Featured Recipe: Feeling Groggy (Grog)

Feeling Groggy -
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A staple in our tiki recipe book, the Grog is about as simple (yet versatile) as a cocktail can be.  Similar to a gin and tonic or whiskey sour, the Grog boils down to 2 simple factors:  quality ingredients and a love of good spirits.

The following recipe is an example of a traditional Grog, yet there are many different versions and recipes available (of which we will sure be posting down the road).  We also provide some of the history behind the drink, necessary ingredients, and steps for making it at home.  Cheers!

Cocktail History:

During Britain’s colonization of the Caribbean during the mid-seventeenth century, conditions were abysmal aboard naval ships and much of the crew were forced into service.  In order to combat dismay and improve morale, the British Royal Navy introduced rum rations (know as a “tot”) to sailors in the amount of half of a pint of rum per day (a navy tradition that continued until July 31, 1970)

Since rum production was thriving in the Caribbean at the time, the spirit was easy to acquire in large quantities (despite being far from home).  However, the rum produced in this region was very high proof, leaving many of the sailors drunk and unable to perform their duties. 

In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon “Old Grogham” intervened, ordering the rum rations to be watered down and split in half to avoid further disruptions.  He also suggested that sailors use sugar and lime to dilute their rum, and to make it more palatable (as the high proof, unfiltered rum was quite hard to stomach).

Admiral Vernon inadvertently discovered the recipe for the modern grog (and a surprisingly good defense for scurvy).  Born out of wartime necessity, the grog still lives on in tiki tradition today.

Recipe/ Instructions

Glassware:  Double Old Fashioned/ Rocks Glass

Ingredients:

• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• ½ oz Demerara Syrup (see below for Demerara syrup recipe)
• 2 oz rum (we used Mount Gay XO, but there are a variety of different rums that can be used to change the profile of the cocktail – see our recommendations at the bottom of this post)

Demerara syrup recipe (if needed):

1. 2 cups water, 1 cup Demerara sugar, 3 cups granulated sugar
2. Bring water to boil in a saucepan over high heat.
3. Add Demerara sugar and stir with whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute)
4. Add granulated sugar and stir with whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute)
5. Remove from heat and let cool – store in a sealed contain in the refrigerator for up to several weeks

 
Cocktail Steps:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice.  Strain into glass over cubed or crushed ice. 

Garnish:
Add a lime wheel for garnish
 
Wayward Spirits Rating and Twist:
Overall Score – 4 – The grog is a low-fuss, easy tiki drink to make.  Though it lacks many of the complex flavors found in other recipes, it is a blank slate to experiment and introduce new flavors, and allows the drinker to taste the subtle differences between rums they choose to use.  Additionally, it is a fantastic drink to make in bulk if you are throwing a tiki party.

​Try using a mixture of demerara syrup and honey syrup (¼ oz of demerara, ¼ oz honey syrup) instead for a slightly different flavor.  Additionally, this is a great cocktail to experiment with different rums to find which brands, regions, or tasting notes you enjoy most – try making it with a black blended rum (such as Lemon Hart 80), a high-proof pot still lightly aged rum (such as Smith and Cross), or a black pot still rum (Hamilton Jamaica Black).