh is a town and suburb in the City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Beenleigh had a population of 8,252 people. A government survey for the new town was conducted in 1866. The town is the terminus for the Beenlei ...

) in the

City of Logan Logan City is a local government area situated within the south of the Brisbane metropolitan area in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated between the City of Brisbane to the north and the City of Gold Coast to the south, the City also bor ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. This Australian Rum is 100% Australian made from local and imported ingredients and is available in 700 ml Dark Rum aged for 5 years, 700 ml White Rum and Australia's only 700 ml Honey Liqueur Dark rum rum grades. All three offers are

fermented Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...

from Queensland

molasses Molasses () is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is primarily used to sweeten and flavour foods ...

. The

distillery Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heati ...

was developed to include a blending hall, bottling plant, warehouse and administration facilities. It is located on the bank of the Albert River and is a landmark on the river flats in the area.

History

The ''Beenleigh Rum Distillery'' is the oldest registered

in Australia, and is a rare survivor of Australia's early

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

industry. It commenced operations in 1884 and was the legal successor to a floating

moonshine Moonshine is high-proof liquor that is usually produced illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial dist ...

still A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been used ...

, the ''SS Walrus'', which drifted between cane plantations and evading police in the early 19th century. The original proprietor, James Stewart, sold the boat's still to local entrepreneurs who used it to start the Beenleigh Rum Distillery. Between 1981 and 2005 a museum featuring displays on the history of sugar and rum production in the Beenleigh area was open at the distillery. The stills, vats and photos were relocated to the

Beenleigh Historical Village The Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum is an open-air museum at Main Street, Beenleigh, City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. It preserves twenty buildings from Beenleigh's past which contain many collections related to the history of this d ...

. During the 1960s and 70s, Beenleigh outsold it largest rival,

Bundaberg Rum Bundaberg Rum, colloquially known as Bundy, is a dark rum produced in Bundaberg East, Queensland, Australia, by the Bundaberg Distilling Company. In 2010, the Bundaberg Distilling Company was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall ...

. Over the years, it lost market share and rebranded under different guises after being sold to successive owners. Stuart Gilbert reinvigorated the brand in 2000 when he purchased the trademark and partnered with Malcolm Campbell, old master Distiller, to bring the brand back to life. In 2003, the Beenleigh Rum

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

name was sold to

Vok Beverages Vok Beverages is a drink manufacturer in South Australia. Earlier history Before the acquisition by Bickford's of the brandname, Vok was a brand of a range of liqueurs manufactured by Jan Vok, a Dutch company, popular in Papua pre-war. Immedi ...

, a subsidiary of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

based

beverage A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies a ...

company

Bickford's Australia Bickford's Australia Pty. Ltd. is an Australian beverage manufacturer based in South Australia. The brand produces traditional cordials, soft drinks, and iced coffee mix originally manufactured by A. M. Bickford & Sons, a pharmaceutical chemis ...

. Gilbert sold the brand in 2007. In May 2012

purchased the Beenleigh Distillery and reconnected the brand and the distillery, which is back to being produced at the Beenleigh Distillery – using traditional Pot Distillation, in line with how it was produced by CSR in Australia from 1855 to 1986.Inner Circle back in Australian hands
. The Shout. The Intermedia Group. Retrieved 6 January 2014.

Products

The Beenleigh Rum Distillery also produces

Inner Circle Rum Inner Circle Rum is a dark rum produced in Australia. The ''Inner Circle Rum'' brand name was sold to Vok Beverages, a subsidiary of Adelaide based beverage company Bickford's Australia. As of 2011 the brand is still owned by the 100% Australia ...

. Inner Circle was the exclusive preserve of Australia's Colonial Sugar Refining Company's board of directors and a handful of its prized clients, and even they were only entitled to the occasional bottle. Despite its limited availability, word of Inner Circle's unique flavour became legendary- whispered among rum enthusiasts the world over. Inner Circle Rum was lost when CSR sold the brand in 1986.

References

External links

Vok BeveragesBeenleigh Rum Website
* — 1931 newspaper article about the Beenleigh Rum Distillery {{coord, -27.72331, 153.22196, type:landmark_region:AU-QLD, display=title Australian rums Australian brands Distilleries in Australia Companies based in Queensland Food and drink companies established in 1884 Australian companies established in 1884 Logan City Distilled drinks

History

Products

See also

References

External links