Did pirates actually drink rum?

Pirates were widely known in contemporary sources to drink just about anything they could get their hands on, but rum was undoubtedly their favourite tonic for long voyages. Whether the spirit was gained by force, coin, or stealth the drunken escapades it fuelled are now the stuff of legend.

Did sailors drink straight rum?

To keep the crew hydrated, ships typically stored three types of liquid sustenance: water, beer, and 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).

When did people start drinking rum?

Rums originated in the West Indies and are first mentioned in records from Barbados in about 1650. They were called “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” and by 1667 were simply called rum.

Did pirates drink rum or brandy?

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.

When did pirates drink rum?

Pirate hunters intercepted the ship while the crew was passed out drunk. From 1650 it became mandatory to give a daily ration of rum to British corsairs. This tradition lasted up until 1970. During that time, the captains would even sometimes double the ration of rum.

What kind of rum would pirates drink?

Pirate’s Grog is the award winning golden rum that was originally discovered on Roatán, a small Caribbean island situated 60km off the coast of Honduras. The name ‘Pirate’s Grog’ is derived from days of old when pirates and buccaneers used the island as a resting point between voyages.

What drinks did pirates drink?

Pirates often mixed rum, sugar water, and lime juice to make the alcohol easier to drink, rid their water-cask of bacteria, and stave off scurvy. Just tell people that the next time you order one.

Did rum prevent scurvy?

4 – Pirates drank rum to prevent scurvy Grog is a well-known mariner’s beverage made from a blend of sugar-water, lime juice and rum. The Vitamin C in limes helped pirates prevent scurvy, a disease that causes teeth to fall out — and pirates needed their teeth to bite enemies.

Did slaves drink rum?

Slaves also seined the boiling matter to collect the molasses—the syrupy byproduct from making sugar.” Enslaved people may have even developed the rum-making process: “Molasses could be sold and used as a sweetener too, but the fermented molasses was enjoyed by the slaves and by poor whites.

Why did the pirates drink rum?

Pirates drank it to prevent diseases such as scurvy, the flu, and to eliminate stress. Rum was inexpensive and it quickly became popular among sailors and in the pirate community. In fact, the seafaring explorers and conquerors soon began consuming it in industrial quantities.