If the thought of rum conjures up images of pirates, college parties, and boozy daiquiris, you aren’t alone. But the spirit itself has a much more layered and complex past—one that you can explore at the 23rd Evening of Traditional Beverages put on by the Homewood Museum at Johns Hopkins University.

The annual event, this year held at the campus’ Mudd Hall on May 30 from 6-8 p.m., gives guests a big dose of history with a spoonful of spirits, live music, and local food all to benefit the museum and its future endeavors.

“It’s a fun way to think about history,” says Homewood Museum curator Julie Rose. “We haven’t focused on rum in over 15 years and I know it’s a big part of local lore.”

Indeed, rum was a huge imported product in 18th-century Maryland, mostly being shipped from Barbados into London Town and Gardens in Edgewater. According to historian Kyle Dalton, who will be speaking at next week’s event, the elixir was an apt symbol for cultural mores of the time.

“Maryland was a society of contradictions, as it was very communal but strictly hierarchical,” explains Dalton, coordinator of membership and development for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick. “Rum was a luxury product, so you knew that it was a fairly refined society drinking it. But it was most commonly consumed as a rum punch with colonists drinking directly from the same bowl, so that reflects the communal society.”

Dalton notes that it’s becoming commonplace for museums to try and replicate the past, like with living history exhibits and even the duplication of alcohol products. Colonial Williamsburg has been trying its hand at replicating beer (“the Miller Lite of the 1700s,” he notes) and Mount Vernon is producing a similar whiskey to what George Washington would have imbibed.

“Young audiences really want experiences, rather than something they can take home from the gift shop,” Dalton says. “Liquor is an experience you can share with other people. It’s a small time-travel experience for your tongue.”

That transformative aspect can be seen in modern-day Maryland, thanks to many distilleries using traditional recipes and methods for producing rum. Take St. Mary’s County-based Tobacco Barn Distillery, which makes its rum from 100-percent local ingredients that is then fermented, double-distilled, and sealed in bourbon barrels aboard the U.S.S. Constellation.

“On the ship, you get a little bit of movement that causes swirl and circulation in the barrel, so that imparts a lot more flavor,” says Tobacco Bar co-founder and former Navy admiral Scott Sanders. “If you were in Maryland in the 1700s, this would be the kind of rum you’s drink.”

Besides Tobacco Barn, the rum revival is alive and well in Maryland, thanks to distilleries like Lyon in St. Michael’s, Old Line Spirits in Highlandtown, Blackwater on Kent Island, and Lost Ark in Columbia—all pouring their products at Traditional Beverages.

“Rum not only interests me from a historical perspective, but we wanted to highlight the resurgence of distilleries in Maryland,” Rose says. “People have a real interest in seeing where their food comes from in terms of protecting our planet. There was the microbrewery phenomenon that has had such a big impact on the industry and people are interested in distilleries for that same reason.”

The rain-or-shine event will also feature locally sourced bites from Woodberry Kitchen and live calypso music from percussionists Christina Manceor and Matthew Stiens.

“Right now, campus is in a transition period after graduation, so it’s a great time to celebrate,” Rose says. “This is a good excuse to put on your floral shirt, relax a bit, and learn about some history of the drink.”

National Rum Day couldn’t have come at a better time. As the summer draws to a close, we can’t think of a more ideal way to savor the season than with a colorful punch or strong Dark ‘n’ Stormy. And luckily, Charm City is chock-full of industry talent getting creative with rum varieties from near and far.

One of the city’s largest rum collections can be found behind the bar at pizza palace and live music venue Joe Squared in Station North. The origins of the bar’s inventory date back to 2005, when owner Joe Edwardsen first opened the spot and noticed a need for more rum destinations in the city. Since then, the offerings have grown to include more than 35 rum options from 15 different countries.

“It’s a very versatile beverage,” says general manager Okan Arabacioglu, who has tended bar at Joe Squared for nearly a decade. “The fermentation and the way it’s barreled and aged has a huge impact on how the rum develops into its own character.”

Arabacioglu says that he enjoys introducing barflies to the different types of rum, mentioning bottles from as far as Guatemala and the West Indies. Among some of the bar’s most popular rum cocktails include a Campari punch, a spin on a traditional rum runner, and a ginger-basil mojito muddled with lime juice, basil leaves, and evaporated cane sugar.

“There are a lot of rums that need to be explored,” Arabacioglu says. “Like whiskey, there are many varieties that are so smooth and beautiful, but not a lot of people know about. It’s very underappreciated.”

