National Rum Day!

“Work Like a Captain, Drink Like A Pirate”

Orlando, FL. – Some facts about pirates and their rum:

Pirates called their special rum concoction, “Grog” and it involved mixing water, rum, and lime to help stave off scurvy and other diseases. Once the rum is distilled, it can be aged for up to 6 months. After that time period, the taste is even more smooth. However, their rum tasted very different from the rum we drink today – it was saltier because they used the only water they had plenty of – the sea.

It wasn’t just gold pirates were after! They also raided countries like Jamaica and Barbados for their sugar cane (or the molasses made out of sugar cane) to make the rum and knew it was in high demand in Europe. Although it was used for currency and trading, on account that it was in such high demand, pirates mainly broke into the barrels and drank the loot as they sailed from port to port. But excessive drinking of this precious beverage sometimes led to outrage and fights among the crew, like Calico Jack’s crew who was intercepted by a ship of pirate hunters while the crew was passed out drunk. But it didn’t stop British corsairs to require a daily ration of rum in 1650.

Sir Francis Drake, known as The Dragon by his enemies, is widely considered the first mixologist. Francis and Richard Drake (his first cousin and fellow privateer) invented a drink named after him that involved rum, lime, tree bark and cane sugar, topped with sprig of mint. It is considered the predecessor to the modern mojito.

“Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum” came from the classic novel “Treasure Island.” It is considered the singular reference everyone knows as being associated with pirates, whether or not you’ve read the book and has since made its way into popular culture including Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride and franchise.

Let’s hope our very own Magee has made enough rum for Captain Sebastian The Black and the rest of the crew.