What did sailors drink rum with?

In time, the mix of rum and water adopted by Vernon came to be called grog. The term was later also applied to the mix of rum, water, lime juice and sugar that was doled out to sailors to prevent scurvy. Grog is also the root of the term groggy.

How did the Royal Navy drink rum?

Senior ratings (petty officers and above) received their rum neat, whilst for junior ratings it was diluted with two parts of water to make three-eighths of an imperial pint (213 ml) of grog. Rum, due to its highly flammable nature, was stored in large barrels in a special rum store in the bowels of the ship.

Did sailors drink rum instead of water?

Sailors were given a daily tot of rum from 1655 until the ration was abolished, as recently as 1970. Originally it was given to sailors neat when the beer ran out (water was not safe to drink as it became rancid very quickly at sea and it was often taken from polluted rivers, such as the Thames).

Why did they drink rum on ships?

A Brief History of the Rum Ration

A gallon of beer was the original rationed drink for sailors, but it too could spoil easily at sea. Around 1655, many ships switched over to rum rations instead. It didn't rot inside barrels and also didn't take up as much room as beer, freeing precious space for cargo.

What did sailors call rum diluted with water?

Grog is a term used for a variety of alcoholic beverages. The word originally referred to rum diluted with water (and later on long sea voyages, also added the juice of limes or lemons), which British Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon introduced into the naval squadron he commanded in the West Indies on 21 August 1740.

Why Pirates Drank Rum | The Pirates Port

What was Jack Sparrow drinking?

Rum was a molasses-based, distilled alcoholic beverage largely produced in the Caribbean. Rum was the preferred alcoholic drink of pirates, particularly favored by Captain Jack Sparrow.

How did pirates drink rum?

Of course, sailors and pirates didn't just drink rum straight. To make it more palatable, they would mix it with a bit of water to make grog; or water, sugar, and nutmeg (to make bumbo). Today, consumers tend to prefer mojitos and Mai Tais.

How did pirates survive on rum?

Rum Was Plentiful

Rum, which was distilled from sugar, became a primary export. As a result, many of the ships on the waters that pirates attacked were filled with it. Crews tended to drink much of the liquid loot they found. However, rum was also used as a currency and often traded for goods.

How much was a tot of rum in the Navy?

How much rum did sailors drink? From around 1655, a pint of rum was the usual ration handed to each sailor in the Royal Navy. It was served every day, half at 12 noon and the second half at about 5 or 6pm (though the amount decreased in following years). The rum ration was known as 'Pusser's Rum'.

What does Pusser mean in the Navy?

The term pusser was Royal Navy slang for the purser aboard ship. It was the purser that was responsible for the rum store on the ship and for supervising doling out the daily rum tot.

Do the Navy still get rum?

Royal Navy sailors, however, love their customs and ceremonial rituals, so Black Tot Day was born … a final salute with a tot of rum which has since become a once-a-year tradition to commemorate the end of the historic daily tradition.

How much rum were sailors allowed?

In the 18th century, each sailor was allotted half an Imperial pint of rum a day, which translates to about ten ounces.

What did sailors drink to prevent scurvy?

The British Navy gave its sailors limes or lemon juice rations to ward off scurvy – earning them the nickname of "Limeys" among the American sailors who didn't know about or believe in the preventative treatment.

What was the main drink for sailors?

Known as grog, Vernon's punch-like concoction became a Navy staple that did more than make sailors happy. It kept them alive, as vitamin C from lime juice prevented scurvy. Soon the idea spread beyond the boat.

Did rum prevent scurvy?

Rum does not prevent scurvy. The Royal Navy started the issue of citrus fruits and juices to prevent scurvy hence the nickname “Limeys” - limes.

Why is navy rum so strong?

Ensuring the high strength of the alcohol not only protected the navy from being overcharged for watered-down rum but also ensured rum-soaked gunpowder remained explosive.

Why are sailors called Jack?

Round about the year 1700, landlubbers began calling sailors 'Jack tars': 'Jack' because Jack was already a popular name for a sailor; 'tars' because long-haired sailors were dipping their locks in tar to make a pigtail.

When did the US Navy stop alcohol?

To be fair to Olcott, this story began out of his control on July 1, 1914, when General Order Number 99 went into effect banning the consumption of alcohol on US Navy vessels and shore stations.

When did the US Navy ban alcohol?

The consumption of alcohol on board U.S. Navy vessels was prohibited by General Order 99, effective 1 July 1914, issued by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on 1 June 1914.

Did pirates drink all day?

Hotbed of Pirate Action

They didn't have to answer to any commanders of the navy and the pay was much better than being in the military. They also enjoyed that they had no rules to abide by and they were allowed to drink anytime.

Did slaves drink rum?

Drawing on diverse West African cultural traditions of alcohol use, enslaved peoples in the Caribbean used rum as a key component of sociability and as a vehicle to the spiritual world. Rum drinking offered a momentary escape from harsh labor regimens and the general anxieties of life on sugar estates.

What did pirates drink most?

According to most accounts, the principal beverage that pirates drank was rum, although ale (beer) was also served on most pirate ships. Ale was usually only available on shorter journeys or at the beginning of a long adventure because it would turn bad over time.

Why did pirates wear earrings?

Some pirates were convinced that wearing an earring would improve or even cure bad eyesight, as they believed that the precious metals in an earring possessed magical healing powers. Another tale was that pierced ears would prevent seasickness.

What are rum nicknames?

6.Rum Has a Lot of Nicknames

Just a few include: Kill-Devil, Demon Water, Navy Neaters, Nelson's Blood, Barbados Water, Grog, Pirates Drink and Rumbullion.