Food & Drinking Culture

What is a rum shop, and what does jerk have to do with it? In Jamaica, the rum shop is the street corner where rum and conversation are both poured out. According to trade-press estimates, around 90% of all the rum sold on the island is Wray & Nephew White Overproof.

The best-known mix is called Wray & Ting. Ting is a Jamaican grapefruit soda whose bitterness and carbonation take the edge off the overproof. It's also known as Rum & Ting or Ting with a Sting.

In Jamaica, overproof also serves as a home remedy. According to reports, it's used for colds and in rituals such as wakes. Poured over the foundation of a new house, it's said to keep away evil spirits, known as 'duppies.' This is custom and belief, not a set of instructions.

Rum pairs naturally with jerk, marinated meat cooked over wood. Tradition traces the method back to the Maroons, escaped enslaved people who fled into the mountains of the island's east in the 17th century. They cooked wild boar in earthen pits using pimento wood, whose smoke seasons the meat.

Boston Beach in the parish of Portland is considered its stronghold. Jerk is still prepared there over an open fire to this day. The seasoning comes from pimento wood, salt, and fiery chili.

Why does rum suit it so well? The smoke, heat, and fat of the meat call for a drink with power, but also acidity. Overproof with Ting delivers both: strength that stands up to the spice, and bitterness that resets the palate.