Talk:Grog

"grog and games"

It seems to me that those other games use "grog" to pay homage to Monkey Island, so that listing them here may be redundant.

Were sailors really given a gallon of beer a day?

It seems to me they would be drunk all day long with that much. Is there a source? 76.24.182.188 (talk) 01:58, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

Alcohol content of Navy Rum?

The article now says that "Until the grog ration was discontinued in 1970, Navy rum was 95.5 proof, or 54.6 per cent alcohol". However, the two numbers don't match -- 95.5 proof is the same as 47.75 per cent alcohol, and 54.6 per cent alcohol is 109.2 proof. (200 proof == 100% alcohol.) I don't know which number is correct, and I don't know where to find the correct number; is there anyone who has a good reference? Chip Unicorn 17:37, 12 September 2005 (UTC)

According to | Pusser's web site, they use the recipe for the original vendor of rum to the British navy. They offer their rum in three different proofs (without saying which one was actually used): 95.5 proof, 108 proof, and 84 proof. I'm going to assume that the 95.5 proof is the real one, since it matches one of the numbers already in the article. Chip Unicorn 17:46, 12 September 2005 (UTC)

Grog in Games section gone

I removed the grog in games section entirely, as it was pointless and was lowering the quality of what is otherwise a good article. It was the most trivial of trivia. --Xyzzyplugh 15:05, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

Black Tot Day

The photo says July 31st and the article says July 30. Which is it? Amber388 15:41, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

Limeys

"This custom, in time, got the British the nickname limeys for the lemons they consumed, (called limes at the time)." Is it the case that lemon's used to be called limes. A reference would be called for if this is the case.

Lemons were found to be more effective, but the Caribbean colonies mostly produced limes and so they were used. Lemons were not known as limes at that time. Martinusscriblerus (talk) 10:29, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

Ration

"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."

vs.

"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."

This is inconsistent, which ration and ratio is correct?

About the origin of the word "grog"

I want to propose another possible origin of the word "grog", the catalan word "groc", -yellow-, with the same pronunciation. Catalonia in the XVI, XVII, and XVIII centuries was a great producer of liquors, and a great part of the production was sold to English sailors or merchants or to the Royal Navy (The U.K. was an allied of Catalonia in the Spanish Succession War, between 1705 and 1712, and after the war, the British had the control of Menorca island during eighty years, and the population of Menorca is catalan-speaking). Between the most alcoholic liquors, one prove of the quality was the color, or in this case, the absence of colour. The high-quality liquours were crystal clear, and very expensive, and the cheapests ones, and of less quality were yellow ("groc" in catalan). The reason of the adquisition of the word by the british sailors in this explanation is that when the British sailors or merchants wanted to buy the cheapest liquour to the catalan merchants, they wanted "el groc", the yellow one. This is also consistent with the infamous reputation of the "grog". Saioric 01:10, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

By all means introduce this suggested origin - if you have a reference to cite. Otherwise this would sound like original research (or possibly conjecture). I'm just considering amending the etymology back to coming from Admiral Vernon, based on World Wide Words, in its 15 Mar 08 newsletter. Earthlyreason (talk) 09:25, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

I have also read the World Wide Words article on grog and remembered the reference to Defoe. I checked the reference given in Google Books and found that it said "ginger" not "grog" ("The Family Instructor, page 626). This was from an 1816 edition so it is possible that an earlier edition of Defoe's book did say "grog". I have brought this to Michael Quinion's attention. Martinusscriblerus (talk) 10:27, 15 March 2008 (UTC)

Practical demise of grog--Why?

The article clearly fails to explain what the advocates of temperance within the navies of the 1800s advocated to use in place of grog, and whether this shift was successful in practice (since the article tells us that grog was developed as an answer to water rations that became infected with algae). —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.88.218.121 (talk) 04:43, August 21, 2007 (UTC)

Great Article

I don't even care if there are page numbers in the references. I love the storytelling style/tone, how were you able to maintain it in a group-written article? What terrific wikiwork, perfect for reading late Saturday night in wintertime. Thank you! ~ Otterpops (talk) 03:55, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

Grog recipe poem

What about the old recipe poem:

One of Sour,  
Two of Sweet.
Three of Strong,
Four of Weak

meaning 1 part lime juice, 2 parts sugar, 3 parts rum and 4 parts water --Mainstreetmark (talk) 19:40, 11 March 2008 (UTC)

Myths and stories?

Doesn this section make any sense at all? I mean, it's a nice joke, but in no way elucidating other than "Sailors like booze." --Syzygy (talk) 13:35, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

Mojito similar to grog???

Besides both drinks containing rum, how is a grog similar to mojito? Mojito has its root from Cuba. The only modern drinks that derives its lineage to the grog is the Navy Grog, then perhaps the entire family of tiki drinks. Paranoid123 (talk) 15:35, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Any objections to me removing the mojito reference? Paranoid123 (talk) 21:30, 20 August 2008 (UTC)

Yes. I object to removal. Both drinks contain rum AND sugar AND lime AND water. The only significant difference is the mint. I think it is interesting that a drink currently considered very modern, trendy, and fashionable is, in fact, so similar to one of the oldest and most humble drinks. I'm going to reinsert the reference to grog in a day or two if no one objects.Newell Post (talk) 15:41, 26 August 2008 (UTC)

Support re-insertion Nutiketaiel (talk) 14:32, 3 September 2008 (UTC)

I'm still going to push to not reinstate the mojito as a grog derivative. Simply having similar ingredients does not make it so. What about the daiquiri? The mint julep? Where does it end? If we can find historic cocktail recipe books that prove their lineage, then okay. Paranoid123 (talk) 20:06, 30 September 2008 (UTC)