Grog is a term used for a variety of alcoholic beverages.
Grog is a term used for a variety of alcoholic beverages.
During the early modern period (1500–1800), sailors required significant quantities of fresh water on extended voyages. Since desalinating sea water was not practicable, fresh water was taken aboard in casks but quickly developed algae and became slimy. Stagnant water was sweetened with beer or wine to make it palatable, which involved more casks and was subject to spoilage. As longer voyages became more common, the storage of the sailors' substantial daily ration of water plus beer or wine became a problem.
Following England's conquest of Jamaica in 1655, rum gradually replaced beer and brandy as the drink of choice. [1] With the prior ration of 8 pints of beer being replaced with one half-pint of spirits. In 1740, to minimise the subsequent illness, drunkenness, and disciplinary problems, British Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon ordered that the daily rum issue of one-half imperial pint (284 ml) of rum be mixed with one imperial quart (1,100 ml) of water, a water-to-rum ratio of 4:1, with half issued before noon and the remainder after the end of the working day. This both diluted its effects and accelerated its spoilage, preventing hoarding of the allowance. The mixture of rum and water became known as a "grog". This procedure became part of the official regulations of the Royal Navy in 1756 until the reduction of the ration to the "tot" in 1850. Sailors were given one-eighth of an imperial pint (1 gill ; 71 millilitres ) of rum daily, or 17.5 imperial oz a week. [2] The issued ration of rum was called a "tot," and typically had a high alcohol content (54.6% ABV). [3] continued until 1970.[ citation needed ] [4]
Some writers have said that Vernon also added citrus juice to prevent spoilage and that it was found to prevent scurvy. This is not the case, and is based on a misreading of Vernon's order. Having instructed his captains to dilute the sailors' daily allowance of rum with water, he says that those members of the crew "which ... are good husbandmen may from the saving of their salt provisions and bread, purchase sugar and limes to make it more palatable to them." [5] Lime juice was not then known to combat scurvy; scurvy symptoms at the time were largely treated with a diet of "fresh food", sauerkraut, meat broth, malt, and citrus oil. [6] Scurvy was thought by the medical establishment at the time to be due to poor digestion and internal putrefaction. [7] In 1795, in defiance of medical opinion, the Admiralty introduced lemon juice and sugar as a regular part of the naval diet. [8] A few years later Spain allied itself with France and lemons became unobtainable so West Indian limes were substituted. It was from this time that the British obtained the nickname limeys .[ citation needed ]
The word originally referred to rum diluted with water, which Edward Vernon introduced into the British naval squadron he commanded in the West Indies on 21 August 1740. Vernon wore a coat of grogram cloth and was nicknamed Old Grogram or Old Grog. The Merriam–Webster Collegiate Dictionary, which agrees with this story of the word's origin, states that the word grog was first used in this sense in 1770, though other sources cite 1749. [9]
In the 19th century, coopers who crafted barrels on ships were often called groggers (or jolly jack tars), since when a barrel of rum had been emptied they would fill it up with boiling water and roll it around, creating a drink, which was called grog. [10]
Until the daily tot was discontinued in 1970, Royal Navy rum was 95.5 proof (54.6% ABV); [11] the usual ration was one-eighth of an imperial pint (71 ml), diluted 4:1 with water. Extra rum rations were provided for special celebrations, such as Trafalgar Day, and sailors might share their ration with the cook or with a messmate celebrating a birthday. Until the early 20th century, weaker "six water grog" (rum diluted with water at a 6:1 ratio) was sometimes issued as a punishment to sailors found guilty of drunkenness or neglect.
Over time the distribution of the rum ration acquired a fixed form. At 11:00 am, the boatswain's mate piped "Up spirits", the signal for the petty officer of the day to climb to the quarterdeck and collect the keys to the spirit room from an officer, the ship's cooper, and a detachment of Royal Marines. In procession, they unlocked the door of the spirit room, and witnessed the pumping into a keg of one-eighth pint of rum for every rating and petty officer on the ship aged 20 or more and not under punishment. Two marines lifted the keg to the deck, standing guard while a file of cooks from the petty officers' messes held out their jugs. The sergeant of marines poured the ration under direction of the chief steward, who announced the number of drinking men present in each petty officer's mess. The rest of the rum was mixed in a tub with two parts water, becoming the grog provided to the ratings.
At noon, the boatswain's mate piped "Muster for Rum", and the cooks from each mess presented with tin buckets. The sergeant of marines ladled out the authorised number of tots (eighth-pints) supervised by the petty officer of the day. The few tots of grog remaining in the tub ("plushers"), if any, were poured into the drains (scuppers), visibly running into the sea.
