Ingredients
- 2 Can(s) Bitter Beer
- 4 oz Vodka
- 4 oz Orange Juice
Instructions
- Pour beer. Vodka. and orange juice in a pitcher. Stir well.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
Grog is a British naval term from the 1700s for a watered-down rum ration, named after Admiral Vernon who wore a grogram cloak. The modern recipe in the cocktail catalogue keeps the spirit-cut-with-mixer character but swaps the rum for vodka and the water for beer plus orange juice. The build is a casual long pour rather than a measured cocktail.
It sits in the beer-cocktail family with the Michelada, the Snakebite and the Boilermaker. All three lean on beer plus a contrasting addition for the long-drink character. Grog separates itself with the orange-juice lift, which gives the malty-bitter beer a sweet-citrus finish and lets the vodka disappear into the volume.
Best ordered at a casual house party, a backyard barbeque or any setting where a pitcher pour makes more sense than measured glasses. The drink is approachable, malty-and-citrus, and scales easily to four servings out of a single two-can build.
What it tastes like
Bitter beer malt up front, soft vodka through the middle, sharp orange-citrus on the finish. The orange juice cuts the beer bitterness and gives the drink a brighter character than a straight beer-vodka mixer. Reads as a casual long pour, not a stiff cocktail.
Around 7 percent ABV in the glass once mixed. Two cans of bitter beer at 5 percent ABV plus four ounces of vodka at 40 percent ABV plus four ounces of zero-ABV orange juice gives a moderate-strength long pour. Each pitcher serves four six-ounce glasses comfortably.
The technique
Pour both cans of bitter beer into a large pitcher. Add the vodka and the orange juice, in that order. Stir gently with a bar spoon to combine. Add ice to the pitcher or to individual glasses at service. Pour into highball or pint glasses.
The order of operations preserves the beer carbonation. Pouring the spirit and the juice into the beer keeps the bubbles intact; pouring the beer last over the cold spirits flattens the foam fast. Stir gently, two or three turns; over-stirring dumps the carbonation in two minutes.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The bitter beer
- Use
- Boddingtons, Newcastle Brown Ale or any English-style bitter at 4 to 5 percent ABV.
- Skip
- American light lager or pilsner. Wrong malt profile.
- Why
- Bitter beer is the volume and the malty-bitter base. The English-style bitter character holds up against the orange juice and the vodka without disappearing; light lager fades into the mix and reads as a watery vodka-orange.
The orange juice
- Use
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice or a chilled premium juice such as Tropicana Pure Premium.
- Skip
- Concentrated orange juice from frozen. Different sugar profile.
- Why
- Fresh orange juice is the brightness and the natural citrus oil. The pulp and the volatile oils lift the beer and the vodka; concentrated juice is over-sweet and lacks the oils that make the drink read as fresh.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Grog, classic pitcher
- Two cans bitter beer, four ounces vodka, four ounces orange juice in a pitcher, stir gently, serve over ice in highballs.
The single-glass build
- Grog by the glass
- Half a can of bitter beer, one ounce vodka, one ounce orange juice in a pint glass over ice. Same flavour balance, single serving.
The dry build
- Grog with grapefruit
- Swap the orange juice for grapefruit juice. Loses the sweetness, gains a sharper citrus finish.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Brown ale, amber ale or any English-style malty beer. Different brand profile, holds the malty-bitter base.
White rum or gin work as substitutes; both hold the clear-spirit role. Avoid bourbon; the brown character clashes with the beer.
Pineapple juice or grapefruit juice. Different sweetness curve, holds the citrus-cut role.
Build per glass at the same ratio. The pitcher format is the convenience, not the requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is a Grog cocktail?
Two cans of bitter beer, four ounces of vodka and four ounces of orange juice in a pitcher, stirred gently and served over ice in highballs. A casual long pour built around beer plus a spirit cut.
Why is it called Grog?
Named after Admiral Edward Vernon of the British Navy, nicknamed Old Grog for his grogram cloak. He ordered the daily rum ration watered down in the 1740s; the diluted-spirit recipe took on his nickname. The modern version swaps rum for vodka and water for beer.
How strong is a Grog?
Around 7 percent ABV in the glass once mixed and served over ice. Roughly equal to one standard drink per six-ounce serving.
What does it taste like?
Bitter beer malt up front, soft vodka through the middle, sharp orange-citrus on the finish. Reads as a casual long pour with a brighter finish than a straight beer-vodka mixer.
Can I use a different beer?
Brown ale, amber ale or any malty English-style bitter works. Avoid light lager or pilsner; the malt profile is too thin to hold up against the orange juice and the vodka.
Why two cans of beer?
The two-can volume is built for a four-glass pitcher. Halving to a single can with two ounces vodka and two ounces orange juice gives a single-glass version with the same flavour balance.
Can I batch Grog ahead?
Mix the vodka and the orange juice up to four hours ahead and chill. Pour the beer in within ten minutes of service to hold the carbonation.
What other beer cocktails are similar?
A Michelada, a Snakebite and a Boilermaker. All three lean on beer plus a contrasting addition for the long-drink casual-pour character.
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