I Heart Wikipedia- The Grog Post

Avast maties, scrub the poop deck and hoist the sails!

I said "poop"

Let me describe the evolution of a blog post:
Today I began with an idea of what I was going to write about. I thought I should do a preemptive, St. Patrick's Day Eve post describing some of the traditions associated with this holiday. I would of course mention beer, green beer, the Irish, whiskey, parties, parades, and snakes in this lil' post 'o mine. My mind jumped to something I recalled from John Leguizamo's One-Man show, "Freak" where he encountered a group of drunken Irish brothers whom he nicknamed, Grog, Ale, Mead, Killian, Guinness, and Stout. I began to think, "I don't know what Grog is."

Wikipedia to the rescue.

While I still am not sure about what Grog is exactly (from what I could gather it had something to do with dilution of rum with fresh water and citrus juices), what I did learn is the history of this drink has a direct relation to why the British are sometimes referred to as limeys.

In an effort to ration rum, British sailors on board with Admiral Edward Vernon often cut the rum with water and limes or other citrus juices. This practice also made them one of the more healthy because unbeknownst to them, the sailors were fending off diseases, mainly scurvy, by consuming vitamin C in their "Grog." Hence, British sailors were referred to as "limeys" because of all the limes they would consume with their rum concoction. Although "limey" is derogatory nomenclature, it holds an inherent value of blind luck and intelligence

  "A mighty bowl on deck he drew.
 And filled it to the brink;
 Such drank the Burford's gallant crew,
 And such the gods shall drink,
 The sacred robe which Vernon wore
 Was drenched within the same;
 And hence his virtues guard our shore,
 And Grog derives its name."

Learnt sumptin new e'ry day.


coming tomorrow- the St. Patty's Day Post