The petty officers were served first, and entitled to take their rum undiluted. The ratings often drank their grog in one long gulp when they finished their work around noon.
The practice of serving grog twice a day carried over into the Continental Navy and the U.S. Navy. Robert Smith, then Secretary of the Navy, experimented with substituting native rye whiskey for the rum. Finding the American sailors preferred it, he made the change permanent. It is said his sailors followed the practice of their British antecedents and took to calling it "Bob Smith" instead of grog.[ citation needed ]
Unlike their Navy counterparts, American merchant seamen were not encouraged to partake of grog. In his 1848 testimony before a parliamentary committee, Robert Minturn of Grinnell, Minturn & Co "stated that teetotalism not only was encouraged by American ship-owners, but actually earned a bonus from underwriters, who offered a return of ten percent of the insurance premium upon voyages performed without the consumption of spirits ... The sailors were allowed plenty of hot coffee, night or day, in heavy weather, but grog was unknown on board American merchant ships." [12]
The American Navy ended the daily spirit ration on 1 September 1862. The temperance movements of the late 19th century began to change the attitude toward drink in Britain, and the days of grog slowly came to an end. In 1850 the size of the tot was halved to one-eighth of an imperial pint (71 ml) per day. The issue of grog to officers ended in 1881, and to warrant officers in 1918. On 28 January 1970, the "Great Rum Debate" took place in the House of Commons, and on 31 July 1970, later called "Black Tot Day", the practice finally ended, although all ratings received an allowance of an extra can of beer each day as compensation.
In the early stages of British settlement in Australia, the word grog entered common usage, to describe diluted, adulterated, and sub-standard rum, obtainable from sly-grog shops. In the early decades of the Australian colonies such beverages were often the only alcohol available to the working class. Eventually in Australia and New Zealand the word grog came to be used as a slang collective term for alcohol, such as going to the sly-grog shop to buy grog. [13]
Honoring the 18th century British Army regimental mess and grog's historical significance in the military, the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army carry on a tradition at its formal dining in ceremonies whereby those in attendance who are observed to violate formal etiquette are "punished" by being sent to "the grog" and publicly drink from it in front of the attendees. The grog usually consists of various alcoholic beverages mixed together, unappealing to the taste, and contained in a toilet bowl. A non-alcoholic variety of the grog is also typically available for those in attendance who do not consume alcohol, and can contain anything from hot sauce to mayonnaise intended to make it unappealing as well.
Similar practice continued in the Royal Navy until "Black Tot Day", on 31 July 1970, [14] when concerns over crew members operating machinery under the influence led to the rum ration being abolished. [15]
While many claim to make a traditional navy grog recipe, there are several accepted forms. The Royal Navy's grog recipe includes water, dark rum, lemon juice, and cinnamon. A commonly found recipe in the Caribbean includes water, light rum, grapefruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, cinnamon, and honey.
Modern versions of the drink are often made with hot or boiling water, and sometimes include lemon juice, lime juice, cinnamon, or sugar to add flavor. Additionally in the United States, apple cider is sometimes substituted for water.[ citation needed ] Rum with water, sugar, and nutmeg was known as bumbo and was more popular with pirates and merchantmen. In Cape Verde, grogue is a distilled spirit made of sugarcane, similar to rum. In Australia and New Zealand, the word has come to mean any alcoholic drink; in Australian Aboriginal English in particular, the term "grog" is extremely commonly used, to the point of appearing outside of casual use, such as in surveys and official documents. [16]
In Northern Germany, grog is a "classic winter drink from East Frisia" made of rum, sugar and water and heated to boiling point. [17] In Sweden and some subcultures within the English-speaking world, grogg is a common description of drinks not made to a recipe, but by mixing various kinds of alcoholic and soft drinks, fruit juice or similar ingredients. In Sweden, the mixture is usually between 5:1 and 1:1 of soft drink/cordial and spirit. The difference between Swedish grog and long drinks, mixed drinks, or punches is the number of ingredients. The number of ingredients in drinks may vary, but grog typically has just one kind of liquor (most commonly vodka or brännvin, but others like rum, whisky, cognac, or eau de vie are also used), and one kind of a non-alcoholic beverage. While there are no standard recipes, some varieties are commonly known:
In other parts of Europe, notably the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, grog is used for a hot drink, usually made of black tea, lemon juice, honey and a splash of rum[ citation needed ]. It is a popular winter drink, said to be a remedy for the common cold in Belgium and France [18] or for flu in the Netherlands. [19]
In Canada, W. T. Lynch Foods Ltd sells a powdered hot beverage mix marketed in English as "Hot Apple Olde Style Cider Mix" and in Canadian French as "Grog aux pommes mélange à l'ancienne". It is non-alcoholic and marketed as an alternative to other non-alcoholic hot drinks. [20] [21]
Grog has also been used as a metaphoric term for a person's vices, as in the old Irish song "All For Me Grog". The beverage has also lent its name to the word groggy .
