Name: Navy Grog
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Light white rum; 30 ml Aged rum (6-10yr); 30 ml Navy rum (ideally 54.5% alc./vol.); 7.5 ml Pimento dram; 7.5 ml Brown sugar syrup; 7.5 ml Honey and water syrup; 22.5 ml Pink grapefruit juice; 22.5 ml Lime juice; 1&frasl;4 barspoon Xanthan gum (E415)

Navy Grog
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Photographed in a Libbey DOF 14.25oz

Ingredients:
1 oz	Light white rum (charcoal-filtered 1-4 years old)
1 oz	Caribbean blended rum aged 6-10 years
1 oz	Navy rum (ideally 54.5% alc./vol.)
¹⁄₄ oz	St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram liqueur
¹⁄₄ oz	Demerara/Muscovado/brown sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
¹⁄₄ oz	Honey syrup (3 parts honey to 1 water by weight)
³⁄₄ oz	Pink grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
³⁄₄ oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₄ barspoon	Xanthan gum (E415) optional

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Double old-fashioned glass.
Prepare garnish of ICE CONE with straw, lime wedge, mints sprigs and flag.
DRY BLEND (without ice) first 8 ingredients (all but Xanthan gum) on a slow setting and then gradually add Xanthan while continuing to blend.
Add 7oz scoop of crushed ice and BLEND some more.
POUR into chilled glass.
Garnish with ice cone with straw running through the centre, lime wedge, mints sprigs bouquet and flag.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

With is trio of rums at a full measure a piece, this maritime sour is one of the punchiest on the classic roster of Tiki cocktails.

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Variant:

Grog
Honey Rum Grog

History:

Created circa 1940 by Donn Beach at his Don the Beachcomber restaurant and subsequently reimagined by others, most notably Trader Vic. This version is closest to Trader Vic's recipe, but the ice-cone serve is a Donn Beach touch.

NAVY GROG
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce white grapefruit juice
¾ soda water
1 ounce honey mix [equal parts clover honey & hot water]
1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
1 ounce dark Jamaican rum
1 ounce Demerara rum
Shake vigorously with ice cubes. Strain into double old-fashioned glass with ice-cone around straw.
Jeff Berry & Annene Kaye, Beachbum Berry's Grog Log, 2013

Navy Grog
You can substitute three ounces of Trader Vic Navy Grog and punch rum for the three rums listed below.
3 ounces Trader Vic Navy Grog mix
1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
1 ounce dark Jamaica rum
1 ounce 86-proof Demerara rum
Cut lime; squeeze into mai tai (double old-fashioned) glass filled with shaved ice: save one lime shell. Add remaining ingredients. Hand-shake. Decorate with spent lime shell, rock candy stick, fresh mint, and fresh mint.
Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide Revised, 1974

More cocktails by Don Beach (Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt)

Nutrition:

One serving of Navy Grog contains 321 calories

Alcohol content:

2.7 standard drinks
24.26% alc./vol. (24.26° proof)
38.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 comments for Navy Grog.
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G. M. Genovese

11th April at 00:07

I understand this kinda complex recipe style is a Donn Beach thing, but the allspice dram kills it. Fur stank off dessicated roadkill like... After trying these specs (and blehh!!), I made it again with an eye to the recipe on Beachbum Berry's site (which touts the excellent Hamilton-brand blend) and it was much more agreeable... Use a funky raw honey at 3:1 for your syrup. A splash of Demerara syrup won't be unwelcome :)... Bacardi Carta Blanca (wasted in this), Denizen Merchant's Reserve, and Pusser's Gunpowder were solid enough combo.

David Selle

15th June 2024 at 21:42

I'm so glad you added the ice cone to the picture and recipe - it takes the presentation up a notch. I pulverize crushed ice in a food processor briefly to get the consistency needed to pack the mold well.

Chris Brislawn

30th April 2024 at 04:48

Variant: the Bloody Old Grogram.
What Adm. Vernon's sailors probably called him when safely out of earshot on shore leave, sipping Bloody Old Grogram cocktails at the bar in Trader Vic's. Just add 3/4 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice to the Navy Grog. More complex citrus flavors and a prettier color, too.

Geralt Of Rivia

16th September 2023 at 16:16

While the new 2023 recipe seems fantastic, that would be great to keep record of the former, simpler recipe which I loved. Has it totally disappeared from the site?

Hector Kollias

28th September 2023 at 15:42

It's called Grog Cocktail here now.. I love that too!

Simon Difford

16th September 2023 at 19:52

Apart from the optional addition of ¼ bar spoon Xanthan gum and garnishing with ice cone, the recipe is unchanged. Omit these two optional additions, and you've the same cocktail. Arguably the same cocktail with them.

Chris Northfield

15th September 2023 at 16:57

Before cocktailers rush for the sandpaper, I think point 4. Should read “leave to stand” rather than “leave to sand”. Apologies in advance for the pedantry….. :)

Simon Difford

15th September 2023 at 18:05

Many thanks, Chris. Now corrected.

Ignacy Szczupal

14th February 2023 at 21:30

In my opinion, adding 30 ml of lime juice instead of 22.5 significantly enhances the rums. Very good cocktail

Jay Franks

2nd May 2022 at 22:17

Sweet, sour, strong, weak. Classic Donn B. Formula. The foundation of several hundred great drinks. Always delightful. I've tried many different combinations of rum in this grog. This one works particularly well. Just a bit of funk from the Denizen's, a nice solid base from the Pusser's and some elegance and grace from the Plantation. Cheer's.

David Selle

1st August 2021 at 19:14

Don't forget the Ice Cone for the perfect garnish - like Don used to make: https://beachbumberry.com/barware-ice-cone.html (I believe it's available in the US and the UK)

John Hinojos

18th March 2021 at 04:19

I am a big rum drinker, and this is one of my favorites. I used Navy Strength Navy rum and added a dusting of nutmeg on top. Served with a block of ice. Sometimes I will put on a float of 151 Demerara Rum. But that version can really knock you flat. Great recipe. I am in San Diego and I get this at Bali Hai restaurant. This is almost identical.

Simon Difford

18th March 2021 at 07:44

Thanks John. Navy Grog and both underrated and delicious. I look forward to returning to San Diego one day and enjoying a Nay Grog at Bali Hai.

Nathalie O'Flynn

17th August 2020 at 18:24

Ice cone and syrups ready, this is going to be tonight’s Tiki cocktail, never made this one before, only just managed to recently finally find Demerara sugar. It’s holiday time so we chose (I really) a Tiki cocktail every night. We’ll first line up our tummies with a home made burger.

Simon Difford

18th August 2020 at 08:08

Hi Nathalie. Many thanks for your kind words and support. It's great to hear that you are enjoying our labour of love.

Nathalie O'Flynn

17th August 2020 at 21:06

Amazing Tiki cocktail, very pleased with the results even if I say so myself. I would not mix the cocktails that I do today without Difford’s guide, became a cocktail fan 5 years ago and discovered Difford’s guide say 2-3 years ago. I know ....am such a fan lol, so thank you

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