The Hawaiian Rum That’s Made From an Ancient Energy Drink

Stalks of heirloom sugarcane can range from light green to fantastically red to deep purple. Courtesy of KoHana Distillers

Energy drinks may seem like a recent innovation to hit grocery and convenience store shelves, but they were also a staple of warriors in late 18th century Hawaii. And now, the source of that age-old energy drink—sugarcane—is being used by an Aloha state-based distillery to make KōHana Hawaiian Agricole Rum.

The journey started on a canoe about 1,000 years ago, and ends in a bottle of rum today.

The Food of Warriors

“Canoe crops” is the blanket term used to describe plants brought over by the Polynesians who first settled Hawaii, including staples such as breadfruit (a starchy food that grows on trees and is often cooked and mashed), sweet potato, and sugarcane. The nutrient-rich sugarcane plant, kō, was especially important.