Whilst we romanticise our seas and oceans (and why wouldn’t we) it did present a myriad of challenges faced by seafarers, one of the most persistent in ye olde days was scurvy, a debilitating disease caused by a lack of vitamin C. Enter the hero of our story and one of our house cocktails: Grog! 

The origins of Grog are rooted in the British Royal Navy, a time when long voyages presented significant logistical challenges, not least of which was how to keep sailors healthy. In the early 18th century, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, known affectionately as “Old Grog” for his grogram cloak, made a groundbreaking decision. In 1740, he ordered that the sailors’ daily ration of rum, which had been a standard issue since the 17th century, be diluted with water. The intent was to reduce drunkenness among the crew, but the addition of lime or lemon juice to the mix to improve the taste inadvertently addressed another critical issue: scurvy.

Thus, the Grog cocktail was born, a simple blend of rum, water, and citrus juice. The recipe typically called for a ratio of four parts water to one part rum, with citrus juice added to taste. This mixture not only made the water safer to drink by killing off bacteria but also provided essential nutrients that helped prevent the dreaded scurvy. The inclusion of sugar or cinnamon was sometimes added to enhance the flavor, making it more palatable for the sailors.