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Comment by sithadmin | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure I buy your claim that rum was ever used to 'disinfect' fresh water on British Navy ships. The 'grog' mix they used was not of sufficient ABV to disinfect the water, as it was handed out at a 4:1 ratio of water:rum. It was moreso about making the daily rum ration difficult to hoard, and much more efficient to transport than beer or wine.

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Grog was at least 10% alcohol, plus lime juice. Navy rum was 65% or 130 proof. That's more than enough to inhibit most waterborne diseases such as cholera (inhibited in wine at 6.25% abv, though wine has tannins and phenols).

Yikes, I just checked, and Captain Morgan's is 35% Alcohol. I'm aware of Bacardi 151 (75.5% alcohol) which is like fire water to me. Can't imagine drinking something so concentrated regularly.

I suppose that's why 1 part of rum got mixed with 4 parts water and some limes.

The lime got added to prevent scurvy, which was a major problem prior to it's addition

Even with its addition as they didn't use fresh lime (some even boiled it) for many years. People got both lime and scurvy.

Scurvy: The Disease of Discovery by J. Lamb is actually quite interesting.

The only reason I'd ever buy everclear (95% ethanol) is for cleaning optics.

It's also great for doing various tinctures/extractions if you get into the more exotic side of cooking/food/mixology

Good solvent for shellac as well, without the nasty smell and headache from denatured alcohol fumes. Costs more though, since it’s sold and taxed for consumption.

I can't practically get everclear since I live in California, where it's illegal. I use 99% IPA for shellac, it's not denatured but you wouldn't want to drink it anyway.

Before my brain caught up I was just about to ask you what brewery is it that can do a 99% Indian Pale Ale...

How about a hops extract?

Stock up if you're ever in Oregon, Arizona, or Utah. No luck in Nevada either.

Fun fact: Vodka is usually distilled to a high purity close to everclear using a reflux still, then diluted with water to get down to 40%.

If the very elaborate still in a neighbours garage is anything to go by, gin, limoncello and various others can be made this way too. 10+ bubble plates and away he goes.

In my high school days, we used it for Jell-O shots and drunk watermelons. Probably should have used vodka but ever clear was more bang/buck. I remember taking a shot of it once as a group “dare” type situation. It was as awful as you would guess

I've never drunk it. I don't like high proof alcohol.

Once I worked in a very informal lab and we were always looking for alternatives to buying industrial chemicals. I was working with optics, and Everclear came up as a good alternative to denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. My friend who ran a microscope lab said it was pure enough to clean optics... however, since it was illegal to buy in California, we had a friend pick it up in Arizona and drop it off with us.

We put it in the flammable storage cabinet with a label saying it was 95% alcohol. Once during a lab inspection we tried to explain, but the inspector just said "yes, I went to college"

Why would everclear be better than denaturated alcohol? Usually (I live in Europe btw) denaturated alcol is cheaper and has same proof of drinkable liquids.

The "denatured" part means it contains additives that make it poisonous and foul-tasting.

because I prefer my cleaning solvents to be consumable in an emergency.

If I remember correctly, the lower ranking navy members weren't even allowed access to the strong stuff. Only the officers who had to dilute it before giving it to the others.

Few people are regularly pounding rum shots.

You can't judge from Bacardi. It's bottom-shelf, young, and pretty rough. I find it unpleasant to drink neat even at 80 proof. A high-quality, aged rum at 130 proof will be plenty fiery, but not as bad as Bacardi 151 diluted to 130 proof.

Of course, the sailors probably didn't drink anything terribly high-end.

> I find it unpleasant to drink

I concur, I tried to acquire the taste for 151 in college and even after 4 years of earnest and consistent effort it did not get better. Similar experiments with Everclear and overproof grappa were also unsuccessful.

I would not recommend any of these if one is interested in a pleasant drinking experience.

Lately I've been finding Bourbon to be enjoyable. Woodford Reserve and Bulleit are well-priced and good introductions in my opinion.

> Lately I've been finding Bourbon to be enjoyable. Woodford Reserve and Bulleit are well-priced and good introductions in my opinion.

Also try Buffalo Trace, it's one of my three favorite including the two you mentioned.

Thanks! It's on my list, I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Would you suggest the regular Buffalo Trace or one of their (many) variations?

I have only tried the regular one but I liked it a lot.

I think at times it also had to do with making disgusting water more palatable, not sterile or anything, just less awful to drink.

Rum was not generally used to disinfectant water on Royal Navy vessels. Typically the rum ration was only served with the midday meal. At other times the hands mostly drank plain water that had been stored in wooden barrels (and they complained about the taste).

And it wasn't always rum. If a vessel was on foreign service and rum was unavailable then the crew would be issued an equivalent amount of other booze.

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