Grog and Pusser's Rum

Grog and Pusser's Rum
             Origin of "Grog"
             A Short History of Grog - Barney Simon
             Bill Nyden Replies to Barney
             What Is Grog? - Bruce Trinque
             Grog According to Pusser's Rum
             Grog According to Cecil Adams - Satyam
             The Real Nelson Experience - Bruce Trinque
             Pusser's Grog: The Simple Method
             Pusser's Grog: The Complex Method
             Royal Navy Frog (FROzen Grog) - Gibbons Burke
             Grog Recipe (Without Pusser's) - Johnny the Bassman
             Edmund Burton Adds...
Another Grog Song - Dave Clark
Grog in Real Life - John Arthur

Grog and Pusser's Rum
Origin of "Grog" - From Victuals and Provisions
Owing to the limited stowage of beer, the practice of' issuing rum as a substitute came into being early in the 18th Century, and finally was officially adopted. Rum, like beer or wine. was issued twice a day, the allowance being one pint for men and half a pint for boys. It appears that the beer was weak, generally stinking, and not the type of beverage that was capable of putting the "Souls of three butchers into one weaver." I have read that both Hawkins and Frobisher decided that they could cruise "As long as the beer lasted". In 1740, Admiral Vernon instituted the practice of having the rum watered, and since those days it has borne the name of Grog, this being the nickname of the Admiral who habitually wore grogram clothing and was nicknamed Old Grog.

A Short History of Grog - Barney Simon
I was thumbing around looking for the source of these things and found this:
"In 1740 Admiral Vernon of the British fleet decided to water down the navy's rum. Needless to say, the sailors weren't too pleased and called Admiral Vernon, Old Grog, after the stiff wool grogram coats he wore. The term "grog" soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you were drunk on this grog, you were "groggy", a word still in use today."
Is it true?

Bill Nyden Replies to Barney
True. But the actual amount of rum wasn't reduced, just diluted. Vernon's object was to prevent the sailors from saving their rum rations until they had enough to get thoroughly plastered. The rum and water mix spoiled and became undrinkable in less than a day. Later, lime or lemon juice was added to the grog to give the crew their daily anti-scorbutic dose.
This gives part of the answer to one of my favorite trivia questions: What do George Washington's home and the naval liquor ration have in common?
Answer: They were both named after the same person.
Washington's older (half-)brother was a friend and admirer of Vernon, and named the estate for him. When GW acquired the estate, he didn't rename it. Incidentally, the elder Washington tried to get George an appointment as midshipman on one of Vernon's ships. Wouldn't that have changed history.

What Is Grog? - Bruce Trinque
Grog is water and rum -- usually about three parts water to one part rum, but sometimes two to one, sometimes four or even five to one. The full daily ration of rum (before being cut with water) was 1/2 pint, with half that being served two times a day. A mere half cup at a time! I think I have read that the rum of the era was slightly stronger than our usual rum, too. Oh, and the Navy added lime or lemon juice as a scurvy preventative.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: How to Enjoy a Pusser's

Grog According to Pusser's Rum
From 1655 to 1 August, 1970, the sailors of Britain's Royal Navy received a daily ration of rum from the ship's Purser. No one is quite sure who the first person was who eventually said, 'hmmm... this might not be such a good idea'. Admittedly, the ration of rum wasn't a whole lot, and the sailors are known to have watered it down into a drink known as 'Grog' to make the rum last longer. But for 300 years ships of the Royal Navy operated without the benefit of warning labels proclaiming, 'Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to operate machinery'.
Drunken sailors are known to have difficulties with enunciating their words clearly and precisely. And the word 'Purser' quickly became 'Pusser' and that is how the name of the rum was born, and, while it is no longer issued to the crews of Royal Navy ships, British Navy Pusser's Rum, a product of the British Caribbean islands of Guyana, Trinidad, and the British Virgin Islands, is sold in bottles worldwide.

Grog According to Cecil Adams - Satyam
It seems someone asked Cecil Adams about grog. The person asking says:
I just finished watching the movie Master and Commander. What, pray tell, is the alcoholic substance called "grog"?
The answer does not include lime juice in the recipe, just water and rum. I'm sure no sailor cared for the lime juice, but I believe it was part of it in those days.

