Rum Et Al Variable Dunderclap Rum
Rum Et Al Variable Dunderclap Rum is an unaged, pot-distilled molasses rum from Rum Et Al, the experimental Los Angeles micro-rum project of Dr. Robyn Smith, bottled at 49% ABV (98 proof) in a 750mL bottle. Rum Et Al works like a controlled experiment: an always-available Baseline rum sets the recipe, and each Variable release changes exactly one thing. Dunderclap’s variable is dunder — 33% dunder, the residue left from a previous distillation, replaces water in the fermentation of the same 100% baking grade molasses base, everything else held constant. Fermented 17 to 23 days and double pot distilled in extremely small batches, it is the bottle that lets you taste precisely what dunder does. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 98 proof (49% ABV)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Unaged pot-distilled molasses rum
- Fermentation: 100% baking grade molasses with 33% dunder replacing water; 17–23 days
- Distillation: Double pot distilled, extremely small batches
- Origin: Los Angeles, California
One Variable: Dunder
Dunder is the secret behind the deep funk and ester complexity of classic Jamaican rum — the spent liquid from one distillation, carried into the next fermentation to feed the wild, flavor-building chemistry that clean ferments never develop. Robyn Smith, a chemical engineering PhD and former distillery research chemist who writes as This Blog’s Neat, founded Rum Et Al in Los Angeles in 2024 to run rum production as honest science: change one variable, keep everything else fixed, and bottle the comparison. Dunderclap is the headline experiment — the Baseline recipe with dunder switched on. Taste it beside Baseline from our rum shelves and the variable explains itself; find both among the wider spirits at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Earthy, fermented funk and tropical fruit on the nose, wilder and deeper than the Baseline foundation, with wild spice and roasted molasses behind it. The palate is rich and oily: coriander, black pepper, minerality, orange peel, cinnamon and vanilla build through a long, powerful finish. Funky, estery and unapologetic — a Jamaican-style profile made in Los Angeles.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat next to Rum Et Al Baseline to run the experiment properly, add a few drops of water and watch it transform, or pour it into a daiquiri when you want real funk in the glass. Build the rest from our cocktail ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dunder?
The liquid left over from a previous rum distillation. Reused in the next fermentation, it drives the ester formation behind the funky, fruity depth of traditional Jamaican rum — here it makes up 33% of the fermentation liquid in place of water.
How is Dunderclap different from Baseline?
One variable only: the dunder. Same molasses, same double pot distillation, same 49% bottling strength — so any difference in the glass is the dunder’s work.
What proof is it?
49% ABV (98 proof), unaged, in a 750mL bottle, made in Los Angeles, California.
Order Rum Et Al Variable Dunderclap at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — the dunder experiment, bottled.