Navy Grog: Classic Three-Rum Tiki Cocktail Recipe

Elenor Craig

A timeless cocktail inspired by nautical adventures, the Navy Grog is a refreshing blend of rums, citrus, and honey. Its heritage links back to seafaring days when it was used to combat scurvy and keep spirits high on deck.

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings cocktail

Calories 269 kcal

Equipment

Cocktail shaker
Hawthorne strainer
Jigger (1 oz and 0.75 oz measures)
Rocks glass (double old fashioned)
Lewis bag and mallet (for crushed ice)
Citrus Juicer

Ingredients

1 oz dark rum 30ml, preferably Jamaican
1 oz white rum 30ml, preferably Puerto Rican
1 oz Demerara rum 30ml, preferably Guyanese
¾ oz fresh lime juice 22ml
¾ oz fresh grapefruit juice 22ml, preferably pink grapefruit
½ oz honey syrup 15ml, equal parts honey and hot water stirred until dissolved
½ oz club soda 15ml, to top off
4 cups ice for shaking and serving — crushed ice for the glass

Instructions

Add 1 oz (30ml) dark rum, 1 oz (30ml) white rum, and 1 oz (30ml) Demerara rum to a cocktail shaker. Each rum contributes a different character — the white keeps it light, the dark adds richness, and the Demerara brings caramel depth.
1 oz dark rum, 1 oz white rum, 1 oz Demerara rum
Add ¾ oz (22ml) fresh lime juice and ¾ oz (22ml) fresh grapefruit juice to the shaker. Always juice citrus fresh — bottled juice will taste flat and overly acidic.
3/4 oz fresh lime juice, 3/4 oz fresh grapefruit juice
Add ½ oz (15ml) honey syrup. Simple syrup works as a substitute, but honey syrup adds a floral sweetness that complements the rum and grapefruit particularly well.
1/2 oz honey syrup
Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for a full 15 seconds — you should see frost forming on the outside of the shaker. A vigorous shake is essential for proper dilution and to take the sharp edge off the alcohol.
4 cups ice
Strain through a Hawthorne strainer into a chilled rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Top with ½ oz (15ml) club soda and give one gentle stir to incorporate. Serve immediately.
1/2 oz club soda, 4 cups ice

Notes

Storage: Honey syrup keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks — make a batch so you're always ready.

Make-Ahead: Combine all ingredients except club soda in a jar and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Shake with ice and add soda per glass when serving.

Substitution: Simple syrup works in place of honey syrup, but the drink loses some floral complexity — use a 1:1 swap.

Pro Tip: Shake hard for a full 15 seconds until frost forms on the shaker. A weak shake leaves the rum tasting sharp and hot.

Variation: Swap white rum for spiced rum for a warmer, more aromatic take on the classic.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.03gSodium: 52mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 0.2mg

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