Navy Grog

Navy Grog is a classic Tiki cocktail that kicks things up a notch in complexity with not one, not two, but three types of Rum. It also brings Lime and Grapefruit Juice, Honey, and a bit of Club Soda to take things even further. The recipe we're presenting is pretty close to the original Don the Beachcomber recipe, we're just not being quite as picky about one of the Rums (but do check the recipe notes for the exact Rum to use).

You'll note that this recipe has a relatively long ingredient list, so you won't see it on any list of easy to make cocktails! That's OK though, the effort to create a wonderful Navy Grog is well worth it.

Total Time 5

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

30 mL White Rum
30 mL Dark Rum Dark Jamaican Rum is what's in the original recipe, but any Dark Rum will do.
30 mL Demerara Rum You can use a different Dark or Golden Rum here, but you really should use Demerara for its unique flavour.
30 mL Honey Syrup
20 mL Lime Juice
20 mL Grapefruit Juice
20 mL Club Soda
Garnish with some Mint and a Lime Wedge

Instructions

Put all Rums, Honey Syrup, Juices, and Club Soda into a cocktail shaker; if you can use crushed ice, great, otherwise use cracked ice or smaller ice cubes. Shake until everything is thoroughly mixed and cold.
Strain into a Rocks glass with fresh crushed ice.
Garnish and enjoy.

Notes

There is also a version of Navy Grog by Trader Vic which is pretty similar to Don Beach's except it uses Trinidad Rum in place of the White Rum. Rather than Honey Syrup, Trader Vic opted to use Demerara Syrup and also did away completely with the Club Soda. Finally, Trader Vic also adds about 10 mL of Allspice Dram which you can buy or make yourself, however, we wanted to go with something that's a little more accessible!

And a final note on serving: the original recipe was served over a cone of crushed ice with a straw through the middle. You're welcome to attempt to make the cone yourself to get this cocktail perfect, but a bit of crushed ice will do for enjoying at home.

Our Review of the Navy Grog

Tiki cocktails are always a lot of fun, even if they sometimes require quite a few ingredients, and the Navy Grog is no exception. Sure it needs three different kinds of rum, but that’s pretty common in Tiki cocktails. In fact, three different rums is so common in Tiki, I’m surprised someone hasn’t just made a blend called “Tiki Rum.” Even though many Tiki recipes specify rum from specific regions… but that’s another story.

Navy Grog is pretty much what you’d expect it to be: plenty of rum with high vitamin C citrus, then some sweetness to balance things out. I’m not sure how accurate to what was consumed on ships during the golden age of piracy, but I also don’t think sailors would be too surprised by this concoction. After all, old timey sailors were given rum rations and limes to not only make the water more palatable but also because the limes were good for them. And I’m going to assume that that was the inspiration for this cocktail.

While the Navy Grog is a tasty cocktail, it hasn’t held up as much as many other great Tiki cocktails like the Mai Tai. I’m not sure why, because both are great drinks, with the Mai Tai perhaps being a little bit simpler. Personally, I can very rarely fault a Tiki cocktail, and the Navy Grog is no different. Tiki cocktails are always fun, always a little over the top, and always very tasty. They share a similar tropical vibe but are all also fairly different in their flavour profiles.

So really, if you like Tiki, the Navy Grog can be another feather in your cap of Tiki cocktails. If you’re not a big fa of Tiki cocktails, the Navy Grog can still be a good cocktail to try. It’s Tiki, but it’s a little more laid back than a lot of Tiki cocktails. Yes, it has way too much rum in it, but it just doesn’t feel as extravagant as some of the other Tiki cocktails. Navy Grog is fine to serve in a simple rocks glass and sip on its own rather than getting a special mug and over garnishing it.

So obviously I enjoyed making and trying the Navy Grog. It’s surprisingly accessible for what it is and a great excuse to drink way too much rum. Make one tonight!

9/10