What alcohol did sailors drink before rum?

Before rum became the drink of choice for sailors, they consumed a variety of alcoholic beverages, depending on the era, region, and availability. Here are some common ones:

Pre-16th Century:

* Beer: This was the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in Europe and was readily available on ships.

* Wine: Wine was also popular, especially in regions where grapes grew.

* Mead: A honey-based alcoholic beverage, mead was consumed in areas where grapes didn't thrive.

* Ale: A fermented beverage similar to beer, but using different grains and yeasts.

16th-18th Century:

* Brandy: This distilled spirit, made from grapes, was also favored by sailors, especially as it had a longer shelf life than wine.

* Grog: A mixture of water, rum, and sometimes other ingredients, grog became popular in the 18th century and eventually replaced pure rum as the primary drink for sailors.

Factors influencing alcohol consumption:

* Availability: The type of alcohol consumed was often determined by what was available at the time.

* Cost: Cheap and readily available options like beer and ale were the most common.

* Preservation: Alcohol with longer shelf lives, like brandy and rum, were preferable for long voyages.

It's important to note that rum wasn't widely adopted by sailors until the 17th century when sugarcane production expanded in the Caribbean, making it a readily available and inexpensive option.