Grog issue on board the HMS Endymion; circa 1905

Rum measure reputed to be from Trafalgar

"Black Tot Day", on board the HMS Phoebe; 31 July, 1970

Grog is an alcoholic beverage made with water and rum. Long before Monzon's infamous "Grog Party" it was introduced into the Royal Navy by British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon on 21 August 1740. Modern versions of the drink are often made with hot or boiling water, and sometimes include lemon juice, lime juice, cinnamon or sugar to improve the taste. Rum with water, sugar and nutmeg was known as Bumboo and was more popular with pirates and merchantmen. Image File history File links Grog issue on board the HMS Endymion circa 1905 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links This half-pint copper grog measure is reputed to have come from a ship at Trafalgar. ... Image File history File links Black Tot Day, 31, July, 1970 on board the HMS Phoebe. ... HMS Phoebe (F42) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN). ... Grog may refer to the following: Grog, an alcoholic beverage made with rum and water. ... Bottles of cachaça, a Brazilian alcoholic beverage. ... Caribbean rum, circa 1941 Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... Vice Admiral is a naval rank of three star level, equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... August 21 is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... Binomial name Citrus × limon (L.) Burm. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Binomial name Cinnamomum verum J.Presl Cassia (Indonesian cinnamon) is also commonly called (and sometimes sold as) cinnamon. ... Magnification of grains of sugar, showing their monoclinic hemihedral crystalline structure. ... Caribbean rum, circa 1941 Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. ... Species About 100 species, including: Myristica argentea Myristica fragrans Myristica malabarica The nutmegs Myristica are a genus of evergreen trees indigenous to tropical southeast Asia and Australasia. ... Bumboo (also known as Bombo) is a drink made from rum, water, sugar and nutmeg. ...

Grog has also been used as a term for a person's vices, hence the old Irish drinking song "all for me grog".

Origin and history

Humans discovered long ago that they could not drink sea water, and required significant quantities of fresh water on extended voyages. Since they were unable to desalinate sea water, fresh water was taken on board 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 task of stowage became more and more difficult and the sailors' then-daily ration of a gallon of beer began to add up. Sea water is water from a sea or ocean. ... For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ... Shevchenko BN350 desalination unit situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea. ... A barrel is a hollow cylindrical container, usually made of wood staves and bound with iron bands. ... A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the branches are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. ... Water stagnation occurs when water stops flowing. ... A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest[1] and most popular[2] alcoholic beverage, selling more than 133 billion liters (35 billion gallons) per year - producing total global revenues of $331. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ...

Following Britain's conquest of Jamaica in 1655, a half pint or "2 gills" of rum gradually replaced beer and brandy as the drink of choice. Given to the sailor straight, this caused additional problems, as some sailors would save up the rum rations for several days, then drink them all at once. Due to the subsequent illness and disciplinary problems, the rum was mixed with water. This both diluted its effects, and delayed its spoilage. A half pint of rum mixed with one quart of water and issued in two servings before noon and after the end of the working day became part of the official regulations of the Royal Navy in 1756 and lasted for more than two centuries. Caribbean rum, circa 1941 Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. ... Brandy pot stills at the Van Ryn Brandy Cellar near Stellenbosch, South Africa. ... Drunkenness, in its most common usage, is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of ethyl alcohol to a degree that mental and physical facilities are noticeably impaired. ... The pint is a unit of volume or capacity. ... A quart is a unit of measurement for volume. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

Citrus juice (usually lime or lemon juice) was added to the recipe to cut down on the water's foulness. Although they did not know the reason at the time, Admiral Edward Vernon's sailors were healthier than the rest of the navy, due to the daily doses of vitamin C that prevented disease (mainly scurvy).^[1] This custom, in time, got the British the nickname limeys for the limes they consumed. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Top: ascorbic acid (reduced form) Bottom: dehydroascorbic acid (oxidized form) This article is about the nutrient. ... Scurvy (N.Lat. ... Look up limey in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

It is very widely believed that the name "grog" came from the nickname of Admiral Edward "Old Grog" Vernon, but since the word appears in a book written by Daniel Defoe in 1718, well before Admiral Vernon's West Indian career began, and 22 years before his famous order to dilute the rum ration, this cannot be so. Significantly, it is in the 1718 book (The Family Instructor, Part II) a little former slave boy, Toby, from Barbados, who is the character using the word, stating that "the black mans" in the West Indies "make the sugar, make the grog, much great work, much weary work all day long." Since Defoe had trading interests which gave him connections at the great seaports of the day, it is likely that he had heard the word used by similar visitors to Britain from the West Indies. At any rate, the word seems to definitely have entered English from the West Indies - it may have an African origin. It is likely, therefore, that "Old Grog"'s nickname came from the drink, rather than from his cloak and that his family put about the story about the grogram cloak to cover up this minor shame. However, while the word "grog" referring to rum antedates Vernon's rations, the use of the word to refer to diluted rum may post-date him.

The practice of serving grog twice a day was 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 imported rum concoction. 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. Continental Navy Jack The Continental Navy was authorized by the Continental Congress on October 13, 1775. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Robert Smith (November 3, 1757–November 26, 1842) was the second United States Secretary of the Navy from 1801 to 1809 and the sixth United States Secretary of State from 1809 to 1811. ... Flag of the United States Secretary of the Navy. ... Rye whiskey describes two types of whiskies, theoretically distilled from rye. ...

