Navy Grog
A rum-based tiki cocktail limited to two or three per customer.
The Navy Grog is a rum-based cocktail created by Donn Beach, the originator of the tiki cultural fad of the 1940s and 1950s. It was served for many years at the Polynesian-themed Don the Beachcomber restaurants and remains popular in many tiki restaurants and bars. The drink is one of dozens of rum concoctions that Beach, and later Trader Vic and numerous imitators, sold in exotic tropical settings.
- Type
- Cocktail
- Creator
- Donn Beach
- Associated establishments
- Don the Beachcomber restaurants, Trader Vic's
- Primary spirit
- Rum (gold Demerara, dark Jamaican, white Cuban or Puerto Rican)
- Notable variants
- Don the Beachcomber Navy Grog, Trader Vic's Navy Grog
- Historical context
- Part of the tiki cultural fad of the 1940s and 1950s
Lore & Background
The Navy Grog was first created by Donn Beach, who almost single-handedly originated the tiki cultural fad of the 1940s and 1950s. It was not quite as potent as the Beachcomber's more famous Zombie, but was shown on the menu as being limited to two, or sometimes three, to a customer. The drink is named after the historical term 'grog,' which originally referred to a drink made with water and rum introduced into the Royal Navy by British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon on August 21, 1740. Vernon was nicknamed 'Old Grog' because of a grogram cloak he wore, and the nickname became attached to the drink.
Reader's Guide
The Navy Grog holds significance as a classic tiki cocktail that exemplifies the exotic, rum-based drinks popularized by Donn Beach and later imitators like Trader Vic. Its recipe, which uses fresh lime and grapefruit juice along with multiple rums and a honey mix, avoids the exotic syrups found in other tiki drinks such as the Zombie or Mai Tai. The drink's legacy includes its continued service in tiki establishments and its association with a notable incident: Phil Spector reportedly consumed at least two Trader Vic’s Navy Grogs at the Beverly Hilton restaurant, without eating any food, the night he later killed actress Lana Clarkson. The Navy Grog remains a staple of tiki culture, with variant recipes that sometimes include passionfruit juice, guava juice, or club soda.
More in Cocktails with rum 1-24
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