National Rum Day is here! Grab a glass pour yourself a taste of rum to celebrate this drink themed national day which falls annually on August 16th.
There’s so many types of rum to enjoy and this day celebrates them all! You can enjoy this spirit neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails!
Keep reading to learn more about the different types of rum and how this spirit is made. Plus, learn creative ways to observe this August 16th national day.
The best way to celebrate this beverage is by making rum cocktails! Get a list of popular rum cocktails below and tutorials to make some of our most delicious rum cocktail recipes.
What is rum made from?
Rum is a spirit made from fermenting and distilling sugarcane juice, sugarcane molasses and sugarcane syrup. This process yields a clear liquid. However, you may have noticed not all rum is clear!
There are many types of rum, some are light and some are dark. Some are spiced and flavored, while others are not. Some are aged while other are young.
When rum is aged it can be stored in different ways. White (or clear) rums are stored in stainless steel tanks to preserve their color. Darker rums are aged in oak barrels to give them a deeper color.
Generally, the longer a rum is aged, the darker it is. However some rums have caramel added to enhance their hue.
In addition to regular rums, there are both flavored and spiced rums. These rums are infused with botanicals such as bark, herbs, flowers, fruit, roots and spices.
How to celebrate National Rum Day
National days of the year are a fun way to celebrate foods, animals and items that you come into contact with. Be sure to check out this national day’s guide for more information about why national days are so special.
Would you like to celebrate National Rum Day in a special way? Try one of the ideas below to celebrate this alcoholic beverage themed national day.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.
- If you like making pina coladas (which also have their own national day), learn more about them by reading our post on the origin of pina coladas.
- Invest in some new glassware for your rum cocktails like these tiki glasses, or these mixed drink glasses. If you prefer rum neat, check out these rum sifters.
- Check out these tips to make a well stocked home bar.
- You don’t have to be a bartender to make expertly crafted rum cocktails. Just add rum to this cocktail infusion kit to make delicious cocktails.
- Rum also makes an excellent addition to baked goods. Try baking with rum extract or drizzling spiced rum honey on scones or biscuits.
- Put some butter rum syrup in your coffee to incorporate the flavor rum into your breakfast routine.
- Host a rum cocktail party! You can make the rum cocktail recipes listed below to celebrate this day.
Share this post with rum cocktails for National Rum Day on twitter:
If you enjoyed learning about National Rum day, and want to share these cocktails with rum, start with this tweet:
Looking for a way to celebrate National Rum Day? Try one of our favorite rum cocktail recipes on Always The Holidays! 🍹🧉 #RumCocktails #NationalRumDay Share on XFacts about rum for National Rum Day
Brush up on your knowledge of this sugarcane spirit with these fascinating rum facts. Some may surprise you!
- The only continent that doesn’t produce rum is Antarctica.
- Rum has a long history with the Royal British Navy. There’s even a type of rum called “navy rum” which was consumed until Black Tot Day occurred on July 31, 1970.
- In the 18th century, rum was sometimes used as currency. One example is The Sydney Hospital, in Australia, which was paid for with rum.
- There are rums with a high alcohol content (over 50% ABV) which are known as “overproof rum”.
- Cachaça which is sometimes called “Brazilian rum” is not technically a variety of rum. It is also a spirit made from sugarcane, but it isn’t the same as rum.
Popular rum cocktails
Rum is such a versatile spirit. You can sip it by itself, or you can enjoy it in a cocktail. There are so many tasty rum cocktails you can make.
Here are some of the most popular rum cocktails:
- Cuba libre
- Daiquiri
- Dark and stormy
- Hot buttered rum
- Hurricane
- Jungle Bird
- Mai Tai
- Mojito
- Pina Colada
- Rum punch
- Rum runner
- Rum swizzle
- Zombie
Rum Cocktails to Celebrate National Rum Day
The best way to celebrate National Rum Day is to have some rum. You can always drink it neat or on the rocks, but our favorite way to enjoy rum is by incorporating it into rum cocktails!
There are a wide variety of rum cocktail recipes below which are appropriate for all seasons of the year!
You can make a summer rum cocktail recipe that has tropical flavors like a like a pina colada or a rum punch.