Although the American Navy ended the rum ration on September 1, 1862, the ration continued in the Royal Navy. The temperance movements of the late 19th century began to change the attitude toward drink and the days of grog slowly came to an end. In 1850 the size of the tot was halved to a quarter of a pint per day. The issue of grog to Officers ended in 1881, and to Warrant Officers in 1918. On January 28, 1970 the "Great Rum Debate" took place in the House of Commons, and on July 31, 1970 the last pipe of "Up Spirits" in the Royal Navy was heard and is referred today as "Black Tot Day". (Although all ratings received an allowance of an extra can of beer each day as compensation.) September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A cartoon from Australia ca. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... A boatswains pipe or boatswains whistle (pronounced Bosun) is a whistle that is made of a tube that directs air over a grape-sized metal sphere with a hole cut in the top. ...

Until the grog ration was discontinued in 1970, Navy rum was 95.5 proof, or 47.75% alcohol; the usual ration was an eighth of a pint, diluted 2:1 with water (3:1 until World War II). Extra rum rations were provided for special celebrations, like Trafalgar Day, and sailors might share their ration with the cook or with a messmate celebrating a birthday. Trafalgar Day, 21 October, was widely commemorated by parades, dinners and other events throughout much of the British Empire in the 19th and early 20th century as a celebration of the victory won by Admiral Horatio Nelsons British fleet over the combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle...

Over time the distribution of the rum ration became encrusted with elaborate ritual. At 11am the boatswain’s mate piped 'Up spirits,' the signal for the petty officer of the day to climb to the quarterdeck and collect (1) the keys to the spirit room from an officer, (2) the ship's cooper, and (3) 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. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. ... A cooper readies the end of a barrel at the Van Ryn Brandy Cellar near Stellenbosch, South Africa The barrel is sealed with a lid, waterproofed using reed leaves, and the end-ring fitted Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden barrels, casks, buckets and other similar wooden objects. ... The Royal Marines (RM), are the Royal Navys elite fighting forces. ... The term rating or rate carries different meanings depending on which navy is being discussed. ... Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organisations around the world. ...

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 authorized number of “tots” (half-pints) supervised by the petty officer of the day. The few tots of grog remaining in the tub ('plushers') were poured into the drains (“scuppers”) visibly running into the sea. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The petty officers were served first, and entitled to take their rum undiluted. The ratings drank their grog in one long gulp when they finished their work around noon.

In the Australian context 'grog' was used to describe diluted, adulterated and sub-standard rum, obtainable from sly-grog shops. In the early decades of the Australian colonies such 'grog' was often the only alcoholic beverage available to the working classes. Eventually in Australia, and also New Zealand, the word 'grog' came to be used as a slang term for any alcoholic beverage. In Sweden, it is a common description of drinks not made after a recipe, but simply mixing alcohol with soda, orange juice or similar. A sly grog shop (or shanty) is an Australian term for an unlicensed hotel or liquor-store, often with the added suggestion of selling poor-quality liquor; a place where alcoholic beverages are sold by an unlicensed vendor. ...

In certain military circles, grog is made simply by mixing together various alcohols into a large bowl.

Grog myths and stories

A popular story has been passed around sailing circles and on the internet regarding the consumption of alcohol on board 18th century Naval vessels. While its origins are dubious, it does attest to the love sailors have for their spirits.

The U.S.S. Constitution, as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons (184,000 l) of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (fresh water distillers). However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons (184,000 l) of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds (5,250 kg) of black powder and 79,400 gallons (300,500 l) of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds (250 kg) of beef and 64,300 gallons (243,400 l) of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, and though unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons (151,400 l) of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, NO rum, NO wine, NO whiskey and 38,600 gallons (146,100 l) of stagnant water.

Note: The USS Constitution was first put to sea 22 July 1798 and saw her first service patrolling the southeast coast of the United States during the Quasi-War with France. Given that the United States entered into a commercial agreement (known as the Jay Treaty) with Great Britain in 1794, a mission "To destroy and harass English shipping" would have been rather unlikely at the time. Single malt Scotch is a type of Scotch whisky, distilled by a single distillery, using malted barley as the only grain ingredient. ... USS Constitution, known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy. ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought entirely at sea between the United States and France from 1798 to 1801. ... The Treaty The Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain averted war, solved many issues left over from the Revolution, and opened ten years of peaceful trade in the midst of a large war. ...

A poem explaining the naming of grog:

"A mighty bowl on deck he drew.

And filled it to the brink;

Such drank the Burford's gallant crew,

And such the gods shall drink,

The sacred robe which Vernon wore

Was drenched within the same;

And hence his virtues guard our shore,

And Grog derives its name."

(Thomas Trotter, "Written on board the Berwick", in Notes & Queries, Series 1, 1781)

References

1. ^ "The Blood of Nelson" by Glenn Barnett - Military History - Oct 2006

• Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, Millennium Edition, revised by Adrian Room, 2001
• Constance Lathrop, "Grog," U. S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Mar 1935, pp. 377-380; letter, Robert Smith to Keith Spence, 11 Nov 1808, RG 45 (M209, Vol. 9), DNA
• Tyrone G. Martin, "Bob Smith," Encyclopedia of the War of 1812, New York: Garland Publishing Co., 1998
• James Pack, Nelson's Blood: The Story of Naval Rum Naval Institute Press, 1982
• Christopher McKee, Sober Men and True: Sailor Lives in the Royal Navy 1900-45, Harvard, 2003
• The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Daniel Defoe, Richard West, London, 1998, p. 227.
• Computer games: Monkey Island 1, Monkey Island 2 and Monkey Island 3 by LucasArts.

2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• List of rum producers
• Pusser's - a brand of rum made according to the traditional recipe of the Royal Navy
• Rum
• Bumbo
• Splice the mainbrace

• Brandy Eggnog