The Navy Grog is a combination of rum, honey syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and club soda that hearkens back to the days when sailors in the British Royal Navy were given a daily ration of rum.
In the 18th century, the term “grog” referred to a simple mixture of rum and water that was commonly served on naval vessels. Thankfully, the drink has changed significantly since then. The version from which the modern Navy Grog evolved was created by the tropical-kitsch godfather Donn Beach for his Hollywood bar and restaurant, Don the Beachcomber. His rival, Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, also developed a version of the Navy Grog for his chain.
Originally served over a cone of ice surrounding the straw, this potent cocktail became a quick hit with some very famous fans. In Martin Cate’s book Smuggler’s Cove, he notes that the Navy Grog was a favorite of naval veteran and former President Richard Nixon, who would allegedly sneak out to the Trader Vic’s in Washington, D.C. during the Watergate scandal, where he would enjoy a cocktail after the bar was closed to the public.
What makes the Navy Grog work
This version of a Navy Grog is a Donn Beach concoction and is based on the classic sour formula of distilled spirit, citrus juice, and sugar. Much like other cocktails he created, the Navy Grog calls for a combination of rums — in this case, a Jamaican, demerara, and white Spanish-style rum. The combination of funky Jamaican rum, molasses-like demerara rum, and lightly aged and filtered white rum provides a balanced, yet complex profile that’s rarely found in a single rum.
One full ounce of sweetener is a lot for a cocktail, but the honey syrup in this drink is doing a lot of work. This recipe calls for three full ounces of rum, which could easily overpower a drink if not properly balanced.
The combination of lime and grapefruit juice provides an acidic counterweight to the rum and honey syrup in the Navy Grog. Lime and grapefruit are commonly paired in cocktails like the Hemingway Daiquiri or Donn Beach’s most famous creation, the Zombie. Grapefruit adds a slight bitterness that further balances the high volume of rum and syrup in this drink.
A splash of club soda, along with a mint sprig and lime wheel garnish, gives the Navy Grog a much-needed pop of freshness. The end result is a timeless tropical classic.
Dining and Cooking