When winter rolls around you can make a warm rum drink like hot buttered rum. It's delicious and comforting.
There's even holiday cocktails with rum below including a witches brew that will delight your friends this Halloween.
If you are a dessert lover, make sure to check out the pina colada popsicles and the frozen cookies & cream coconut rum cocktail. Both will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Enjoy responsibly!
Get out your blender and try this frozen strawberry daiquiri recipe. This icy rum drink is perfect for summer.
The Island Oasis Mix makes daiquiri making a breeze! It's never been easier to make a daiquiri, and a delicious one too!
This tropical fruit punch combines Malibu rum, earl grey tea and fruit juice for a refreshing summer cocktail.
Not only does it have a sweet and refreshing flavor profile, but it also has caffeine from the black tea.
This fruity cocktail contains vodka, rum, amaretto, pineapple and lime juice. The tropical flavors of this drink will delight your tastebuds.
This delicious drink is a combination of dark rum, spices and butter. It is perfect for the cold days of winter.
This tasty treat is equal parts dessert and cocktail. It's a dreamy pairing!
If you like cookies and cream, you'll love this rum cocktail.
Halloween Witches Brew Cocktail – Fruity and Tart Halloween Drink
Not only does rum make a great addition to summer drinks, but it also makes great holiday cocktails.
Celebrate Halloween with this witches brew that has rum as one of its not-so-secret ingredients!
Beat the heat this summer with a mojito cocktail recipe! This refreshing rum drink is great to enjoy poolside or during your annual National Mojito Day festivities.
Some mojito drink recipes involve muddling ingredients, but this quick and easy mojito recipe uses simple syrup in place of raw sugar, so there's no muddling involved.
Once you see how easy it is to make a mojito cocktail, any day can be mojito day!
Make a batch of these pineapple rum cocktails and take it to the beach - you'll feel like you're having a mini vacation!
Malibu rum is delicious by itself but when combined with pineapple, it tastes even better!
This recipe is the official Piña Colada recipe of the Caribe Hilton (the birthplace of the Piña Colada).
There are so many great reasons to enjoy this drink. Whether you want to celebrate National Piña Colada Day, or have a refreshing cocktail poolside, this Piña Colada recipe is for you!
Can't decide between a milkshake and a cocktail? Now you don't have to choose.
This adult milkshake's ingredients contain ice cream, rum and Kahlua. This way you can have the best of both worlds!
A boozy popsicle is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day. Get the recipe to make these pina colada popsicles yourself!
Making popsicles is surprisingly easy - all you need is a popsicle mold, and some time to let them set!
More August 16 national days
Did you enjoy learning about National Rum Day? Well you’re in luck, August 16 is host to more than just one national day!
Here is a complete list of all the August 16 national days:
- National Rum Day
- National Airborne Day
- National Tell a Joke Day
- National Roller Coaster Day
- National Men’s Grooming Day
- National Bratwurst Day
- True Love Forever Day
More national days in August
There are close to 2000 national days in the year and over 150 of them are celebrated in August. To see them all, have a look at this post to discover more about the national days in August.
In addition to national days, there’s also August monthly observances that last the entire month! If you enjoy word puzzles, have a look at the August word search printable which features many national days hidden in it.
Is food your thing? Each day of the month has a food or drink associated with it, too. You’ll find all the August food holidays here.
Be sure to also check out these national days this month:
- National Prosecco Day – Get a recipe to make an elderflower French 75 with Prosecco to celebrate!
- National Oyster Day – Wondering if you’ll find a pearl in your oyster? Head to this post to find out!
- National Gossip Day – Get creative ideas for how to celebrate this August national day.
- National Vinyl Record Day – Learn about the history of vinyl records and some fun facts about records.
- Black Cat Appreciation Day – If you love black cats, check this post dedicated to this cuddly kitty.
Pin this post on National Rum Day for later
Would you like a reminder of this post for National Rum Day? Just pin this image to one of your national day boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Watch our YouTube video to learn about more food and drink days in August.
About the author
Since graduating from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jess has been living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She is a freelance writer, specializing in content related to fashion, food and drink and film industry topics. Find out more about Jess here.