Why did pirates drink rum and not water?

The water became dangerous to drink. Although when rum was added, they found the water became safer to drink. The fact that rum was so easy to obtain, pirates and sailors opted to use rum and ration out the clean water to stay hydrated.


Why did pirates not drink water?

During the Golden Age of Piracy, it was very difficult to find fresh and clean drinking water, even on dry land. For pirates on the open sea, it was almost impossible to transport and maintain an adequate supply of fresh drinking water onboard. Because of this, many seamen drank grog, beer or ale as opposed to water.

Did pirates drink watered down rum?

Of course, sailors and pirates didn't just drink rum straight. To make it more palatable, they would mix it with a bit of water to make grog; or water, sugar, and nutmeg (to make bumbo).


Why did sailors always drink rum?

A gallon of beer was the original rationed drink for sailors, but it too could spoil easily at sea. Around 1655, many ships switched over to rum rations instead. It didn't rot inside barrels and also didn't take up as much room as beer, freeing precious space for cargo.

Why did pirates choose rum?

Rum, distilled from sugar, however, was cheaper to transport and so became a staple export. This meant that many of the ships attacked by pirates were laden with barrels of rum, ripe for the taking. They could be sold for a pretty price, but pirates tended to drink a fair chunk of this kind of loot.


Why Did Pirates Drink Rum? (Pirate History Explained)



Were pirates drunk all the time?

Strong alcohols such as rum and brandy were often used on long voyages to disinfect stagnant water, and to sweeten the flavour. So you see; pirates were always drunk because even their water had alcohol in it.

How did sailors survive on rum?

In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon introduced a mixture of one part rum to four parts water, flavoured with lemon juice and brown sugar. The lemon would have provided some much-needed vitamin C to stave off scurvy.

How much was a tot of rum in the navy?

How much rum did sailors drink? From around 1655, a pint of rum was the usual ration handed to each sailor in the Royal Navy. It was served every day, half at 12 noon and the second half at about 5 or 6pm (though the amount decreased in following years). The rum ration was known as 'Pusser's Rum'.


Why does Jack Sparrow drink rum?

Black Pearl Rum

Sparrow's obsession with his beloved ship, the Black Pearl, is one of his defining traits. So, it's no surprise that he'd reach for a rum that reminds him of his vessel. Black Pearl is an American silver rum made from molasses sourced in New Orleans.

Did rum prevent scurvy?

Rum had one other advantage. It mixed well with the daily dose of lime juice that was doled out to British sailors to prevent scurvy. Although that practice did not start until the 18th century, well after the adoption of the daily rum ration, it provided an additional reason to continue the practice.

How did pirates stay hydrated?

Stagnant drinking water

Water, rum, and lime was the pirate's well-known drink of choice. The navy also used this drink for their sailors, so the sailors would stay hydrated, and this was rationed to them only two times a day, but the pirates drank their drink of choice anytime they wanted.


What is watered down rum called?

Grog is a term used for a variety of alcoholic beverages. The word originally referred to rum diluted with water (and later on long sea voyages, also added the juice of limes or lemons), which British Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon introduced into the naval squadron he commanded in the West Indies on 21 August 1740.

Why are there no female pirates?

On many ships in the Golden Age of Piracy, women were prohibited by the ship's contract (required to be signed by all crew members) due to being seen as bad luck and due to fears that the male crew members would fight over the women.

Did pirates ever shower?

Bathing or washing was pretty much a no-go on a pirate ship as water could not be wasted; those who fancied a shower would have to stand outside in the rain and risk pneumonia! Visiting the bathroom, however, was a much more feasible exercise, thankfully.


Why did pirates lose their teeth?

Pirates also had terrible diets. They could only get fresh fruits and vegetables by stealing or trading for them. This caused problems for their teeth, and also promoted a disease called scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C in a diet, and among other problems, causes receding gums.

Do the navy still get rum?

Royal Navy sailors, however, love their customs and ceremonial rituals, so Black Tot Day was born … a final salute with a tot of rum which has since become a once-a-year tradition to commemorate the end of the historic daily tradition.

Do sailors still get rum rations?

The rum ration (also called the tot) was a daily amount of rum given to sailors on Royal Navy ships. It was abolished in 1970 after concerns that the intake of strong alcohol would lead to unsteady hands when working machinery.


Why are sailors called Jack?

Round about the year 1700, landlubbers began calling sailors 'Jack tars': 'Jack' because Jack was already a popular name for a sailor; 'tars' because long-haired sailors were dipping their locks in tar to make a pigtail.

Why did sailors drink alcohol instead of water?

The alcoholic properties could kill some dangerous microbes present in the water and could have acted as a sort of purifying agent. This might have also helped prolong the water's shelf life that was brought on board. All in all, for the sailors of this period distillates may have had the greater advantage over water.

Did pirates really like rum?

Yes. They did. Pirates often started out as military sailors, who developed a taste for rum when it was distributed in the Navy. The Caribbean was a hotbed of piracy and instead of having to wait for their daily tot of rum from their superiors, pirates could drink it whenever they pleased.


What did pirates drink other than rum?

According to most accounts, the principal beverage that pirates drank was rum, although ale (beer) was also served on most pirate ships. Ale was usually only available on shorter journeys or at the beginning of a long adventure because it would turn bad over time.

How do you say no in pirate?

Avast! – Avast was a command that meant to stop or desist, and is derived from the Italian word “basta” which means stop. Aye (or ay) – Aye was the standard way to say Yes for pirates.

How do you say hello to a pirate?

Ahoy – A pirate greeting or a way to get someone's attention, similar to “Hello” or “hey!”. Arrr, Arrgh, Yarr, Gar – Pirates slang used to emphasize a point.


How do you say goodbye as a pirate?

Ahoy. Ahoy is the most versatile pirate word used in movies and books. Sailors use it to call to other ships, greet each other, warn of danger, or say goodbye.