5 Delicious Rum Cocktails to Help You Celebrate Black Tot Day

On July 31, 1970, the British Royal Navy ended the 300-year old tradition of daily rum rations.

Bad news for sailors, but good news for us—there's more rum to go around!

This July 31, we'll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Black Tot Day. With summertime in full swing, there's no better time to raise your glass and enjoy a few delicious rum cocktails.

Stock up on your own rum rations and get ready to try one (or all) of these tasty rum concoctions.

1. Classic Grog

Prior to the 19th century, scurvy was a serious threat to the health of all seamen.

Without a steady supply of fresh fruit to prevent vitamin C deficiency, sailors relied on Grog to combat scurvy.

Make your own ration of Grog at home by combining:

• 2 oz rum
• 2 oz chilled water
• 1/2 oz simple syrup or honey
• dash of Angostura bitters
• 1/2 fresh squeezed lime

Combine all ingredients and pour over ice for a limey, refreshing rum cocktail.

2. Hurricane

One of the top rum drinks of all time, it's hard to beat a fruity, potent Hurricane. It originated on Bourbon Street in New Orleans—a city that definitely knows a thing or two about hurricanes.

Ward off any impending storms in your own life with this recipe:

• 3 oz Pusser's Rum
• 2 oz light rum
• 6 oz orange juice
• 6 oz passion fruit juice
• 2 tbsp grenadine

Combine over ice, garnish with an orange slice and cherry, and feel your worries melt away with each sip. 

3. Ginger Sea Dog

The Ginger Sea Dog is a hearty drink that came to be in the tropic waters, where rum is plentiful and so are sailors. It’s a drink that was spit out by the sea, more or less. It’s a drink with a really cool name. Similar to a Moscow Mule -- just swap out the Vodka for Pusser's Navy Rum.

• 2 oz Pusser's Rum
• 4 oz ginger beer
• Angostura Bitters
• fresh-squeezed lime

Combine over ice for the classic version, or blend the ingredients for a frozen alternative. For an extra spicy kick, add a tablespoon of fresh ground ginger!

4. Bahama Mama

Next up on our list of the best rum cocktails is the Bahama Mama. Sweet, fruity, and refreshing, it's like drinking liquid sunshine.

Take your own trip to the Bahamas with these ingredients:

• 2 oz Pusser's Rum
• 1 oz coconut rum
• 4 oz orange juice
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• splash of grenadine
• fresh-squeezed lime

Serve over ice and garnish with cherries, an orange slice, or fresh pineapple. Or all three, if you like. We won't judge.

5. Tipsy Mermaid

If you identify more with mermaids than sailors, try this delightfully different rum cocktail.

Here's the recipe for an individual drink, although you could quadruple everything for a punch-bowl version.

• 2 oz Pusser's Rum
• 1/2 oz blue curacao
• 1/2 oz Midori
• splash of Prosecco
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• splash of club soda

Combine over ice and garnish with fresh pineapple wedges. You'll know it's perfect when it's the same color as the Caribbean Sea.

Celebrate With Rum Cocktails: Bottoms Up!

So, which of these rum cocktails will you make to celebrate Black Tot Day?

Will it be the lime-infused Grog? An old classic like a Hurricane or a Dark & Stormy? Or a newer rum drink like the Bahama Mama or Tipsy Mermaid?

Whichever cocktail you choose, it's sure to taste better with a few shots of Pussers Rum.

Make sure your liquor cabinet is stocked up for Black Tot Day and beyond!