The Physical Spirits Alcohol on a naval vessel in the 1700s

The History of Brewing in America is a long and proud one, that we are glad to continue.  Recipes with roots in Medieval and Renaissance   Brewing were handed down and improved with local grains and hops, and there is much information to gain.

If you have never tried crafting your own wine or beer before, don't rush off to read a brewing newsgroup, it could be a might intimidating. Try talking to a local supplier, and you can start off with the easy kits of preprepared worts, just like I did. Although I use a local supplier, there are several places on the web where you can find supplies and kits

Why Beer? Because Tea Can Kill You! No, really. We have found definite evidence that indeed, that vicious brew, tea, can cause women to move to the bawdy house, and men to lose virility! Hey we didn't create the web site, so just look for yourself. Click the teapot,if you dare.

If you are ready to try a recipe from the web, take a gander at How to Brew Your Own Beer,  1861 Style Then move on to other recipes, and experimenting on your own.  Beer Recipes are everywhere!  In just a few minutes We found Beer Recipator Database and Steve and Al's Brewhaus

Spruce Beer - a commonly used method of protection from scurvy, it was for long considered preferable to grog despite it's eventual adoption by the British Navy once they had a reliable source in Jamaica. Reports even exist regarding the rejection of grog by the British Navy, due to it's apparent cause of sickness amongst the men, as opposed to beer. Personally I suspect that this is probably due to both the seamen's willingness to drink, and that the first surgeons to test it's effect to failed to take into account a need to vary the dosages, when comparing beer to rum. A man used to a gallon of beer a day, if handed a gallon of rum, certainly would tend to be "seasick" the next  day

Rum and the British Royal Navy - In 1740, Admiral Vernon attempted to reduce the amount of alcohol consumption by ordering that the daily ration of Rum (1 pint for a man, 1/2 pint for a boy) be diluted by the addition of water  At noon a man would receive 1/2 pint rum and one quart water, and the same again at six p.m. Vernon was already nicknamed "Old Grogam" for the cloak of grogam he wore, and sailors refered to this watered drink as "grog's." By 1795, the daily lime juice ration began to be added to this mixture.

Rum Keg

Naval Spirits

Blackstrap-An inferior kind of port wine.     Also a drink of rum and  molasses

Porter- A dark-brown, slightly bitter beer brewed from malt partly charred or browned from being dried at a high temperature

Bumper;- a cup or glass of wine or other drink filled to the brim, especially when used for a toast

Shrub - A alcoholic drink usually  made with orange or lemon juice, sugar and rum

Caudle- warm drink consisting of thin gruel mixed with wine or ale, sweetened and spiced. Primarily for the sick

Six-water grog- punishment grog of six portions water to one of rum

Dog's nose - A drink made of beer and gin or of ale and rum

Small-beer- weak, low beer

Spruce-beer - fermented beverage made with an extract obtained from spruce  needles  and branches, molasses and sugar.

Flip- Beer and Spirits, sweetened and heated with a hot iron

Grog- A mixture of rum and water served to ship's crew twice daily.

Stingo - A strong beer or  ale

Swipes- Poor, weak, or spoiled beer. Beer in general

Groggy-  drunk

Syllabub - A drink (or dessert if jelatine is added) made of sweetened milk or cream mixed with wine or liquor

Half-and-half grog - 50/50 water/rum

Kava- An intoxicating drink made from macerated roots of a certain polynesian  shrub

Three sheets in (to) the wind -Very drunk, derived from the fact that a ship with her sheets in the wind (blowing loose) is an unsteady, rolling vessel

Malmsey- A strong, sweet wine, originally from the area around the Greek city of Monemvasia in the Morea and later from Spain, the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands, as well as Greece

Toddy- the sap of various species of palm, preferably the wild date, the coconut and the palmyra, used as a beverage, and the liquor produced by it's fermentation

Monkey's Blood - A wardroom nickname for red wine

Negus- A drink invented by Colonel Francis Negus consisting of wine, especially port or sherry, hot water, sugar, lemon juice and spice

Tope - To drink liquor excessively  and habitually in large amount

vinolent - Tending to drunkenness, especially from wine

Posset- A drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other liquor and sugar and spices, used both as a cold remedy and a delicacy

Many folks have asked why we aren't interested in Civil War Reenactments. Frankly there is a perfectly good reason. September 1, 1862, the United States Navy discontinued regular liquor rations. Who would bloody-well want anything to do with such a navy?

Farewell to Grog This song was supposedly composed on August 31, 1862, and will be recognised by many as a variant of "The Flowing Bowl"

Come messmates pass the bottle round Our time is short, remember, For our grog must stop and our spirits drop On the first day of September

"All other nations are drinking Ray Charles beer and we are drinking Barry Manilow." --Dave Barry

Chorus: For tonight we'll merry, merry be For tonight we'll merry, merry be For tonight we'll merry, merry be Tomorrow we'll be sober.

"Why is American beer served cold? So you can tell it from urine." --David Moulton

Farewell old Rye, 'tis a sad sad word. But alas it must be spoken. The ruby cup must be given up, And the demijohn be broken.

Chorus:

"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind." --Humphrey Bogart

Jack's happy days will soon be gone, To return again, Oh never! For they've raised his pay five cents a day But stopped his grog forever.

"Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure." --Ambrose Bierce

Chorus:

Yet memory oft' will backward turn, And dwell with fondness partial On the days when Gin was not a sin Nor cocktails brought court-martial.

"People who drink light beer don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot." --Capital Brewery, Middleton, WI

Chorus:

(Bos'n-mates to pipe Splice the Mainbrace)

All hands to splice the mainbrace, call But split it now in sorrow, For the spirit-room key will be slid away Forever, on the morrow

Chorus:

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