The History of Rum with the Sea





Rum and the sea are inseparable, and no rum is more akin to the sea and the seaman than is British Navy Pusser’s Rum. For more than 300 years, sailors of Great Britain’s Royal Navy were issued a daily ration of rum by the Purser (corrupted to "Pusser" by the Jack Tars). From 1655 to 1970 "Pusser’s Rum" was one of the few daily comforts afforded those early seamen of Britain's Navy as they fought across the globe to keep the Empire intact and its sea lanes open.

Pusser’s Rum was never sold or offered to the public, and if a rum connoisseur managed to acquire a tot or two, he saved it for a very special occasion. It is said by connoisseurs to be more like a fine brandy than a rum, with a full, rich flavor and a smoothness which are unsurpassed. It is a sipping rum, which, of course, may also be mixed. Its full mellow flavor comes through anything you might mix it with. Either neat or mixed, you will notice and enjoy the full, rich flavor of Pusser’s rum.

Splice the Main Brace




In days of yore, the great ships of the sea were propelled only by the wind in their squaresails. The sails were attached to spars called 'yards' and the lines to trim the sails were called 'braces'. These ran from the end of each yard to the deck. The 'Main Brace' was the largest and heaviest of all the running rigging, and to splice it (when required) was one of the most difficult tasks on board ship. And so it was that to those who 'Spliced the Main Brace' went a double issue of rum. In time, the expression became synonymous with a double issue of Pusser's Rum. Before the year 1800, the order to "Splice the Main Brace" was always given for a Fleet Review, a Royal birth, or under difficult conditions of cold and fatigue -- and usually just before battle as described in the naval ballad of 1805. In more recent times, this old expression is sometimes used by sailors as an invitation to board a vessel or enter private quarters for free drink and hospitality -- and to say to a friend, "Let's 'Splice the Main Brace'!" is synonymous with, "Let's have a drink!"

Ballad of 1805




A sail on our lee bow appears
She looms like a French Man of War
Then pipe up all hands my brave Tars
And cheerly for chasing prepare
And give her a British salute
But now see her top-sails aback
She now seems making ready to fight
Up hammocks! Down chests! Clear the deck!
And see all your matches alight.
Now splice the main-brace and to quarters away
Send every one
True to his gun
Till the battle be done
We soon shall compel them to fight, sink or run
Huzza for Old England, huzza!



The History of Pusser's Rum & the British Navy




For well over 300 years, from before the days of Nelson, wooden ships, and iron men, the Royal Navy issued Pusser's rum daily to the crews of their ships -- and always a double issue before battle. First introduced into the navy in 1655 as a substitute for beer, by 1731 it was in general use.

The name Pusser's is nothing more than a corruption of the word "purser". On board ship, the purser is responsible for ship's stores -- including the rum. Everything that came from the purser was called "Pusser's" -- and still is today. Hence the name for Pusser's Rum!

The story of rum in the Navy is largely that of social change, both in England and the Royal Navy. From 1650 throughout the 18th century shipboard life was incredibly difficult, and to make life more bearable, rum played it's part in reducing sensitivity. Also, battles were fought "eyeball-to-eyeball" and the mental alertness and courage required to pack a cannonball into a muzzle loader were far different from that required to operate a modern weapons system. Thus in 1970, the Admiralty Board decided that there was no place for the daily issue of rum in a modern navy. On July 31st, 1970, the issue of Pusser's Rum ceased. The rum tradition, one of the longest in seafaring, ended. The last tot of Pusser's was drunk aboard Their Majesties Ships. 'Round the world in every ship of the Navy, glasses were raised in their final salute. "The Queen!", they said, and it's no exaggeration to say that at that moment many a strong man shed a tear at the passing of a tradition so old and fine -- that was to be no more.

On the Origin of Grog





The method of issue and the mixture of the rum changed over the years. Prior to 1740 rum was issued to the men neat -- that is without water. Admiral Vernon (pictured here), the hero of Portobello and the Commander in Chief West Indies changed all this by his issuance of his infamous Order to Captains no. 349 on August 21, 1740. His order refers to the "unanimous opinion of both Captains and Surgeons that the pernicious custom of the seaman drinking their allowance of rum in drams, and often at once, is attended with many fatal effects to their morals as well as their health ... besides the ill consequences of stupifying [sic] their rational qualities ... You are hereby required and directed ... that the respective daily allowance ... be every day mixed with the proportion of a quart of water to a half pint of rum, to be mixed in a scuttled butt kept for that purpose, and to be done upon the deck, and in the presence of the Lieutenant of the Watch who is to take particular care to see that the men are not defrauded in having their full allowance of rum... and let those that are good husbanders receive extra lime juice and sugar that it be made more palatable to them."