The Real Nelson Experience - Bruce Trinque
[F]or the real Nelsonian experience, you must use Pusser's Rum, blended to the same formula as that traditionally supplied to the Royal Navy at a hearty 95.5 proof (none of your weak-kneed 80 proof, thank you very much). It is available at various package stores of special merit. And two US dollars go to the Royal Navy Sailors' Fund from the purchase of every bottle.

Pusser's Grog: The Simple Method
2 Parts water
1 part rum

Pusser's Grog: The Complex Method
1 shot rum
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
Squeeze of lime juice
Cinnamon stick
Boiling water
Stir all ingredients, adding enough boiling water to fill mug or glass.

Grog Royal Navy Frog (FROzen Grog) - Gibbons Burke
Speaking of canonical recipes, I would like to report to the group that a series of experiments in the refining of the recipe for Royal Navy Frog (FROzen Grog) were carried out on the Long Island shore this weekend. While it was felt that moderately satisfactory results were achieved, the proceedings were not recorded in a scientific manner, and no one seems to remember them. However, the basic instructions for the preparation of this concoction are as follows:
Empty a 6 oz. can of Minute Maid Frozen Limeade into a blender. Add 6-9 oz. Pusser's Rum (using the empty limeade can or can-and-a-half as a measure.) If Pusser's cannot be obtained, another dark rum will serve. Fill the blender with ice. Blend until the ice reaches a silky-smooth consistency with no lumps. Drink.
(Hemingway purists will insist that this is a re-jiggering of the recipe for a frozen daquiri, but this ain't a Hemingway list, is it?)

Grog Recipe (Without Pusser's) - Johnny the Bassman
Much grog got mixed and "tossed off with a round turn" yesterday at Washington Harbour. Here is the promised recipe (my brother insisted I use Myer's Jamaican Dark Rum, for my part light Barcardi is fine.)
1 part Rum
3 parts water (this is three water grog. I was tempted to use Potomac river water for a bit of authenticity, but didn't.)
1/2 part Real Lime (real lemon is OK, I like Real Lime) concentrated lime juice (I wrote "Bronte" on my bottle with a Sharpie)
1/2 part Sugar (I tried brown sugar, it makes no difference)
Shake, shake, shake, to dissolve the sugar.
Add ice, shake again.
Pour into a tumbler and toss back without a wink, or is it with a wink?? Without a blink??

Edmund Burton Adds...
Add the sugar to the water before adding liquor. It dissolves much faster.

A Grog Song - Dave Clark
I found this sad little ditty about one of the most terrible casualties of the American Civil War at sea. It refers not to the depredations of the CSS Alabama nor the clash of ironclads, but to the ending of the Grog ration in the union Navy in September 1, 1862, a black day indeed!

Come, messmates, pass the bottle 'round
Our time is short, remember,
For our grog must stop,
And our spirits drop,
On the first day of September.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
Tomorrow we'll be sober.

Farewell old rye, 'tis a sad, sad word
But alas! it must be spoken,
The ruby cup must be given up,
And the demijohn be broken.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
Tomorrow we'll be sober.

Jack's happy days will soon be gone,
To return again, oh never!
For they've raised his pay five cents a day,
But stopped his grog forever.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
Tomorrow we'll be sober.

Yet memory oft' will backward turn, And dwell with fondness partial,
On the days when gin was not a sin,
Nor cocktails brought courts-martial.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
Tomorrow we'll be sober.

All hands to splice the main brace, call,
But splice it now in sorrow
For the spirit-room key will be laid away
Forever, on tomorrow.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
Tomorrow we'll be sober.

Caspar Schenk, USN composed the tune and it was accordingly sung the night of August 31, 1862 in the wardroom of the U.S.S. Portsmouth.