Along with Joe Squared, there are plenty of other local spots that boast stellar rum collections. Here are our picks for the best places to celebrate the spirit:

Alma Cocina Latina: The colorful cocktails at this Venezuelan restaurant in the Canton Can Company pair nicely with the dishes that come out of the kitchen looking like works of art. Making use of both foreign (think Papa’s Pilar and Brugal) and local Old Line Spirits rum, the bar menu lists many different coladas and island cocktails including the “Playa Desnuda,” with pineapple-infused rum, house pineapple kombucha, orange juice, and cardamom bitters. 2400 Boston St., 667-212-4273

Bar Vasquez: This Argentinian spot in Harbor East offers its own spin on a rum and coke featuring Myer’s dark rum, fernet branca, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, lime, and cola. Stop by during weekday happy hour to enjoy the sip alongside $5 snacks from 5-7 p.m. 1425 Aliceanna St., 410-534-7296

Blackwater Distilling: Just in time for National Rum Day, this Kent Island-based distillery has finally debuted its new solera-aged rum—an interval process that involves mixing ages in barrels. Plenty of local bars offer Blackwater products, including the fan-favorite Picaroon rum. Among them are Bookmakers, Blue Pit BBQ, and The Oceanaire Seafood Room. 184 Log Canoe Circle, Stevensville, 443-249-3123

Bluebird Cocktail Room: Head to this literary-themed Hampden hangout to sip craft cocktails while browsing classic books. The new summer menu features a frozen pina colada, “Don’s Banana Hammock” with rum and bananas, and the “Expression of the Divine,” which highlights peach rum. 3600 Hickory Ave., 667-303-3263

Gunther & Co.: Along with a list of house libations, this Brewers Hill bar features a few cocktails spotlighting Gosling’s dark rum. Head outside to its picturesque patio to sample the cleverly named “Rye’n Gosling,” with Rittenhouse rye, Gosling’s dark rum, caffo amaro, agave, and flamed lemon. There is also the “The Ibis,” which mixes the dark rum with campari, velvet falernum, pineapple, and lime juice. 3650 Toone St., 443-869-6874

Lobo: Spend happy hour sipping the fan-favorite Mai Tai at this Fells Point watering hole. The signature cocktail ($9) mixes Kraken rum, Appleton white rum, Grand Marnier, fresh-squeezed orange juice, housemade grenadine, and housemade almond syrup. 1900 Aliceanna St., 410-327-0303

Little Havana: This South Baltimore staple stays true to its Cuban inspiration by featuring authentic eats and plenty of rum drinks at the bar. Aside from a traditional mojito, Dark ‘n’ Stormy, and rum runner, the spot also features a “Goombay Smash” with coconut rum, peach schnapps, pineapple, and orange juice. 1325 Key Highway, 410-837-9903

R. Bar: The centerpiece bar inside Remington food hall R. House will be celebrating Rum Day in style with drinks off of its summer camp-inspired seasonal menu. The rum-focused “This One Time, At Band Camp” (a nod to cult classic American Pie) features Charanda Uruapan Mexican rum, Shrub District strawberry dill shrub, White Envelope spiced syrup, lemon, and mint. 301 W. 29th St., 443-347-3570

Forget the stereotype of pirates and rum. At Blackwater Distilling—founded three years ago by brothers Chris and Jon Cook—it’s vodka that’s tied to bawdy buccaneers. 

“When we came up with the idea for Sloop Betty Vodka, we were inspired by Blackbeard, who spent time on the Chesapeake on a ship he had captured named Sloop Betty,” says Chris. “We loved the idea of a sloop packed with Madeira wine that his crew took over and scuttled, forever [losing it] to history.” 

While the brand’s logo (a nod to fuselage art) is whistle-worthy, the vodka, produced by the state’s first distillery in 35 years, has garnered attention, too, winning honors at the New York World Wine & Spirit competition. 

“Our product is versatile,” says Chris. “If you want to mix it, that’s fine, but it’s great by itself, too.”

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Sloop Betty’s mixologist developed this refreshing recipe just in time for summer:

Daily Pinup
2 ounces Sloop Betty Vodka
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
¹/2 ounce honey
3 ounces iced tea

Shake ingredients with ice and dump into large pint glass. (Don’t strain into new ice.) Garnish with a lemon wedge on a skewer.

For more recipes, go to sloopbetty.com.