The tars had affectionately nicknamed Vernon "Old Grog" from the grogram cloak he often wore on the quarter deck. The watered rum gave great offence to the men, and soon they began referring to it contemptuously as "Grog" from the name they'd already provided Vernon. Thus, true Grog is Pusser's Rum and water with lime juice and brown sugar!

The "scuttled butt" in Vernon's Order to Captains eventually became the "Rum Tub" from which Grog was issued to leading rates and below. Petty Officers received their Pusser's Rum 'neat' directly from the Spirit Room at 1100 hours daily when the bos'n piped "Up Spirits!" to herald the event. The issue of Grog followed one hour later.

Changes in the Issue





The ration was later increased to two parts water and one part rum, and in 1756, the daily ration of PUSSER'S was increased to one pint per day per man. Finally, just before the ration ended in 1970, it was reduced to one-eighth pint.

Over the more than 300 years that Pusser's Rum was issued on board their Majesties' ships, a whole litany of special terminology grew up around it. The rum became a form of currency, a way to pay off old debts or to reward a shipmate for a favor. They even played cards for it. As a currency, the amount to be given from a man's daily tot had to be defined, thus some of the terms below were used to describe the amount.

Grog:

Traditionally, 2 parts water, 1 part Pusser's Rum

Tot:

1/8th pint rum, the standard daily ration

Neat:

Rum without water

Sippers:

A small gentlemanly sip from a friend's rum issue

Gulpers:

One, but only one, big swallow from another's tot

Sandy Bottoms:

To see off whatever's in a mug when offered by a friend

Splice the Main Brace:

A double tot for a job well done, or an invitation aboard for free drinks

The Framework of Hospitality:

Where 3 sippers equals 1 gulp, and 3 gulps equal 1 tot!

Bob's-a-Dying:

In Nelson's day meant a 'stupendous, drunken bash'



GOOD TO THE LAST DROP


"Such a day, rum all out:-Our company somewhat sober:-A dam'd confusion amongst us! -Rogues a-plotting:-Great talk of separation-so I looked sharp for a prize: such a day took one, with a great deal of liquor on board, so kept the company hot, damned hot; then all things went well again."


From: Drinke and Welcome (1637) by John Taylor, the Water Poet
"Ale is rightly called nappy, for it will set a nap upon a mans threed-bare eyes when he is sleepy. It is called Merry-goe-downe, for it slides downe merrily; It is fragrant to the Sent. It is most pleasing to the taste. The flowring and mantling of it. (like chequer worke) with verdant smiling of it, it is delightefull to the Sight, it is Touching or Feeling to the Braine and Heart; and (to please the senses all) it provokes men to singing and mirth, which is contenting to the Hearing. The speedy taking of it doth comfort a heavy troubled minde; it will make a weeping widowe laugh and forget sorrow for her deceas's husband. It will set a Bashfull Suiter a wooing; It heates the chill blood of Aged; it will cause a man to speake past his owne or any other man's capacity, or understanding; It sets an Edge on Logick and Rhetorick; It is a friend to the Muses; It inspires the poore Poet, that cannot compasse the price of Canarie or Gacoign; It mounts the Musican 'bove Eccla; It makes the Balladmaker Rime beyond Reason; It is a Repairer of a decaide Colour in the face; It puts Eloquence into the Oratour; It will make the Philosopher talke profoundly, the Scholar learnedly. and the Lawyer acute and feelingly. Ale at Whitesontide, or at Whitsontide or a Whitson Church Ale, is a repairer of decayed Countrey Churches; It is a great friend to Truth; so they that drinke of it (to the purpose) will reveale all they know, be it never so secret to be kept; It is a Embleme of Justice, for it allowes, and veeds measure; It will put courage into a Coward, and make him swagger and fight; It is a Seale to many a good Bargaine. The Physittian will commend it; the Lawyer will defend it; It neither hurts or kils any but those that abuse it unmeasurably and beyond bearing; It doth good to as many as take it rightly; It is as good as a Paire of Spectacles to clear the Eyesight of an Old Parish Clarke; and in Conclusion, it is such a nourisher of Mankinde, that if my Mouth were as bigge as Bishopgaet, my Pen as long as a Maypole, and my Inke a flowing spring, or a standing fishpond yet I could not with my Mouth, Pen or Inke speake or write the truw worth and worthiness of Ale."