Grog in Real Life - John Arthur
I am (or was) a very simple sailor. I drew my tot when serving in the Royal Navy more than sixty years ago. My authorities include Covey Crump who goes to some length, I quote (verbatim):
"GROG is the mixture of one-eighth of a pint of rum with one-fourth pint of water (ie., 1 part rum, 2 parts water) issued as a daily ration to all ratings below Petty Officer of and over the age of 20 years who desire it; CPOs and POs draw their rum neat; men entitled to the rum or grog issue who do not draw it receive GROG MONEY (21/- per part or) in lieu; officers are not entitled to the daily ration of rum or grog. Grog money was increased to 3d per day in 1919; prior to then it had been 1s/7d per month."
In 1740 Admiral Vernon (commonly known as "Old Grog" because of the cloak he habitually wore, made of a coarse kind of taffeta called Grogram) introduced the watering-down of the sailors' rum; the watered rum accordingly soon achieved the name of Grog. In 1740 the issue was 1 pint of rum mixed with 1 quart of water, issued in the forenoon and again in the evening; the evening issue was stopped in 1824 and the ration of rum reduced to one gill in 1850. Two-water grog replaced three-water grog early in 1937.
Admiral Vernon's actual instruction about grog is contained in a letter dated from HMS BURFORD at Port Royal, Jamaica, 30 August, 1940; it directs that the daily allowance of 1 pint rum per man is to be mixed with a quart of water 'in one scuttled butt kept for that purpose, and to be done upon deck, in the presence of the Lieutenant of the Watch, who is to see that no man is cheated of his proper allowance'. (A scuttled butt is a barrel with one end removed).
There is a useful contribution from the Royal Canadian Navy which includes a recipe which would be much more appealing to transatlantic palates (if that is the right word). This drink isn't anything like the old grog, but it is tasteful and refreshing.

Modern Navy Grog
Blend with 1 cup cracked ice:
- 3 ounces Pusser's
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1 ounce passion fruit nectar
- 1/2 ounce Falernum
Blend briefly and pour into old fashioned glass with a few ice cubes.
Garnish with fruit and serve with a straw.

I would like to make two points. The original meaning of the word "scuttlebutt". This word was also used to describe those rumours which can race around a ship without any real basis. Maybe it still is.
And a note about "Old Grog". Admiral Vernon named his house in Kensal Green after his famous battle of Portobello. The road leading from this house to the turnpike in Notting Hill was always referred to as the lane. It still is by the older generation. But of course its real name is the Portobello Road. I live there.
Grog was navy rum plus twice its volume of water. In my day it was issued to all ratings aged twenty or more. A rating would have his station card marked "G T or UA". If he was T (temperance) he got 3d. a day added to his pay. May not sound a lot, but an OD's pay then was 2/- a day.
At 1130 each day there would be a pipe: "D'ye hear there? Up spirits". There would always be somebody to say "Stand fast, the Holy Ghost". A member of each mess would turn up with the ubiquitous fanny to the rum tub, where under the supervision of an officer, with a Royal Marine sentry, he would draw the rum ration for his mess. Any grog left over would be ditched, under the officer's supervision.
Chief and Petty Officers would draw their tots neat. Officers only ever drunk rum on those special occasions when the Admiralty had sent out a general signal to splice the mainbrace. The wardroom tots were put into a special punch-bowl and converted into a heady brew.
Rum was the acknowledged currency of the lower deck. "Sippers" or "Gulpers" were given as the occasion demanded: a birthday, a new baby, or even promotion. But on a small ship such as a corvette it was a bit different. A blind eye was turned when it came to watering the tot, and more often than not, it was issued neat. And quite often it was bottled, a truly heinous crime if it was found out. Folklore gave out that a couple of raisins should be added to the bottle to help it keep. After twenty days at sea escorting a convoy, and a pretty rough sea at that, the crew of a corvette would take to the bottle. On the American side, going alongside the oiler would mean a minor invasion by the US sailors looking for alcohol. But if it meant returning to a home port, half the ship's company would go on leave, and a goodly number of the remainder would get paralytic drunk. A form of debriefing?
Lime juice was originally issued to prevent scurvy. The British were called "Limeys" because of it. In the tropics we were provided with lime juice, but with salt tablets added to combat loss from sweating.