What percentage was pirate rum?

The ships carried three types of drinks: water, beer, and rum. The water was the first to go off. Therefore, they had to add a certain amount of rum to extend the life of the water. The Caribbean rum contained around 70 \% alcohol, which was detrimental to the health of the sailors.

Did pirates drink a lot of rum?

While pirates were known to drink anything they could get their hands on, the drink most commonly associated with them, of course, was rum. Whether they attained rum as loot during a raid or purchased it at port, their tales of drunken debauchery are the stuff of legend.

How often did pirates drink?

In 1655, off the coast of Jamaica, a new drink was tested out in that role: rum. Sailors took to the stuff pretty quick. If you were in the Navy, that meant you got a quarter-pint a day, twice a day, every day, and double that in combat or when they wanted you to work harder. That was pretty good.

Why did pirates choose rum?

Rum, distilled from sugar, however, was cheaper to transport and so became a staple export. This meant that many of the ships attacked by pirates were laden with barrels of rum, ripe for the taking. They could be sold for a pretty price, but pirates tended to drink a fair chunk of this kind of loot.

How much rum did sailors drink?

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

What alcohol did pirates drink?

As rum was produced in large quantities in the Caribbean, it was the most common alcoholic drink there. As the most common pirates in the popular literature and movies operate in the Caribbean, they usually drink rum. It is hard to imagine Mediterranean pirates drinking rum.

What is the connection between rum and Pirates?

From a literary point of view, the association of Rum and Pirates was enforced by R.L.Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Pirate characters such as, Capt. Billy Bones and Capt. Flint had been depicted as having high affinity to Rum. All this combined, we see, Jack Sparrow saying sadly– “why is always the rum gone??” when rum goes missing.

How much rum did people drink in the 18th century?

Estimates of rum consumption in the American colonies before the American Revolutionary War had every man, woman, or child drinking an average of 3 imperial gallons (14 l) of rum each year. In the 18th century ever increasing demands for sugar, molasses, rum, and slaves led to a feedback loop which intensified the triangular trade.

What is the history of rum?

Historical evidence suggests, and I am writing from the wiki article of origin of Rum, that during the late 16th and early 17th century, sugarcane plantation slaves in the Caribbean islands discovered a byproduct of sugar-making i.e. Molasses can be converted to an alcoholic beverage.