For any true sailor, drink means only one thing: Spirits. And when you mention spirits and the Royal Navy, you naturally think of rum. While rum was a very popular form of spirits among the crew, it was not the only spirit issued. In fact it was considered for use only when beer was not available.
There were two forms of beer issued on ships, small beer and strong beer. A small beer was a weak form of beer, while the strong beer had malt add to aid in the ferment process. The small beer was cheap to procure but had a limited shelf life, it would go sour within weeks. For this reason it was primarily used for short voyages only. The strong beer, because it had more alcoholic content, lasted longer but was more expensive. For this reason it was primarily used on longer voyages. The standard ration of beer was a gallon per seaman per day.



Mississippi Mud Famous Slow Brewed Black & Tan Beer
Samual Adams Triple Bock
Catamount Porter
McEwan's Scotch Ale
Rolling Rock Bock
The Shipyard Export Ale
Saranac Black & Tan
Michael Shea's Irish Amber
New Amsterdam Black & Tan
Leinenhugel's Limited Lager
Michelob Amber Bock
Steamship's Captain Lager
Grolsch Premium Lager
Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve
Fischer d'Alsace Amber
Red Lady Ale
New Amsterdam Light Amber Beer
Blackbeard Ale
Weeping Radish Fest Amber Lager
Weeping Radish Black Radish Dark Lager
Weeping Radish Corolla Gold Pilsner Lager
Salvator Double Bock
Samual Adams Summer Ale
Stoudt's Honey Double Bock
Long Shot Black Lager
Liberty Ale
Penn Dark Lager
Wild Boar Special Amber
Celebrator Dopplebock
Sierra Nevada Porter
Algonquin Black & Tan
Devil Mountain Black Honey Ale
George Killian's Wilde Honey
George Killian's Irish Red
Simpatico Amber
Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout
Dock Street Pilsner
Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Blackhook Porter
J.W. Dundee's Honey Brown Lager
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Dragon Stout
Pete's Wicked Summer Brew





Alaskan Stout
Bad Frog No Doubt Stout
Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Beamish Irish Stout
Bell's Cherry Stout
Bell's Double Cream Stout
Bell's Expedition Stout
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Bert Grant's Imperial Stout
Black Bear Dry Stout
Black Hawk Stout
Boulevard Dry Stout
Bridgeport Black Strap Stout
Catamount Oatmeal Stout
Dominion Oak Barrel Stout
Dominion Stout
Full Sail Main Sail Stout
Goose Island Oatmeal Stout
Gray's Oatmeal Stout
Guinness Stout
Hale's Dublin Style Stout
Ice Harbor Sternwheeler Stout
Lagunitas Bug Town Stout
Lake Tahoe Hurricane Stout
Lakefront Fuel Cafe Coffee Flavored Stout
Left Hand Imperial Stout
Leinenkugel's Creamy Draft
Magic Hat Feast of Fools
Magic Hat Heart of Darkness
McMenamin's Rasberry Stout
McMenamin's Terminator Stout
Moose Juice Stout
Murphy's Irish Stout
New Knoxville Stout
North Coast Old No. 38 Stout
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout
Obsidian Stout
Old Dominion Imperial Stout
Oldenberg Devil's Black Oatmeal Stout
Pyramid Expresso Stout
Redhook Double Black Stout
Rock Creek Mooney's Irish Stout
Rogue Imperial Stout
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Samuel Adams Cream Stout
Sapporo Black Stout Draft
Saranac Stout
Shipyard Blue Fin Stout
Sierra Nevada Stout
Sprecher Irish Stout
St. Arnold Winter Stout
Stoudt's Fat Dog Stoudt
Tom Obrien's Stout
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout
Wasatch Irish Stout
Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout





Drink and the Devil had done for the rest...





There's no doubt that pirates were thugs, gangsters, psychopaths and sadists. But it's hard not to have a sneaking admiration for these nautical anarchists who declared war on the whole world.


One night in 1717, a wealthy plantation owner named Stede Bonnet quit his job, walked out on his nagging wife, bought a ship, and started looting and pillaging off Virginia. The authorities eventually caught up with him, but not before he'd sent a goodly numbler of honest seaman to a watery grave. He even cruised with Blackbeard for a while.


Well, haven't you ever had a bad day?


Avast thee!





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