James Lind was a Scottish physician. He was a pioneer of naval hygiene in the Royal Navy. By conducting one of the first ever clinical trials, he developed the theory that citrus fruits cured scurvy.
Mojito is a traditional Cuban punch. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors is intended to complement the rum, and has made the mojito a popular summer drink.
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is usually served at Christmas markets in Europe, primarily in Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Nordics, Baltics and eastern France. There are non-alcoholic versions of it. Vodka-spiked mulled wine can be found in Polish Christmas markets, where mulled wine is commonly used as a mixer.
Squash, is a non-alcoholic beverage with syrup used in beverage making. It is usually fruit-flavoured, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar or a sugar substitute. Modern squashes may also contain food colouring and additional flavouring. Some traditional squashes contain herbal extracts, most notably elderflower and ginger.
The daiquiri is a cocktail whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice, and sugar or other sweetener.
The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.
Rose's lime juice, often known simply as Rose's, is a sweetened concentrated fruit juice patented in 1867. This was the world's first commercially produced fruit concentrate.
Eggnog, historically also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic beverages are added, is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolk and whipped egg white. A distilled spirit such as brandy, rum, whiskey or bourbon is often a key ingredient.
Admiral Edward Vernon was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' Ear, in 1739 he was responsible for the capture of Portobelo, Panama, seen as expunging the failure of Admiral Hosier there in a previous conflict. However, his amphibious operation against the Spanish port of Cartagena de Indias was a disastrous defeat. Vernon also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) on three occasions and was outspoken on naval matters in Parliament, making him a controversial figure.
A hot toddy, also known as hot whisky in Ireland, and occasionally called southern cough syrup within the Southern United States, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey, lemon, herbs and spices, and served hot. Recipes vary, and hot toddy is traditionally drunk as a nightcap before retiring for the night, in wet or cold weather, or to relieve the symptoms of the cold and flu. In How to Drink, Victoria Moore describes the drink as "the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb."
Spruce beer is a beverage flavored with the buds, needles, or essence of spruce trees. Spruce beer can refer to either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.
Pusser's Rum is a brand name of rum produced by Pusser's Rum Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands. Nine years after the Royal Navy discontinued the daily rum ration in 1970, the company was founded to produce the rum from the original Royal Navy recipe, using a blend of five West Indian rums.
"Splice the mainbrace" is an order given aboard naval vessels to issue the crew with an alcoholic drink. Originally an order for one of the most difficult emergency repair jobs aboard a sailing ship, it became a euphemism for authorized celebratory drinking afterward, and then the name of an order to grant the crew an extra ration of rum or grog.
Drink mixers are the non-alcoholic ingredients in mixed drinks and cocktails. Mixers dilute the drink, lowering the alcohol by volume in the drink. They change, enhance, or add new flavors to a drink. They may make the drink sweeter, more sour, or more savory. Some mixers change the texture or consistency of the drink, making it thicker or more watery. Drink mixers may also be used strictly for decorative purposes by changing the color or appearance of the drink. They also simply increase the volume of a drink, to make it last longer.
Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world.
The Navy Grog was a popular rum-based drink served for many years at the Polynesian-themed Don the Beachcomber restaurants; it is still served in many tiki restaurants and bars. First created by Donn Beach, who almost single-handedly originated the tiki cultural fad of the 1940s and 1950s, it was one of dozens of rum concoctions that he, and later Trader Vic and numerous other imitators, sold in exotic tropical settings. Not quite as potent as the Beachcomber's more famous Zombie, it was, nevertheless, shown on the menu as being limited to two, or sometimes three, to a customer. Reportedly, Phil Spector consumed at least two Trader Vic’s Navy Grogs at the Beverly Hilton restaurant, without eating any food, the night he later killed actress Lana Clarkson.
Hot buttered rum is a mixed drink containing rum, butter, hot water or cider, a sweetener, and various spices. It is especially popular in the fall and winter and is traditionally associated with the holiday season. In the United States, the drink has a lengthy history that dates back to colonial days. During that time many families had their own individual recipes, and early Americans believed rum to be nutritious and a strengthener of the body.
Black Tot Day was the last day on which the Royal Navy issued sailors with a daily rum ration.
The rum ration was a daily amount of rum given to sailors on Royal Navy ships. It was abolished in 1970 after concerns that the intake of strong alcohol would lead to unsteady hands when working machinery.
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